Will a Smart Robot Vacuum Clean My House?

When it comes to chores around the house, vacuuming seems to be one of the most dreaded tasks.

Vacuum cleaners tend to be heavy and pushing them back and forth across the floor is mind-numbingly repetitive — plus the floor just gets dirty again in a couple days, and then it’s time to do it all over again.

But what if there was a way to regularly clean your floor without having to lift a finger?

Robot vacuums have been around for nearly two decades now, meaning there’s been plenty of time to improve the technology, and now they come equipped with smart technology so you can even control them with an app or voice commands.

So if you’re wondering, “Will a smart robot vacuum clean my house?” — the answer is a resounding yes.

While the early robot vacuums weren’t particularly smart and tended to run into walls and get stuck a lot, the newer models are vastly improved:

Think laser navigation, sophisticated optical sensors, and other features that make them easy and effective to use.

If you’re looking to cut back on the amount of time and attention it takes to clean your home, a smart robot vacuum might be a worthy investment.

Read on to find out how these smart devices clean your home and learn about what to consider when buying one.

What Is a Smart Robot Vacuum?

Robot vacuums hit the market big-time in 2002 with the advent of the iRobot Roomba.

Typically round and low to the ground, they’re equipped with brushes and suction to suck up dirt and dust as they zoom around your home on wheels.

In more recent years they’ve been equipped with smart technology, meaning they can be controlled via voice command or via an app.

Will a Smart Robot Vacuum Clean My House?

Put simply, yes! A robot vacuum will help keep your floor tidy. However, it’s not exactly a full-on replacement for an upright vacuum.

It’s best used for daily maintenance, as it helps keep your floor clear of debris like dust and dirt, pet hair, crumbs, and cat litter.

Most smart robot vacuums can be scheduled to run daily, meaning you’ll hardly need to think about it.

If you’re concerned about allergens in your house, look for a model with a built-in HEPA filter. There are models specifically intended to combat pet hair, as well as models that mop too.

When you’re shopping for a smart robot vacuum, you’ll want to keep in mind the particular needs of your own home.

The perfect smart robot vacuum for one person might not be ideal for someone else.

We’ll explain what to keep in mind when selecting your robot vacuum for the best cleaning experience.

Things to Keep in Mind When Buying a Smart Robot Vacuum

Your budget

The first thing to consider is how much you want to spend on a smart robot vacuum. You can spend as little as $129 or as much as $900 for the very fancy Roomba S9.

If you’re looking on Amazon, for example, try filtering by price to limit your search to options within your budget.

That will prevent you from getting dollar signs in your eyes and blowing your monthly grocery budget on a fancy new robot maid.

The size of your home

Before you buy a smart robot vacuum, consider the square footage for your home. Some robot vacuums are best suited for smaller floorplans such as an apartment.

Others have a hefty battery life that makes them more ideal for bigger homes.

A robot vacuum that dies after cleaning half of your house won’t do much good.

What kind of floors you have

Another important consideration is what type of floors your home has: hardwood, carpet, or both? Most smart robot vacuums are capable of cleaning both; however, some are better suited to one or the other.

If you only have hardwood, you can go with a less expensive model. Cheaper models tend to get caught up in rugs, so that’s also something you’ll want to keep in mind.

There are models like the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo T8 Aivi that both vacuum and mop. But much like 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioner, they don’t do either particularly well — so we recommend staying away.

Whether you own pets

If you own pets, you know keeping up with all the dog or cat hair is a constant battle.

A smart robot vacuum can be an immense help with daily maintenance and preventing giant dust bunnies made of fur.

If you have a lot of pet hair to deal with, look for a robot vacuum with a larger dust bin. Otherwise, you’ll constantly be needing to stop your robot vacuum to empty the bin so it doesn’t overflow.

Smart Robot Vacuum Features You’ll Love

All that being said, there are some smart robot vacuum features you’ll really appreciate when it comes time to let one of these little guys clean your home.

Mapping

The earliest robot vacuums weren’t particularly intelligent, and had a tendency to run into walls and get stuck.

The modern smart versions however, like the Neato Botvac D7, are equipped with smart mapping technology.

Laser-guided mapping technology allows these devices to intelligently map and navigate your home, cleaning in straight lines instead of random patches for a more thorough clean.

You can also set up a virtual boundary to avoid certain areas, so they won’t get stuck under furniture or take a leap off the stairs.

Scheduled Cleaning

Using the included app, smart robot vacuums can be scheduled to clean every day at the same time. This is great for daily maintenance cleaning of dirt, dust, and crumbs.

Voice Commands

Smart robot vacuums such as the Ecovacs Deebot series or the Roomba i3 can typically be integrated with your smart home’s digital assistant via smart speaker, whether it’s Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.

This enables you to clean your home simply by speaking aloud: “Hey Alexa, start cleaning!” It’s not Rosie from “The Jetsons,” but it’ll do.

Final Thoughts

A smart robot vacuum might not exactly replace your vacuum cleaner. However, it can make keeping your house neat and tidy on a daily basis much easier.

If you’re a pet owner, it can definitely help keep all the dog or cat hair at bay.

You may still notice the need for occasional deep cleans, but overall a smart robot vacuum will keep your house clean.

And with models like the Eufy Robovac clocking in at as little as $150, they’re also becoming affordable for the average person.