How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum
If you can live without smart capabilities like mapping, and aren't worried about emptying the dustbin every 60 days or so, a basic robot vacuum is likely to work for you. Select a model with an uncluttered base that can work with voice assistants.
It excels at removing dirt, clumps of cat litter and pet hair on hardwood floors, tile and low-pile carpeting better than any other vacuum we've tested. It can also map out and create virtual no go zones for rooms or areas.
- Powerful Suction
A robot vacuum will help you keep track of the pet fur, dust and dander that settles on your floors every day. It also can reduce the frequency of deep cleaning, which will save you time and effort. The best model has powerful suction that is able to tackle most messes and leave your home clean.
You can cover a larger area with a robot vacuum and mop, which can be useful if you have an extensive home. Choose a model that has a water reservoir either integrated into the chassis or as a separate piece that you swap in when the vacuuming is done. It'll need to be filled and empty in order to complete the task to complete.
In ideal world, you'd clear your floors prior to using your robot vacuum to prevent it from running into things. However, in the majority of homes, this isn't possible or desirable. Most models allow you to make use of an app for your smartphone to build virtual barriers that the robot will observe. Some include no-go zones, which you can use to flag areas you don't want it to access, such as children rooms or a stack of device cords in the corner.
If you're looking for a simple robot vacuum with no bells and whistles, this model made by the networking company TP-Link is a good choice. It's quiet, it is able to work on hard floors as well as carpets with low pile and can be programmed via the app to mop and vacuum at your leisure. It's got a long battery life of around 180 minutes.
- Simple to operate
In general, robot vacuums require very little input from you. They use navigational tools such as sensors lasers, cameras, and sensors to move and collect dust, pet hair and food crumbs from hard floors, tiles and hardwood. A lot of them have boundary strips that help them stay within a room's walls, while more expensive models can be programmed to automatically wake up and begin cleaning at a scheduled time. Some models have fall detection technology that helps users avoid falling down the stairs or getting caught in cords.
If you're looking to control your robot vacuum from the comfort of a couch, look for models that work with voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also look for models with Wi-Fi connectivity that let you start cleaning from any location through an app. Depending on the size of your home is, you may want a model that has a long battery life and a roomy dustbin that doesn't require being emptying frequently.
Some robot vacuums can double as mops and use reservoirs of water to wash your floors. This is helpful for everyday mopping, but will not work for extra-tough messes, like pet poop, or other spills that are wet. There are hybrids that have an ejectable microfiber pad for mopping, or choose an auto-emptying model that lets you use the device for 30 to 60 days without having to empty the base.
- Smart Mapping
Certain robots utilize advanced mapping technology to build a detailed map as they clean. This allows them to avoid crashing into furniture and tripping on cords or chairs. This feature is only available on top-of-the-line models, but it lets your robot get a complete understanding of your home's layout and to know where it should go when the battery is out.
If you do not want your robot to go into areas of your home that 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 the possibility of creating virtual barriers, either with their app or a set of physical boundary strips. You can block off areas that you don't want your robot to access to allow it to concentrate on rooms that require the most attention.
A lot of robots can also automatically change floors depending on the kind of flooring they are cleaning. This can be accomplished by changing from carpet to hard flooring, or by focussing on particular areas of your home like corners and baseboards. In our tests it was a great feature that improved their pick-up scores for both carpeting made of low-pile or hardwood. It's nevertheless important to put away furniture and cords that are loose prior to running your robot vacuum so that it doesn't get stuck or come into contact with something it shouldn't.
- Remote Control
Most robot vacuums have WiFi connectivity and work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts to allow you to control them using voice commands or from your smartphone. Many connect to smart home systems and build an outline of your space after each cleaning session so they can "learn" your layout and plan more efficient routes for future runs. Some come with obstacle avoidance built in that prevents them from causing damage to furniture or getting stuck on things like loose charging cables or pet hair.
Most robots come with a remote that you can use to control them around your home. However, many can be controlled using an app on your mobile that comes with additional options. You can create multiple cleaning schedules and make an inventory of your preferred rooms. You can also manually guide the robot by using directional Arrows.
Certain models have no-go zones that are virtual barriers you can configure in the app to block the robot from entering certain areas (like kids' toys or dog beds and bowls). Other apps allow you to create an outline of your home and provide the robot with detailed information about your floors. The app we ranked as our top pick, 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.
- Long Battery Life
Robot vacuums that clean your entire home without stopping for a recharge or emptying their trash bins save time and effort. Some of them work with smart home devices like Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts for hands-free operation. They can also make a map of the space for you to program them for specific rooms or areas and to avoid obstacles.
Most robot vacuums offer some level of object detection, but higher-end models like the iRobot j7 come with advanced features like "home mapping" and advanced obstacle avoidance that can really make your life easier (although our test bot did once "eat" a pair of socks). If you're seeking to improve your home's maintenance, think about a robot mop with an 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 at cleaning hard floors and robotvacuummops.com low-pile carpets. They excel at sweeping up fine dust and debris, food dust, tracked-in dirt, and pet hair. They also can handle screws and nuts made of metal, as well as stray cat litter. The top robot vacuums can effortlessly work around furniture, and they excel at cleaning edges and corners as well. Eufy 11S is a relatively inexpensive and basic model.
- Convenient Self-Charging
With the right setup and the right setup, a robotic vacuum can aid in keeping your home looking and looking and feeling cleaner regularly, with minimal effort. You can schedule cleanings through the app and create zones that are not allowed to enter so that your robot won't trample your plants or your favorite chair. Many of our top picks will also empty their trash bins for you and clean their docking station.
The most effective robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors on a regular basis for months or even weeks at a stretch, freeing you from the arduous task of manually sweeping and mopping your floors on a weekly or daily basis. This lets you spend more time doing things you enjoy, and decreases the time it takes to clean your floors manually.
During tests during testing, Q Revo was able to grab small particles like baking soda and oatmeal. It also snatched up heavier debris like metal screws and nails and fluffy things like pet hair. It doesn't have the smart mapping and object avoidance features found in our top picks, however it's sufficient for the majority of families.
The j7's best feature is its ability to spot and avoid obstacles such as power cords and socks, shoes, and pet waste. This means you don't have to clean the room prior to running your robot, but clutter in your home can mean your robot could get stuck and not be able to do the job as well.