If you still have shag, no bot will work.Ī common complaint of bots is that a loose cord or rug tassel will jam the brushes and the motor, stopping the robot like a caltrop. Just like most regular vacuums, a robo vac won't be able to handle a floor covering any heavier than a medium pile carpet. You'll also want to think about whether the space you want to keep clean is robot vacuum-friendly. A typical sub-$500 bot will clean roughly 1,200 square feet - somewhere between two and four average-sized rooms - during its cleaning cycle as limited by batteries or its bin. First, think about the size and layout of your home. When you're shopping for a robot vacuum, there are a few things to consider. For anyone who has pets that shed, or allergies to dust or pollen, the little bit of cleaning a robot vacuum can do on a daily basis goes a long way. Or, if you're concerned about allergens, every day. What the robot gives you is more time between major cleanings you can go a month or two between manual cleanings rather than sweeping or scrubbing once every two weeks. Eventually, though, you’ll still need to vacuum by hand to pick up the grime that the robot couldn't wrestle free.

As I found when I compared several models for Wired, a robot will rid you of ignorable, but irritating, dirt and dust that gathers on your floors, extending the time between major household cleanings. These bots are designed to supplement, not replace, manual cleaning. It has scheduling, new tech that doesn’t require emptying the dust bin after every run, and the iAdapt software has been improved.įirst thing's first: A robot vacuum cleaner is not a replacement for a traditional vacuum.

If I were buying a robot vacuum, I’d buy the Roomba 650. The 500 line I originally recommended has been discontinued, replaced by the 600 line. IRobot has updated their line of Roombas. This article originally appeared on The Wirecutter.

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