SCIENCE & TECH: I’m a robot vacuum expert, and these are the 8 biggest misconceptions people have

I’ve been reviewing robot vacuums professionally for a couple of years now, and as a result I’ve been drawn into conversations about these handy home helpers on a regular basis. Everyone I’ve met outside of a work context seems intrigued by the idea of a robot vacuum, but there are some misconceptions about what they can and can’t do. In many cases, people are underestimating modern robot vacuums’ capabilities.

So let’s set the record straight. Here are eight common robot vacuum misunderstandings, and some information on what you can actually expect…

1. They’re just for vacuuming

Newsflash: modern robot vacuums can mop, too. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that these days, you’d be hard-pressed to find a robovac that doesn’t have mopping functionality built in.

The level of mopping varies quite considerably, however. Cheap, basic machines such as the Dreame D9 Max Gen 2 will have a large, flat water tank with a mop pad mounted to the bottom. You’ll need to fill it up and attach it to the machine every time you want to mop your floors. In some cases, having the tank attached automatically means water will be coming out, so you’ll need to carry the robovac into any target room unless you want your carpets mopped too.

Pricier robovacs have really quite advanced mop setups. You’ll almost always be able to set no-mop zones, many robot vacuums can lift their mop pads when traversing carpet, and some will even drop their mop pads off in the dock when they’re not needed. Some premium robot vacuums have docks that will refill water tanks, dispense detergent, and wash and dry the mop pads for you.

2. They can’t be used on multiple floors

Autonomous stair-climbing is off the cards (for the moment, at least… more on that in a sec) but that doesn’t mean your robovac is confined to one floor only. You’ll just need to carry it up and down the stairs yourself.

The vast majority of robot vacuum apps can store multiple floorplans, so you can map each floor, then place the robotic on the floor that needs cleaning. It won’t be able to return to its dock mid-clean to charge or empty its bin; but otherwise, it will just operate as usual. Cliff sensors mean it won’t take a tumble down any stairs, either.

3. Roomba is still the best brand to buy

Roomba is still kicking around (although for a while, it was touch-and-go for parent brand iRobot) – but it hasn’t been top of the bot charts for some time now. Brands such as Roborock, Dreame, Ecovacs and Eufy have leapfrogged Roomba in terms of features, and in my experience the latter bots are generally more reliable, capable, and offer better value for money too. I’m not writing off Roomba completely just yet, but it isn’t currently troubling my best robot vacuum roundup.

4. They’re not for pet hair

Pet hair is notoriously “sticky”, so pulling it up from carpet is a challenge for any vacuum — let alone one of the robo-variety. However, robot vacuums can still be very useful for owners of shedding pets, simply because they can clean as regularly as you want them to, without you even needing to be awake, or in the house.

These regular, light cleans can help stop hair from building up, so when you do go in for a deep clean with a manual vacuum, you aren’t dealing with enough hair to stuff a king-sized duvet. Robot vacuums are also great at cleaning in hard-to-access places — under the bed, for example — where flurries of fur can easily collect.

There are some key things to look for if you’re seeking the best robot vacuum for pet hair. Decent suction specs (around 6,000Pa or more) are a must, as is a self-empty bin, unless you constantly want to be pulling hair out of the small onboard dust cup. On that latter point, it’s worth spending more for a higher-end dock, since cheaper units can become jammed with fur during the self-empty process.

5. They’re super technical

If you want to understand how robot vacuums work, you’ll need to get quite technical. However, if you pick a good one, using it will be pretty straightforward. Any decent, modern robot vacuum will walk you through the set-up process, which is typically no more involved than downloading the correct companion app and connecting the robot to the internet (I’ve never had issues with this, but here are some things to try if your robot vacuum is losing internet connection).

Most will then prompt you to do a quick mapping run, where the bot will wander into each room and build a basic map for you to edit. You could tidy up, lift chairs and so on for this bit; but even if you don’t, your bot will likely discover any previously inaccessible areas on a later run.

Generally, with robot vacuums there’s plenty to dig into if you are tech-savvy — precisely editing your maps, setting up complex schedules, tweaking settings and so on. However, if you don’t want to get into all that, most will have a big Go button that you can press and the vacuum will make a good fist of cleaning your home with no more information required than that.

6. They can’t cope with clutter

Modern robot vacuums arrive with navigation tech that means they’ll be able to skirt around any obstacles. The most advanced options can also accurately identify the exact type of clutter, and figure out what needs a wide berth and what doesn’t. In short, a little bit of clutter will generally not be a problem.

That said, there are some limits. In particular, shallow obstacles often get missed — I’ve never met a robot vacuum that wasn’t desperate to chow down on charge cables like spaghetti. And I’d never trust a robovac’s object avoidance enough that I’d let it loose in a home with a non-house trained pet, either.

7. They can replace a manual vacuum

Robot vacuums can be great, but they are unlikely to replace a manual vac. There are some things that even the priciest, most advanced robot vacuums can’t do. An obvious one is vacuuming the stairs (although there are various prototypes in the works from Eufy and Dreame, and most recently Roborock, that look to change that). Bungalow-dwellers aren’t in the clear, either — a robovac can’t vacuum your sofa, your mattress, or be used to dust away the cobwebs on your room coving.

In addition, I’ll make it clear that robot vacuums still can’t really rival the best manual vacuums in terms of suction. They’re excellent at taking care of regular, light cleans, but for a proper deep dust-busting session, you’ll need to roll up your sleeves.

8. They cost a fortune

This depends on your definition of “a fortune”. You’re unlikely to find the top-end flagship robot vacuums for less than four figures, and for features such as automatic mop cleaning and water dispensing, you’ll need to shell out over $600 / £600. However, there are plenty of capable, basic models under the $400 / £400 mark — my best cheap robot vacuum guide has more information. That’s still an investment, but perhaps not as ruinous as you might expect.

Discounts aren’t hard to come by, either. Robot vacuums almost always feature in shopping events such as the Black Friday sales, and when you consider the rate at which the market is moving, it’s common to see relatively new models discounted to make space for an even-newer range-mate.

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