How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you don't need advanced features like mapping and you aren't worried about emptying your bin every 60 to 90 days A basic robot vacuum is probably the best choice for you. Choose a model with an uncluttered base that can work with voice assistants.

It excels at picking up dirt, clumps of cat litter and pet hair on tile floors, hardwood floors and low-pile carpeting better than any other robo vacuum we've tried. It can also map out and set virtual no-go zones for rooms or specific areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum will stay clean of the dust, pet hair and dander that collects on your floors on a day-to-day basis. It also can reduce the frequency at which you have to deep clean and saves you time and effort. The best model has powerful suction that will easily clean up most mess and leave your home sparkling clean.

Choosing a robot vacuum that is also able to mop can help you cover more ground by using just one machine. This is especially beneficial for homes with a large area. Choose one that has an water reservoir in the chassis or as a separate item that you can swap out when the vacuuming is done. It will have to be filled and empty in order to complete the task to complete.

In a perfect world you would clean your floors first before using your robot vacuum, preventing it from hitting anything. In the majority of homes, however it's not feasible or desirable. Thankfully, many models let you use your smartphone app to set up virtual barriers that the robot can detect and avoid. Some models have no-go zones that you can mark areas you don't want the robot to enter. For instance an area for children's play or a pile cords in an area.

This model is a great option for those looking for an easy robot cleaner that doesn't have all the bells. It's quiet, it works on both hard floors as well as carpets with low pile and can be programmed via the app to vacuum and mop at your own convenience. It has a long battery life of up to 180 minutes.

2. Easy to operate

In general, robot vacuums require very little input from you. They use navigation tools like sensors and lasers to move through obstacles and collect dust, food crumbs and pet hair from floors, tiles carpets, hardwood floors and low-pile carpets. A lot of them have boundary strips that help them stay within a room's walls, while pricier models can be programmed to automatically wake up and start cleaning at a predetermined time. Some models even have fall detection technology that helps them avoid tumbling down stairs or getting tangled in electrical cords.

Look for models that allow you to control from your couch via voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also search for models with Wi-Fi connectivity that let you start cleaning from any location via an app. Depending on the size of your house is, you may want one with a long-lasting battery and a roomy dustbin that doesn't need to be emptied frequently.

Some robot vacuums are also mops. They use water reservoirs to clean the floor. This is great for mopping, but not for tough messes like pet poop and other spills. You can pick hybrids with an able mopping pad made of microfiber or a self-emptying option that allows you to go for up to 60 days before emptying the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Some robots utilize advanced mapping technology to create a detailed map of your floorplan while they clean and tidy, allowing them to avoid falling into furniture or falling over things such as cords or chairs. This feature is typically only available on higher-end models, but it's certainly one of the best roomba vacuum and mop combo ways to make sure your robot has a complete understanding of the layout of your home and knows where to go next when it's running out of battery.

Most robots allow you to create virtual barriers. This can be done via an application or even physical boundary strips. You can block off areas that you don't want your robot to access to allow it to focus on the rooms that require the most attention.

Many robots will also automatically switch floors based on the floor they are cleaning. This can be done by changing from carpet to hard flooring or by paying attention to particular areas of your home, such as corners and baseboards. In our tests, this was a useful feature that helped improve their performance in picking up carpeting that is low-pile and hardwood. It is important to secure any furniture or cords that are loose prior to using your robot vacuum so that it doesn't become caught.

4. Remote Control

Most robot vacuums have WiFi capabilities and can be controlled via voice commands, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Siri Shortcuts. Many connect to smart home systems and build a map of your space after each cleaning session, so that they can "learn" your layout and devise more efficient routes for future runs. There are also built-in obstacles avoidance, which stops them from hitting furniture and damaging it or getting stuck on things like loose charging cables, shoe laces and pet hair.

Most robots come with a remote that you can use to control them around your home. However, many can be controlled with an app on your mobile that offers more options. You can typically set multiple cleaning schedules, create the list of rooms you like and even manually guide your robot to certain areas by using directional arrows on the screen.

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 kids or dishes and dog beds). Other apps let you set up the map of your house and give the robot detailed information about your floors. The app that we recommend as our top pick, the Roborock S7+, has a lot of useful options to help you tidy your home, but its interface isn't as polished as the ones from iRobot and Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robotic vacs that can clean a whole house without stopping to recharge or empty their trash bins can save you time and energy. Certain robot vacuums can work with smart home platforms like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Shortcuts to allow hands-free operation. They can also make an outline of your space and allow you to program them to clean certain areas or rooms and beware of obstacles.

The majority of robot vacuums can detect objects, however the iRobot j7 offers advanced features such as "home mapping" and obstacle avoidance. These can make your life easier (although one of our test bots did "eat" a few socks). If you're seeking to improve the quality of your home maintenance, think about the use of a robot mop and water containers that can be filled and then empty.

While none of the models we tested can beat the dirt-picking power of a stand-up vacuum, the majority of them do an excellent job at cleaning carpets and hard floors. They excel at sweeping up fine dust and food dust, tracked-in dirt, and pet hair. They also can handle screws and nuts made of metal, as well as cats' litter. The Best vacuum That mops robot vacs can easily work their way around furniture, and they do a great job of cleaning edges and corners as well. For a basic model that functions by itself and is reasonably priced look into the Eufy 11S.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

A robot vacuum will help keep your home tidy and clean without you having to do lots of work. It is possible to schedule cleanings with the app, and you can designate no-go areas so that the robot won't walk on your plants or favorite chair. The majority of our top picks empty their dustbins for you and clean their docking stations.

The best robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors regularly for weeks or months at a stretch, saving you the time and effort of manually mopping or sweeping your floors every single week or even every day. This lets you enjoy more time doing things you enjoy and reduces the time it takes to clean your floors manually.

During testing the Q Revo was able grab fine particles like baking soda and oatmeal. It also picked up heavier debris like nails and screws made of steel, as well as fluffy things like pet hair. It isn't equipped with the smart mapping and objects-avoiding features of our top picks, but is still a great choice for families with children.

The most impressive feature of the j7 is its ability to detect and avoid obstacles like power cords as well as socks and shoes and pet waste. This means you don't have to tidy up before running your robot, although messy rooms can mean that your bot may get stuck and not do as good a job.