5 Things To Consider Before Buying A Robot Vacuum

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Keeping floors clean can feel like a never-ending challenge, particularly if you live with mess-prone children or pets that shed. Robot vacuums can really help with that, but picking one can be a daunting task. Alongside the major vacuum and mop brands, there are plenty of newcomers to the segment, some of which offer impressively capable vacuums at appealing prices. However, others don't offer the same level of performance, and some can even add to your overall workload if they don't function as intended and require time-consuming maintenance.

If you're new to the world of robot vacuums, there are a few things that are worth considering before you make your first purchase. Mopping capabilities, smart features, and pet friendliness are all key considerations, and it's also worth keeping in mind that even the best robot vacuums are unlikely to relieve you of your floorcare duties entirely. However, before making a decision about any of those factors, deciding on your budget should be first on your to-do list.

Although they all share a common purpose, the price you can expect to pay for a robot vacuum varies considerably. At the cheapest end of the market, it's possible to get a robot vacuum for under $150, while high-end devices can carry retail prices of over $1,500. In between those extremes, there are a wide range of mid-range devices on offer, each of which will offer a slightly different combination of features.

High-end vacuums generally tend to feature better obstacle avoidance systems and better self-cleaning capabilities. In turn, that means they often require less maintenance and assistance than a cheap robot vacuum. Many also offer greater levels of routine customization.

If your budget is flexible, you can decide which features matter the most and which aren't worth the additional price premium. If you have a tighter budget, it's potentially worth waiting for something more capable to be discounted, as they can frequently be found on sale at major retailers.

To take an example, one affordable option we were impressed by is the Roborock Q7 M5+, which our reviewer found to be capable enough to deal with a mix of dirt and pet hair. It retails for $429.99, but at the time of writing, it's available on Amazon for $259.99.

Some robot vacuums only offer a vacuum function, while others feature built-in mops. Whether that's worth getting will depend on the type of flooring in your house or apartment — if you have mostly hard floors, it may well be worth the investment. The performance and design of mops can vary significantly between models, with models like the YEEDI M14 Plus featuring a movable roller to ensure that it cleans right up to wall edges.

If you have a mix of carpet and hard flooring, then the question of whether or not a mop is a worthwhile feature becomes trickier to answer. Vacuums like the Eufy X10 Pro Omni can automatically detect short-hair carpets and rugs thanks to their integrated cameras and lift their mops accordingly, but not every vacuum is as smart. Mops also increase the amount of maintenance you'll need to keep the vacuum running smoothly, since you'll have to top up the water tank in the vacuum's base, empty out the dirty water tank, and replace the mopping pads when they reach the end of their usable life.

Like so many other areas of consumer technology, AI is slowly being integrated into robot vacuums. The Eufy X10 Pro Omni mentioned above uses AI to identify different types of objects so it can properly avoid them, and it can also intelligently speed up to clear obstacles like flooring transition strips. Other AI-powered robot vacuums like the Mova V50 Ultra Complete can learn which parts of the house get the dirtiest, and can suggest it cleans them more frequently if necessary.

The smartest models can map floors quickly and accurately, splitting rooms into different zones that can then be set up with customized cleaning routines via their respective smartphone apps. Of course, all of these features come at a cost.

While improved object avoidance systems and object detection are arguably worth getting, additional smart features are more subjective. Taking some time to consider which smart features you're likely to use most often should help narrow down your potential pool of vacuum models and should also help keep your budget in check.

Pets can create a lot of mess, and some robot vacuums are much better equipped to deal with that kind of mess than others. Pet hair can get tangled in the vacuum's bristles, spilled food can be dragged around, and in a worst case scenario, pet waste can end up making its way into the vacuum or be spread across the floor. Unfortunately, the latter scenario played out for our reviewer during their time with the Switchbot K10+ Pro Combo.

In short, if you have pets, then you'll need to ensure that any robot vacuum you're considering is appropriately equipped to deal with those issues, and more. As a result, vacuums on the cheapest end of the market are likely to be off limits, as they won't have the systems to identify and avoid potential hazards, and may well struggle to clean up pet hair.

Even if your budget is very generous and you can comfortably spend a four figure sum to get yourself one of the most capable robot vacuums on the market, it's worth keeping in mind that they won't be able to relieve you of cleaning duties entirely. The most capable models will take care of all of your home's routine cleaning, but you'll still need to deep clean periodically. 

On the other end of the price spectrum, the cheapest vacuums will likely have much more significant limitations, primarily because they tend to lack object detection systems such as lidar or cameras. They are much more likely to get stuck on objects like chair legs or furniture, and as a result, they'll likely deliver a less consistently clean floor. Plus, you might end up having to rescue them from chair legs, dropped toys, or floor surface transitions on a semi-regular basis.

That said, you don't necessarily need to shell out a fortune for a top-end robot vacuum to keep your floors clean. By carefully selecting the features that matter most to you and skipping models with multiple features you'll never use, it's well within reach to get a capable, reasonably priced model that will take care of your daily floorcare needs.