A robot vacuum is an exciting purchase that promises to clean your home without using your time or energy, and can slash hours from daily chores. But these smart cleaners still require a bit of know-how to make the most out of them.
Forgetting to clean them or make the most out of the comprehensive robot vacuum apps can result in a robot that's less effective than it should be. Avoiding these four robot vacuum cleaner mistakes will help yours last for a long time and function brilliantly throughout its life, giving you the most bang for your robot buck.
We've tested 18 of the best robot vacuums at Homes & Gardens, and we know the ins and outs of what they're capable of. Here are the common usage and maintenance bloopers to avoid.
4 common robot vacuum mistakes and how to avoid them
1. Expecting the robot vacuum to clean everything
It would be amazing to be able to say goodbye to our best cordless vacuum forever, but robots can't provide the same clean as a full-sized vacuum.
'Robot vacuums are fantastic for daily maintenance, but they're not meant to replace deep cleaning sessions entirely,' shares Aminah Vieira, cleaning pro and head of marketing and innovation at InspireClean.
'Think of them as your helpful cleaning partner that keeps floors tidy between your regular thorough cleanings,' she adds. One day, robots may be able to bring us coffee, but for now, these devices are limited.
What they are brilliant for is working alongside your household's main vacuum. The robot can help maintain light daily cleaning needs, leaving you having to deep clean your floors less often.
It's why having two vacuums is better than one, in my view. Keeping your expectations of what a robot can achieve at a reasonable level will limit disappointment, especially if those expectations are not in line with the current capabilities of robot vacuums.
'It’s only great for maintenance!' says Rhonda Wilson, quality lead cleaner at FreshSpace Cleaning. 'If people only rely on a robot vacuum, they might be overestimating what they can do. There might be missed cleaning spots, corners, big bits of dirt, or sticky areas the robot can’t deal with,' she adds.
The eufy 3-in-1 E20 is designed to solve this, with a mini cordless vacuum built into the robot that can clean everything the robot leaves behind. All prices correct at time of publication.
Rather than owning a separate, bulky vacuum cleaner, the eufy 3-in-1 E20 is perfectly designed to cover the whole home's vacuuming needs. On test, we found that the cordless stick was surprisingly impressive at clearing up whatever mess the robot couldn't handle, even on pet hair. It's on offer for a limited time with $200 off.
Read more in our full eufy 3-in-1 E20 review.
2. Choosing the cheapest option
Robot vacuums are a major investment. The most advanced models including the best robot vacuums for pet hair can cost upwards of $1,500, which is an expense most of would happily avoid.
But just because there are budget options available, it doesn't mean they're worth it. 'One mistake that people often make is simply choosing the cheapest option,' explains Jeremy Yamaguchi, CEO of Cabana.
'You shouldn’t necessarily have to buy the most expensive option, but understand that with robot vacuums, a cheap price will generally equate to a sub-par job,' he continues.
From our extensive robot vacuum tests, we know this to be true. Budget robot vacuums will knock into furniture and leave a great deal of mess behind, and end up causing the common faults that engineers fix in robot vacuums. They are often harder to set up and more glitchy when it comes to navigation and mapping.
Plus, spending a little extra can get you a robot vacuum with a mop, resulting in you mopping your floors less often, or a self-empty station that can give you less exposure to common household allergens.
As Homes & Gardens' home tech editor and resident vacuum expert, these are the three I recommend:
It's still a hefty investment, but the eufy Omni S1 Pro is single-handedly the most effective robot vacuum we've tested. It vacuums, mops, and cleans itself incredibly thoroughly, and its performance when vacuuming pet hair is unmatched. Detailed mapping and obstacle avoidance make it one of the most hands-free options out there, reducing our tester's canister vacuum use by 90%. Plus, right now it's discounted by a massive $500.
Read more in our full eufy Omni S1 Pro review.
The iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ is a great robot vacuum if you're a pet owner. It's one of the only robots we've tested that can deep clean carpets, with an anti-tangle roller and strong suction that can pull even the most stubborn fur out of thick piles. It's also designed with style, and the self-empty station doubles up as a side table.
Read more in our full iRobot Roomba j9+ Combo review.
It might not be as powerful as the eufy and Roomba robots, but for around a third of the price of these premium models, you can still enjoy strong vacuuming, mopping and self-emptying, from one of our favorite vacuum brands.
Read more in our full Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 review.
3. Not making the most of the app
What's amazing about a robotic vacuum cleaner is its intelligent software. These appliances are designed to map our homes and do as much of the work for us as possible. They're one of many smart home must-haves that can transform our day-to-day lives.
But forgetting to utilize robots to their fullest potential is where many consumers go wrong. 'Really look and take advantage of the app features,' urges Rhonda, adding, 'I have mine do a double pass in the living room every time.'
You know better than anybody where the dirtiest parts of your home are. Use the app's scheduling features and zone mapping to make sure your robot's spending its time where it's most needed.
And if you find that your robot often gets lost, make sure you allow enough time for your robot to accurately map your home. Otherwise, you'll be increasing how often you should vacuum or clean the kitchen floor.
'When I first got mine, I was honestly so excited to test it, but after a week or two, I noticed it sometimes goes over the same spot multiple times while completely ignoring others. Doing the setup will only take 20 mins or less,' Rhonda says.
You can also use the app to schedule a daily pause on noisier functions, such as self-emptying, or draw an invisible boundary for an area you want the robot cleaner to skip, or it regularly gets stuck under, such as a low-standing TV cabinet. You can also use most robot vacuum apps to specify which room or zone needs cleaning right now, or have it vacuum or mop twice.
4. Forgetting to clean the robot
It's vital to clean your robot vacuum for the best function, cleaning, and longevity. Not doing so can result in obstructed sensors and the vacuum losing suction power, as it requires clear filters and internal parts to run at its best.
'You can get the best from your robot vacuum by emptying the dustbin after every few uses and cleaning the brushes weekly so they don’t get clogged,' Aminah recommends.
An essential cleaning toolkit for robot vacuums can consist of brushes, an air compressor to dislodge trapped dirt, and a stitch ripper to cut out any wrapped hair.
A seam ripper is a safe and effective way of cutting hair out of your vacuum, without relying on scissors that can damage the brushes.
This air compressor is a handy cleaning tool to dislodge any trapped debris in your robot vacuum without damaging it. It's also great for cleaning phones, keyboards and other gadgets around the house.
A simple soft brush set is perfect for clearing dirt and grime out of your robot's parts without damaging any of the shiny surfaces.
Next, learn the mistakes that prove you're cleaning in the wrong order, and the biggest home cleaning mistakes that are making your chores harder.
