Robot vacuum cleaners are becoming increasingly popular, and many are considering buying one.
After all, who wouldn’t want to come home after a tiring day at work and find their house vacuumed and clean? Their technology has advanced a lot in recent years, and now they not only vacuum but also wash surfaces with an integrated mop function.
Most characters, such as flooring, tiles, and carpets, will be cleaned at the touch of a button. But is it worth the price of a robot vacuum cleaner? Does it work as many people praise it? Can it replace the classic vacuum cleaner?
This article will present you with the top robot vacuum cleaners with some of the best models on the market. We’ll also discuss their features and what factors you should consider when buying an automatic vacuum cleaner. In addition, in the end, we’ll give you a short maintenance guide to make sure your new vacuum cleaner will stay like new for a long time.
Roborock S7
PRO
– Excellent mopping function
– Easy to set up
– Navigates well on its own
– Cleans carpets and bare floors
– Automatically lifts the mop off the carpet
– Powerful suction
CON
– Does not remove all hair from carpets
– Can get stuck on some obstacles
– No warning about full dust container
Our review
The S7 is an excellent choice for a robot vacuum cleaner, and its great cleaning function makes it all the better.
This little robot can clean your floors with a 300ml water tank and a vibrating mopping pad that pulses 3,000 times a minute. One feature we like about the S7 over other mopping robots is that it automatically detects carpets and picks up the mop, so the brush doesn’t get wet.
The Roborock S7 is a great robot vacuum for keeping your house clean. It has 2500 pa of suction power with three turbo modes to clean dirty areas. The Roborock app is one of the easiest to set up and use, and the mapping function is excellent. It can set up no-go zones, map multiple floors, and you can even name zones and tell it where to clean and when to clean based on your schedule.
The S7 has lidar technology for navigation, and the maps are very accurate, but it doesn’t have an AI obstacle recognition system. However, it does recognize stairs and won’t fall over if left unattended. It also has spot cleaning, which is excellent for a quick vacuuming job; you put it where you need it, press the button, and let it go. The roller brush is made of silicone, so it doesn’t clog easily and can handle pet hair and grooming well.
At standard power settings, it can clean and vacuum space for up to 3 hours, but at higher locations, the battery drains faster. The good news is that if the battery does run down, the Roborock S7 will automatically connect to the dock to recharge and is relatively quiet at 67 dB, about the sound of a normal conversation.
The Roborock S7 is one of the best vacuum cleaners on the market, and if you’re looking for one that can easily clean your entire house, then this is the one to buy.
iRobot Roomba 980
PRO
– Self-adjusts power according to surface
– Automatic height adjustment function so brushes are always level with the surface to be cleaned
– Has a powerful HEPA filtration system
– Suitable for all surfaces
– Has a mobile app where the status of the cleaning session can be controlled and tracked
– Has sensors that prevent falling down stairs or bumping
CON
– Can knock over some light objects
– No mop function
Our review
The iRobot Roomba 980 is a sleek and easy-to-use premium robot vacuum with a dual HEPA filter and adaptive navigation.
iRobot is the company that, in 2002, had its first success with a “self-vacuuming vacuum cleaner” that was aimed at the general public. From then until today, they are the ones who have managed to constantly innovate the robot vacuum cleaner industry and are the world market leaders with over 30 million units sold.
The iRobot Roomba 980 is a robot vacuum cleaner that, thanks to its advanced features and technology, will take the time away from vacuuming. It connects to wi-fi, and with the iRobot Home mobile app, it can be controlled and programmed from wherever you are. Also, via the app, you can draw virtual walls that the vacuum cleaner won’t pass through or protective zones like an arc to restrict its access.
Thanks to the Boost Carpet function, it automatically increases its suction power when it reaches a carpet, and the three-stage AeroForce system concentrates airflow to make cleaning more efficient. With a 27-degree angled brush, the vacuum can pick up dirt that collects in corners and at the edges of walls.
Air filtration is achieved by a double HEPA filter that captures 99% of dust, dust mites, and allergens down to 10 microns. This makes the Roomba 980 the best robot vacuum for people with pets who leave a lot of hair around the house.
Xiaomi MiJia 1c
BUDGET CHOICE
PRO
-Intelligent electronic Control water tank
– Class 15 motion sensor
– Provides 80-90 minutes of autonomy and can clean a large area on a single charge
– Allows control via the mobile app
– Simultaneous cleaning, vacuuming, and mopping
CON
– No lidar navigation
Our review.
The Xiaomi MiJia 1c Robot Vacuum Mop Cleaner is a good, inexpensive robot vacuum cleaner that, as the name suggests, has both vacuuming and mopping functions.
The Xiaomi MiJia 1c Robot Vacuum Mop Cleaner has a classic and stylish design and can easily vacuum and mop all kinds of surfaces, both at home and in the office. Its main strength is its value for money, as Xiaomi is known for this.
It has a large 0.60 l capacity for collecting dirt and a generous 200 ml water tank, making it perfect for medium-sized apartments and houses of 50-120 sqm. Cables or obstacles up to 2 cm high won’t be a problem for this Xiaomi vacuum cleaner as it can easily get over them.
Although it has a modest 2400 mAh battery, it knows how to go and connect itself to the charging station. Once it has charged its battery, it picks up where it left off.
With the intuitive Xiaomi Home mobile app, you can control and change the vacuum cleaner’s cleaning modes and even monitor the progress of your cleaning sessions.
Roborock S6 Pure
A POPULAR CHOICE
PRO
– 180 minutes battery life
– Precise Lidar navigation system
– Voice control plus app control
– Easily clears thresholds and other obstacles up to 2 cm
– Selective room cleaning – set schedules for different rooms.
CON
– No auto-empty dust bin
Our review
The Roborock S6 Pure is a robot vacuum cleaner with a mop and LiDAR navigation that can connect to Google Assistant and Alexa.
The Roborock S6 Pure helps you clean your home smartly and easily vacuums up dirt and debris from floors, tiles, and carpets. Thanks to its LiDAR navigation and orientation system, it accurately maps your home and distinguishes between rooms and floors. Via the mobile app, you can choose to have it clean one room or several and even the order or vacuum level for each room.
Cleaning has never been smarter! With its powerful processor that always calculates the best and fastest cleaning route, and through sensors, it can avoid stairs and obstacles, always knowing where it is.
The Roborock S6 Pure has a very high suction power thanks to the fan, which, once the HyperForce option is activated, spins at 15000rpm. At the same time, if you fill the 180ml tank with water, it can also mop up after itself. It also has a filter that catches allergens, including mold, which doesn’t need replacing very often as it can be washed and reused.
Still, need to decide on the best robot vacuum cleaner for your needs? A vacuum cleaner can be the key to a clean home. Luckily, plenty of models on the market have many features to take the tedious task of vacuuming and to mop the floor off your hands.
We’ve made the following guide for those who haven’t yet decided which model to choose and are still looking for “robot vacuum cleaner reviews” and hope that through it, we can answer all their questions and help them make the right choice.
What is a robot vacuum cleaner?
Imagine coming home from work to find your house vacuumed and your floors washed. Or that on the weekend, you sit quietly on the sofa reading a book or watching TV while your home is cleaned. Doesn’t that sound nice? It is almost like a dream. Thanks to technological advances in recent years, this dream has become a reality for many people at a lower price than you might expect.
Such a vacuum cleaner is a robot with an electric motor that spins brushes or rollers that pick up dirt. This will be sucked into an internal collection container, usually around 0.5-0.6 liters. In addition to the vacuuming function, some newer models also have a mopping function and are equipped with a water container and reusable microfibre cloths.
Robot vacuums do not need to be plugged into a power source all the time, so they have no cords, and their mobility is not restricted by the positioning of sockets in the home. They have charging stations and run on rechargeable batteries, which depending on the vacuum cleaner’s model and capacity, can even provide up to 3 hours of battery life. Once the storm is discharged, the vacuum cleaner returns to the charging station and picks up where it left off after recharging its battery.
These cleaning robots come equipped with various sensors to help them navigate the house and avoid obstacles or falling down stairs. Most can connect to your home’s internet network and also have mobile apps through which you can control or monitor them.
How do you orient a robot vacuum cleaner?
You’re probably wondering how these robots navigate in space and how they know where they’ve been and where they need to go next. The answer is not so complicated at first glance: with the help of sensors that help them find their way around the house. However, the more advanced the sensors, the more efficient the robot vacuum cleaner. Together with the software part, the navigation technology used by each individual robot determines its movements and, thus, its performance.
Here are three types of navigation used by robot vacuum cleaners and the differences between them.
Budget option
Budget robot vacuums use a combination of collision, anti-drop, and wall sensors. Some models also have sensors that measure wheel revolutions. So by multiplying the circumference of the wheels and the number of rotations, they calculate how far they have traveled.
The collision sensors are placed close to the bumpers, and when they hit an obstacle, the sensors are activated, and the robot knows to change direction because there is an obstacle. The path it will follow is determined by where it made contact with the object. If the vacuum cleaner has hit the right side of the bumper, it knows it has to change direction to the left because it has detected an object on the right.
Anti-fall sensors help the robot vacuum cleaner from falling off the stairs and are a safety measure found on all models. These sensors measure the distance to the floor by sending infrared signals.
Wall sensors, as the name suggests, detect walls using infrared signals and help the vacuum cleaner to navigate around them. So it can clean the mess in the corners and around the edges of walls without bumping into them.
Because the robot vacuum cleaner acts only on signals from these sensors, it fails to clean effectively and can even leave areas uncovered. This navigation system is used by older or very cheap models.
Robot vacuum cleaners with optical or visual sensors.
Some robot vacuum cleaners combine the sensors mentioned above with a main visual sensor. These vacuum cleaners use a navigation algorithm called VSLAM (simultaneous visual localization and mapping). The optical system can more easily identify obstacles and assess the distance between walls. This algorithm also calculates the position of the vacuum cleaner in the room in real-time and creates a map as it cleans. These vacuums are more efficient because they clean surfaces in a systematic way and won’t waste time in areas they know they’ve been through before.
This system, which is only found on more expensive robot vacuum cleaner models, has one drawback: it requires ambient light. Using mainly the optical sensor, these vacuum cleaners will have difficulty in rooms with no light.
Robot vacuum cleaners using laser navigation
Another way vacuum cleaners can orient themselves is by using the LIDAR system. This consists of a laser placed on the vacuum cleaner that illuminates objects, thus allowing the robot to calculate their location and distance them. It can also detect the size and shape of objects encountered by the vacuum cleaner.
Virtual walls and no-go areas.
With these modern navigation and guidance systems, some models of robot vacuum cleaners allow the user to prohibit the vacuum cleaner from entering certain rooms or areas. For example, you can circle the area where your pet’s food is located, ensuring that the device doesn’t accidentally run over water. Or you can draw virtual walls in front of pieces of furniture you don’t want to get under.
Robot versus traditional vacuum cleaners.
Although they both essentially perform the same function, robot vacuums are very different from traditional models, with both pluses and minuses.
An important first consideration for any potential buyer is power, as the more powerful a vacuum cleaner is, the better it cleans surfaces. From this point of view, robot vacuums tend not to be as powerful as traditional ones, partly because they run on battery power and need to conserve energy. However, newer models of robot vacuum cleaners manage to be energy efficient without sacrificing power, making them almost on par with traditional ones.
Another crucial aspect is the vacuum cleaner’s performance on a wide range of surfaces. Robot vacuums work perfectly on parquet, tiles, and linoleum, but when it comes to carpets and fluffy long-fiber carpets, classic vacuums are preferable. Also, the more cluttered a floor is, the longer it will take a robot vacuum cleaner to clean it efficiently, thus using up its battery faster.
Price is, of course, also an important deciding factor. Traditional vacuum cleaners are cheaper than premium models of robot vacuum cleaners. But this price difference can be easily explained by comparing the functions and features of robot vacuum cleaners with those of traditional vacuum cleaners. With the regular vacuum cleaner, all the work itself is done by the user, and the only action performed is vacuuming.
Robotic devices do not require too much user intervention. Most come with special built-in cleaning modes and programs and can navigate themselves through the chosen space using a range of sensors. Some models can be programmed to clean certain areas at certain times and also come with apps through which they can be monitored and controlled. There are also robot vacuum cleaners that also have a mop function, such as the Rowenta x plorer serie 95 animal, taking even more of the burden off the user.
Another feature of interest is the size of the cleaning container. Traditional vacuum cleaners will always have larger containers than robots, allowing a considerable amount of dust, debris, and dirt to be collected. So for general cleaning, they are the right choice, while robot vacuums excel in the routine cleaning department, which is meant to maintain cleanliness.
Thus, a robot can only partially replace a classic vacuum cleaner, as the little machine has limitations. But it works very well as a complement, with market research showing that using a robot to maintain cleanliness saves users around 2 hours a week spent vacuuming.
Is it worth buying a robot vacuum cleaner?
As mentioned above, robot vacuum cleaners are very different from traditional ones in many ways, despite their shortcomings. A better question you should remember is whether or not such a robot vacuum cleaner folds into your needs. These devices come with many advantages, from not needing the presence or intervention of the user while vacuuming, to the extra functions they can offer, such as mopping. But the efficiency of a robot vacuum cleaner also depends on certain factors, and its performance is more limited than that of traditional vacuum cleaners. Let’s weigh up a few aspects of getting a better overview.
It helps you save time.
One of the most significant advantages of the robot vacuum cleaner is that you don’t need to be present when it cleans. With the classic vacuum cleaner, all the burden falls on the user. You handle it, move it around and maneuver it into less accessible spaces, which often requires you to be in awkward positions. Most robots can be programmed to follow a specific cleaning itinerary, from the day and time you want it to take place to the areas you want it to cover.
So with a robot vacuum cleaner, you usually only need to press a button, and the device will know exactly what it has to do. Newer models also allow you to monitor or control the cleaning via an app or remote control; in the case of budget robots, there’s no need to have direct contact with the machine. User input is just setting the programs and choosing the functions, so you don’t need to put in any effort except regular maintenance.
In general, robots offer efficient cleaning for a wide range of surfaces, saving you time spent cleaning, but you should bear in mind that the type of surfaces you have in your home or apartment makes a big difference. Robots particularly excel at cleaning parquet, tiles, and linoleum. If you have carpets or a lot of rugs, you’ll most likely need to vacuum yourself once in a while, but you won’t have to do it that often.
An ideal solution for people with mobility problems
For older people or those with mobility disabilities, robot vacuum cleaners offer the ideal solution because, as detailed above, they do not require much physical intervention by the user. They can be programmed to clean when and where you want without significant effort on your part. The user only assists in maintenance operations such as emptying the dust container or replacing filters, which in any case, is nothing compared to the physical effort involved in using traditional vacuum cleaners.
If you have a house or apartment with a floor, you will need to move the robot vacuum cleaner from one floor to another because it can’t go up the stairs. Fortunately, these are compact and don’t weigh much.
Your home must be compatible with a robot vacuum cleaner.
Robot vacuums only work on flat surfaces, so if you have high thresholds (usually over 2 centimeters, but each device comes with specifications for this), you may find the cleaning process isn’t exactly smooth. However, if you’re willing to give your robot a hand, there are a few solutions to the threshold problem.
One would be to place a ramp in front of the threshold. There are special ramps for robot vacuum cleaners that can be bought commercially, but you can also improvise. Look for options that slope fairly or are too narrow to ensure that the robot will be able to get through. If the threshold is too high, try putting a mat before it. This will give the robot vacuum cleaner the traction it needs to cross the threshold.
Stairs are also a problem because the vacuum cleaner cannot climb them. The most time-efficient option is to clean the steps manually and take the robot to the floor you want it to work. This detracts a little from the joy of having a robot vacuum cleaner, as it won’t be able to manage without you, but the effort involved is still unquestionably less than with conventional vacuum cleaners.
One last problem with using a robot vacuum cleaner is that it requires a little training. Before starting the device, it is recommended that you clear the floor of anything the robot might get stuck in or get stuck on. Robot vacuums can easily get tangled in untied cords or even curtains, although there are models that do better in the face of these obstacles. As for objects that can clog the vacuum cleaner, watch out for small children’s or pets’ clothing and toys.
What about dust on the shelves?
The robot vacuum cleaner has its limits when it comes to where it can reach. So to have a “sparkling” clean home, you can’t rely on this device alone. It will never reach the dust on shelves, cupboards, or even the mundane stairs, as explained above. For surfaces beyond the navigational limits of a robot vacuum cleaner, classic methods remain the right choice. The classic vacuum cleaner can be easily maneuvered upstairs, and those with longer hoses or uprights can easily get rid of cobwebs. For dust and particles on shelves and cupboards, a dustpan or dust duster remains the ideal solution.
The robot can, therefore, only do part of the general cleaning. But if you make an effort to integrate it into your cleaning schedule, it will certainly save you a few good hours of effort.
Is it worth investing in a robot vacuum cleaner?
Even if they’re not good at everything and occasionally require a little help from the user, robot vacuums are still an investment you’ll enjoy to the fullest. Regardless of their performance, they are effective, time-saving devices, and if you use and maintain them correctly, you won’t regret the purchase.
The most important features of a robot vacuum cleaner
It’s not easy to look for and choose a robot vacuum cleaner with all the features you need. You have to consider many aspects, such as suction power, suction modes, navigation technology, filters, and price. That’s why we’ll present three essential things you need to know when choosing a good and cheap robot vacuum cleaner.
Suction power
Suction power is the most important thing to consider when choosing a cleaner. This is measured in Pascals (Pa), and the higher it is, the more power the robot will have to suck up dirt.
Vacuuming modes
Each manufacturer comes with different vacuuming modes. For example, the iRobot people have the Boost Carpet function, which automatically increases the suction power when the robot detects it is on a carpet. Another good example is the areas with five different cleaning modes to suit all surfaces, ensuring the most effective cleaning.
Navigation technology
As mentioned earlier, the technology used to navigate and guide you around the home determines the efficiency of these robot vacuums. Those with optical sensors or laser navigation are more expensive but also much more efficient than robots using only collision sensors.
Battery life
If a robot vacuum cleaner model has a battery life of fewer than 60 minutes, this is a sign of poor performance. It’s best to choose a model that can clean your entire house on a single charge or one that knows how to return to the charging station and pick up where it left off once it’s charged. Depending on the model, robot vacuums take 2 to 5 hours to recharge their battery.
Filtration system
Another important aspect to remember is the filtration system that each robot vacuum cleaner model comes with. Does it meet the HEPA standard? Do the filters need to be replaced regularly, or can they be washed and reused? These are questions to keep in mind that we have answered for each product featured in this article.
Programming functions
Scheduling features can be a plus, as they allow you to set and schedule times and days of the week when you want your robot vacuum to start cleaning. This way, it doesn’t matter where you are, it will start itself, and you will always find your home clean.
Remote control / Mobile app
Most models released in recent years can be controlled remotely using mobile apps. The robot vacuum cleaner can connect to the internet via your home’s wi-fi, so you can control it with your phone from wherever you are. You can turn it off, on, pause, schedule a cleaning schedule or even see in real-time where it is and what areas it has finished cleaning. You can also use the mobile app to see the battery status or get notifications from the vacuum cleaner, such as whether it’s finished cleaning or stuck in a particular area.
Older or very cheap models come with a remote control that you can use to control and set up the robot vacuum cleaner.
Noise level
The noise level is measured in decibels (dB) and can be a consideration many people don’t consider because they are used to classic, noisy vacuum cleaners. However, it can be important and should be on the minds of those who have pets or want their robot vacuum cleaner to clean at night. Most newer models have a noise level between 50 and 70 dB, a little lower than classic vacuums, which have between 80 and 90 dB.
Stair detection
Anti-drop sensors are another important feature that a robot vacuum cleaner should have and one to keep in mind, especially if you have a multi-story home. These sensors detect stairs or any change in level and thus help the vacuum cleaner from falling.
Other features: Height
Another important thing is the height of the robot vacuum cleaner. The lower its height, the more furniture items it will fit underneath, saving you from doing extra cleaning.
Mop function
An important function that many people want is the mop function. Devices with this function have a small container of water and microfibre cloths that can be washed and reused. On most models, the water in the container is used to soak the mop, and so the mop can vacuum and wash at the same time.
Virtual walls
Once the robot vacuum cleaner has made a map of your home, with the mobile app, you can draw virtual walls or semicircle-shaped areas through which to restrict the device’s access to a particular room or, for example, around your pet’s food and water.
Voice control
Some vacuums, like the Roborock S6 Pure, can be connected to Google Home or Alexa, giving you the option to use voice commands to control them.
Things to consider before buying a robot vacuum cleaner
Robot vacuums aren’t the most expensive home appliances on the market, but they’re still a substantial financial investment. For this very reason, the decision to purchase such a device should be an informed one based on a careful weighing of the benefits and drawbacks.
Important questions
In this article, we have presented some of the best models on the market, what the differences are between them and classic vacuum cleaners, and what features and functions they come with. But let’s now also review some questions you should consider before making a final decision.
How big is your home?
Robot vacuums run on battery power, so the more space you have that needs vacuuming, the faster the battery of such a device will drain. So, if you have a more spacious home, you should aim for a robot model with long battery life to ensure it can complete its cleaning session.
You could also go for a model with a smaller battery as long as it has an automatic recharge function when it runs out. All of the vacuum cleaners on our list have this feature.
Do you have a parquet or carpets?
In general, all models of robot vacuum cleaners are effective at cleaning flat surfaces, especially parquet, tiles, and linoleum. But if you have carpet or shag carpeting, then it’s likely that budget models won’t perform the best. They can easily get stuck in the long fibers of carpets or can very quickly drain their battery by running through carpets.
More expensive models perform better when it comes to cleaning more complicated surfaces, but even these can’t match the performance of traditional vacuum cleaners.
Do you have pets?
The presence of pets can pose many obstacles to a robot vacuum cleaner. As well as having to avoid their food, water, litter or toys, there’s also the issue of hair. Both dogs and cats leave hair, and some robot vacuums aren’t made to handle it. The fur gets stuck in the rotating brush, and the device clogs, failing to continue its program.
If you have pets, choose a model with rubberized material brushes, such as the iRobot Roomba e5, as they can vacuum hair without their system clogging.
What is your budget?
There’s a wide range of robot vacuum cleaners for every budget bracket. Of course, the cheaper models are less powerful and efficient than the more expensive ones, and most only come with a few basic features. If you want something good that still doesn’t cross the threshold to the expensive options, aim for the mid-range models. These come with performance similar to premium robots, the minus being a narrower range of features.
How long can a robot vacuum cleaner last?
In general, robot vacuum cleaners can last anywhere from 4 to 6-7 years, but the lifespan of these devices depends very much on how they are maintained. In other words, the more careful and considerate you are with it, the longer it will last. Here are some useful tips to help you enjoy your robot vacuum cleaner for as long as possible.
Don’t let it get too full.
Robot vacuum cleaner collection containers are usually very small, around 500ml, which means they fill up relatively quickly. It is recommended that you empty and clean these containers regularly, especially if you use them frequently.
Clean the filters
Robot vacuums can come with a single HEPA filter, a double HEPA filter like the iRobot Roomba 980, or a multi-layer filter like the amXea D360-B. These filters can load and clog quickly, and you need to pay special attention to them. Fortunately, most of them can be washed and reused.
Clean brushes
It’s a good habit to check your brushes after every use or every few uses to make sure everything is working properly, especially if you have pets or long hair. Fur and long hairs can easily get tangled in their bristles, making it difficult to operate and lead to long-term damage to the robot.
Conclusion
In this article, we have presented our list of the best devices on the market, including robot vacuum cleaner reviews and prices, explained what exactly these devices are and how they work, and compared them to traditional vacuum cleaners. We then looked at whether these robots are worth the money, talked at length about the features of robot vacuum cleaners, and listed the factors that impact the decision-making process. As a bonus, we’ve also given you some tips on maintaining such a device so you can enjoy it “for all your money.”
We’ve done our best, and now it’s up to you. Is it worth the investment? Which model is perfect for you? We hope we’ve helped you answer these questions!
