How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum
If you're willing to live without the benefits of smart features like mapping, and aren't worried about emptying the dustbin every 60 days or then, a basic robot vacuum is likely to work for you. Look for a model that is clean and works with voice assistants.
It is the most effective robo-vacuum we have tested in cleaning up pet hair from tiles, hardwood floors, and carpeting with low pile. It also maps and create virtual no-go zones for rooms and areas.
1. Powerful Suction
A robot vacuum will stay clean of the dust, pet hair and dander that build up on your floors on a daily basis. It can also reduce the frequency of deep cleaning, saving you both time and effort. The best models come with powerful suction that can clean up most mess with ease and leave your house cleaner.
Choosing a robot vacuum that can also mop will allow you to cover more ground by using just one machine. This can be particularly beneficial for homes with a large area. Choose models that have a water reservoir either integrated into the chassis or as a separate piece that you can swap out when the vacuuming is finished. It will need to be emptied and refilled and refilled, which is an additional task.
In a perfect universe, you would clear your floors before using your robot vacuum to prevent it from running into anything. However, in the majority of homes, this isn't possible or desirable. Most models allow you to use an app for your smartphone to build virtual barriers that the robot will detect. Some models have no-go zones, which you can flag areas you don't wish it to access. For instance the child's room or a pile of cords in a corner.
This model is a good option if you're looking for an easy robot cleaner that doesn't have all the bells and whistles. It is quiet, can be used on hard floors and carpets with low pile and can be programmed using the app to mop and vacuum at your convenience. It's got a long battery life of up to 180 minutes.
2. Easy to operate
In general, robot vacuums require very little input from you. They use sensors, lasers, and cameras to maneuver and collect dust, pet hair and food crumbs from hard floors, tile and hardwood. Many models come with boundary strips to help them remain in a room. The more expensive models can be programmed to start up at a certain time and begin cleaning. Some even have fall-detection technology that helps them avoid falling down stairs or becoming tangled in electrical cords.
Look for models that can be controlled from your couch via voice assistants such as Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also search for models that connect to Wi-Fi and let you start cleaning from any location through an app. You may want to select an option with a long-lasting battery, as well as a large dust bin, depending on the size of your house.
Some robot vacuums can also be mops. They make use of water reservoirs to wash the floor. This is great for regular mopping but won't work for tough messes such as pet poop or other spills that get wet. There are hybrids that come with a removable microfiber pad for mopping, or opt for an auto-emptying model that lets you go for 30 to 60 days without needing to empty the base.
3. Smart Mapping
Some robots use advanced mapping technologies to build an accurate map of your floorplan as they clean and tidy, allowing them to avoid falling into furniture or falling over things such as cords or chairs. This feature is usually only available on higher-end models, but it's one of the best ways to ensure your robot has a complete understanding of the layout of your house and is aware of where to go when it's low on battery.
If you don't want your robot navigating into areas of your house that you'd prefer it to stay clear from (like your kids' toys or the mess of device cords in the corner) Most robots provide some way to create virtual barriers, either through their apps or physical boundary strips. This allows you to create zones that you do not want your robot to explore, so that it can focus its attention on the rooms and spaces that need the most cleaning.
Many robots also automatically change floors depending on the type of flooring they are cleaning. This can be achieved by switching from carpet to hard flooring or by focussing on particular areas of your home, such as corners and baseboards. In our tests this was a helpful feature that helped improve their pick-up scores for both carpeting made of low-pile or hardwood. It is essential to put away any loose cords or furniture prior to using your robot vacuum to ensure that it doesn't get caught.
4. Remote Control
Most robot vacuums are WiFi-connected and can be controlled by Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts that allow you to control them via voice commands or through your smartphone. Many robot vacuums are connected to smart home systems and generate an outline of the area they clean after each cleaning session. This allows them to "learn" how your home is laid out and plan more efficient routes in future cleaning sessions. Some come with obstacle avoidance features built in that prevents them from causing damage to furniture and getting stuck on objects like loose charging cables or pet hair.
Most robots are equipped with a remote control that can be used to guide them around your home. Most robots are controlled via a mobile application which has more options. You can set up a variety of cleaning schedules and make an agenda of your most-loved rooms. You can also manually direct the robot by using directional the arrows.
Certain models have no-go zones. These are virtual barriers you can create in the app to prevent the robot from entering specific areas (like kid's toys or dishes for dogs and dog beds). Certain apps let you draw an outline of your home and provide more detailed information about the floors. The app on our top pick, the Roborock S7+, has many useful options to help you clean your house, but its interface isn't as polished as those from iRobot and Shark.
5. Long Battery Life
Robot vacs that can work all over your home without stopping to recharge or empty their bins of dust save you time and effort. Some of them work with smart home platforms like Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts to allow hands-free operation. They can also create an outline of your space that allows you to program them to clean specific rooms or areas and stay clear of obstacles.
vacuum robot mop offer some degree of object detection, but higher-end models such as the iRobot J7 have advanced features like "home mapping" and advanced obstacle avoidance that will make your life easier (although our test bot did "eat" the socks of a pair). socks). If you're seeking to improve your home's maintenance, think about a robot mop with water containers that can be filled and then empty.
While none of the models we tested compete with the power of a stand-up vacuum they all do a great job of cleaning carpets with low pile and hard floors. They excel at sweeping up fine dirt, food crumbs, and dirt that has been tracked in. They can also handle metal screws and nuts and stray cat litter. The best robot vacs can easily maneuver around furniture and excel at cleaning corners and edges as well. For a basic model that functions on its own and is reasonably priced, check out the Eufy 11S.
6. Convenient Self-Charging
With the right configuration, a robot vacuum can assist you in keeping your home looking and feeling fresh regularly, without a lot of effort. You can schedule cleanings through the app, and you can set up no-go areas to ensure that your robot does not walk on your plants or sit on your favorite chair. The majority of our top picks also automatically empty their trash bins and clean their docking stations for you.
The best robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors regularly for weeks or even months at a time, thereby making it easier to save time and effort of manually sweeping or mopping your floors every single week or every day. This lets you spend more time doing things you enjoy, and decreases the time needed to clean your floors manually.
In our tests, the Q Revo was able to capture tiny particles such as oatmeal and baking soda, heavier debris such as nails and screws made of steel and even fluffy matter like pet hair. It lacks the advanced mapping and objects-avoiding features of our top picks, but it is still a good choice for most families.
The j7's best feature is its ability to detect and avoid obstacles like power cords, shoes and socks and pet waste. This means that you don't have to tidy up before using your robot. However, rooms that are cluttered could cause your robot to get stuck and do a poor job.