Robot vacuums promised hands-free cleaning. The reality is messier

PCWorld reveals that robot vacuums require regular maintenance and human intervention despite being marketed as fully autonomous cleaning devices. While these devices excel at surface dust and daily cleaning tasks, they struggle with deep-seated pet hair, larger debris, and need consistent emptying and care. Advanced models with LiDAR mapping and scheduling features offer better navigation than cheaper alternatives, but even premium options cannot replace traditional vacuums for thorough cleaning. Years ago, I owned a robot vacuum named Gerald. After a catastrophic tumble down the stairs, I retired him early and have stuck with traditional vacuuming ever since. But after spending more time with them lately and chatting with the experts that make them, I realized I've been holding onto a lot of misconceptions, especially about how "smart" these things actually are in real homes with clutter and pets. I used to think suction power was everything.