How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you don't require advanced features like mapping, and aren't worried about emptying your bin every 60 to 90 days, a basic robotic vacuum is probably suitable for you. Find an option with a clean base and can work with voice assistants.

It is the best robo-vacuum we have tested for getting rid of dirt and pet hair on hardwood floors, tile, and carpets with low pile. It also maps and set virtual no-go zones for rooms or areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum cleaner can assist you in keeping up with the dust, pet fur and dander that accumulates on your floor every day. It also can reduce the frequency you have to do a deeper clean and saves your time and effort. The most effective models have powerful suction that can tackle most messes and leave your home sparkling clean.

Choosing a robot vacuum that also mop will allow you to cover more ground with one machine, which could be especially helpful for homes with a large area. There are models that has a water tank in the chassis itself or as an extra piece that you can take out after vacuuming. You'll have to empty it and fill it up, however, so this is an additional task that requires some extra effort on your part.

In a perfect world, you'd clean your floors before you used your robot vac to keep it from hitting things. In the majority of homes, this is not possible or desirable. Most robots allow you to make use of an app that you can install on your phone to create virtual barriers the robot can observe. Some models have no-go zones which you can use to mark areas you don't want it to access, such as children rooms or a pile of device cords in the corner.

If you're looking for a basic robot vacuum without all the bells and bells, this model from the company that makes networking TP-Link is a great choice. It's quiet, it is able to work on hard floors as well as low-pile carpets and can be programmed through the app to vacuum and mop at your leisure. It comes with a battery life of up to 180 minutes.

2. Easy to Operate

In general robot vacuums require little input from you. They utilize navigation tools like sensors lasers, cameras and sensors to maneuver through obstacles and collect dust, food crumbs and pet hair from flooring, tile carpets, hardwood floors and low-pile carpets. A lot of models come with boundary strips that allow them to remain in a room. Higher-end models can be programmed to wake up at a specific time and begin cleaning. Some models have fall detection technology to help them avoid falling down a flight of stairs or becoming tangled in cords.

Look for models that you can control from your couch using voice assistants such as Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also look for Wi-Fi-connected models that let you start cleaning from any location using an app. Depending on how big your home is, you might prefer a model with a long battery life and a spacious dust bin that doesn't have to be emptying frequently.

Some robot vacuums can also be mopping machines. They use water reservoirs to wash the floor. This is great for mopping, but not for tough messes like pet poop and other spills. There are hybrids that have a removable microfiber pad for mopping, or choose self-emptying models that let you go for 30 to 60 days without needing to empty the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Some robots use advanced mapping technology to create a precise map as they clean. This helps them avoid bumping into furniture and getting caught on cords or chairs. This feature is typically only available on more expensive models, but it's certainly one of the best ways to ensure your robot has a full understanding of the layout of your house and knows where to go next when it's low on battery.

If you do not want your robot to go into areas of your home that you'd rather it stay away from (like your children's toys or the tangled mess of device cords in the corner), most robots offer some method of creating virtual barriers, either through their apps or physical boundary strips. This allows you to create zones that you do not want your robot to explore, so that it can concentrate its attention on rooms and spaces that need the most cleaning.

Many robots can also automatically navigate to different floorings depending on the surface they're cleaning, whether they're switching between hard and carpet or focusing on certain areas of your home, such as corners and baseboards. This feature proved useful in our tests and enhanced the performance of the Vacuum That Cleans And Mops on hardwood flooring and carpeting for floors with low-pile. It is essential to put away any furniture or cords that are loose before using your robot vacuum so it doesn't get caught.

4. Remote Control

Almost all robot vacuums are WiFi-enabled and can be controlled by Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts to allow you to control them via voice commands or through your smartphone. Many robot vacuums connect to smart home systems, and can create a map of the space they clean after each session. This allows them to "learn" the way your home is laid out and plan more efficient routes in future cleaning sessions. Certain models have obstacle avoidance features built in, which prevents them from causing damage to furniture and getting stuck on things like loose charging cables or pet hair.

Most robots come with a remote you can use to steer them around your home. Most robots are operated by mobile applications, which offers more features. You can create multiple cleaning schedules and make an inventory of your preferred rooms. You can also manually guide the robot using direction Arrows.

Certain models have zones that are not allowed. These are virtual barriers can be created in the app to stop the robot from accessing certain areas (like toys for children or dishes and dog beds). Other apps let you make an outline of your home and provide the robot with detailed information about your floors. The Roborock S7+ app has a number of useful features that will aid in cleaning the house. However, its interface isn't quite as sleek as iRobot or Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robotic vacs that can clean throughout the 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 make an outline of the space for you to program them to specific rooms or areas and to stay clear of obstacles.

The majority of robot vacuums can detect objects, but the iRobot J7 has advanced features such as "home mapping" and obstacle avoidance. These can make your life much easier (although one of our test bots did "eat" a couple of socks). If you're trying to improve your home's maintenance, you should consider an automated vacuum cleaner mop that comes with a water container that can be filled and then empty.

While no of the models we tested could match the dirt-picking ability of a stand-up vacuum they did a great job cleaning hard floors and carpets with a low pile. They excel at sweeping up fine dust and food particles, dirt tracked in and pet hair. They can even tackle some scattered cat litter, as well as metal screws and nuts. The top robot vacuums can remove dirt from edges and corners and can even work around furniture. Eufy 11S is a relatively basic and affordable model.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

With the right configuration, a robot vacuum can assist you in keeping your home looking and vacuum that cleans and mops feeling cleaner on a regular basis without a lot of effort. You can schedule cleanings through the app, and designate no-go areas so that the robot won't get in the way of your plants or sit on your favorite chair. The majority of our top picks automatically empty their dustbins and clean their docking stations for you.

The most effective robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors on a regular basis for weeks or even months at a stretch, freeing you from the time-consuming task of manually sweeping and mopping your floors on a daily or weekly basis. This allows you to take more time doing the things you enjoy and reduces the amount of time required to clean your floors manually.

In our tests, Q Revo was able to capture fine particles such as baking soda and oatmeal. It also snatched up heavier particles such as metal screws and nails and fluffy stuff like pet hair. It doesn't have the smart mapping and object avoidance features of our top picks, however it's sufficient for the majority of families.

The best value robot vacuum thing about the j7 is its ability to spot and avoid obstacles like power cords, shoes and socks as well as pet waste. This means that you don't have to clean up after using your robot. However, messy rooms could cause your robot to become stuck and perform an inadequate job.