How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you can live without advanced features such as mapping, and you don't mind cleaning the trash bin every 60 days or so, a basic robot vacuum will probably work for you. Select a model with an uncluttered base that can work with voice assistants.

It is the best Automatic Vacuum vacuum we have tested for picking up dirt and pet hair on tile floors, hardwood floors and low-pile carpeting. It can also map and create virtual no-go zones for rooms or areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum will help you keep up with the pet fur, dust and dander that accumulates on your floor every day. It also can reduce the frequency of deep cleaning, saving your time and Best Automatic Vacuum effort. The best model has powerful suction that will easily clean up most mess and leave your home cleaner.

A robot vacuum that also mop can help you cover more ground by using just one machine. This can be particularly beneficial for homes with a large area. Choose one that has an water reservoir in the chassis or as a separate item that you swap in when vacuuming is complete. It will have to be emptied and refilled, so it's an extra chore.

In ideal world, you'd be able to clean your floors prior to using your robot vac to keep it from crashing into objects. In the majority of homes, this is not possible or desirable. The majority of models let you utilize an app for your smartphone to build virtual barriers that the robot will detect. Some models have no-go zones which you can use to flag areas that you don't want the robot to enter, such as kids rooms or a stack of device cords in the corner.

This model is a good option for those looking for a simple robot cleaner without all the bells. It's quiet and works well on both hard floors and low-pile rugs and can be scheduled via the app to vacuum or mop at your own convenience. It's got a long battery life that can last up to 180 minutes.

2. Easy to Operate

Robot vacuums generally require very little from you. They make use of navigation tools such as sensors and lasers to move around obstacles and remove food particles, dust and pet hair from flooring, tile carpets, and hardwood. A lot of them have boundary strips that allow them to stay within a room's walls, while more expensive models can be set to automatically wake up and start cleaning at a set time. Some even come with fall detection technology that prevents falling down stairs or becoming tangled in electrical cords.

Look for models that you can control from your couch using voice assistants such as Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also search for models that connect to Wi-Fi and allow you to begin cleaning sessions from anywhere using an app. Depending on how big your home is, you may prefer one with a long battery life and a spacious dust bin that doesn't have to be emptied frequently.

Some robot vacuums can also be mopping. They utilize water reservoirs to wash the floor. This is great for mopping, but not great for difficult messes such as pet poop or other wet spills. You can choose hybrids that have an able mopping pad made of microfiber or a self-emptying option that allows you to go for up to 60 days without emptying the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Certain robots employ advanced mapping technology to create a detailed map of your floorplan while they clean, making it easier for them to avoid falling into furniture or falling over things like cords or chair legs. This feature is only available on the top models however, it lets your robot have a thorough understanding of the layout of your home and knows where to go when the battery is out.

The majority of robots allow you to create virtual barriers. This can be done using an app or physically-based boundary strips. This allows you to define areas that you don't want your robot to explore, so that it can concentrate its attention on the rooms and spaces that need the most cleaning.

A lot of robots are able to automatically navigate to different floors depending on the flooring they're cleaning, be it they're switching between carpet and hard flooring or focusing on particular areas of your home, such as corners and baseboards. This feature proved effective in our tests and improved the performance of the vacuum on both hardwood flooring and carpet flooring with low pile. It's nevertheless important to tuck away furniture and cords 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 are WiFi-connected and work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts, which allow you to control them using voice commands or through your smartphone. Many robot vacuums are connected to smart home systems and create a map of the space they clean after each cleaning session. This lets them "learn" how your home is laid out and plan more efficient routes in future cleaning sessions. Certain models have obstacle avoidance features built in that prevents them from causing damage to furniture or getting stuck on things such as loose charging cables or pet hair.

Most robots come with a remote you can use to pilot them around your home. However, most can also be controlled using an app on your mobile that offers more options. You can create multiple cleaning schedules, and create an agenda of your most-loved rooms. You can also guide the robot using the directional the arrows.

Some models offer no-go zones, which are virtual barriers you can create in the app to block the robot from entering certain areas (like toys for children or dog beds and bowls). Some apps allow you to draw a map of your house and provide detailed information on the floors. The app on our top choice, the Roborock S7+, has numerous options to help you clean your home, however its interface isn't as polished as those from iRobot and Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robot vacuums that clean your entire house without stopping for a recharge or emptying their trash bins save 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 draw an outline of the space for you to program them for certain areas or rooms, and to avoid obstacles.

The majority of robot vacuums can 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" two socks). If you're looking to push your home maintenance to the next level consider a robot mop that has an water tank that you fill and empty yourself.

While none of the models we tested could match the ability to pick up dirt of a standup vacuum that vacuums and mops, they did a great job cleaning hard floors and low pile carpets. They are great at sweeping up fine dust and debris, food crumbs, tracked-in dirt and pet hair. They are also able to handle screws and nuts made of metal, as well as the stray cat litter. The most effective robot vacuums are able to effortlessly work around furniture and excel at cleaning edges and corners as well. Eufy 11S is a relatively affordable and basic model.

6. 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 through the app, Best Automatic Vacuum and create no-go zones so that your robot vacuum cleaner doesn't step on your favorite chair or plants. A majority of our top picks automatically empty their bins and clean their docking stations for you.

The most effective robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors regularly for weeks or even months at a time, which saves you the time and effort of manually mopping or sweeping your floors every week or every day. This lets you spend more time doing things you enjoy and decreases the amount of time your floors have to be cleaned manually.

During tests during testing, Q Revo was able grab fine particles such as baking soda and oatmeal. It also picked up heavier debris like metal screws and nails and fluffy stuff like pet hair. It doesn't have the smart mapping and objects avoidance features of our top picks, but it works well enough for most families.

The most impressive feature of the j7 is its ability to detect and avoid obstacles such as power cords and socks, shoes and pet waste. This means you don't have to clean the room prior to running your robot, however clutter in your home can mean your bot may get stuck and not perform as well.