How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum
If you can live without smart capabilities like mapping, and you don't mind emptying the dustbin every 60 days or then, a basic robot vacuum will probably work for you. Choose a model with an uncluttered base that can work with voice assistants.
It excels at picking up dirt, cat litter and pet hair on tile floors, hardwood floors and carpeting that is lower-pile better than any other robo vacuum we've tested. It also has the ability to map out and create virtual no go zones for rooms or areas.
1. Powerful Suction
A robot vacuum cleaner can help you keep up with the dust, pet fur and dander that accumulates on your floor every day. It can also reduce how often you need to do a deeper clean and saves you time and effort. The best models come with powerful suction, which can clean up most mess with ease and leave your home cleaner.
You can cover more area by using a robot vacuum and mop, which is particularly beneficial if you live in an extensive home. There are models that has a water tank built into the chassis or as an extra piece that you can swap out after vacuuming. It will need to be emptied and filled, so it's an extra task.
In ideal world, you'd clean your floors prior to using your robot vac to keep it from running into things. In the majority of homes, however, this is not possible or desirable. Most robots allow you to make use of an app that you can install on your phone to create virtual barriers that the robot will see. Certain models have no-go zones, which you can flag areas that you don't want it to enter. For instance, a child's room or a pile cords in an area.
If you're looking to buy a basic robot vacuum with no bells and whistles, this model made by the company that makes networking TP-Link is a good choice. It is quiet, is able to work on hard floors as well as low-pile carpets and can be programmed through the app to vacuum and mop at your convenience. It has a long battery life that can last up to 180 minutes.
2. Simple to operate
In general, robot vacuums require very little input from you. They utilize navigational tools such as sensors cameras, lasers, and sensors to move and collect pet hair, dust, and food crumbs from hard floors, tiles and hardwood. Many models have boundary strips that allow them to stay inside a room. Higher-end models can be programmed to start up at a certain time and start cleaning. Some even have fall-detection technology that can help them avoid falling down stairs or becoming caught in electrical cords.
Look for good robot vacuum that you can control from the comfort of your sofa using voice assistants such as Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also search for models that connect to Wi-Fi and let you start cleaning sessions from anywhere via an app. You may prefer one with a long-lasting battery, as well as a large dustbin, depending on the size of your home.
Certain robot vacuums are also mopping machines. They utilize water reservoirs to wash the floor. This is great for mopping, but not ideal for difficult messes such as pet poop and other wet spills. You can select hybrids with a removable microfiber mopping pad or a self-emptying option that lets you go for up to 60 days before emptying the base.
3. Smart Mapping
Some robots employ advanced mapping technology to create a precise map while they clean. This makes it easier to avoid bumping into furniture and tripping on cords or chairs. This feature is typically only available on higher-end models, but it's one of the most effective ways to ensure that your robot has an accurate understanding of the layout of your house and can determine where to go when it runs out of battery.
If you don't want your robot to venture into areas of your house that you'd prefer to keep it away from (like your kids' toys or the tangled mess of device cords in the corner), most robots offer the possibility of creating virtual barriers, either through their apps or a set of physical boundary strips. This lets you define areas that you don't want your robot to explore, so that it can focus its attention on areas that require the most attention.
Many robots can also automatically navigate to different floors depending on the flooring they're cleaning, be it that's changing between carpet and hard flooring or focusing on specific areas of your home, such as baseboards and corners. In our tests, this was a useful feature that helped improve their pick-up scores for both carpeting made of low-pile or hardwood. It's important to tuck away any furniture or cords that are loose before using your robot vacuum to ensure that it doesn't get caught.
4. Remote Control
The majority of robot vacuums are WiFi-enabled and work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts, which enable you to control them via voice commands or via your smartphone. Many robot vacuums connect to smart home systems, and generate a map of the area they clean after each cleaning session. This lets them "learn" how your home is laid out and plan more efficient routes during future cleaning sessions. Certain models have obstacle avoidance features 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 you can use to control them around your home. The majority of robots can be operated by mobile applications which has more options. You can set up a variety of cleaning schedules and create a list with your favorite rooms. You can also manually guide the robot by using the directional arrows.
Some models offer no-go zones, which are virtual barriers you can set up 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 the map of your house and provide the robot with detailed information about your floors. The app on our top pick, the Roborock S7+, has many useful options to help you tidy your home, however its interface isn't as polished and elegant 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 dust bins can save you time and energy. Certain robot vacuums can work with smart home platforms like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Shortcuts to enable hands-free operation. They can also make maps of the area to allow you to program them to specific areas or rooms and to stay clear of obstacles.
The majority of robot vacuums detect objects, however the iRobot J7 has advanced features like "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 looking to push your home cleaning to the next level opt for a robotic mop that comes with an water tank that can be filled and then empty.
While none of the models we tested can match the dirt-picking power of a stand-up vacuum, they all do a great job at cleaning carpets with low pile and hard floors. They excel in sweeping up dust and debris, food crumbs, tracked-in dirt and pet hair. They are also able to tackle scattered cat litter, as well as metal screws and nuts. The most effective robot vacuums can clean edges and corners and can even work around furniture. For a basic model that functions on its own and is relatively inexpensive take a look at the Eufy 11S.
6. Convenient Self-Charging
A robot vacuum can keep your home clean and tidy without doing much work. You can schedule cleanings through the app, and you can create no-go zones to ensure that your robot does not walk on your plants or sit on your favorite chair. Many of our top picks empty their dustbins for you and clean their docking stations.
The best robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors regularly for months or weeks at a stretch, which saves you the time and effort of manually sweeping or mopping your floors every
