How to Keep a Robot Vacuum Clean
Robot vacuums can help keep your floors clean. Depending on the model, they can also sweep or mop stairs.
Look for models that have intelligent features, like remote access and app control. Apps can be used to plan cleaning sessions and track progress. Some apps allow you to pause, recharge and return to where they left off.
1. Battery Life
With self-driving cars, drones that navigate the skies and robot vacuums that can maneuver around furniture, it's safe to say the future of cleaning is now here. As with any technology it is necessary to maintain it to ensure it's running smoothly.
The cycle of charging and discharging the battery is the most important factor for the life of your robot. Keep the dustbin full and empty. Check for tangled furs and keep the brushes from clogging.
The location the robot is kept can influence the performance of your battery. Extreme temperatures and cold may impact battery performance. You can extend the life of your robot's battery by charging it to 50% and storing it in a cool place. Also, disconnect it from the power source when in use. Furthermore, many smart devices receive periodic firmware updates that can improve performance, such as battery optimization. So make sure to check the app for any updates that are available.
A robot vacuum is an excellent alternative for those with many hard floors. It can quickly and effectively remove loose dirt and debris, leaving your floors sparkling clean. However, if you're looking to do more than just a quick cleaning, you'll need to choose a model that has superior navigation and obstacle avoidance.
The Ecovacs T20 robot is our top-rated robotic. It combines advanced navigation, powerful suction, and a variety of mopping options to offer a deep, thorough clean of your hard flooring. It utilizes LiDAR cameras as well as sensors to create precise maps of your home. This helps it stay on course and avoid getting stuck in furniture legs or power cables. It can also identify items like shoes and clutter, and then clean them up. It also self-empties, meaning you don't need to return the vacuum to its base station to empty its bin after every cleaning session.
2. Dust Bin
Robots are great for quick midweek cleanups however they don't have the suction capacity to replace the power of a plug-in vacuum cleaner when it comes to deep cleaning. Even the top robotic vacuums are prone to getting tangled in cords and toys. They also can miss dirt piles near baseboards and struggle to get rid of dust from under furniture. The dust bins on their own fill up so quickly that they have to return to their charging docks in order to self-empty, which can take up to an hour for certain models.
It is important to choose a robot vacuum with a large dustbin that can be empty into the dock without needing to return to complete the job. It is also important to think about whether you'd prefer a bagged or bagless model If you decide to choose a bagless option what amount of dust will it hold before it has to be cleaned.
In our experiments, we put 100 grams of sand on a medium-pile carpet surface and utilized a robot vacuum cleaner to clean the sand. Weighing the amount of sand in the bin of dust onboard lets us determine the amount dirt that has been collected. A large amount suggests that the bin onboard could be filled faster and cause your robot to stop cleaning.
The positive side is that many high-end robot vacuums have a large dust bin that is easily empty and you can set up the emptying of their bases at least once per day or more. It's recommended to keep a bottle of compressed air handy to blow hairs out that have become entangled in the rotating brush. You can also clean any filters according to the guidelines provided by the manufacturer.
3. Wi-Fi Connectivity
The top robot vacuums provide a variety of connectivity options to connect to the Wi-Fi network in your home. This allows the robot to update its software and provides you with the possibility of monitoring your robot through an app or voice commands. This feature is not essential but it offers convenience and customization options that can improve the overall robot vacuuming experience.
Most models require some level of regular maintenance, such as emptying the dust bin or cleaning the brush roll, to keep them functioning at top performance. Regularly cleaning, detaching and checking consumable parts can also prolong their lifespan. Vacuum expert Emily Rairdin at University Vacuum & Sewing says that three to five years is the average lifespan of the robot vacuum, but this can vary significantly depending on the frequency you use it, and whether you take care of it properly.
A robot vacuum has to be able navigate obstacles and map your floor in order to work. Advanced navigation systems incorporate sensors for cliffs, which warn the bot of steep drops. They also have optical and laser sensors to help it "see" the plan of the room. Some robots come with mopping functions that can be used to keep floors between deep cleanings by using a vacuum.
The most efficient 2-in-1 robots mop and vacuum and sweep, which means you can avoid the hassle of having to switch between two types of vacuum. One of the best examples is the iRobot Roomba 690, which is a powerful and highly efficient robot vacuum that can also clean up surfaces using its water tank and wash its mop pad automatically. Its superior mapping and obstacle-avoidance skills earned it CR's best robot vacuum award, as well as an AVTech Editors' Choice award.
4. Cleaning Patterns
The best robot vacuums we tested had impressive pick-up scores on hard floors and carpets with a low pile. They get rid of dirt, dust and pet hair. best automatic vacuum cleaner sweep away dust and crumbs from the edges of rooms and along baseboards. But they can't remove deep-down dirt or tangles in soft shag carpets as well as canister or upright vacuums. They cannot pick up spilled liquids or food, or the weight of metal screws. They can also overlook certain areas (including under furniture).
Many models come with smart features which make them more user-friendly. The majority of models include an app that allows you to schedule cleaning sessions and control the robot remotely. They can also be integrated with your smart-home system so you can use the robots with voice commands via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Some models have different modes that allow users to choose between mopping and sweeping or vacuuming. They can also return to their docks for a recharge and pick up the area they left.
The technology to avoid obstacles has improved over the years, but it is still essential to get rid of cords, toys, and pet debris prior to running the robot. Before you can map out your room, you'll want to cover all floor-to ceiling mirrors with cardboard. The laser used by some models may bounce off reflective surfaces, causing the robot to hit the wall or floor.
More premium models have advanced mapping capabilities, some using lidar to generate a 3D map of your surroundings. This helps the robot to remember obstacles and plan an efficient path around them. Some robots allow you to create no-go zones to ensure that the robot avoids certain areas, for example, your pet's bowls of food or a rug that is expensive.
5. App Control
Many robots let you set a timer to clean and operate their movements hands-free with an app, which means you can clean your home when you're at work or away. Some robots also have the capability to self-empty into a larger container at their base which helps reduce dust release and is a wonderful feature for people suffering from allergies.
Certain robots, like the more expensive Roborock S8 Pro Ultra, can even spot objects on the floor and employ a camera to instruct them to stay clear of obstacles such as power cords, furniture legs or pet toys. This is a remarkable feature, and it's even available in cheaper models. It's important that you regularly empty the robot's dustbin, and that you check for tangled fur as it accumulates.
Certain models can also create 3D representations. This is helpful when you have more than one floor. You can then pick specific rooms and set digital keep-out zones to ensure that your robot is focused on what you want it to focus on, rather than wandering into areas that you don't need to clean.
Robots are great for regular midweek cleaning, but they can't substitute for a large-sized vacuum, particularly on carpets. They're better at picking up dirt embedded in carpets than plain floors, however they're not able to spot piles of debris close to thresholds and baseboards, as well as cords and socks that have become tangled. To make the most of your robot, choose a model with zone and spot cleaning modes to target particular areas and prevent unnecessary cleaning. You'll also find a model that recharges and then resumes the same place it left off, which is a huge benefit in a large house.