How to Keep a Robot Vacuum Clean
Robot vacuums can help keep your floors clean. Based on the model, they can also sweep, mop, and even vacuum stairs.
Look for models with smart features, such as remote access and app control. You can use apps to schedule cleaning sessions and monitor the progress. Some can even pause, recharge and pick up where they left off.
1. Battery Life
With cars that drive themselves, drones that navigate the skies and robot vacuums that can maneuver around furniture, it's safe to claim that the future of home cleaning is here. As with any technology, some maintenance is required to keep it running smoothly.
The most important factor in the longevity of your robot is the cycle of discharge and charge. Maintaining the dust bin full and empty, examining for hairs that are tangled regularly, and making sure that the brushes are not blocked will make your robot run more efficiently.
The conditions that your robot is stored may impact the performance of your battery. Extreme heat and cold could affect the battery's performance. You can prolong the life of your robot's battery by charging it up to 50% and storing it in a cool place. Also, take it away from the power source when it is not using it. Most smart devices also have periodic firmware updates that can optimize performance and battery optimization. Check the app to check if there are any updates.
For those who have many hard floors, a robot vacuum is an excellent option. It can quickly and effectively get rid of dirt and other debris, leaving your floors sparkling clean. If you want more than a simple clean-up, you should look for a model that has superior navigation and obstacles avoidance.
Our top-rated robot The Ecovacs Deebot T20, combines advanced navigation and a powerful suction and a range of mopping features to offer an extensive, thorough clean of your hard floors. It makes use of LiDAR sensors and cameras to create precise maps of your home, which assists it in staying on the right path and avoid getting stuck on furniture legs or power cords. It also can detect objects like shoes and clutter, and then clean them up. It's also self-emptying, so you don't have to return it to its base to empty the trash after every cleaning session.
2. Dust Bin
Robots are great for quick midweek cleaning, but lack the suction to replace a plug in vacuum cleaner for more thorough cleaning. Furthermore, even the top robotic vacuums can become tangled up in cords and toys, miss piles of dirt close to the baseboards, or struggle with crumbs on furniture. And, their onboard dustbins fill up so quickly that they need to return to their charging docks to self-empty, which can take as long as half an hour for some models.
It's therefore important to choose a vacuum with a large dustbin and can empty into its dock without returning to finish the job. You should also consider whether you'd prefer bags or a bagless model If you decide to choose a bagless model what amount of dust will it hold before it has to be cleaned.
In our tests we apply 100 grams of sand on the carpet in a medium pile and use a robot vacuum to clean the carpet. We then weigh the amount of sand we find in the vacuum's dust bin to determine the amount of dirt it has collected. A high amount indicates that the bin onboard could be filled faster and cause your robot to stop cleaning.
The good news is that many high-end robot vacuums have a large dust bin which is easily empty and you can even schedule them to empty into their bases at least once per day or more. It's recommended to keep a bottle of compressed air handy to blow out hairs 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 have many options to connect to your home's WiFi network. This enables the robot to download and install updates for its software, and giving you the option to monitor your robot using an app or through voice-activated commands. This feature is not essential however it provides convenience and options for customization that can improve the overall robot vacuuming experience.
Most models require a certain amount of routine maintenance, like emptying the dust bin and cleaning the brush roll to ensure that they function at top performance. Regularly cleaning, detaching and checking consumable components will also increase the life of their components. Vacuum expert Emily Rairdin at University Vacuum & Sewing says that three to five years is the standard life expectancy of the robot vacuum, but this can differ greatly based on the frequency you use it, and whether you take care of it in a proper manner.
A robot vacuum has to be able to navigate around obstacles and map your floor to function. Advanced navigation systems usually include sensors for cliffs that alert the bot to steep slopes and optical and laser sensors that help it "see" a room's layout. Some robots come with mopping capabilities that can be used to keep floors between deep cleanings using the use of a vacuum.
The most effective 2-in-1 vacuums also mop. This means that you don't have to switch between an automatic vacuum and an manual one. The iRobot Roomba 690 is a powerful, highly efficient robot vacuum cleaner that can wash its mop pad and clean up surfaces with its water tank. 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 test have excellent pickup scores on hard floors as well as carpets with low pile. They remove dust, dirt and pet hair. They also sweep away particles and crumbs from the edges of rooms and along baseboards. They cannot remove deep-seated dirt or tangles of plush shag fibers such as an upright or canister. They aren't able to pick up spilled liquids or food items, or heavy metal screws. They might also overlook certain areas (including under furniture).
Many models have smart features that make them more user-friendly. They usually have an app that allows you to schedule cleaning sessions and control the robot remotely. They can also integrate 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 pick between sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming. They can recharge at their docks and keep cleaning where they left.
The technology to avoid obstacles has improved over years, but it's still necessary to remove cords, toys and any pet clutter before operating the robot. Before you map out the room, you'll need to cover all floor-to ceiling mirrors with cardboard. The laser employed by some models can bounce off reflective surfaces, causing the robot to bump against a wall or a floor.
The most expensive models come with advanced mapping capabilities, some using lidar to create a 3D map of your surroundings. This helps the robot remember obstacles and plan an efficient route around them. Some also allow you to set no-go zones, so the robot is able to avoid certain areas, like your pet's food bowls, or an expensive rug.
5. App Control
Many robots allow you to create a schedule to clean and operate their movements hands-free with an app, meaning you can take care of your home when you're at work or away. Some robots can also self-empty their trash into a large bin at the base. This helps reduce dust rerelease and is a great feature for allergy sufferers.
Certain robots can detect objects on the ground and utilize a camera as a guide to avoid obstacles like power cords, furniture legs or pet toys. This impressive feature is also available on cheaper models. It's important that you regularly empty the dust bin of your robot and also look for fur that is tangled as it gets accumulated.
vacuum bot can also create 3D representations. This is beneficial if you have multiple floors. You can select specific rooms, and set digital "keep-out" zones to ensure your robot only cleans the areas you want.
Robots are ideal for midweek cleaning, but they cannot replace a plug-in vacuum especially when it comes to rugs. They are better at removing dirt embedded in carpet than plain floors, however they can still miss piles of debris near thresholds and baseboards as well as tangled socks and cords. To get the most out of your robot, choose models with zone and spot cleaning modes to focus on particular areas and prevent unnecessary cleaning. There are also models that charge and resume the same place they left off. This is great for homes with large rooms.