What to Look For in a Robot Carpet Cleaner

Many robots are extremely effective at picking up hairs and other particles from carpeted floors. You should search for robots that have the ability to clean a zone or spot mode, which allows you to specify a specific area to be cleaned.

The best robots are equipped with sensors that allow them to navigate through your home and return to their charging station to charge themselves. They are a lot more efficient than pushing a vacuum cleaner robot carpet cleaner around your home.

Self-charging

Robot carpet cleaners need less maintenance than traditional vacuum cleaners. As long as you follow the basics of maintenance, such as checking the rotating brushes to determine whether they're tangled emptying the bin (and washing it off in the event that the manufacturer permits), and wiping the sensors or cameras to allow them to see the home clearly for the next cleaning, you'll be able to use your robot for years.

Certain robots feature automatic carpet recognition, which increases suction to grab dirt that has been embedded. This feature is particularly important if your home has carpets. Certain models also lift the mop pads to prevent the carpets from getting wet.

This feature is also available on robots with a budget such as our budget-friendly recommendation, iLife V3S Pro. It's more affordable than the majority of smart robots we tried however it was able to suck up Cheerios and piles of oatmeal effortlessly. It was also able to navigate through an imitation dog turd and several cords without getting stuck.

It is important to keep in mind that most robots have a warranty period of one or two years. When CHOICE asked owners of robots about their reliability in 2020 many complained of issues with their machines, and a few complained about the cost of replacing parts. If you're planning to purchase robotic vacuums, think about how often you will have to replace the battery and other components before you decide on a specific model.

Self-emptying

Find a robot that can vacuum and mop floors. This will provide you with a truly hands-free experience. These bots will do the work while you're away. Some models have scheduling capabilities, so you can decide the frequency and time at which your home should be cleaned.

Pick a robotic with a powerful battery that can clean thoroughly without the need to recharge. It should be able to resume cleaning where it left off. This will cut down on time. It's also helpful if the Robot Vacuum Mops comes with clever features that improve performance in difficult areas. The Roborock X5S, for example is equipped with a mapping function that allows it to create more accurate maps than any other smart bot. It also allows the user to view its map in three dimensions and make changes like zones that aren't allowed to enter. It has a spot cleaning mode that gets rid of spills faster and also a turbo boost for rugs with fur.

Robot makers are striving to improve their abilities to recognize carpet so they can adjust their cleaning methods to better fit this kind of flooring. Some, such as our top choice, the iRobot Roomba S9+, can recognize when it comes across carpet and automatically increases suction to better suck up embedded dirt. Certain models, like the iLife V3s Pro can lift their mops above carpet and use a rubber bristle that's less likely to tangle than Eufy.

Other features you should look for in a robot mop/vacuum include dustbins that can be easily removed and cleaned (if the manufacturer recommends it) and the nozzle can be replaced if it becomes clogged. Look for a vacuum or mop that can wash and dry its own filter after each cleaning session.

Self-cleaning

If you have carpet in your home, you need to find a robot that can handle it with ease. Many brands, including iRobot, WINBOT and Eufy have created models that do a fantastic job on carpeted floors.

Certain robots, like the iRobot Roomba S9+, can sense when they're in carpeted areas and boost their suction to remove embedded dirt more effectively. It's not a make-or- break feature, but it helps in the event that you have the combination of hard and soft flooring in your home.

Other robots like the Roborock Q Revo can vacuum and mop floors in one go. They employ circular pads that rotate at a rate of 200 revolutions per minute. They can handle carpets up to 7 millimeters thick. This model can recognize carpeted areas and raises its pads to avoid soaking your floor. The large water tank can be used for multiple cleaning sessions. It won't be necessary to empty it often.

In addition to the aforementioned features, many robots can be programmed through an app or integrated with a virtual assistant to perform scheduled tasks. The iRobot Roomba S9+, for instance can be programmed to return automatically to its dock and then resume cleaning once a set time has been completed. You can also manually return the robot back to its base by pressing the dock button on the device.

If you're looking for a budget-friendly robot vacuum that works well on carpeted floors, consider the Shark ION Robot AV753 Series. It doesn't have iRobot Roomba’s LIDAR sensors for mapping and does not divide rooms into zones. However it's great at picking up debris on hardwood floors and low pile carpeting. It also comes with a self-emptying dust bin and can be controlled via the iRobot app or Amazon Alexa.

Sensors

To enable robots to move around and clean your home with no supervision, they must have sensors. They are used to prevent them from getting into obstacles, make maps of the area they're cleaning, and even detect dirty areas. They can be built into the robot's body or as a separate module. They may include ultrasonic sensors as well as cliff sensors.

Certain models have bump sensors, which work like a bumper car for humans to prevent the robot from crashing into objects. However, these can be ineffective and result in paint scuffing and scratches on furniture. A robot equipped with advanced laser guidance is superior since it's more precise and precise. It can be costly, but it's well worth the investment If you're worried about scratching your furniture and walls damaged.

The majority of robot vacuums do a decent job at picking up dirt on hard floors and carpets with low pile. They often struggle with fine material embedded deep inside the rug's fibers, though. They don't gather dust as well close to doorways or baseboards as upright vacuums or canisters. A lot of people use a standard vacuum along with a robot model due to these reasons.

Certain robots, such as the iRoborock J7+, come with a feature called Dirt Detect. This helps them identify dirt events and then focus on the areas. If the robot spots a large cat litter spill and then returns to the start of the mess until the complete litter is gone. You can also purchase a mopping robot which can both vacuum and wet-mop. These machines utilize a circular pad that rotates at a rate of 200 revolutions per minute. They can be used on both hard and soft flooring, such as low-pile floor carpets.

Navigation

Navigation is an important aspect to consider when shopping for carpet cleaners that are robotic. This determines the level of cleaning, as well as whether or not your robot will bump into furniture or stick to walls. Some robots use lasers or gyroscopes to navigate and others use camera mapping. This type of technology can be costly but it's an investment worth the investment in the event that you want your home to be as tidy as possible.

A robot with a great navigation system will clear your entire home quickly and efficiently. It won't get trapped or get caught in obstacles. It will also avoid areas that it has already cleaned. This is especially important if you work in multiple rooms or have huge floorplans. Many top-quality robotic vacuums include maps that let you to view the cleaning route on an app or to set no-go areas.

Robots that don't use mapping capabilities are more likely to be a ping-pong ball around the house or have difficulty navigating corners and edges. They may miss certain areas or even entire rooms. A robot that is using SLAM navigation will avoid these problems because it makes an extensive map. The best robot vacuums with SLAM navigation are able to save the map and keep track of their previous position, making them more efficient and quicker than those without SLAM.

The cheapest robot we tried, the Eufy RoboVac 11S Max, was more efficient than any other model we reviewed during our tests, except for the more expensive Roborock Q5. Its long run time and large dust bin as well as flexibility make it ideal for large homes. It is equipped with a variety of intelligent features like automatic charging and resume, a robust brush bar and flooring type detection.