What Makes a Robot Vacuum Cleaner Best?
The best robot vacuums feature a powerful engine and a robust set of bristles or rollers. They also come with large dustbins and an extended battery life.
Certain models employ smart mapping to map homes, and they can stop, recharge and then clean up right where they started. They can create no-go zones, and determine the different surfaces.
Object Avoidance
Object detection is an essential feature of robot vacuums, because it allows them avoid getting into small items like cords, toys, socks, or shoes that are not on the floor, but instead on furniture. The systems utilize an inbuilt camera to detect objects that are in an AI database, and then teach the vacuum how to avoid them. The Eufy S1 Pro uses a combination of sensors, such as 3D Time of Flight, which transmits light waves into the room to gauge the distance and depth of objects and 3D Structured Light, which beams a pattern of light onto the room, analyzing the light distortion to create a map to steer clear of obstacles.
Artificial intelligence and visual interpretation are more recent innovation in robot obstacle avoidance. They enable robots to better understand and recognize what they come across. The software makes use of two cameras to look around and analyze it in real time. The ECOVACS DEEBOT uses this software to detect up to 30 kinds of objects such as cables, shoes and pet poop.
Certain models also use LiDAR to navigate. The technology emits laser beams and measures the time it takes them to bounce back at surrounding surfaces to create a live, 3-D map of the surroundings. This is able to detect walls, furniture and even stairs. It might not be effective in dim lighting or with reflective or transparent objects.
No matter what sensors or cameras are utilized regardless of the camera or sensor, a long battery life is essential to ensure that your robot can complete the entire house without having to return to its dock to recharge. Choose a model with an endurance of at least 80 minutes or longer depending on the dimensions and layout of your home.
Bases that self-eliminate
Some robot vacuum cleaners come with self-emptying bases, which could reduce the frequency you need to empty your trash. They're considered to be a luxury feature that typically increases the overall price of a robot.
The best robots come with bases that are able to hold either a bin, or a dust bin that is removable. You can open the bin and empty it when full. This will save you time by decreasing the amount of time you are occupied with deciding when to empty the dustbin.
Self-emptying bases are present on all the robots featured in our review, with the exception of the bare-bones Roomba I3+, which doesn't have one. This is a shame because this robot performs very well. It had the best mapping results out of all the robots we tested and has excellent navigational abilities. It has a strong mowing ability and a docking system that will empty the water tank automatically when required.
It doesn't come with iRobot's sophisticated obstacle avoidance or digital keep-out zones, and it gets hung over cables and rugs and doesn't have the ability to detect shoes and socks that aren't in order. It's an excellent choice for a small home that's well-maintained.
Other strengths include its navigation technology, which includes bump sensors as well as a drop sensor, and its ability create a map of your entire home by using lasers and cameras. It's also simple to set up, comes with a wide variety of settings and modes, and provides outstanding mowing and vacuuming performance. Its smart-home function allows it to be controlled with voice commands using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. This makes it easier to operate in the event that you own multiple smartphones or tablets, and don't want to pick up the traditional remote.
App Controls
Some robots connect to Wi-Fi, which allows users to control them from your tablet or smartphone. This is particularly useful in homes with a lot of floors, where you may have to navigate down a flight of stairs before the robot is able to get to the bottom of it. This eliminates the need for an additional long cord, allowing you to move your furniture without worrying about the robot becoming tangled in it or running out power while cleaning.
The app acts as a central control point for monitoring and scheduling tasks. The app lets you modify the power, cleaning mode and water level of your robot cleaner. This feature is particularly useful for homes with various types of flooring, like tiles and carpet. You can assign the robot the appropriate power and mode to clean every area.
Some models come with an integrated video camera that can send a live feed directly to the application. These models are a good choice for pet owners and those with children who wish to keep an eye on the robot as it works. Some smart robots also have sensors that recognize when they've reached the edge of a room and then return to their base to dock. This stops them from sweeping over the space and makes sure that they've cleaned all of the surfaces in your home.
Certain models automatically empty the dustbin and wash and blow dries its mop heads in between cleaning sessions. This will reduce the necessity for manual maintenance and the robot cleaner will work better over a longer period of time. You can also pick a model with a longer battery lifespan, which will help you avoid the hassles of recharging mid-cleaning.
Sensors
A lot of robot vacuum s are fitted with sensors that let them navigate through your home. They can be used on area rugs, carpets as well as hard floors like tile and wood. They're not a replacement for an actual upright or canister vacuum cleaner, but they do offer great suction on dust and dirt and are a fantastic method of keeping the floor free of dirt between deep cleanings with a traditional machine.
Sensors let the robot navigate around your home, detecting obstacles, and avoiding falling on stairs. They also let you create physical and virtual "no-go" zones by using boundaries or virtual walls (like the ones used by Eufy) to block the robot from entering specific areas of your home. Certain robots also have cliff sensors that alert you when the robot is getting close to crashing into an edge.
The type of navigation system the robot uses depends on your budget and home layout. The most advanced robotic vacuums use LiDAR sensors to map and scan areas that ensure accurate navigation. These systems are expensive but they deliver the most efficient results. Cheaper models with basic bump navigation systems are less precise and may miss certain areas. They are great for avoiding major obstacles, but they may still be unable to detect dirt in crevices or around baseboards.
Find a model that has an extra-large dust bin as well as a long battery life. There are models that dock and recharge, then resume where they were when they left. This saves time. You can get the most value from your robot vacuum in addition to navigation, by making sure that you are prepared for each cleaning session. Check that all power cables or toys, as well as other junk is cleared of the path of the robot and empty the bin after each clean. Also, wipe down the sensors and charging ports to ensure that the robot is healthy.
Navigation
The top robot vacuums create digital maps of your home with mapping technology in the initial cleaning session. It assists them in recognizing the different the different textures, like carpets and hard floors and ensures that all areas are cleaned. Mapping also prevents your robot from re-cleaning the same areas, which improves efficiency and may reduce battery usage. Many high-end models let you save a map to use in the future. This is great for large homes.
Most robotic vacuums have some kind of obstacle avoidance system that stops them from tripping over cords or socks or shoes. However, these sensors do not always detect small objects. Manufacturers began adding sensors to robots a few years ago. This enabled them to recognize and avoid household objects that sensors could not. These include wall and cliff sensors, which operate by bouncing light beams infrared off surfaces to determine distances.
Some of these sensors are built in the robot's base while others require an additional attachment. These sensors aid the robot to move safely and avoid falling down stairs, and stay clear from clutter. Some models have anti-drop sensors which prevent the robot from colliding with furniture and walls.
LiDAR mapping is the most recent and most advanced technology for navigation, and it's an option to look for in robot vacuum. This type of system uses a spinning laser sensor mounted on top of the robot to map your home. By scattering infrared beams across your walls and furniture it is able to determine the layout of your home. This information helps it plan efficient routes and also clean your entire home.