Mapping is very important feature in a robot vacuum, it controls how the vacuums moves around your home. This is crucial for effective cleaning process. Basic Navigation Some models only have basic navigation. The way these work is that they move randomly and when they hit an obstacle such as sofa or a chair they bounce back and start moving in a different direction. The problem with this approach is that these vacuum cleaners can easily miss spots.  Gyroscope Navigation As the name suggests, these robot vacuums rely on a gyroscope to follow structured pattern. This provided better navigation and improved coverage.  Lidar Laser Mapping Ideally, you should buy a robot vacuums cleaner which offers lidar laser mapping. This is a premium features, robots vacuums with this features generally cost more than the basic models. These vacuums use laser sensors to create a map of your home which is highly accurate. Using this, the robot cleaner creates efficient cleaning routes and avoids obstacles on the way. Camera based mapping This is similar to lidar based mapping, these robots use camera to map the house and avoid obstacles. We recommend buying a vacuum cleaner that allows you to create no go zones. For example, if you have lose wires somewhere in the house – you can create a no go zone, so the vacuums cleaner won’t go there. This avoids it getting stuck in the wires.