How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum
If you don't need advanced features such as mapping and don't mind emptying your dustbin every 60 to 90 days A basic robot vacuum could be the best choice for you. Find an option with a clean base and can work with voice assistants.
It is the best vacuum we have tested in getting rid of dirt and pet hair on tiles, hardwood floors, and low-pile carpeting. It can also map and set virtual no-go zones in rooms or areas.
1. Powerful Suction
A robot vacuum can keep up with the pet hair, dust and dander that build up on your floors on a daily basis. It can also reduce how often you need to do a deeper clean which will save you time and effort. The best models have powerful suction that can take on the majority of messes and leave your house cleaner.
A robot vacuum that can also mop will help you get more space using one machine, which can be particularly beneficial in larger homes. There are models with a tank for water either built into the chassis or as an additional piece that you can remove after vacuuming. You'll have to empty it and refill it, though, so this is an additional task that requires a little extra work on your part.
In a perfect universe it would be ideal to clean your floors first before you use your robot vacuum to prevent it from running into anything. However, in the majority of homes, this isn't feasible or desirable. Thankfully, many models allow you to use a smartphone app to set up virtual barriers that the robot can be aware of and avoid. Some models have no-go zones that you can mark areas you don't want the robot to be allowed to enter. For instance the child's room or a pile cords in an area.
This model is a good choice if you want a simple robot cleaner without all the bells and whistles. It's quiet, works well on hard floors and low-pile rugs. It can be scheduled through the app to mop or vacuum at any time. It has a long battery life that can last for up to 180 minutes before it requires to recharge.
2. Easy to Operate
In general robot vacuums require little input from you. They utilize navigation tools like sensors and lasers to maneuver around obstacles and remove dust, food crumbs and pet hair from hard floors, tile carpets, hardwood floors and low-pile carpets. A lot of them have boundary strips that aid in staying within a room's walls, while pricier models can be programmed to automatically wake up and begin cleaning at a predetermined time. Some even come with fall detection technology that can help them avoid falling down the stairs or getting tangled in electrical cords.
Look for models that allow you to control from your couch using voice assistants, such as Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also choose Wi-Fi models that permit users to start cleaning anywhere you want using an app. Depending on how big your home is, you may want one that has a long battery life and a large dust bin that doesn't have to be emptying frequently.
Some robot vacuums double as mops, using reservoirs of water to wash your floor. This is helpful for regular mopping but won't work for extra-tough messes, such as pet poop or other spills that get wet. You can pick hybrids with an able mopping pad made of microfiber, or a self-emptying version that lets you go up to 60 days before emptying the base.
3. Smart Mapping
Some robots use advanced mapping technologies to build a detailed map of your floorplan as they clean the floor, which makes it easier for them to avoid bumping mindlessly into furniture or tripping over things like cords or chair legs. This feature is usually only available on higher-end models, but it's one of the most effective ways to ensure your robot has a full understanding of the layout of your home and is aware of where to go when it runs out of battery.
If you don't want your robot navigating into areas of your home you'd rather it stay away from (like your children's toys or the tangled mess of device cords in the corner) Most robots provide some way to create virtual barriers, either through their apps or physical boundary strips. You can block off areas that you don't wish your robot to enter to allow it to concentrate on the areas that require the most attention.
Many robots also have the ability to automatically navigate to different floorings depending on the flooring they're cleaning, be it that's switching between hard flooring and carpet or focusing on specific areas of your home, like baseboards and corners. In our tests this was a helpful feature that helped improve their performance in picking up carpeting made of low-pile or hardwood. It's nevertheless important to secure furniture and cords before using your robot vacuum to ensure that it doesn't become stuck or run into something it shouldn't.
4. Remote Control
Most robot vacuums have WiFi capabilities and can be controlled via voice commands, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Siri Shortcuts. Many robot vacuums are connected to smart home systems, and generate a map of the area they clean after each session. This lets them "learn" how your home is laid out and to plan more efficient routes during future cleaning sessions. Some have obstacles avoidance built-in that prevents them from causing damage to furniture or getting stuck on things like loose charging cables or pet hair.
the advantage come with a remote you can use to control them around your home. Most robots are controlled via a mobile application which has more options. You can create multiple cleaning schedules and create an inventory of your preferred rooms. You can also manually direct the robot with direction Arrows.
Some models offer no-go zones that are virtual barriers you can create in the app to block the robot from entering certain areas (like toys for children or dog beds and bowls). Other apps allow you to set up the map of your house and provide the robot with precise information about your floors. The app that we recommend as our top choice one, the Roborock S7+, has numerous options to help you clean your house, but its interface isn't as polished and elegant as those from iRobot and Shark.
5. Long Battery Life
Robotic vacuums that can sweep a whole house without stopping to recharge or empty their trash bins make it easier for you to save time and effort. Some of them work with smart home platforms such as Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts to allow hands-free operation. They can also build an image of your space and allow you to program them to clean certain areas or rooms, and to stay clear of obstacles.
The majority of robot vacuums can detect objects, but the iRobot j7 comes with advanced features such as "home mapping" and obstacle avoidance. These features can simplify your life (although one of our test robots did "eat" a few socks). If you're seeking to improve your home's maintenance, you should consider a robot mop with a water container that can be filled and then empty.
While none of the models we tested could beat the dirt-picking power of a stand-up vacuum, the majority of them do an excellent job of cleaning carpets and hard floors. They are great at sweeping up fine dust and food particles, dirt tracked in and pet hair. They can even tackle some stray cat litter and metal screws and nuts. The most effective robot vacuums are able to clean edges and corners and can even work on furniture. Eufy 11S is a relatively affordable and basic model.
6. Convenient Self-Charging
With the proper setup, a robot vacuum can help you keep your home looking and feeling fresh every day with minimal effort. You can schedule cleanings in the app and create no-go zones to ensure that your robot doesn't harm your plants or your favorite chair. The majority of our top picks also automatically empty their bins and clean their docking stations for you.
The best robot vacuums can be programmed to keep your floors clean for weeks or even months at a time, which saves you the time and effort of manually sweeping or mopping your floors every week or every day. This allows you to spend more time doing things you like and reduces the amount of time required to clean your floors manually.
In our tests during testing, Q Revo was able to grab small particles such as baking soda and oatmeal. It also snatched up larger particles like nails and screws made of metal, as well as fluffy things like pet hair. It's not equipped with the sophisticated mapping and object avoidance features found in our top picks, however it works well enough for most families.
The most impressive feature of the j7 is its ability to recognize and avoid obstacles like power cords and socks, shoes as well as pet waste. This means that you don't need to clean up after using your robot. However, cluttered rooms could cause your robot to get stuck and do poorly.