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 with innovative features like remote control and app control. Apps can be used to schedule cleaning sessions and keep track of the progress. Some apps can even pause and recharge, then pick up where they stopped.
1. Battery Life
With cars that drive themselves drones that fly through the skies and robot vacuums that can maneuver around furniture, it's safe say the future of cleaning is now here. Like all technologies, some maintenance is required to ensure it's running smoothly.
The most important factor in the life of your robot is the cycle of discharge and charge. Keep the dustbin filled and empty. Be sure to check for furs that have become tangled and keep the brushes from getting jammed.
The location the robot is kept can influence battery performance. Extreme cold and heat could affect battery performance. You can prolong the battery's life by ensuring that it is charged to 50% prior to storage, storing it in an environment that is cool and removing it from sources of power when not in use. In addition, the majority of smart devices are equipped with periodic firmware updates that optimize performance, including battery optimization, so make sure to check the app for any available updates.
For those with a lot of hard floors, a robot vacuum is an excellent option. It's able to swiftly and efficiently remove loose dirt and debris and leave your floors sparkling clean. If you're looking for more than just a quick cleanup, you'll want to look for a model with superior navigation and obstacle avoidance.
Our top-rated robot The Ecovacs Deebot T20, combines advanced navigation with strong suction and a range of mopping features to offer an efficient, deep cleaning of your hard floors. It makes use of cameras and LiDAR sensors to create precise maps of your home. This helps it stay on the right path and avoid getting stuck on furniture legs or power cords. It also can detect things like shoes and clutter to automatically clean around them. And it's self-emptying, meaning you won'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 capacity to replace the power of a plug-in vacuum cleaner when it comes to deep cleans. Furthermore, even My Source can become tangled with toys and cords and miss piles of dirt near the baseboards, and struggle with crumbs on furniture. And, their onboard dustbins fill up so quickly that they have to return to their charging docks to empty themselves, which can take up to an hour for some models.
As such, it's important to choose a vacuum that has a large dustbin and can empty into its dock without having to return to finish the task. You'll also want to consider whether you'd prefer a bagged or bagless model, and if you do choose a bagless model what amount of dust will it hold before it needs to be emptied.
In our tests we apply 100 grams of sand on an area of carpet with a medium pile and employ a robot vacuum to clean the carpet. The amount of sand that is weighed in the dust bin onboard allows us to measure the amount dirt that has been collected. A high amount of dirt indicates that the bin could get fuller faster and may force your robot to stop the cleaning process, or worse, stop working altogether.
It's important to know that a lot of robot vacuums come with large dust bins that can be easily emptied. You can also set up them to empty their bases at least one or two times per day. It is important to keep a container of compressed air on hand to blow out hairs that have tangled in the rotating brush and clean any filters according to the guidelines provided by the manufacturer.
3. Wi-Fi Connectivity
The top robot vacuums provide many connectivity options to connect to your home's Wi-Fi network. This lets the robot update its software and gives you the option of monitoring your bot through an app or voice commands. This isn't a necessity, however it provides convenience and customization options that can enhance your robot's overall vacuuming experience.
Most models require a certain amount of routine maintenance, like emptying the dust bin and cleaning the brush roll, to keep them functioning at peak efficiency. Monitoring consumable components and a regular schedule of cleaning and detachment will extend their life span as well. Vacuum expert Emily Rairdin at University Vacuum & Sewing says three to five years is the typical life expectancy for a robot vacuum. However, this can vary significantly depending on how often you use it and if you maintain it properly.
To be able to function the robot vacuum, it needs to be able to map your floors and navigate around obstacles. Advanced navigation systems incorporate cliff sensors, which alert the robot to steep drops. They also have optical and laser sensors to help it "see" the layout of rooms. Some robots also have mopping functions that are specifically designed for them that can be helpful to keep floors clean between deep cleanings with the use of a stand-up vacuum.
The most effective 2-in-1 vacuums also mop. This means that you don't need to switch between the robot vacuum and an manual one. One example is the iRobot Roomba 690, which is a powerful and efficient robot vacuum that can also wipe down surfaces with its water tank and wash its mop pad in a way that is automatic. Its top-quality mapping and obstacle-avoidance skills made it the best robot vacuum award, and an AVTech Editors choice award.
4. Cleaning Patterns
The top robot vacuums we tested have impressive pickup scores on hard floors and low pile carpets. They get rid of dust, dirt and pet hair. They also clean up particles and crumbs from the edges of rooms and along baseboards. But they can't get rid of deep down dirt or tangles of the carpet's shag carpet and also canister or upright vacuums. They also can't pick up spilled liquids and food, or heavy screws and they could miss a few areas of the home (including under furniture).
Many models have clever features that make them more user-friendly. Most models come with an application that lets you schedule cleaning sessions, and remotely control the robot. They can also be integrated with your smart-home system, so you can use them via voice commands using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Certain models come with multiple modes that let you choose between sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming. They can also return to their docks for a recharge and continue cleaning where they left off.
The technology to avoid obstacles has advanced over the years, but it's still necessary to remove cords, toys and any pet debris prior to running the robot. You should also cover any floor-to-ceiling mirrors with cardboard before tracing the space for the first time, since the lasers used by some models can bounce off reflective surfaces, causing the robot to crash into a wall or floor.
Some premium models use lidar to create 3D maps of your space. This helps the robot recognize obstacles and determine the most efficient route to avoid them. Some allow you to create no-go zones so that the robot can avoid specific areas, like your pet's food bowls, or an expensive rug.
5. App Control
Many robots let you set a timer for cleaning and control them hands-free using an app, so you can keep your home clean when you're at work or away. Certain robots also have the ability to self-empty to a larger bin at their base which helps reduce dust release and is a wonderful feature for allergy sufferers.
Some robots, like the more expensive Roborock S8 Pro Ultra, can even detect objects on the floor and employ a camera to instruct them to avoid obstacles such as furniture legs, power cords or pet toys. This amazing feature is also available on smaller models. It's crucial to clean the dustbin of your robot and look for tangled hairs when they begin to accumulate.
Some models also have the ability to create 3D representations. This is useful in the event that you have multiple floors. You can pick specific rooms, and set digital "keep-out" zones to ensure your robot only cleans the areas you want.
Robots are great for midweek cleaning, but they aren't able to replace a plug-in vacuum, especially when it is a rug. They are better at picking up dirt from carpet than plain flooring, but they can not pick up piles close to baseboards and thresholds, as well as knotted cords and socks. To get the most out of your robot, look for models that have spots and zone cleaning options to focus on particular areas and prevent unnecessary cleaning. You can also find models that charge and resume the same place they have left off. This is great for homes with large rooms.