How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you're able to live without smart capabilities like mapping, and you don't mind emptying the dustbin every 60 days or so, a basic robot vacuum will probably work for you. Select a model with a clean base that works with voice assistants.

It excels at removing dirt, cat litter and pet hair on hardwood floors, tile and carpeting with less pile than any other vacuum we've tried. It can also map out and create virtual no-go zones in rooms or certain areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum cleaner can help you keep up with the dust, pet fur and dander that collects on your floor each day. It also can reduce the frequency of deep cleaning, saving you time and effort. The most effective models feature powerful suction, which will tackle most messes with ease and leave your home cleaner.

Selecting a vacuum that also mop can help you get more space using one machine, which is especially beneficial in larger homes. Choose one that has a water reservoir either in the chassis or as a separate piece that you put in after the vacuuming is finished. It will have to be emptied and refilled and refilled, which is an additional chore.

In a perfect world it would be ideal to clean your floors first before you use your robot vacuum to prevent it from hitting anything. However, in the majority of homes, this isn't possible or desirable. Most robots allow you to use an app that you can install on your phone to create virtual barriers the small robot vacuum can detect. Some include no-go zones, which you can use to flag areas you don't want it be in, like kids' rooms or a pile of device cords in the corner.

If you're looking to buy a basic robot vacuum without all the bells and whistles, this model from networking company TP-Link is a good choice. It's quiet, works well on both hard floors and low-pile rugs and can be scheduled using the app to vacuum or mop at any time. It has a long battery life of around 180 minutes.

2. Easy to operate

In general, robot vacuums require very little input from you. They utilize navigation tools like sensors and lasers to maneuver around obstacles and goovi Robot Vacuum remove dust, food crumbs and pet hair from hard floors, tile, hardwood and low-pile carpets. Many have boundary strips that help them stay within the walls of a room while more expensive models can be programmed to automatically wake up and begin cleaning at a predetermined time. Certain models come with fall detection technology that helps them avoid falling down a flight of stairs or becoming tangled in cords.

Look for models that you can control from your couch via voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also choose Wi-Fi models that permit you to start cleaning anywhere you want using an app. Depending on how large your home is, you may want a model that has a long battery life and a spacious dust bin that doesn't require being emptying frequently.

Some robot vacuums can double as mops, utilizing reservoirs of water to clean your floors. This is helpful for regular mopping but won't work for tough messes such as pet poop or other wet spills. There are hybrids that come with an ejectable microfiber pad for mopping, or choose self-emptying models that let you go for 30 to 60 days without having to empty the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Certain robots employ advanced mapping technologies to build a detailed map of your floorplan as 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 only available on top-of-the-line models, but it lets your robot have a thorough understanding of your home's layout and to know where it should go when the battery runs out.

Most robots let you create virtual barriers. This can be done using an app or physically-based boundary strips. You can block off areas you don't wish your robot to enter to allow it to concentrate on areas that require the most attention.

Many robots also have the ability to automatically navigate to different floors based on the type of floor they're cleaning, whether they're switching between hard flooring and carpet or focusing on certain areas of your home, like baseboards and corners. In our tests it was a great feature that helped improve their scores on picking up hardwood and low-pile carpeting. It's nevertheless important to tuck away furniture and cords that are loose prior to using your robot vacuum to ensure that it doesn't become stuck or get into something it shouldn't.

4. Remote Control

Almost all robot vacuums are WiFi-connected and can be controlled by Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts, which allow you to control them via voice commands or from your smartphone. Many connect to smart home systems and create maps of your home after each cleaning session, so they can "learn" your layout and design more efficient routes for future runs. Some have obstacles avoidance built-in that prevents them from damaging furniture and getting stuck on things like loose charging cables or pet hair.

Most robots come with a remote you can use to control them around your home. However, most can also be controlled with a mobile app, which gives you more features. You can typically set up multiple cleaning schedules, create an inventory of your favorite rooms and even manually guide your robot to certain areas using directional arrows on the screen.

Some models provide no-go zones, which are virtual barriers you can configure in the app to stop the robot from entering certain areas (like kids' toys or dog beds and bowls). Some apps let you draw a map of your house and provide detailed information about the floors. The Roborock S7+ app has many useful features that can aid in cleaning the house. However its interface isn't as polished as that from iRobot or shark ion robot vacuum.

5. Long Battery Life

Robot vacuums that can sweep your entire home without stopping for a recharge or emptying their trash bins save time and effort. Some are compatible with smart home devices like Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts to allow hands-free operation. They can also draw maps of the area to allow you to program them for certain areas or rooms and to stay clear of obstacles.

The majority of robot vacuums can detect objects, but the iRobot j7 comes with advanced features, such as "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 looking to take your home maintenance to the next level consider a robot mop that comes with a tank of water that can be filled and then empty.

While no of the models we tested could match the ability to pick up dirt of a standup vacuum, they did an excellent job cleaning hard floors and carpets with low pile. They excel at sweeping up food crumbs and dirt that has been tracked in. They can also handle metal screws and nuts, as well as the stray cat litter. The best robot vacs can easily maneuver through furniture, and they do a great job of cleaning edges and corners as well. Eufy 11S is a relatively inexpensive and basic model.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

With the right setup with the right setup, a robot vacuum will assist you in keeping your home looking and feeling fresh regularly, with minimal effort. You can schedule cleanings through the app, and create no-go zones so that your goovi robot Vacuum doesn't get in the way of your plants or favorite chair. A majority of our top picks empty their trash bins for you and clean their docking station.

The top robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors on a regular basis for months or even weeks at a time, removing you from the tedious chore of manually sweeping and mopping your floors on a daily or weekly basis. This lets you take more time doing the things you like and reduces the time needed to clean your floors manually.

In the course of testing the Q Revo was able to capture tiny particles such as oatmeal and baking soda, heavier debris such as metal screws and nails as well as fluffy things such as hair of pets. It doesn't have the smart mapping and objects avoidance features of our top picks, but it's adequate for most families.

The most appealing thing about the j7 is that it utilizes camera and processor-powered smarts to recognize and avoid obstacles such as shoes, power cords, socks, and pet waste. This means that you don't need to clean the room prior to running your robot, however clutter in your home can mean your robot could get stuck and not be able to do as well.