Whether you have a large house with three shaggy dogs or a stylish apartment with carpets of medium pile robotic vacuums can help keep your floors clean. Be sure that the model you select is specifically designed to clean carpets and rugs effectively.
Thankfully, today's models are more powerful than ever before. In fact, some even have sensors that let them avoid climbing on rugs when they're mopping to ensure that the rug won't get wet.
Powerful Suction
A robot isn't able to replace a stick vacuum or upright however they are capable of picking up tracked-in dirt, crumbs, and shedding pet hair from hard floors as well as carpeting with a low pile. For best results, look for a model with powerful suction that is able to quickly pick up dust and debris in a single pass across your floors, or in multiple passes over carpeting. You should also look for a robot that is able to easily maneuver around stairs, furniture and tight corners.
In our tests, the best-rated robots in this category are able to tackle almost any type of flooring. They can also transition from carpeting to hardwood and tile without getting stuck. Larger wheels allow them to climb over ledges, steps and doorways with greater ease than smaller ones. They also have sensors that help them avoid bumping into furniture or falling. Certain models are able to detect when they are near the tassels of a rug, and increase their suction to avoid getting caught in.
Most of the best robots in this category use powerful motors that provide powerful suction to speed up clean-ups. They also come with a range of attachments that allow you to sweep and mop your floors. Some of them can be connected to smart speakers that are compatible with Amazon's Alexa, or Google Assistant for a hands free cleaning experience.
Toner says you'll also want to think about how long the robot can run on a charge and how it's easy to recharge. Some robots have a useful feature that allows you to continue cleaning where the robot stopped. This is useful if you have a large space or a schedule that is frequently changed.
Although most robots don't require any maintenance, they do need to be cleaned from time to time to remove lint and hair from their brushes and other components. It's a good idea to empty the dust bin (and when necessary, rinse it) and clean the cameras or sensors periodically. If you own a robot mop, ensure that you clean and dry the pads before using it again.
Customized Cleaning Schedules
If you own carpet you'll need to clean it frequently because dirt and debris tend to get trapped in the base of the fibers. A carpet vacuum that is robotic can help make this chore a lot less labor-intensive and time-consuming. These smart appliances sweep and mop floors at predetermined times, and even work when you're away from home.
But you should take care to choose the right model for your requirements. The cheapest robot vacuums will not perform well on carpets and you'll have to purchase one with more features for more efficient performance. The best models have many settings that can be adjusted and smart navigation technology to ensure they won't leave any mess behind.
One of the best examples is one of the best examples is Neato D9. It's one of our favorite robot vacuums but it's especially efficient in cleaning carpeted surfaces as well as getting around tricky areas such as under furniture. best robot vacuum for pet hair is due in part to its mapping technology, which creates and stores the location of your home, allowing it to clean more efficiently rooms without getting lost or stuck behind furniture. You can modify the map using an app to block off rooms that you do not want it to enter.
Other features to look for include the power of the battery, a large dustbin as well as a lengthy cleaning cycle. We suggest a model that automatically empties its bin when it is full, rather than having to empty it manually.
If you're on an affordable budget but want a highly effective carpet cleaner, consider the Shark ION Robot Vacuum Series. It doesn't have the advanced mapping capabilities of our top choice however it's effective on carpeted floors. It also does a great job of navigating narrow spaces. It doesn't come with a docking station however, so you'll need to locate a location for it in your home.
You can also select a hybrid model which can double as a mop. These machines have an water reservoir that is paired with a microfiber pad that can be used to wet and scrub floors. They're not as effective as dedicated carpet-cleaning vacuums however they can be helpful in tackling larger spills and stains, or to keep floors looking good between cleanings.
Advanced Sensors
Modern robotics that vacuum carpet are able to detect different flooring surfaces and adjust their cleaning accordingly. For instance, the top carpet vacuum we reviewed can automatically increase suction when it switches from hardwood to carpet and even clean the same area three times for an extra-thorough clean. This feature is possible because the robot uses several sensors to navigate through your home and build an accurate map of furniture such as window blinds, power cords and more. This information is then compiled and used to figure out the most efficient way to clean each room.
Look for advanced features like carpet recognition sensors that will help your robot vacuum do an excellent job of cleaning your floor. Some of the best-rated models include gyroscopes which can calculate distances to obstacles, such as walls or stairs. This technology works the same way that a compass does, which is by spinning quickly to measure the robot's direction. This prevents the robot from falling down steep stairs or other barriers which could cause damage to it or cause an accident.
Some models also have a special feature that can detect pet hair or other allergens that are present in carpet. This is an excellent feature if you have pets and require a machine to pick up hair without damaging carpet fibres. We also searched for models with an intelligent mapping feature that learns the structure of your home to make it possible to block off areas that you do not want to keep clean or create zones that the robot is to stay clear of these areas at all cost.
Make sure that your robot vacuum is tidy to ensure it lasts as long as it can. Hild recommends making sure you check the filter on a regular basis (follow the manufacturer's instructions for cleaning) and remove any hair that has become caught in the brushes. It's a good idea empty and clean the dust bin and wipe down the sensors and cameras after each use.
Easy to operate
Keeping your floors free of crumbs, dirt and pet hair shedding isn't an easy task, but a robot vacuum can make it much easier. The best carpet cleaners can completely clean your floors in less time than it would take to manually sweep them. They also have a higher chance of nabbing stuck debris such as metal screws or nails, as well as nuts. They are also very quiet, and they don't interfere with your routine.
You can control your robot's vacuum through its app or with voice commands using an appropriate smart home assistant like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Certain models let you see the robot's path to cleaning and progress while it's working. You can also design custom schedules and create specific areas for the robot.
Find a hybrid vacuum that is able to clean carpet and hard surfaces in one sweep. Our top pick for this category is the Eufy 11s, which offers an array of helpful features that set it apart from its competitors. For instance, its mopping pad dispenser is able to wash and remove the pads after each use, which helps prevent hair that is tangled from blocking the vacuum's roller brush. It also comes with the option of a cleaner head that comes with "powerfins," which dig deeper into carpets to easily remove hair from pets.
Its suction power makes it a good choice for picking up hair from carpets, but it might need to be changed to a lower setting for floors made of hard wood. The vacuum's dust bin fills up faster than other models we've tested therefore it's going to need to be emptied more often however, this is a minor chore as compared to the work involved in manually cleaning and cleaning your floors.
The only thing that could make this robot vacuum more practical is if it worked with your smart home security system to tell you when it's time to empty the bin and return to its charging station. Thankfully, this feature will be available soon on some other models, and is definitely something to consider if you have a busy household with pets or children that frequently leave messes behind.
