A robot that cannot enter a room has zero cleaning performance there. Map your floor’s physical traps before comparing premium features.
Make a floor obstacle map
Walk the route from dock to every room. Measure each threshold, track, ramp, rug edge, furniture clearance, and narrow passage. Note where transitions are square-edged, rounded, loose, or approached at an angle.
Published threshold numbers are not guarantees
Approach angle, wheel condition, floor friction, threshold profile, and attached mop hardware matter. Compare the published claim conservatively with your highest and most awkward transition.
Rugs create multiple problems
Light rugs can bunch, tassels can wrap, black borders may trigger cliff sensing, high pile can trap mop hardware, and uneven edges can break a cleaning lane.
- Tape or grip lightweight rugs if appropriate.
- Use no-go boundaries for tassels that cannot be tucked.
- Measure pile plus any pad beneath it.
- Check whether carpet detection works on your rug color and texture during the return window.
Dark and reflective surfaces
Some cliff and optical systems can behave differently on very dark, glossy, mirrored, or transparent surfaces. Manufacturer support pages and model-specific user evidence are more useful than a generic brand claim.
Design the dock route
The dock needs more than a footprint: provide a stable, level surface, power, communication conditions, and a repeatable straight approach. Avoid a route that is blocked whenever a door swings.
Before you buy
- Highest threshold measured
- Lowest furniture gap measured
- Loose rugs and tassels identified
- Dark/glossy zones listed
- Dock approach stays open
- Problem room can be isolated if needed
How to use this guide
This guide is a durable editorial framework. It explains system tradeoffs without assigning product scores or pretending a manufacturer claim is a shared lab measurement. For a model-specific decision, record the exact SKU, region, source URL, checked date, and what remains unknown.