1. How it navigates
- Laser (LiDAR): maps your home, cleans room by room and lets you set no-go zones or rooms in the app. It also works in the dark.
- Camera or gyroscope: usually simpler and cheaper; some build less accurate maps or clean without a plan, in a zigzag.
If your home has several rooms, a robot with mapping saves a lot of wandering.
2. Suction and brushes
Suction power is given in pascals (Pa). It's a rough figure: useful to compare models from the same brand, but it doesn't tell the whole story. If you have rugs or pets, look at the brush too: rubber brushes tangle less with hair.
3. Does it mop as well?
- Drag mop: wipes a damp cloth over the floor; good for fine dust, not for dried-on stains.
- Rotating or vibrating mops: scrub harder and remove stains better.
- Rugs: look for a mop that lifts itself or a robot that avoids rugs while mopping, so they don't get wet.
4. The base
Self-emptying bases empty the robot's bin into a large bag, so you don't have to touch it for weeks. Some also wash and dry the mops and refill the water. They take up more space, and bags and spare parts are an extra cost.
5. Size and your home
- Measure the clearance under your sofa and beds: if the robot is taller, it won't fit.
- Check the battery life and the area it claims to clean on one charge, especially if your home is large.
- Door thresholds: many robots climb a couple of centimetres; if you have higher steps, check it.
6. Maintenance
Filters, side brushes and mops need replacing from time to time. Before you buy, check that spare parts are easy to find and what they cost.
Before you buy
Search for the model on Umelim and see its price at each connected shop. Check that the exact model matches: many brands sell the same robot with or without a base, or with a different base.
Compare before you buy
Umelim is free and needs no sign-up. Search for what you want and see its price at each connected shop.