10 Apps To Help You Manage Your Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner UK
Robot vacuum cleaners are perfect for those who don't want getting your hands dirty. They save time and effort in comparison to manual cleaning and are perfect for single-storey homes or flats.
Smart features are a great benefit. This includes mapping technology that will remember the design of your house and avoids furniture or carpets, and getting into those nipples beneath furniture that larger robots struggle to reach.
iRobot Roomba j7+
The iRobot Roomba J7+ is an upgrade to the previous model of the company and incorporates new technology to make it more efficient at avoiding pet waste. It uses intelligent mapping and navigation to make maps of rooms and floors and tries to avoid obstacles like furniture, charging cords and shoes. It can also identify dirt and clean areas that are heavily dirty. This is a significant improvement over older models which often ignored dirty spots or only cleaned them for an insignificant amount of time.
The robot vacuum comes with a new self-emptying base station that will collect dust into its own 2.4L dirt disposal bag. iRobot claims that the bag will hold debris for up to 60 days, which means you'll only need to empty it and replace it every three months. The base station can also store a spare bag for quick replacements.
The Roomba is simple to set up and use. It is compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant, and can be controlled through the iRobot Genius App. The app allows you to choose when to start and stop the cleaning, how long it will take to complete an individual task and also create a schedule.
During our testing we found that the iRobot Roomba J7+ cleaned hardwood and area rug surfaces in the family room, foyer and kitchen without issue. It listened to our instructions and performed its work in a quiet manner, registering only 64 decibels on the decibel meter when it was in the operation. It took about 90 minutes to complete one cleaning and its battery took an hour and 58 mins to recharge afterward. The Combo J7 lets you increase the size of your iRobot eco-system by pairing it with the iRobot Mop m6. One can run while the other flits around the room.
Dyson 360 Viz Nav
The Dyson 360 Viz Nav robot vacuum cleaner is the ideal option for those who live in a multi-floored house. The model can create maps for multiple floors and save them in the app. It is then easy to switch between rooms without having the setup process repeated. The robot can also be controlled with voice, with support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
Dyson's robot vacuum uses a combination of cameras, sensors and other technology to detect obstacles. A panoramic camera on the top of the robot, along with 26 external sensors will help to create an outline of the space as it moves. This, in turn, helps to avoid obstacles and furniture.
In our tests, we discovered that the Dyson 360 Vis Nav could reach up to baseboards as well as edges, and was able to navigate around furniture with tight corners. The suction of the robot is strong and it can pick up every hair strand, dust particle, and dried-out piece of Playdoh that we tossed at it. The vacuum took out the bin quickly and efficiently and reduced the time spent cleaning by half.
However, the Dyson 360 Viz Nav didn't perform as well as other robots in our obstacle-avoidance test. It had a difficult time with a temporary drying rack that it was unable to maneuver under, eventually becoming stuck and disrupting the cleaning cycle. It also had difficulty avoiding some taller furniture pieces, such as the chair or coffee table. The Dyson 360 Vis Nav also isn't able to climb stairs which is a major issue for many who live in multi-story homes.
Roborock
Roborock robot automatic vacuum cleaner and mop cleaners provide top-of-the-line cleaning features that are an upgrade from the other. Dual mops are available that spin and lift stains while pressing down. They also lift automatically when vacuuming carpets, stopping streaks of dirt from appearing and re-clogging vacuums. They are extremely suction with 5,500 Pa to ensure superior dust and dirt removal. Additionally, they have sophisticated water flow control to ensure the right amount of moisture for each flooring type.
One of the most impressive aspects about Roborock is its capability to map out your entire home layout using laser technology. The LiDAR system of Roborock is a Roborock robotic arm is constantly rotating, emitting lasers and measuring the time it takes for them to bounce off surrounding objects. This data is then used to build a real-time map of your home layout that allows it to navigate with precision and avoid obstacles.
Based on the model you choose depending on the model you select, you can modify your map to include no-go zones, furniture placements and room-specific cleaning. You can also choose an option to clean only mop or mop and auto vacuum and mop, and schedule regular cleaning with an app-based cleaning schedule that allows you to set it and forget it.
Roborock offers a variety of options, ranging from the budget-friendly S6MaxV to the premium S7 MaxV Ultra. They all come with advanced mapping capabilities, a high-performance battery life, and a huge capacity dustbin. The docking station comes with a variety of features, including charging and refilling the hot water tank. They also are covered by a two-year guarantee in the UK.
Beko RCV 5
The Beko RCV 5 may be an relative newcomer to the robotic vacuum and mopping market however its sleek design and affordable cost have already made it a cult. The Beko RCV 5 comes with a few tricks on its sleeve to distinguish it from its competitors, such as object recognition and self-emptying functionality. It's simple to set up and use with an easy-to-use application that lets you to alter the settings.
The navigation system in this model makes use of a combination of sensors and mapping technology to navigate your home, and it does a great job of staying clear of obstacles. The app lets you alter the cleaning path so that specific areas can be cleaned more frequently. The app is a bit confusing initially but once you get knack of it, you'll be able to plan your cleaning schedule and monitor your robot's power levels easily.
The RCV 5 has some flaws despite its impressive list. First of all, it has a relatively small water tank that holds up to 240ml of water at a time. Although this is sufficient to get the basic wipe clean, it's not the best to remove staining that is difficult to remove. Furthermore the wiping plate itself is rather simplistic and doesn't include a vibration or rotation function.
The battery life of an RCV 5 in this price range is not the length one would think. In fact, the RCV 5 only lasts for about a third of a cleaning cycle before needing a recharge. This isn't a major issue, but it is something to keep in mind when you are looking for a new robotic vacuum cleaner.
Karcher RCV 5
The German manufacturer Karcher is most well-known for its pressure washers. However, it has entered the robot vacuum market with a model that vacuums and mops. The RCV 5 offers an impressive array of features, including superb obstacle detection (with the dual laser system) and mapping that can be tracked in real-time using the smart app.
It can also detect carpeted areas and automatically activate the wet mopping function. There's also a spot cleaning feature that cleans a specific area of approximately 3 feet and can be programmed to repeat every week. The RCV 5 is a decent 2,500 pascals of suction power and good robot vacuum sweeping capability for both hard and soft floors and can reach into tight spaces and under low furniture that often halt bigger robot cleaners.
Karcher Home Robots is an application that runs on smartphones as with other robots today it can be used to start cleaning processes and create maps of your home. The RCV 5 can also create virtual walls and zones in which it isn't able to drive.
A downside of the RCV 5 is that its dust bin can only hold about a litre and will need regular emptying, unlike models with integrated disposal technology integrated into their docking stations. It's also a touch heavier than other devices, making it less portable and requires a bit more space in its charging station. The RCV 5 was highly rated by users for its user-friendliness and app control. It was a great performer in our tests, but some users struggled to get the voice tech to work well and the docking station was difficult to place in an upright position.