Eufy's top-rated robot mop and vacuum takes a lot of the work of keeping your floors spotless. It can replenish its own water tank as well as empty its tower bin. It also has the ability to change the dust bag it uses.
More advanced models are able to trace your home's layout and note the furniture's position. They can also spot obstacles and avoid hazards such as loose charging cables and stray socks.
Object Avoidance
Object avoidance helps your robot to avoid hitting objects like toys, cords, and clothing that could be caught in the vacuum. These features are particularly important if you have pets or children that could leave objects on the floor for your robot to search.
Depending on which model you select the robot you choose may come with various sensors to help it navigate around obstacles. Some of the most well-known include crossed IR sensor beams that are focused infrared lights that scan across the room to look for furniture legs or door frames. This technology has been widely adopted by numerous robots available, and you can also see it in the top models that cost more than other models.
Other object avoidance technologies that are typically found in higher-end robots include 3D Structured Light, which makes use of cameras and crossed IR sensors to map the surrounding area and identify obstacles; and Time of Flight (ToF) sensors which emit and measure the time it takes for light to reflect off of objects, to determine the distance between them. While they are not as popular but they could be beneficial to your robot if you want additional security knowing that it will avoid getting caught up in cables or socks while cleaning.
Most of the top-rated robots can also clean your floors. Some come with their own water tanks, allowing them to remove water-based spills and messes. You'll need to empty the robot's dust bin onboard and clean its cameras and sensors in between cleaning sessions.
Mapping
Robot vacuums should have mapping capabilities. This allows them to navigate your home and avoid bumping against things like walls. Without mapping, they might be tripped by furniture, cords, or pet toys and end up taking less space from your space. With sensors, the majority of robots map out your home to keep track of any obstacles and assist them to navigate around them. This way, they're able to sweep the entire floor in fewer passes, thereby saving your time. Many of the top-rated robot vacuums can also utilize this feature to create no-go zones, which allows you to designate areas that you do not want the robot to get into.
Robots with built-in LIDAR system make use of this technology to map out your home quickly and efficiently. The Eufy Clean robot divided my room into distinct areas and cleaned each independently during our tests. This was a huge improvement over cheaper models that rely on sensors on the front of the vehicle. This was a more accurate way to navigate my home, and it was easy for me to control using the app that came with the device.
While no robot vacuum is able to climb stairs yet, the majority of the top-rated models come with good obstacle avoidance and mapping capabilities. These tools let them collect dirt from low-pile or robotvacuummops hard floors, and prevent falling down stairs. Some tools are equipped with sensors to stop them from falling over the edge of stairs. Some have boundary strips to keep them away.
Some robots come with a massive tower base that holds the dirt they collect, minimizing the amount of dust and allergens emitted into your home. The bases can be left for weeks or even months without being emptied and are particularly helpful for those who suffer from allergies. Alternatively, some models have self-emptying systems that let you take out the dust bins without having to manually open and close them.
Wi-Fi enabled
Some robot vacuums communicate via Wi-Fi with their apps. This lets you operate them with your smartphone instead (or in addition) to a physical remote. These models are more expensive however they can save you time since you can schedule cleaning sessions every day, weekly, or even monthly. These models also let you modify floor maps and save them for later use. They also offer different cleaning patterns.
The most advanced robot vacuums employ dual sensors, which combine a LIDAR system to map your area with a structured light sensor that is able to see objects and avoid them even if they're hidden under furniture or power cords. These features make it easier for your robot to get into narrow spaces such as the nook underneath your kitchen cabinets and beneath sofas, areas where other robots struggle. They also are faster to navigate around obstacles, have longer runtimes and larger dust bins. This makes them more suitable for homes with large spaces compared to the smallest robots.
The best rated robot vacuums tend to be swift, intelligent and powerful and can clean up all kinds of floor debris, including pet hair, cat litter and other messes. They also are quiet, which makes them an ideal choice for homes that have pets or young children. Most robot vacuum owners we've interviewed have reported that they appreciate the convenience of keeping their floors spotless with minimal effort, especially when used frequently. If you take care of maintenance (cleaning the rotating brushes and keeping tabs on the replacement parts) robots can last longer than a traditional full-size vacuum cleaner. PCWorld provides a guide with helpful suggestions to ensure your machine is running smoothly.
Dust Bags Larger
A robotic vacuum may not be as good in cleaning like an upright or canister vacuum, but it is excellent at removing dust and debris that regular vacuuming has left behind. It can be used to do quick retouching of floors and can also maneuver around cords and other household obstacles. You can use robots to clean your floors on a regular basis if you don't have time to do it yourself.
A few of the top-rated robotic vacuums come with big dust bags which can hold more dirt than a room. This can save time and money in the form of replacement bags. This feature is available on several models including our top choice which is the Ecovacs T30S Combo. This robovac all-in-one is a high-performance robovac that has a self-emptying bin. It also has a mopping feature and a streamlined navigation. It's a close contest between the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ and this one, which uses smart mapping and avoidance technologies. This robovac has more capacity, but it is a bit more expensive.
Another big difference between these two models is the way they handle hair that is long and human which can get caught in the rollers of some robots. The Roborock Q5 Max+, SwitchBot K10S Plus and Roborock Q5 Max+ are the top performing models. They all have outstanding hair pickup and tangle avoidance scores, as well as excellent auto empty results and excellent path planning. The Eufy and Shark Matrix Plus are also great options, with decent hair pickup and tangle avoidance, but not as much planning for paths or auto empty.
The latest robots are fitted with sensors that can identify dirt and debris on carpets and they're better at picking up pet hair. Some even have a dedicated mopping mode that can use the reservoir of water to wash away the stains and spills. This feature is a must-have for families with pets as well as children.
Maintenance
A robot vacuum can help you keep up with your home. While no robot is able to replace an upright or a canister vacuum for deep cleaning, the best rated models pick up pet hair, lint and other dirt that accumulates on carpets and floors with low pile which can pick up more than you can with the broom. They also have navigation features which prevent them from getting stuck on rug fringe or power cords and are able to glide effortlessly under furniture.
Based on the model, a highly rated robot vacuum can be scheduled to run multiple times a day, or permit you to view it at work via an app. However, these useful devices can also be prone to clogging and require regular maintenance like emptying the onboard bin (or the base's larger dust bin in certain cases) and checking the brushes for hair that has become tangled and periodically rinsing and allowing the filters to dry according to the manufacturer.
Vacuum expert Emily Rairdin, a store owner apprentice at University Vacuum + Sewing, says a high-quality robot vacuum will last for three to five years or more with regular care and attention. She suggests regularly emptying the brush roll and bin and cutting out any hair that is tangled up in the brushes and regularly washing and drying the filter, in the event that your robot acts as a mop. It's also an excellent idea to wipe down the charging contacts and sensors on the dock or the robot often with a soft, clean cloth. You can recharge and refill your robot before the next clean-up session.
