You open the closet, see the Dyson in the back, and think, "I'll vacuum this weekend" as you grab your jacket and head out to work. Or you are out with friends and your partner invites everyone over. If you're like me, you wish you could clean up the dog hair in the living room and the cracker crumbs in the kitchen before everyone arrives. Unfortunately, a Dyson stick vacuum won't save you, but a Wi-Fi-connected robot vacuum can.

Can a robotic vacuum cleaner replace a regular vacuum cleaner? In a word, no. Robotic vacuum cleaners are perfect companions to traditional vertical or canister vacuums, allowing you to clean up everyday crumbs without having to lug a large vacuum cleaner from the basement. Plus, robot vacuums clean on a schedule, so you can set it and forget about it most of the time (except for cleaning out the trash cans). Here are some factors to consider if a robotic vacuum cleaner is worth it.

Editor's note: The Tom's Guide Awards 2021 for smart home devices have been announced, and the Roborock S4 Max won the award for Best robot vacuum overall. See all winners and runner-up recommendations on our Smart Home Device Awards page.

Before you buy a vacuum, mop, or swiffer, think about what you are trying to clean. Is your home full of bare floors or wall-to-wall carpeting? Is the centerpiece of your living room a thick shaggy rug? Is the linoleum that has been used for decades creating a large threshold to the kitchen?

Modern robot vacuums have improved their performance on multiple surfaces and rarely require a fully lit room to do their job; models like the Roborock S4 Max and iRobot Roomba 694 can automatically detect carpets and They can even increase suction power. In our lab, we test the performance of our robotic vacuum cleaners on both hardwood and low pile carpets.

Most robotic vacuum cleaners can climb moderately high thresholds, but it is advisable to measure the thresholds and check the robot's specifications.

However, long-haired carpets are still difficult. The robot's roller brushes can damage the rug, and the wheels do not provide enough clearance to travel easily over the rug. In addition, the rugs would interfere with the sensors, making it more likely that the robot would get stuck.

Furry householders are one of the top reasons to invest in a robot vacuum cleaner. Frequent vacuuming helps prevent dust, dander, and hair from getting into carpets.

To keep up with Fido and Fluffy, consider how much time you spend vacuuming each week. Remember, Fido is not the only one who sheds in the house. The long-haired girls in our house shed more than the boys, and there is hair everywhere on a daily basis.

There is one important difference between a robotic vacuum cleaner and a conventional vacuum cleaner: a robotic vacuum cleaner is an unattended object and will try to pick up anything in its path. This means that the children, or more likely you, will have to clean their rooms before releasing the robot vacuum. If your children leave Legos or other toys around, be sure to move them out of the way before releasing the cleaning robot. (Be sure to check out our tips for getting the best performance out of your robot vacuum cleaner.)

Any vacuum cleaner, whether traditional or robotic, requires a bit of pre-cleaning. Shoes, children's toys, dog toys, etc. need to be picked up from the floor and moved out of the way. Then the actual vacuuming must take place.

With a robot vacuum cleaner, all the pre-cleaning needs to be done before vacuuming. If the robot vacuum works on a schedule, you end up making your own pre-cleaning schedule. The good news, however, is that your work will then be done. Plus, if the robot vacuum cleaner can handle off-limits zones or room-by-room cleaning, you can toss the vacuum cleaner into a corner and deal with it later.

Robotic vacuum cleaners are often thought of as time-savers for busy people, but they may also be useful for elderly people who are no longer able to maneuver a traditional vacuum cleaner. The compact trash can of a robotic vacuum cleaner can usually be easily removed and shaken into a trash can. If bending over is a problem, a self-emptying base robot vacuum cleaner like the iRobot Roomba i3+ may be the solution. i3's clean base uses a vacuum bag that only needs to be replaced once every month or two, depending on usage. The small bags in the base are easier to use than the on-board trash cans.

Most robot vacuums weigh between 4 and 9 pounds and are relatively easy to pick up for maintenance. Because they are so compact, they are easy to place on a table, and the brush roll can be popped out to remove hair. [Robotic vacuum cleaners have come on leaps and bounds in the last few years. Previous models cleaned the same areas over and over while completely missing other areas. In addition, the balance between suction power and battery life has improved, and many models can now be recharged mid-cleaning. Many robot vacuums can map an entire living space and control which rooms to clean and how often.

On the other hand, the best vacuum cleaners tend to offer more suction power at a lower price, but they also require more manual labor. In fact, they are all manual labor. There is still no way to direct Miele's Complete C3 Kalima canister vacuum cleaner to clean a living room without manual labor.

Robotic vacuum cleaners are not a complete replacement for the deep-cleaning power of traditional vacuum cleaners, but we believe that to vacuum regularly between occasional deep-cleanings without the hassle of taking the vacuum cleaner out of the hall closet and cleaning it yourself, a robotic We believe that vacuum cleaners are worth it. It is especially useful for households with pets, which tend to accumulate hair and dander. Additionally, a robot vacuum cleaner can be used to clean up before unexpected visitors.