How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum
If you're willing to live without the benefits of smart features like mapping, and don't mind emptying the garbage bin every 60 days or then, a basic robot vacuum will probably work for you. Find a model with a clean base and can work with voice assistants.
It is the best robo-vacuum we have tested for cleaning up pet hair on tile floors, hardwood floors and carpeting with low pile. It can also plan out and create virtual no go zones for rooms or specific areas.
1. Powerful Suction
A robot vacuum is able to stay up with the dust, pet hair and dander that collects on your floors on a day-to-day basis. It can also decrease the frequency of deep cleaning, saving you time and effort. The most effective models feature powerful suction that can clean up most mess with ease and leave your home cleaner.
You can cover a larger area with a robot vacuum and mop, which can be useful if you have a large home. You can find a model with a water tank either built into the chassis or as an additional piece that you can remove after vacuuming. It will have to be emptied and filled and refilled, which is an additional chore.
In the ideal world, you'd clear your floors prior to using your robot vacuum to prevent it from hitting things. But in most homes, this isn't possible or desirable. Most models allow you to use an app on your smartphone to create virtual barriers that the robot can see. Certain models have no-go zones, which you can flag areas that you don't want it to be allowed to enter. For example, a child's room or a pile cords in the corner.
If you're looking to buy a basic robot vacuum with no bells and whistles, this model made by networking company TP-Link is a great choice. It's quiet and works on both hard floors as well as low-pile carpets and can be programmed using the app to mop and vacuum at your convenience. It's got a long battery life, which can last up to 180 minutes before it requires to recharge.
2. Easy to operate
Robot vacuums generally require only minimal effort from you. They use navigational tools such as sensors, lasers, and cameras to move around and collect pet hair, dust, and food crumbs from hard floors, tile and hardwood. A lot of models come with boundary strips to help them remain inside the room. The more expensive models can be programmed to get up at a particular time and start cleaning. Some even have fall-detection technology that helps them avoid falling down the stairs or getting caught in electrical cords.
Find models that allow you to control from your couch via voice assistants such as Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also look for models that connect to Wi-Fi and allow you to begin a cleaning session from anywhere through an app. Depending on how large your house is, you may prefer a model that has a long battery life and a spacious dust bin that doesn't need to be emptied frequently.
Some robot vacuums double as mops and use water reservoirs to clean your floor. This is great for everyday mopping, but will not work for extra-tough messes, such as pet poop or other spills that are wet. There are hybrids that come with an ejectable microfiber pad for mopping, or opt for self-emptying models that let you go for 30 to 60 days without having to empty the base.
3. Smart Mapping
Some robots utilize advanced mapping technologies to build a detailed map of your floorplan as they clean, making it easier for them to avoid crashing into furniture or falling over things like chair legs or cords. This feature is only available on the top models, but it allows your robot to be aware of your home's layout and to know where it should go when the battery runs out.
If you do not want your robot to go into areas of your home you'd prefer to keep it away from (like your children's toys or the tangled mess of gadget cords in the corner) Most robots provide some way to create virtual barriers, either via their app or a set of physical boundary strips. onson robot vacuum can block off areas you don't wish your robot to go into to allow it to focus on the rooms that need the most attention.
Many robots also automatically switch floors based on the type 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. But, it's still essential to put away loose cords and furniture before using your robot vacuum to ensure that it doesn't become stuck or come into contact with something it shouldn't.
4. Remote Control
Most robot vacuums come with WiFi capabilities and can be controlled using voice commands, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Siri Shortcuts. Many robot vacuums are connected to smart home systems and create an outline of the area they clean after each cleaning session. This lets them "learn" the way your home is laid out and to plan more efficient routes in future cleaning sessions. Some also have built-in obstacle avoidance, which stops them from hitting furniture and causing damage or getting stuck on things like loose charging cables, shoe laces and hair from pets.
Most robots are equipped with a remote control that you can use to move 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 an inventory of your preferred rooms. You can also guide the robot by using direction Arrows.
Some models have no-go zones. These are virtual barriers that you can set up within the app to block the robot from entering certain areas (like kid's toys or dishes and dog beds). Certain apps let you draw a map of your house and provide detailed information on the floors. The Roborock S7+ app has many useful features to assist you in cleaning your home. However the interface isn't as polished as iRobot or Shark.
5. Long Battery Life
Robot vacuums that can sweep your entire house without stopping to recharge or to empty their 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 create an outline of the space for you to program them to specific areas or rooms, and to stay clear of obstacles.
The majority of robot vacuums come with some degree of detection of objects however, 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 "eat" a pair of socks). If you're looking to push your home maintenance even further consider a robot mop that comes with an water tank that can be filled and then empty.
While none of the models we tested can beat 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 are great in sweeping up dust and debris, food dust, tracked-in dirt, and pet hair. They can also handle nuts and screws made of metal, as well as stray cat litter. The best robot vacuums are able to remove dirt from edges and corners and can even work on furniture. For a basic model that functions on its own and is relatively inexpensive, check out the Eufy 11S.
6. Convenient Self-Charging
A robot vacuum will help keep your home tidy and clean without doing many tasks. You can schedule cleanings in the app and set up zones that are not allowed to enter so that your robot doesn't harm your plants or ruin your favorite chair. The majority of our top picks automatically empty their 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, removing you from the tedious chore of manually cleaning your floors on a daily or we
