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.
Find models with intelligent features, like remote access and app control. You can use apps to schedule cleaning sessions and keep track of progress. Some apps allow you to suspend, recharge and return to where they were when they left.
1. Battery Life
With cars that drive themselves drones that can 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 there is a need for some maintenance to keep it running smoothly.
The most crucial factor in the long-term performance of your robot is the cycle of discharge and charge. Maintaining the dust bin full and empty, checking for tangled hairs regularly, and making sure that the brushes are not blocked will help your robot run more effectively.
The conditions in which your robot is stored may affect the battery's performance. Extreme cold and heat could affect battery performance. You can prolong the life of your battery by ensuring it's charged to 50% prior to storage, storing it in an area that is cool, and disconnecting it from power sources when not in use. Many smart devices also feature periodic firmware updates which can improve performance and optimize battery. Check the app to check if there are any updates.
For those who have a lot of hard floors, a robotic vacuum is a good choice. It's able to swiftly and efficiently take away dirt and other debris, leaving your floors sparkling clean. If you want more than just a quick clean-up, you should look for a model with superior navigation and obstacles avoidance.
Our top-rated robot, the Ecovacs Deebot T20, combines advanced navigation and an impressive suction system and a range of mopping functions to deliver a thorough, deep clean of your hard floors. It utilizes cameras and LiDAR sensors to create precise maps of your home. This allows it to stay on the right track and avoid getting caught on furniture legs or power cords. It can also detect things like clutter and shoes, and then automatically clean around them. And it's self-emptying, meaning that you don't have to return the vacuum back to its base station to empty its bin after each cleaning session.
2. Dust Bin
Robots are ideal for quick midweek clean-ups, but they don't have the suction power to replace an electric vacuum cleaner when it comes to deep cleaning. Even the most powerful robotic vacuums can be prone to becoming entangled in cords and toys. They also tend to ignore dirt piles in the vicinity of baseboards and struggle to get rid of crumbs from under furniture. Their onboard dust bins get so full that they have to return to their charging docks to self-empty, which can take up to half an hour for some models.
It is crucial to select a robot vacuum with an ample dust bin which can be emptied into the dock without having return to finish the job. It is also important to think about whether you'd like bagged or unbagged models and, if you choose a bagless model what amount of dust will it hold before it needs to be cleaned.
In our tests, we apply 100 grams of sand onto the carpet in a medium pile and use a robot vacuum to sweep it across the carpet. We then weigh the amount of sand in the onboard dust bin to determine how much dirt it has accumulated. A large amount of dirt suggests that the bin onboard could be filled up faster and could cause the robot to stop its cleaning cycle or, even worse, stop working completely.
The good news is that a lot of high-end robot vacuums have a large dust bin that is easily empty and you can set up them to empty into their bases at least once a day or more. It is recommended to keep a container of compressed air on hand to blow hairs out that have become entangled in the rotating brush and clean any filters according to the guidelines provided by the manufacturer.
3. Wi-Fi Connectivity
The best robot vacuums offer a variety of connectivity options to connect to your home's Wi-Fi. This lets the robot update its software and gives you the possibility of monitoring your robot via an app or voice commands. Although not necessary it is a useful feature and a variety of customization options that will improve your overall robot vacuuming experience.
To keep them functioning at their peak they require a certain amount of maintenance. For instance emptying the dustbin or cleaning the brushroll. A regular schedule of cleaning, detaching, and checking consumable parts will also extend the life of their components. Emily Rairdin, a vacuum expert at University Vacuum & Sewing, says that a robot's lifespan expectancy is between three and five years. However, it can differ based on how often you use it and if you maintain it properly.
To be able to function, a robot vacuum needs to be able to map out your floors and navigate around obstacles. Advanced navigation systems incorporate sensors for cliffs, which warn the robot to steep drops. They also have optical and laser sensors that allow it to "see" the plan of the room. Some robots also have mopping capabilities that are specialized that can be helpful to keep floors clean between deeper cleanings with the use of a stand-up vacuum.
The best 2-in-1 robots can mop and vacuum, allowing you to bypass the need to switch between a robot and a manual vacuum. One example is the iRobot Roomba 690, which is a powerful and highly efficient robot vacuum that can also clean surfaces with its water tank and wash the mop pad automatically. Its mapping and obstacle avoidance capabilities were so impressive that it was awarded the the CR's Best Robot Vacuum Award, along with an AVTech Editors' Choice Award.
4. Cleaning Patterns
The best robot vacuums we test have excellent pickup scores on hard floors as well as carpets with low pile. They get rid of dust, dirt and pet hair. They also sweep away dust and crumbs from the edges of rooms and along baseboards. However, robot vacuum cleaners are unable to get rid of deep down dirt or tangles that are a part of soft shag carpets as well as canister or upright vacuums. They also aren't able to remove spilled food and liquids or heavy screws and may also leave a few spots in the house (including under furniture).
Many models are equipped with intelligent features that make them more user friendly. They typically come with an app, which allows you to plan cleaning times and operate the robot remotely. They also can be integrated with your smart home system, so you can use them with voice commands through Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Some models have multiple modes that let you select between sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming. They can also return to their docks for a recharge and pick up where they left off.
The technology for avoiding obstacles has improved in recent years, but you must still clear out cords, toys, and pet messes prior to running the robot. It is also recommended to cover any mirrors from floor to ceiling with cardboard prior to tracing out the room for the first time since the lasers used by some models can bounce off reflective surfaces, causing the robot to crash into the floor or wall.
More premium models have advanced mapping capabilities, with some using lidar to generate an 3D map of your surroundings. This allows the robot to remember obstacles and plan the most efficient path around them. Some robots allow you to create no-go zones so that the robot avoids certain areas, for example, your pet's bowls of food or a costly rug.
5. App Control
Many robots allow you to set a timer for cleaning and manage their movements hands-free with an app, meaning you can clean your home when you're at work or away. Some robots also have the ability to self-empty into a larger container at the base of their machine which helps reduce dust re-release and is a wonderful feature for people suffering from allergies.
Some robots, like the more expensive Roborock S8 Pro Ultra, can even spot objects on the floor and employ a camera to instruct them to avoid obstacles such as furniture legs, power cords or pet toys. This is an impressive capability and is even available in cheaper models. However, it's essential to clean the dustbin of your robot and look for hairs that are tangled as they build up.
A high-end model is also able to store multiple floor maps, which can be beneficial if you live in more than one level and some models can even create 3D representations of your home. You can then choose specific rooms and set up digital keep-out zones to ensure your robot focuses on what you want it to, instead of wandering around areas that don't require cleaning.
Robots are great for midweek cleaning, but they cannot substitute a vacuum cleaner with a plug-in especially when it is a rug. They are better at removing dirt embedded in carpets than bare floors, but they're still unable to pick up piles of debris near thresholds and baseboards as well as cords and socks that are tangled. Look for a robot with zones and spot cleaning modes. This allows you to focus on specific areas and not waste time. There are also models that charge and resume the same place they stopped. This is great for homes with large rooms.