The Best Robot Vacuums

A robot vacuum will do the majority of the cleaning for you. It will remove pet hair, lint and dirt from surfaces and furniture before they become stuck. Many also work with smart assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to give you an unrestricted experience.

Many models come with the ability to map, allowing them to create an interactive map of your house. This helps them to avoid falling off ledges and navigating through clusters if the cords for your device are.

What to Find

Certain robots have advanced features that allow you to control them via apps and voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. Smart mapping, zone cleaning and object avoidance are some of the features. These machines could also have larger dust bins as well as longer-lasting batteries.

Look for a model with an extended brush that can sweep up large debris and one that is slim enough to be able to fit under furniture. Check if the robot vacuum is able to clean different kinds of floors without altering the suction settings or robot vacuums brushes. This could reduce its effectiveness in cleaning and decrease its lifespan.

The top robot vacuums are equipped with high-quality filters that can capture fine particles and protect your home. They also have an ample, easily accessible collection bin that allows you to empty it often. Some robot vacuums have an extra side brush to sweep up pet hair or other debris in difficult to reach areas like under and behind furniture. The bins are typically transparent, so you can see the amount of dirt in the bin and when you should empty it.

You can also use the app to set limits around furniture and rooms you don't want it to enter. Certain models can also detect the kind of floor they're cleaning and automatically adjust their brush and suction settings to suit the floor.

You can also find robots that will recharge and resume cleaning right where they left off if their battery runs low. There are some that have an inbuilt camera that lets you observe the path of your robot vacuum robot mop and see what it has collecting.

Some robots can be operated by voice commands however, not all. Be sure that the robot you select is compatible with the voice assistant of your choice, and test out how it responds to different commands during the buying process. Some robots will even empty their bins and clean their docking stations which will help you reduce your chore list. But this feature comes at cost, as do a larger collection bin and faster charging speed.

Cleaning Performance

While robots can't replace a full-on vacuum or broom, they do offer a reliable and effective alternative to the daily chore of cleaning your floors. The best robotic cleaners can remove small particles like dust, pet hair and crumbs, or bigger objects like metal shavings and wood shavings. They accomplish this without harming furniture or floors.

Most of the time, they'll detect the type of surface they're cleaning and adjust their suction or brush features in accordance with the type of surface so that they can more thoroughly clean your floors. This is particularly important when you have a variety of flooring throughout your home. Many models offer the option of setting virtual boundaries. This allows you to instruct your robot to stay out of certain areas of your home. This is helpful for preventing your kids or pets from getting into areas they shouldn't be in, and it can help ensure that your entire house is cleaned at the end of every scheduled session.

You should also consider how much autonomy you're comfortable with giving your robot. Certain models require you to be active and attentive, while others can work independently. They can change cleaning schedules and cleaning modes using the mobile app or via voice commands via an integrated smart assistant. Some will map and learn your space, allowing you to create zones and instruct the robot to clean certain areas of your home on a weekly or daily basis.

In our testing, the iRobot was the best "set it and forget it" robot. It was a master at mapping, creating virtual boundaries and getting around obstacles better than the other robots we test. It can also empty itself so you aren't required to manually do it. And, the side brushes are used to sweep debris from edges and corners that a vacuum cannot reach.

Its slim design and infrared sensor allow it to clean behind and under furniture which allows it to do a better job than most robots. And its advanced navigation system allows it to clean the entire floor of your house using just a single charge of battery. Even at its affordable price you'll be able to find it difficult to beat in everyday use.

Battery Life

A quality robot vacuum will help keep your floors tidy and feel less like a chore and more like a luxury. The difference between a clean home and one that is filthy can be achieved by getting rid of dirt that has been tracked into the house, as well as crumbs, pet hair, and other debris. While a robot of a basic design is able to handle the majority of cleaning tasks, those seeking an extra hands-off experience should look for models that double as mop.

The Ecovacs Deebot T10 OMNI is one of the top models for both, since it offers great performance in both vacuuming and mop modes and can easily handle dirt and pet hair, as well as debris and even cat litter. Its feature for avoiding objects is particularly impressive, allowing it to steer clear of objects and not become stuck on them.

It also has a long battery life and a large bin for dust that allows it to cover a large amount of space in just one session. It also functions as smart vacuum, which means it can create maps of your home and use applications, such as those offered by Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to allow you to use voice commands to control it.

The app that comes along with the robot allows you to create schedules, define rooms to be cleaned or suspend or resume sessions. It will notify you when its battery is running low and then return to the docking station for recharging.

The robot can also differentiate between hard floors and carpets, and adjust its settings according to the type of floor. This prevents the machine from squeezing on one type of floor and causing damage to furniture. It's not able detect high-pile carpeting or seams in rooms, therefore it is important to be cautious when picking up large objects.

All robot vacuums require a certain degree of maintenance, for example removing hair from brushes and emptying (and sometimes, rinsing) the bin of dust after each cleaning session. Also, cleaning sensors or cameras between uses to ensure they are in top shape. The manufacturer will give specific guidelines for these and other maintenance steps, which may vary depending on the specific model.

Cost

The top robot vacuums might not be expensive, but they are considerably less expensive than a professional carpet cleaner or even a stand-up vacuum. They also require less maintenance than a traditional vacuum, with most requiring only that you empty (and sometimes rinse) their bins of dust after each cleaning session, and often wiping down their sensors or cameras.

A lot of robot vacuums have smart features that make them more efficient in your home. For instance mapping technology lets you instruct the vacuum on where to go through an app, so it doesn't get stuck in stairs, or under furniture, where there may be a mess. Other robot vacuums can detect the kind of floor robot vacuums they are cleaning, so that they can adjust their suction and brush functions to ensure the best results.

Some models feature object avoidance, which makes use of sensors (or even a camera) to spot objects and toys on the floor. They then instruct the robot to move around them, rather than running into them. This can be a huge help when you have children or pets that tend to throw toys around the house.

One other smart feature that could be of interest to you is voice control, which lets you operate the robot using your voice instead of using the buttons on the board. This is helpful for children who aren't old enough yet to operate the robot, or when it's convenient for you.

The frequency at which you use your robot will depend on how much dirt or debris is on your floor. The majority of experts recommend using a robot vacuum at least once a week to keep your floors looking great and nabbing pet hair lint and surface dirt before it gets ground in or become more difficult to get rid of.

If you have a limited amount of floor space and don't plan to make use of the robot for other tasks such as cleaning, then you should consider a budget model like our top choice Eufy 11S is a great option. It's easy to use cost-effective, and can do the job without making any noise while you work or watch television.