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 robotic Vacuum Robot Mop is probably suitable for you. Select a model with a clean base that works with voice assistants.

It excels at removing dirt, clumps of pet hair and cat litter on hardwood floors, tile and carpeting that is lower-pile better than any other vacuum we've tried. It can also plan out and create virtual no-go zones for rooms or specific areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum can help you keep up with the pet fur, dust and dander that collects on your floors every day. It can also decrease the frequency of deep cleaning, saving your time and effort. The best models come with powerful suction, which will take on the majority of messes and leave your house cleaner.

Choosing a robot vacuum that is also able to mop can help you achieve more coverage by using just one machine. This can be particularly beneficial in a larger home. Choose models that have an water reservoir in the chassis or as a separate piece that you swap in when the vacuuming is finished. You'll have to empty it and refill it, however, so this is an additional task that will require a little extra work on your part.

In a perfect universe, you would clear your floors first before using your robot vacuum to stop it from crashing into anything. However, in the majority of homes, this isn't feasible or desirable. Thankfully, most models let you use your smartphone app to set up virtual barriers that the robot will detect and avoid. Certain models have no-go zones, which you can flag areas that you don't want it to access. For example an area for children's play or a pile of cords in an area.

If you're looking to buy a basic robot vacuum without all the bells and whistles, this model made by the networking company TP-Link is a great option. It is quiet, is able to work on hard floors as well as low-pile carpets and can be programmed via the app to vacuum and mop at your own convenience. It's got a long battery life, and can last up to 180 minutes before needing to recharge.

2. Simple to operate

Robot vacuums typically require very little from you. They use navigational tools such as sensors lasers, cameras, and sensors to move and collect dust, pet hair and food crumbs from hard floors, tiles and hardwood. Many have boundary strips that aid in staying within the walls of a room while pricier models can be set to automatically wake up and start cleaning at a predetermined time. Certain models come with fall detection technology to help them avoid falling down a flight of stairs or getting caught in cords.

If you're looking to control your robot vacuum from the comfort of your couch, look for models that integrate voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also pick Wi-Fi models that permit you to start cleaning from anywhere with an app. Depending on the size of your house is, you may want a model with a long-lasting battery and a large dust bin that doesn't need to be regularly emptied.

Some robot vacuums double as mops and use reservoirs of water to wash your floors. This is helpful for normal mopping, but it won't work for tough messes like pet poop, or other wet spills. You can pick hybrids with an adjustable microfiber mopping pad, or a self-emptying version that lets you go up to 60 days before emptying the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Certain robots utilize advanced mapping technology to create a precise map as they clean. This makes it easier to avoid bumping into furniture or tripping over cords or legs of chairs. This feature is only available on top-of-the-line models, but it allows your robot to be aware of the layout of your home and to know where it should go when the battery is out.

If you don't want your robot to venture into areas of your home you'd prefer to keep it away from (like your kids' toys or the mess of device cords in the corner), most robots offer the possibility of creating virtual barriers, either via their app or a set of physical boundary strips. You can block off areas you don't want your robot to go into in order to concentrate on rooms 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 carpet and hard flooring or focusing on particular areas of your home, such as baseboards and corners. In our tests it was a great feature that helped improve their scores on picking up hardwood and low-pile carpeting. But, it's still essential to tuck away loose cords and furniture before running your robot vacuum so that it doesn't get caught or come into contact with something it shouldn't.

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 an outline of your space after each cleaning session to "learn" your layout and design more efficient routes for future trips. Some have obstacle avoidance built in, which prevents them from causing damage to furniture and getting stuck on things like loose charging cables or pet hair.

Most robots are equipped with the ability to control them with a remote that can be used to guide them around your house. The majority of robots can be controlled by a mobile app which has more options. You can create multiple cleaning schedules and create an agenda of your most-loved rooms. You can also manually guide the robot with directional Arrows.

Some models provide no-go zones, which are virtual barriers you can configure within the app to prevent the robot from entering certain areas (like toys for kids or dog beds and bowls). Other apps let you create the map of your house and give the robot detailed information about your floors. The app we ranked as our top choice Roborock S7+, the Roborock S7+, has a lot of useful options to help you tidy your home, however its interface isn't as polished as the ones from iRobot and Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robot vacs that can work throughout the house without stopping to recharge or empty their trash bins make it easier for you to save time and effort. Some work 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 to specific rooms or areas and to avoid obstacles.

Most robot vacs have some degree of detection of objects and object detection, but more expensive models such as the iRobot J7 have advanced features like "home mapping" and advanced obstacle avoidance, which can make your life easier (although our test bot did "eat" a pair of socks). If you're seeking to improve your home's maintenance, consider an automated mop that comes with an water container that you can fill and Vacuum Robot mop empty.

While none of the models we tested could match the dirt-picking power of a stand-up model, most do an admirable job at cleaning carpets and hard floors. They excel at sweeping up fine dirt, food crumbs, and dirt that has been tracked into. They are also able to handle screws and nuts made of metal as well as cats' litter. The best robot vacs can effortlessly work through furniture, and they are great at cleaning edges and corners as well. Eufy 11S is a relatively affordable and basic model.

6. Convenient self vacuum robot-Charging

A dyson robot vacuum vacuum can keep your home tidy and clean without you having to do much work. You can schedule cleanings through the app and set up no-go zones so that your robot doesn't damage your plants or your favorite chair. Many of our top picks also automatically empty their bins and clean their docking stations for you.

The best robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors regularly for weeks or even months at a time, removing you from the arduous task of manually mopping and sweeping your floors on a daily or weekly basis. This lets you spend more time doing things you enjoy, and decreases the time needed to clean your floors manually.

During testing the Q Revo was able to grab small particles such as baking soda and oatmeal. It also grabbed heavier particles such as nails and screws made of steel, as well as fluffy stuff like pet hair. It does not have the advanced mapping and objects-avoiding features of our top picks, but it is still a great option for most families.

The j7's best feature is its ability to recognize and avoid obstacles like power cords and socks, shoes as well as pet waste. This means you don't have to clean up before you can run your robot, although clutter in your home can mean your robot could get stuck and not be able to do the job as well.