Introduction

With the rise of robot vacuum cleaners, it’s become tempting to dust them off and go back to the couch, where it all started. One type, the SkyBot Pro9 model, promises a cleaner experience with minimal effort. But other types of robovac – which use an algorithm to navigate, reduce friction, and recognise obstacles – have a much different story. In fact, they work a lot more simply and often in some ways, as do other kinds of smarts, namely motion and speech-recognition sensors. They aren’t always good at good things – too bad hubcaps, particularly if you like Amazon Echo soundtracks – or will come over damaged. Researchers and homeowners have tried some pioneering techniques, which can result in improved automation. And they could even reduce the likelihood of a spill when you place them down the stairs. Seriously, if a dog suddenly runs down an aisle or throws up on the kitchen counter, automatic vacuuming won’t help much. We’ve tested the implications. Here, we explain how they affected the effectiveness of the technologies we tested, how it can be reduced, and whether a robot vacuum truly will replace human cleaning. Remember, homeowners should have never set up a cleaning schedule, even if it would make things that much easier for themselves. With many of our vacuum cleaner reviews out in the open right now, people have asked us how we got our floors (and the hubs in their cars, etc.) cleaner. Sometimes we’ll say there’s just no way of getting it done. Once you start vacuuming regularly, you’ll notice a difference, especially if you’ve installed multiple vacuum cleaners. But not all robot vacs can do the job that the best ones can. Don’t expect them to suck up with ease, just like a vacuum does, so it’s important to keep it out of your kitchen, way back there.

Is the battery replaceable?

The most reliable cleaning robots come with two batteries. This means you can replace them if you run out of juice, after cleaning, mid-shift or for just one wash. Their batteries are specially-designed to replace low-output batteries and, therefore are more reliable, and they last a longer time than conventional vacuums. We’ve tested models with both rechargeables and battery replacements from companies including Dyson’s Roomba range, which also has swappable batteries, as standard, although these are not easily rebuildable. There are certainly others that you’d want to consider, with plenty of manufacturers of alternative cleaning modules and recharging ports, to keep costs in check, but we’ve found many that just don’t get it. Battery life also adjusts with time, too, so you may need to start thinking about how much battery you’re going to have left and to plan for different cleanings. The same helps if your garden or car gets raked regularly. That’s a good sign, though, as a lack of replacement models may indicate that the robot didn’t really do its job well. To test these, we held models out for up to 90 minutes, which showed no signs of slowing down when we removed the brush and brush roll. After four takes, most were fully powered. If your robot was more efficient in our tests, it got around 35 more minutes. We analysed the following chart showing how we rate the effectiveness at cleaning different surfaces when we ran each robot for 100 minutes: Similar test results: Compared to comparison data: Optimum super clean score Clean Score The average clean is 75.5 of 100 Less than 100 gets dropped when tried on a different surface Don’t Buy Robots at this price still won’t make it a ‘best buy’. For a lower price, contact Which?

How well will it clean dust and dirt from my floors?

When it comes to suction, the dirt comes out easily. Once you’ve emptied the dust container and are ready to start the cleaning job, I tried sweeping on the mop with a handheld vacuum cleaner. After three sweeps I was left with just a dust residue. There are various cleaning modes available such as Spot/Seal, Secure/Slide, Custom/Aim, Clean Sweep, and Clean mode. You can even tell your robot cleaner what part of your floor it’s cleaning. It’s important to make sure you use the appropriate cleaning features for your floors. For example, Spot flood mode is the perfect option for thick carpet. We were able to clear out pet litter at no human interference, with it sweeping out only around 4cm of pet kibble. Of course, we need to take this into account when pricing these devices. Some prices start at a hefty $500 for the Roomba s9+. If you’re wondering if a robot vacuum can pick up everything in its path and then carry the debris on its behalf back home – you won’t be wrong. The V3s+ is also an excellent vacuum cleaner, using D-shaped roller brushes to suck in the fine dust that may have formed around it. Once the vacuum is home, it cleans out the particles in a path that 1.5 times bigger than the average human hair, before returning to its dock. Our Robovac V10 Pro and Leekie M82UK both have exceptionally good dust pick-up results. Like the V8s+, the robot’s 20cm-wide blades also make it incredibly easy to get under furniture. But it doesn’t come cheap, so do be wary about checking their estimated battery life – and of course, check the app regularly. For the best you can do in these situations, look for service with Scheduled cleans etc.

Design

The Roborock S4 Max for example looks like it wants to dive into your living room while maintaining an array of accessories that you might need to do it yourself. It uses three cameras, including one around the nostrils, which measures the distance away from the camera and sits in the center of the vacuum pack, where it’s illuminated. By default, the robot has a quad copter for measuring distance, and can also be moved a step further to avoid obstruction. Weighing in at 1.2kg, the vacuum says it operates in a mode that’s dependent on the weather and power, but this is probably misleading because the 360-degree camera can actually be used both in low-light and in bright sunlight. Those will always, of course, come at a cost and not all water tanks are disposable. Still, if you’re worried about the cost of these autonomous cleaners on a tight budget, you’ll be saving money on floor-cleaning, according to iRobot and you’ll save on battery life. Back in April 2018, Eufy announced Roomba i7+, which costs $1,099 for a five-bed model, compared to more expensive models such as Dyson’s Botvac V7 360 and its Neato D7, costing over $4,000. The robotic vacuum cleaner also includes a multi-bag dustbin, built-in dirt sensor, dust collector, microfiber cleaning pad and an integrated LED flashlight. Beyond the smart design and lightweight features, these are just your average remotes with no additional attachments or features that make it unique, even in the richest of robot vacuums.

Bottom line

Robot vacuums have more capability than traditional vacuum cleaners, having the ability to clean the floors better. They can’t replace a human mop but they can replace some of the dust and pet hair we bust out every day. Machines have advanced to the point where we can pick up the smallest pieces of dust from the carpet. That said for every robot you buy, there are a few good ones that we didn’t even think about. To get our full round-up you can visit our robot vacuum reviews. If you have pets, or you’ve got multiple floors and don’t want to deal with getting yourself into trouble with a machine, you could consider a robot mopping instead. With robots, teams of professionals have developed the technology to work around being the only human around. Each team has a unique skill and technology, and there is an AI working behind the scenes to streamline the process. We do find robot mops that are a little better at removing larger debris from your floor surfaces, but it’s best to go with the vacuum cleaner for simple cleaning jobs before you put the robot down to sleep.