How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum
If you don't require advanced features like mapping, and do not mind cleaning your trash bin every 60 to 90 days A basic robot vacuum could be suitable for you. Look for one that is clean and is compatible with voice assistants.
It is the best vacuum we have tested in getting rid of dirt and pet hair on tiles, hardwood floors, and carpets with low pile. It also maps and set 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 accumulates on your floors every day. It also can reduce the frequency of deep cleaning, saving your time and effort. The most effective model comes with powerful suction that will easily tackle most messes and leave your home clean.
You can cover more area with a robot vacuum and mop, which can be useful if you have a large home. Find one that has an water reservoir integrated into the chassis or as a separate item that you swap in when the vacuuming is finished. It will have to be emptied and filled, so it's an extra chore.
In a perfect world you would clean your floors before using your robot vacuum to prevent it from crashing into anything. However, in the majority of homes, this isn't feasible or desirable. Fortunately, the majority of models allow you to use a smartphone to create virtual barriers that the robot will detect and avoid. Some models include no-go areas that you can mark areas you don't wish it to be allowed to enter. For example, a child's room or a pile cords in a corner.
This model is a great choice if you want a simple robot cleaner without all the bells. It's quiet, works well on both hard floors and low-pile rugs and can be scheduled via the app to mop or vacuum at your own convenience. It's got a long battery life of up to 180 minutes.
- Simple to operate
In general, robot vacuums require very little input from you. They use navigation tools like sensors, lasers and cameras to move around obstacles and remove food particles, dust and pet hair from hard floors, tile, hardwood and low-pile carpets. Many models come with boundary strips that allow them to stay inside a room. The more expensive models can be programmed to wake up at a specific time and begin cleaning. Some models even have fall detection technology that helps them avoid tumbling down stairs or getting caught in electrical cords.
Look for models that you can control from your couch using voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also look for models with Wi-Fi connectivity that let you start cleaning from any location using an app. You may prefer an option with an extremely long-lasting battery as well as a large dust bin, depending on the size of your home.
Some robot vacuums double as mops and use water reservoirs to clean your floors. This is helpful for regular mopping but won't be effective for messes that are more difficult to clean, such as pet poop or other spills that get wet. You can find hybrids with a removable microfiber pad for mopping, or you can choose self-emptying models that let you go for 30 to 60 days without needing to empty the base.
- Smart Mapping
Certain robots employ advanced mapping technologies to build a precise map of your floorplan as they clean, making it easier for them to avoid falling into furniture or tripping over things like chair legs or cords. This feature is usually only available on more expensive models, but it's certainly one of the best ways to ensure your robot has a full understanding of the layout of your house and can determine where to go when it runs out of battery.
Most robots allow you to create virtual barriers. This can be done using an app or physical boundary strips. This allows you to create zones that you do not want your robot to explore, so that it can concentrate its attention on the areas that require the most cleaning.
Many robots will also automatically change floors based on the kind of floor they are cleaning. This can be done by changing from carpet to hard flooring or by focusing on certain areas of your home, such as corners and baseboards. This feature proved helpful in our tests and enhanced the vacuum's performance on both hardwood flooring and carpeting for floors with low-pile. However, it's still important to put away furniture and cords that are loose prior to running your robot vacuum so that it doesn't get stuck or run into something it shouldn't.
- Remote Control
Most robot vacuums come with WiFi capabilities and can be controlled with voice commands, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Siri Shortcuts. Many robot vacuums connect 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. Certain models have obstacle avoidance built in, which prevents them from damaging furniture and getting stuck on things such as loose charging cables or pet hair.
Most robots are equipped with an remote control that you can use to navigate them around your home. Most robots can be controlled by a mobile app, which offers more features. You can create multiple cleaning schedules and make an agenda of your most-loved rooms. You can also manually guide the robot using direction arrows.
Some models offer no-go zones, which are virtual barriers that you can create within the app to prevent the robot from entering certain areas (like toys for children or dog beds and bowls). Some apps let you draw an image of your home and provide more detailed information about the floors. The Roborock S7+ app has a number of useful features to assist you in cleaning your home. However the interface isn't as sleek as iRobot or Shark.
- Long Battery Life
robot mop and vacuum combo vacs that can work all over your home without stopping to recharge or empty their dust bins save you time and effort. Some are compatible with smart home platforms such as Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts to allow hands-free operation. They can also make a map of your space and allow you to program them to clean certain areas or rooms, and to beware of obstacles.
The majority of robot vacuums detect objects, but the iRobot j7 offers advanced features such as "home mapping" and obstacle avoidance. These features can make your life easier (although one of our test robots did "eat" a couple of socks). If you're seeking to improve the quality of your home maintenance, you should consider an automated mop that comes with a water container that you can fill and empty.
While none of the models we tested match the dirt-picking power of a stand-up vacuum, they all do a great job at cleaning carpets and hard floors. They excel at sweeping up fine dust and food crumbs, tracked-in dirt and pet hair. They are also able to tackle pet litter that is stray and metal screws and nuts. The best robot vacs can effortlessly work around furniture and excel at cleaning edges and corners as well. Eufy 11S is a relatively inexpensive and basic model.
- Convenient Self-Charging
With the proper setup with the right setup, a robot vacuum will assist you in keeping your home looking and feeling fresh regularly, without much work from you. You can schedule cleanings through the app, and you can create no-go zones so that your robot doesn't step on your favorite chair or plants. The majority of our top picks empty their dustbins for you and clean their docking station.
The best robot vacuums are programmable to clean your floors regularly for weeks or months at a stretch, making it easier to save time and effort of manually mopping or sweeping your floors every week or even every day. This allows you to enjoy more time doing things you enjoy, and decreases the amount of time required to clean your floors manually.
In the course of testing, the Q Revo was able to pick up fine particles like oatmeal and baking soda as well as heavier debris such metal screws and nails and even fluffy matter like hair from pets. It's not equipped with the advanced mapping and object avoidance features found in our top picks, however it's sufficient for the majority of families.
The best thing about the j7 is its ability to detect and avoid obstacles such as power cords, shoes and socks and pet waste. This means you don't have to spend time tidying the room prior to running your robot, although messy rooms can mean that your bot may get stuck and not do as well.