Rise of the machines

Today’s robotic vacuum cleaners are advanced machines that use hightech sensors and even cameras to help navigate and ensure that every nook and cranny is clean.

We take a look at six popular models (Aztech VC2000, Iclebo Arte, iRobot Roomba 880, LG Hom-Bot Square, Neato XV Signature Pro, Samsung Navibot Corner Clean VR10F71) to find out which can best help keep your home clean.

How to get the most out of your robotic vacuum cleaner

Unless your home is very dirty, most robotic vacuum cleaners do a good job of picking up dirt from the ground. What is more important is how adept the robotic vacuum cleaner is at navigating your home.

And although today's robotic vacuum cleaners have very advanced navigation systems, they do still get stuck in places from time to time.

With that in mind, to maximise the effectiveness of your robotic vacuum cleaner, it is best to prepare the house so that it is as uncluttered as possible and that there are minimal obstructions.

For example, we recommend that loose rugs, wires and cables be removed or put out of the way so as to prevent the robotic vacuum cleaner from getting entangled and stuck.

If the rooms in your house have odd or irregular layouts - for example an L-shape or triangle - it is more efficient to break it down into two or more separate areas, and this is where the boundary markers and "virtual walls" come in handy.

By dividing the house or room into smaller squares or rectangular blocks, your robotic vacuum cleaner can clean more thoroughly and efficiently.

It also helps to close doors to prevent the robotic vacuum cleaner from going into rooms, so that the robotic vacuum cleaner can focus on a single room or area.

Asking the robotic vacuum cleaner to clean multiple rooms at once can drastically increase cleaning time.

Next >> And the best vacuum cleaner is...

IROBOT ROOMBA 880

We'll be honest, the iRobot Roomba 880 is not perfect, but it did the most thorough job at cleaning our room and got stuck the least among the others tested.

Additionally, it was simple to setup and use, plus featured not one but two virtual wall markers that could also double up as lighthouse beacons.

The lighthouse beacon feature was something exclusive to iRobot and was effective in helping the Roomba clean multiple rooms or areas more effectively.

So while it may be one of the pricier robotic vacuum cleaners in this shootout, we feel that its premium is wholly justified. You're buying advanced technology here, you shouldn't be skimping on the advanced or the technology.

ICLEBO ARTE

The iClebo Arte might not be the most affordable robotic vacuum cleaner in this shootout, but it beats its more affordable rivals - the Aztech VC2000 and Neato XV Signature Pro - by offering better navigation and greater features.

It might be somewhat prone to getting stuck in the beginning, but we found that it often adapts after a couple of tries and cleans thoroughly.

Its ability to "climb" is also quite useful as it manages to get around low-lying obstructions easily.

We also like that it has a detachable mopping plate add-on for even more detailed cleaning powers.

If you don't need heavy-duty cleaning and like the idea of a gadget that can cut down on your chores, the iClebo would be a good investment.

Reviews

Read our reviews of the following robotic vacuum cleaners here:

» Aztech VC2000
» Iclebo Arte
» iRobot Roomba 880
» LG Hom-Bot Square
» Neato XV Signature Pro
» Samsung Navibot Corner Clean VR10F71

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