How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum
If you don't need the most advanced features like mapping and you aren't worried about emptying your bin every 60 to 90 days A basic robot vacuum is probably for you. Choose one that has a clean base and can work with voice assistants.
It excels at picking up dirt, clumps of pet hair and cat litter on hardwood floors, tile and carpeting that is lower-pile better than any other robo vacuum we've tested. It can also map and set virtual no-go zones for rooms or areas.
- Powerful Suction
A robot vacuum will stay on top of the pet hair, dust and dander that collects on your floors on a day-to-day basis. It also can reduce the frequency you have to do a deeper clean and saves your time and effort. The most effective models feature powerful suction, which can tackle most messes with ease and leave your home cleaner.
Selecting a vacuum that is also able to mop can help you achieve more coverage with one machine, which can be particularly beneficial for homes with a large area. You can find a model with a water tank either integrated into the chassis or as an extra piece that you can remove after vacuuming. It will need to be filled and empty, so it's an extra task.
In a perfect universe it would be ideal to clean your floors before using your robot vacuum, preventing it from running into anything. In most homes, however this isn't possible or desirable. Thankfully, many models let you use your smartphone app to set up virtual barriers that the robot is able to be aware of and avoid. Some include no-go zones, which you can use to flag areas you don't want the robot to access, such as children rooms or a pile of cords for your device in the corner.
If you're looking for a basic robot vacuum without all the bells and whistles, this model made by the networking company TP-Link is a good choice. It's quiet, works well on hard floors and low-pile carpets and can be scheduled using the app to vacuum or mop at your convenience. It has a good battery life, and can last up to 180 minutes before needing to recharge.
- Simple to operate
Robot vacuums typically require very little effort from you. They utilize navigation tools like sensors, lasers and cameras to move through obstacles and collect dust, food crumbs and pet hair from floors, tiles carpets, hardwood floors and low-pile carpets. Many have boundary strips to aid in staying within the walls of a room, while pricier models can be set to automatically wake up and start cleaning at a set time. Some models include fall detection technology that helps users avoid falling down the stairs or getting caught in cords.
If you want to control your robot vacuum from the comfort of your couch, you should look for models that work with voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also look for models that connect to Wi-Fi and let you start cleaning sessions from anywhere via an app. You might want to choose one with an extremely long-lasting battery as well as a large dust bin, depending on the size of your house.
Some robot vacuums double as mops, utilizing reservoirs of water to clean your floor. This is great for mopping, but not great for tough messes like pet poop or other wet spills. There are hybrids that have a removable microfiber pad that can be used for mopping, or choose self-emptying models that let you use the device for 30 to 60 days without having to empty the base.
- Smart Mapping
Some robots utilize advanced mapping technology to create a detailed map of your floorplan while they clean, making it easier for them to avoid bumping mindlessly 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 running out of battery.
Most robots let you create virtual barriers. This can be done through an application or even physical boundary strips. You can block off areas you don't want your robot to go into, so that it can focus on the rooms that require the most attention.
Many robots will also automatically change floors depending on the kind of flooring they are cleaning. This can be accomplished by switching from carpet to hard flooring, or by focusing on certain areas of your home, such as corners and baseboards. This feature proved to be useful in our tests and enhanced the vacuum's performance on both hardwood flooring and carpet flooring with low pile. It is important to secure any furniture or cords that are loose before using your robot vacuum to ensure that it doesn't get caught.
- Remote Control
Almost all robot vacuums are WiFi-enabled and work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts that allow users to control them with voice commands or via your smartphone. Many connect to smart home systems and create a map of your space after each cleaning session so that they can "learn" your layout and design more efficient routes for future runs. Some also have built-in obstacle avoidance that prevents them from bumping into and damaging furniture or getting stuck on things like charging cables that are loose or shoe laces, as well as pet hair.
Most robots are equipped with a remote control that can be used to guide them around your home. However, many can be controlled via an app on your mobile, which gives you more options. You can set up multiple cleaning schedules and create a list with your favorite rooms. You can also manually direct the robot with the directional the arrows.
Some models have zones that are not allowed. These are virtual barriers that you can set up in the app to stop the robot from entering certain areas (like toys for children or dog beds and dishes). Some apps allow you to draw an outline of your home and provide detailed information about the floors. The Roborock S7+ app has a number of useful features that will aid in cleaning the house. However the interface isn't as polished as iRobot or Shark.
- Long Battery Life
Robotic vacs that can clean a whole house without stopping to recharge or empty their trash bins save you time and effort. Some work with smart home devices like Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts for hands-free operation. They can also create a map of the space to allow you to program them for specific rooms or areas and to avoid obstacles.
The majority of robot vacuums detect objects, but the iRobot j7 offers advanced features like "home mapping" and obstacle avoidance. These features can make your life much easier (although one of our test robots did "eat" two socks). If you're seeking to improve your home's maintenance, consider the use of a robot mop and an water container that can be filled and then empty.
While none of the models we tested could compete with the dirt-picking power of a stand-up vacuum they did an excellent job cleaning hard floors as well as carpets with a low pile. They excel at sweeping up food crumbs, and dirt that has been tracked in. They can even tackle some pet litter that is stray and metal screws and nuts. The most effective robot vacuums can clean corners and edges and work on furniture. Eufy 11S is a relatively basic and affordable model.
- Convenient Self-Charging
With the proper setup and the right setup, a robotic vacuum can help you keep your home looking and looking and feeling cleaner on a regular basis without a lot of effort. You can schedule cleanings using the app, and set up no-go areas to ensure that your robot does not step on your plants or sit on your favorite chair. Many of our top picks empty their dustbins and clean their docking station.
The best robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors regularly for months or weeks at a stretch, making it easier to save time and effort of manually sweeping or mopping your floors each week or every day. This lets you enjoy more time doing things you like and reduces the amount of time required to clean your floors manually.
During testing, the Q Revo was able to grab fine particles like oatmeal and baking soda and heavier debris like metal screws and nails and even fluffy matter like pet hair. It does not have the advanced mapping and objects-avoiding features of our top picks, but it is still a good choice for most families.
The best combo vacuum mop robot thing about the j7 is its ability to recognize and avoid obstacles such as power cords and socks, shoes, and pet waste. This means that you don't need to clean up after using your robot. However, rooms that are cluttered could cause your robot to become stuck and do an inadequate job.