Factor highlights
Factor | What to look for |
Cleaning performance | Max performance<5000Pa suction power, rotating brushes & rollers |
Size | Should be able to slide under your furniture |
Recharging | 2hours to recharge & reasonable battery life |
Capacity of dustbin | Depends with your needs |
Mapping and navigation performance | Laser, lidar or camera based navigation |
How much control you have | Should be customizable with different modes and timers |
Noise level | <70db |
Maintenance | Easy and less maintenance chores |
Pet-friendliness | Should have safety features for pets |
Customer service | Nothing less than great customer support |
Most people get excited when a new technology pops up on the market and only see it making their heaven without also weighing the cons of the technology. Smart robot vacuum cleaners are relatively a new thing and no one seems to be bored of them just yet. However, that doesn’t mean they are as good as the hype says they are.
Yes they are cool, but just not crazy freaking cool. In this post you’ll learn what you need to look out for when getting this cleaning device for yourself. And also as you’ll learn about these machines here, you’ll realise that getting a robot vacuum cleaner doesn’t mean you’ll never bend your back to clean ever again. The machine can HELP you but cannot REPLACE you.
Robot vacuum cleaner background
Let’s start with the basic idea of this thing. Smart robot vacuum cleaners are cleaning devices that use artificial intelligence and a bunch of sensors to clean floors efficiently and on their own. These devices are packed with cool features that make them way smarter and more capable than regular vacuum cleaners.
A major standout feature of smart robot vacuum cleaners is navigating and mapping out the space they’re cleaning. They’re equipped with sensors like cameras, lasers, and infrared sensors that help them spot obstacles and create a live map of the area. With this map, they can chart out the most efficient cleaning path and steer clear of getting stuck or bumping into your furniture.
They also have the ability to connect to the internet and be controlled remotely through smartphone apps or voice assistants. Fancy huh?So basically, you can start or stop cleaning sessions, set cleaning schedules, and even keep an eye on its progress from anywhere you like. Sounding good so far.
Another fancy feature, smart robot vacuum cleaners also have virtual boundaries and no-go zones. These let you personalize the cleaning areas and keep the robot from going into certain spots or rooms. It’s perfect for making sure the little guy doesn’t bump into fragile stuff or get tangled up in wires and cables. Now lets look at the not-so-fancy realities of these machines.
What you should consider
There are already a plethora of companies making robot vacuum cleaners so you have all the freedom in the world to be as picky as fork. Your deal breakers should be many so that you get the best deal. Here’s a list of what you should consider.
- Cleaning performance
- Size
- Recharging and battery life
- Capacity of dustbin
- Mapping and navigation performance
- How much control you have
- Noise level
- Maintenance
- Pet-friendliness
- Customer service
Lets go over each factor to clarify the line that separates a good deal and a deal breaker.
Cleaning performance
Biggest pointer that determines the cleaning performance of a robot vacuum cleaner is its suction power. The suction power determines how well it can pick up dirt, dust, and debris from your floors.
So try looking for models that have adjustable suction settings or high suction power to make sure they can effectively clean different types of surfaces. High suction power starts at 5000 Pa, anything less than that at max performance is not a catch.
The performance also depends on the brushes used. It would be foul play if the robot has great suction power but has toddler-teeth brushes. That’s like having giant jaws with no teeth. Check out the type and design of the brushes and rollers that the robot vacuum cleaner uses.
The ones with rotating brushes or rubber rollers are really good at getting rid of dirt from carpets and hard floors. And if you want something even fancier, there are advanced models with self-cleaning brushes that keep hair from getting tangled.
Size
Bigger is not always better. Check out the height, width, and diameter of the robot vacuum cleaner. Make sure it can easily slide under your furniture and squeeze through any tight spots in your home, like doorways or between chair legs.
Also, think about the weight of the robot vacuum cleaner, especially if you’re planning to move it around between different floors or rooms. A lighter model will be much easier to handle and carry around. Bigger is better if your home is huge and you need the machine to have a relatively bigger dustbin.
The size also affects how well it can clean corners. You want a model that can effectively clean a corner without needing help from you. Earlier robot vacuum cleaners couldn’t do this but after further product development other models have special brushes that can clean corners. So if it can’t clean corners, that’s a deal breaker.
Recharging and battery life
Just as much as you want your smartphone to last a long time before it starts buzzing ‘low battery’ so will you want your robot vacuum cleaner to last a long time before it starts fetching the charging station.
The battery life of the robot vacuum is super important because it decides how long it can clean before it needs to recharge. If you have a bigger house or need to clean for a long time, look for models with longer battery life. Also check how the robot vacuum goes back to its charging dock all by itself and how much time it takes to recharge. The less time it takes the better. Currently, most advanced models need roughly 2 hours to recharge.
Capacity of dustbin
This totally depends on your needs. There is no best capacity because we all have different needs. A bigger house needs a relatively bigger dustbin and the opposite is true. If your house is small but you have spongebob toddlers running around in and out all the time, then you may also need a bigger dustbin.
Newer models can empty themselves into a remote master dustbit but they’re a little pricey. If you really need that and your pocket is deep, go for those models.
This is a critical part so don’t settle for anything less here. I recommend going for one that uses advanced mapping technology like Lidar, laser, or camera-based mapping. These features will help the robot create a detailed map of your home, making it efficient in navigating and cleaning every nook and cranny.
It’s also important to choose a vacuum cleaner that has reliable obstacle detection and avoidance capabilities. Look for infrared sensors, anti-drop sensors, or virtual walls that will help the robot detect and navigate around furniture, walls, stairs, and other potential obstacles. Safety first, right?
If you have a big house or multiple rooms, consider a robot vacuum cleaner that supports multi-room mapping. This way, the robot can remember and navigate between different rooms, ensuring a thorough cleaning job. No dust bunny stands a chance.
Another handy feature to check for is the “recharge and resume” option. This functionality allows the robot to automatically head back to its charging dock when the battery runs low, recharge, and then continue cleaning from where it left off. Talk about smart. Don’t take anything that performs less than this.
I would also suggest opting for a robot vacuum cleaner that comes with an mobile app. Having a dedicated mobile app means you can control and monitor the robot from anywhere, schedule cleaning sessions, view maps of cleaned areas, and even set virtual boundaries to restrict access to certain areas.
How much control you have
I won’t mention names but I’m sure you can relate to those companies that don’t want you to own the product even after you buy it. Yes we want the convenience of automation but we also want the freedom of customizing that automation to fit our needs and wants.
Choose a model that lets you change it’s default settings. You SHOULD be able to set specific times for the robot to start cleaning, which is particularly useful if you want it to run when you’re not at home. Some advanced models even offer advanced scheduling options like daily or weekly cleaning routines.
Different robot vacuum cleaners come with different cleaning modes, like spot cleaning, edge cleaning, or turbo mode for extra suction power. These modes let you personalize the cleaning process according to your needs and the kind of flooring or surfaces you have in your home.
Noise level
Your alarm clock is irritable enough to make you pull an annoyed face even though it’s you who intentionally set it to wake you up. How much irritable would it be then for some noisy machine to wake you up when you’re still enjoying your sleep? Unacceptable, right?
A robot vacuum cleaner that doesn’t make a sound during operation doesn’t exist. But you want the noise to be as low as possible. Too low to frighten a pet. Any noise higher than 70 decibels is a deal breaker.
Maintenance
There is no way around this chore, you will have to empty the dustbin regularly. The frequency of this will depend on things like the size of the dustbin and how much dirt is in your home.
The brushes and filters need some cleaning too. Those brushes can get all tangled up with hair and debris, while the filters can collect dust and dirt. Gotta keep them spick and span. How often you clean them will depend on the model and how much dirt it collects.
Another maintenance chore is updating the software of the machine. Most companies will add more firmware features, fix bugs and improve performance in their software. So, it’s a good idea to keep that software up to date. That way, your robot vacuum cleaner stays efficient and effective.
Although this differs from one manufacturers to another, there may be requirements for battery care. That might include things like regular charging, avoiding deep discharges, and replacing the battery if it’s needed.
Pet-friendliness
Ensure that the robot vacuum cleaner you choose has safety features to keep your pets safe. Look for models that have anti-collision sensors to avoid accidental collisions with your furry friends. Also, find models with anti-fall sensors to prevent any accidents on stairs or other dangerous areas.
Some models even have rubber bumpers or soft-touch materials to protect your pets from any bumps or injuries. If you or your pet have allergies, it’s a good idea to get a robot vacuum cleaner with a high-quality filtration system. HEPA filters or other allergen-trapping filters can greatly improve the air quality in your home by capturing pet dander and allergens.
Customer services
This goes without saying. We shouldn’t talk about it because it’s supposed to be just there. However, there are companies with not-so-competent customer support so we have to take about it.
If you want to see if a machine has great customer support behind it check the reviews. Actually, whenever you’re buying a technical product never click checkout before reading the reviews. They’ll tell you from experience whether buying or not is worth it.
Only consider buying when the product ticks all the boxes and has reliable customer support services.
