Everything You Need To Know About Robot Vacuums

Things to consider when buying a robot vacuum

Choosing the right robot vacuum for your home requires careful consideration of various factors. With so many options available, it's important to understand what features and specifications matter most to you. Here are some things to think about when choosing a robot vacuum for your home.

Floor-type compatibility

Before purchasing a robot vacuum, it's crucial to consider the compatibility with different floor types. While most robot vacuums work well on hard floors, such as hardwood, tile, and laminate, some models excel in cleaning carpets. Look for adjustable suction power, multi-surface brushes, and mopping capabilities to ensure optimal performance on specific floor types.

When it comes to carpets, consider the vacuum's suction power. Higher suction power is necessary for deep cleaning and removing embedded dirt and pet hair. Some robot vacuums also come with adjustable suction settings, allowing you to customise the cleaning power based on the carpet type.

For hard floors, such as tile or hardwood, look for robot vacuums that have specialised brushes designed to sweep and collect debris effectively. Rubber brushes or bristle brushes are commonly used as they can easily pick up dirt and hair from hard surfaces.

If you have a combination of carpet and hard floors, consider a robot vacuum with multi-surface brushes. These brushes are designed to adapt to different floor types, ensuring efficient cleaning on both carpets and hard floors.

Mopping capabilities are an additional feature to consider if you want your robot vacuum to perform wet cleaning on hard floors. Some robot vacuums come with built-in water tanks and mopping pads, allowing them to sweep and mop simultaneously. This feature is especially useful for maintaining clean and shiny hard floors.

Navigation and mapping technologies

The navigation and mapping technologies employed by robot vacuums significantly impact their cleaning efficiency. These technologies enable the robot vacuum to navigate your home, create efficient cleaning paths, and avoid obstacles.

Laser mapping

Some robot vacuums utilise lasers to create detailed maps of your home, enabling them to navigate efficiently and clean systematically. These lasers scan the surroundings, measure distances, and create a precise map of the layout.

With the help of this map, the robot vacuum can navigate from one room to another and clean in a methodical pattern, ensuring complete coverage.

Visual navigation

Certain models employ onboard cameras to detect obstacles and create real-time maps of their surroundings for precise cleaning path detection. These cameras capture images of the environment, analyse the data, and create maps to guide the robot vacuum's movements.

Visual navigation allows the robot vacuum to adapt to changes in the environment and avoid obstacles in real time.

Sensor-based navigation

Collision sensors, drop sensors, and edge sensors are commonly used in robot vacuums to help them detect and avoid obstacles and cliffs.

Collision sensors detect objects in the vacuum's path and prompt it to change direction to avoid collisions.

Drop sensors detect changes in surface heights, preventing the robot vacuum from falling down stairs or off ledges.

Edge sensors detect the edges of walls and furniture, ensuring that the robot vacuum cleans along the edges effectively.

Cleaning power and performance

Assessing the suction power, brush types, and agitation modes is essential for evaluating a robot vacuum's cleaning power and performance. These factors determine how effectively the robot vacuum can remove dirt, dust, and debris from your floors.

Suction power

The suction power of a robot vacuum determines how effectively it can pick up dirt and debris. Higher suction power is generally more desirable, especially if you have carpets or heavily soiled areas.

Look for a robot vacuum with adjustable suction power settings, as this allows you to customise the suction strength based on the cleaning requirements of different floor types.

Brush types

Robot vacuums come with different brush types to suit various floor surfaces. Common brush types include rubber brushes and bristle brushes.

Rubber brushes are effective at picking up hair and large debris, while bristle brushes are designed to agitate and lift dirt from carpets. Some robot vacuums even have a combination of brush types for versatile cleaning.

Agitation modes

Some robot vacuums offer multiple agitation modes, allowing you to customise the cleaning style based on your preferences. For example, you may have the option to choose between the standard mode, which provides balanced cleaning on different floor types, and a more intense mode for deep cleaning carpets.

Battery life

Battery life is an important consideration as it determines how long the robot vacuum can clean on a single charge. The battery life should be suitable for the size of your home and cleaning requirements. A longer battery life is desirable for larger spaces to ensure the robot vacuum can complete the cleaning process without interruption.

In addition to battery runtime, consider the charging time required for the robot vacuum to recharge. Faster charging times minimise downtime, allowing the robot vacuum to be ready for cleaning sessions more quickly. Some models offer self-charging capabilities, where the robot vacuum automatically returns to its docking station to recharge when the battery is low. This ensures that the robot vacuum maintains its power independently and is always ready for the next cleaning cycle.

Maintenance

Proper maintenance is crucial for keeping your robot vacuum running smoothly and efficiently. Regular maintenance ensures optimal performance and prolongs the lifespan of the vacuum. Here are some maintenance tips to keep in mind:

Cleaning the Brushes and Filters: Regularly removing tangled hair, debris, and dust from the brushes and filters is important for maintaining optimal cleaning performance. Depending on the model, you may need to clean the brushes and filters after every cleaning session or as needed. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for removing and cleaning these components.

Emptying the Dustbin: Keeping the dustbin empty is essential to ensure efficient suction and prevent clogs. Most robot vacuums have a dustbin indicator that alerts you when it needs to be emptied. Empty the dustbin after each cleaning session or as recommended by the manufacturer.