How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you can live without the benefits of smart features like mapping, and aren't worried about emptying the garbage bin every 60 days or so, a basic robotic vacuum will probably work for you. Pick a model that has an uncluttered base that can work with voice assistants.

It is the most effective robo-vacuum we have tested in picking up dirt and pet hair on tiles, hardwood floors, and low-pile carpeting. It also has the ability to map out and set virtual no-go zones in rooms or certain areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum cleaner can assist you in keeping up with the pet fur, dust and dander that collects on your floor every day. It can also reduce the frequency of deep cleaning, which will save you time and effort. The best models come with powerful suction that can tackle most messes with ease and leave your home cleaner.

Selecting a vacuum that is also able to mop can help you get more space using one machine, which is especially beneficial in a larger home. You can find a model with a water tank either integrated into the chassis or as an extra piece that you can swap out after vacuuming. You'll need to empty and refill it, however it's an additional task that will require a little extra work on your part.

In a perfect universe you would clean your floors before using your robot vacuum, preventing it from hitting anything. In the majority of homes this isn't possible or desirable. Most models allow you to utilize an app for your smartphone to build virtual barriers that the robot can observe. Some models include no-go areas that you can mark areas you don't wish it to access. For instance, a child's room or a pile of cords in the corner.

This model is a good option if you're looking for an easy robot cleaner that doesn't have all the bells. It is quiet, works on both hard floors and carpets with low pile and can be programmed using the app to vacuum and mop at your leisure. It's got a long battery life, and can last for up to 180 minutes before it requires to recharge.

2. Easy to operate

Robot vacuums generally need very little from you. They use sensors cameras, lasers, and sensors to move and collect dust, pet hair and food crumbs from hard floors, tiles and hardwood. Many have boundary strips to aid in staying within the walls of a room while more expensive models can be set to automatically wake up and start cleaning at a predetermined time. Certain models come with fall detection technology to help them avoid falling down stairs or getting caught in 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 that connect to Wi-Fi and let you start cleaning from any location via an app. Depending on the size of your home is, you might prefer one with a long-lasting battery and a large dust bin that doesn't have to be emptied frequently.

Certain robot vacuums are also mopping machines. They use water reservoirs to clean the floor. This is ideal for mopping, but not ideal for tough messes like pet poop and other spills. You can find hybrids with an ejectable microfiber pad for mopping, or opt for self-emptying models that let you go 30 to 60 days without having to empty the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Certain robots employ advanced mapping technology to create a precise map of your floorplan while they clean the floor, which makes it easier for them to avoid falling into furniture or falling over things such as cords or chairs. This feature is only available on the top models however, it allows your robot to get a complete understanding of the layout of your home and to know where it should go when the battery is out.

If you don't want your robot to venture into areas of your home you'd prefer to keep it away from (like your kids' toys or the tangled mess of device cords in the corner) The majority of 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 enter, so that it can focus its attention on the areas that require the most attention.

Many robots also have the ability to automatically navigate to different flooring types depending on the floor they're cleaning, whether they're switching between carpet and hard flooring or focusing on certain areas of your home, such as baseboards and corners. In our tests, this was a useful feature that improved their pick-up scores for both carpeting that is low-pile and hardwood. It is essential to put away any furniture or cords that are loose before using your robot vacuum so that it doesn't become caught.

4. Remote Control

The majority of robot vacuums have WiFi capabilities and can be controlled via voice commands, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Siri Shortcuts. Many robot vacuum mop combo 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. Some have built-in obstacle avoidance that stops them from hitting and damaging furniture or getting stuck on things like loose charging cables or shoe laces, as well as hair from pets.

Most robots come with a remote you can use to control them around your home. The majority of robots can be controlled by a mobile app which has more options. It is possible to set up multiple cleaning schedules, build a list of favorite rooms and even manually guide your robot to specific areas using directional arrows that appear on the screen.

Some models provide no-go zones that are virtual barriers you can create within the app to prevent the robot from entering certain areas (like toys for Robot vacuum Mop combo children or dog bowls and beds). Other apps allow you to create an outline of your home and give the robot detailed information about your floors. The Roborock S7+ app has many useful features that can help you clean the house. However the interface isn't as polished as that from iRobot or Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robotic vacs that can clean a whole house without stopping to recharge or empty their bins of dust make it easier for you to save time and effort. Some robot vacuums 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 the space to allow you to program them to specific areas or rooms, and to stay clear of obstacles.

Most robot vacs have some level of object detection however, higher-end models such as the irobot mopping and vacuum J7 have advanced features such as "home mapping" and advanced obstacle avoidance that can really simplify your life (although our test bot did "eat" the socks of a pair). socks). If you're looking to take your home maintenance even further consider a robot mop that comes with a water tank that you fill and empty yourself.

While none of the models that we tested could match the dirt-picking ability of a stand-up vacuum, they did a great job cleaning hard floors and carpets with low pile. They excel in sweeping up dust and food particles, dirt tracked in and pet hair. They are also able to tackle stray cat litter and metal screws and nuts. The best robot vacuums can remove dirt from edges and corners and work on furniture. For an affordable model that can work on its own and is comparatively inexpensive, Robot vacuum Mop combo check out the Eufy 11S.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

A robot vacuum will help keep your home tidy and clean without you having to do much work. You can schedule cleanings using the app, and set up no-go areas to ensure that your robot does not walk on your plants or favorite chair. A majority of our top picks will also empty their dustbins for you and clean their docking stations.

The best robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors regularly for weeks or months at a time, thereby saving you the time and effort of manually mopping or sweeping your floors each week or every day. This lets you have more time to do the things you love and reduces the amount of time your floors need to be cleaned manually.

In our tests, the Q Revo was able to pick up tiny particles such as baking soda and oatmeal and heavier debris like nails and screws made of steel as well as fluffy things such as hair from pets. It lacks the smart mapping and objects-avoiding features of our top picks, but is still a great choice for families with children.

The best thing about the j7 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 clean up before using your robot. However, cluttered rooms could cause your robot to get stuck and do a poor job.