Robot vs. Regular Vacuums: What's Better?

Here's a comparison of robot vacuums vs. regular upright vacuums.

Are you thinking about getting a newly upgraded vacuum?

Are you worried that robot vacuum cleaners are not as good as regular vacuums?

This can be a difficult decision, and it doesn't always end up with the same answer.

A comparison of robot vacuums vs regular upright vacuums. Find out which type of vacuum is best for you.

There are pros and cons to each of these types of vacuum cleaners, and you should read the research below to find out which one will best fit your cleaning conditions.

Are robot vacuums better than regular vacuums?

When you try and calculate which version is best, it can be difficult to give a definitive answer because the answer could vary from person to person, home to home, and situation to situation.

For example, if you are a busy person and find it hard to find the time to vacuum your home regularly, a robot vacuum cleaner will make an excellent choice.

Depending on the model, you can set a regular cleaning schedule for it to follow, and it can perform this schedule even if you are not home.

Whereas, if you live in an area that is dusty or has a lot of foot traffic in your home, you might find that a regular upright vacuum cleaner is the best for your needs because they are better at getting deep down into the carpet.

So, we recommend that you make a list of all the things you want to do with your vacuum cleaner and then weigh them against the different types to see which one has more pros for your situation versus what someone else might think or say.

Read More: Canister vs. Upright Vacuums

What is the difference between a robotic vacuum and a standard upright vacuum?

When you start to look at these two types of vacuum cleaners, there are certain areas that you should consider to ensure that you choose the right one for you.

Also, you should remember that it doesn't have to be an either-or situation.

Both of these machines have their pros and cons, which could make them better in one situation but lacking in another.

There are excellent reasons for purchasing either of these two types of vacuum cleaners, but it all comes down to what it is that you need and want for your home.

It might even be worth having them both to cover all of your cleaning bases and situations.

However, if you want to go with just one or the other, you will find the differences between them below in the areas that you should consider.

Read More: Bagged vs. Bagless Vacuums

Suction Power

Suction power is one of the most important things that you need to consider when looking at different types of vacuum cleaners.

The better the suction power of your machine the deeper cleaning you can do, and it will be less likely that your vacuum will leave behind and miss dust and debris.

Just like with all vacuum cleaners, the suction power can vary drastically from model to model.

However, robot vacuum cleaners tend to have less suction power compared to regular vacuum cleaners.

Robot vacuum cleaners are designed to pick up light messes, which are also known as surface messes.

They do provide you with the convenience of not having to manually vacuum.

However, this is not always a good thing. If you live in an area with a lot of dust and debris or your household tracks in a lot of heavy substances, like soil, then the suction power of most robot vacuum cleaners might not be enough to thoroughly clean your floors.

For these situations, your best bet would be to go with a regular vacuum cleaner because their suction capabilities are usually stronger.

Although this doesn't mean that robot vacuum cleaners are not capable of providing you with a thorough cleaning experience.

Their suction power is still adequate and they are worth taking a look at, especially for low-traffic areas or areas that don't have a lot of heavy debris tracked into the areas.

Plus, you have the convenience of not having to manually vacuum, which can free up your time for other activities.

So, in short, when you put a robot vacuum cleaner up against a regular vacuum cleaner, you will find that the regular vacuum cleaner is more likely to have greater suction power overall.

Of course, this is when you put two equally quality manufactured models together.

However, this does not mean that robot vacuum cleaners are not worth purchasing for some situations. Read on to find out how they hold up in other areas versus regular vacuum cleaners.

Design

Just like with most things, robot vacuums and regular vacuum cleaners come in different designs, which can give them an edge over other types of models that they are competing with.

Generally, robot vacuum cleaners are smaller in design, which means they are easily stored when not in use.

They usually come with a small docking station where it goes to recharge, and the docking station is capable of fitting in a small corner, which can be hidden out of sight out of mind.

For people that like convenience and technology, robot vacuum cleaners were designed for them.

They run off of batteries, and they get rid of the need to manually vacuum one's home.

Plus, most robot vacuum cleaners also come with a smart app, which will allow you to set a schedule with the use of most smart devices. This will help ensure that your cleaning gets done even when you have to do other things and even when you are not home.

However, this does not mean that you can completely forget about your robot vacuum cleaner.

When you use a regular vacuum cleaner, you have to manually clean, which means if something is wrong with your machine or it needs to be emptied, you are right there, but because of the robot vacuum design, you have to make an effort to remember to clean it and make sure that it is still running properly from time to time.

When making your choice, you will need to look at the dimensions of the robot vacuum cleaner you choose to ensure it will work properly.

For instance, robot vacuum cleaners do not work well in cluttered areas, and if you want the robot to clean underneath your furniture, you will need to make sure that the design you choose will fit under your furniture.

Most robot vacuum cleaners use rotating sweeper motors that are equipped with different brushes to be able to increase the vacuum radius, which means that they can easily vacuum in all directions, which is recommended for vacuuming.

However, regular vacuum cleaners are designed for larger jobs, and they are designed to allow you to clean things besides your floors, like upholstery and various types of furniture, which robot vacuum cleaners are not capable of doing.

Price

Pricing is always something that you need to consider when purchasing a new product, especially a vacuum cleaner.

When you are looking at pricing between robot vacuum cleaners and regular vacuum cleaners, the price range can vary drastically.

However, this depends on the manufacturer of the model you are looking for.

Now, when it comes to robot vacuum cleaners, the lower-end priced models usually run close to the mid-range priced regular vacuum cleaners.

So, if you are looking for a cheaper option, it might be difficult to find a robot vacuum cleaner in your budget range, but these vacuum cleaners are worth their merit for the convenience that they provide you.

On average, a robot vacuum cleaner can cost between $150 to $500, but you can get a regular vacuum cleaner for $50 to $100.

Of course, this all depends on the brand of vacuum cleaner that you are going for, but the price range is something to think about when you are trying to decide between these two types of vacuum cleaners.

This is an important consideration that you should think about. If price isn't a concern for your budget, then you can move on to other characteristics.

You can still get a thorough cleaning with a robot vacuum cleaner or a regular vacuum cleaner.

It all depends on how much money you are prepared to pay for a little bit more convenience, but it is entirely up to your preference and budget.

Dust Bin

When you are considering what type of vacuum cleaner you want to purchase, you should consider the dust bin of the models you are choosing.

This might seem like a small feature, but the capacity of the dust bin is extremely important.

It will let you know how often you will have to clean out your vacuum cleaner, whether it is a regular vacuum cleaner or a robot vacuum cleaner.

When you are looking at a robot vacuum it is especially important because it will determine how often you have to pay attention to your machine.

If you have a lot of dirt tracked into your home, then you might want to consider a regular vacuum cleaner because they have larger dust bins built into their designs.

Why is this important?

Due to their size, robot vacuum cleaners tend to have smaller dust bins, which means that they are not capable of holding as much dirt and debris before having to be cleaned out. This is one downside to choosing a robot vacuum cleaner.

However, it is perfect for low-traffic areas that do not need a lot of cleaning, and it will help keep you from having to focus on those areas.

The robot cleaner will do that for you, which is excellent.

If you are living in an area that has a lot of dust and debris in the air that can be tracked into your home, then you might be better off going with a regular vacuum cleaner.

They have larger dust bins, and they can clean deeper into the carpet to give you a deeper cleaning sensation.

Filtration

Filtration is one of the most important features and things that you should consider when purchasing your vacuum cleaner.

There are some machines of both types that come with filtration filters, but this is not always the case.

If you are interested in a vacuum cleaner that is capable of filtering out things you need to make sure that you make sure they have one.

There are different types of filtering systems that you should consider, and each one is a little different.

However, one of the most popular filtration systems that vacuum cleaners have is HEPA filtration systems.

These systems provide you with a system that helps to clean the air in your home and they are known for helping to keep dust particles and allergens that would regularly be thrown back into the air trapped.

Keeping these particles trapped is an excellent way to help those who might have people in their homes that have asthma or other allergy ailments.

Filtration systems are known better for regular vacuum cleaners, but the higher-end robot vacuum cleaners can have a filtration system.

However, if having a filtration system in your machine is important, you need to make sure that the model you are looking at has one and specifically mentions it.  

Warranty

Just like with everything, you can always find a model that comes with some sort of warranty, but it is important to ensure whatever type of machine you go with comes with some sort of warranty, especially for robot vacuum cleaners.

Most of these machines come with at least a 1-year warranty, but the longer the warranty the better.

Why is it important to look for a warranty? As with any machine, there are small things that can go wrong, especially with robotic workings, and they are not always easy to fix.

Therefore, you need to have a warranty to ensure that you get your money's worth.

However, you shouldn't just pay attention that a machine comes with a warranty.

Most brands will put a warranty on their product, but you should research the company to see if they honor their warranties.

You can find this out by reading testimonials or reviews about products to see how people feel about their customer service, and if there are any negative responses from the manufacturers, reviews are one of the best places to find this out.

Both types of vacuums can come with warranties.

It mainly deals with the manufacturer of the particular model you are looking at, but because they are both machines, you should never purchase a regular vacuum cleaner or a robot vacuum cleaner that doesn't come with some sort of warranty.

Features

When you are looking for different features, there is an array of features that you should consider, depending on if you are choosing a robot vacuum cleaner or a regular vacuum cleaner model.

Here are a few features that you can find with these types of models to help you decide which one will best suit your cleaning needs.

Robot Vacuum Cleaner Features

Convenience is one of the best features that this type of vacuum cleaner provides you. They usually come with different smart features that work well with smart devices and home smart systems.

This provides you with the opportunity to have your home cleaned without having to do it manually.

Many of the smart features that robot vacuum cleaners can perform are capable of being put on a timer or schedule, which means once you set it up you don't have to worry about it.

You can usually set them to clean when you are not home, which helps to keep them out of the way.

They come with a docking station, which helps to keep them charged so that you do not have to constantly worry about it.

However, you do need to keep an eye on the battery to make sure that it charges properly. Many of these types of machines have LED display screens, which make them easy to set.

However, you must pay attention to these types of features to make sure that it is capable of doing everything that you want it to.

This will help to ensure that the model that you purchase be able to perform to your standards.

One of the best features of the robot vacuum cleaner is that it doesn't require you to manually push it around. It is important to read the instruction manual to know how to set it up properly.

Finally, when you are looking at features, you should look for a robot vacuum cleaner that has its app created by the manufacturer.

This will help to make using it smoother than having to deal with a third-party app that may or may not have access to all of the smart features that come with your machine.

Regular Vacuum Cleaners

These types of machines are known for having larger dust bins, which means you have to clean them less, and one of the best features that you can look forward too with these machines is the array of attachments that they often come with.

Some attachments are designed for cleaning stairs and upholstery, and they even come with attachments that are designed for cleaning pet hair, which can be important for people who have pets that shed a lot.

Some of the vacuums have a cordless feature that makes them easy to maneuver around, and another feature that these machines can have is a swivel head, which will help you to vacuum under furniture and maneuver through and around hard to reach areas, like corners.

Plus, with regular vacuum cleaners, you can purchase some that are classified as wet/dry vacuum cleaners, which means that they are capable of vacuuming up both dry and wet debris, which can be helpful in more situations.

Another feature that you should consider with these types of machines is if they are bagged or bagless.

This is a feature that is based on your personal opinion, but it is still something that should be considered.

With a bagged vacuum cleaner, you have to worry about keeping replacement bags, but with a bagless model, you can get away with just emptying the dustbin without having to spend money on bags with every other use.

Finally, you should consider the type of filtration system that a model may or may not have. Most bagless vacuums will have a filtration system, but not all bagged models also have them.

So, if this is something that you are interested in, you should double-check to make sure that it has one prior to making your final purchasing decision.

Final Verdict

Choosing between a robot vacuum cleaner or a regular vacuum cleaner doesn't have to be a hard decision.

After careful consideration, if you are thinking about choosing between one or the other, we recommend that you consider keeping both.

After all, both types of machines are excellent for different things. You need to understand this before making a final decision to toss out your old vacuum cleaner and replace it with a robot.

It is ok to keep your regular vacuum and still go with a robot vacuum cleaner, as well. Although they do the same thing, they do it differently and excel at other things better.

However, if you are determined to choose between the two then you need to make a checklist to ensure that you choose which one will fit the majority of your cleaning needs before making the final decision.

Convenience, light cleaning, and maneuverability are three of the main aspects of robot vacuum cleaners.