How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you don't need advanced features like mapping and you don't mind emptying your dustbin every 60 to 90 days, a basic robotic vacuum is probably the best choice for you. Pick a model that has clean and tidy base that is compatible with voice assistants.

It is a pro at picking up dirt, cat litter and pet hair on tile floors, hardwood floors and low-pile carpeting better than any other vacuum we've tried. It also maps and create virtual no-go zones for rooms and areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum can keep up with the dust, pet hair and dander that accumulates on your floors on a daily basis. It also can reduce the frequency you have to do a deeper clean and saves you time and effort. The Best Robot Vacuums 2022 models come with powerful suction, which can clean up most mess with ease and leave your home clean.

Choosing a robot vacuum that is also able to mop will allow you to achieve more coverage using one machine, which can be particularly beneficial for homes with a large area. There are models that has a water tank in the chassis itself or as an additional piece that you can take out after vacuuming. You'll have to empty it and refill it, however, so this is an additional chore that requires a little extra work on your part.

In a perfect world, you'd be able to clean your floors prior to using your robot vac to keep it from crashing into objects. However, in the majority of homes, this isn't feasible or desirable. Most models allow you to use an app for your smartphone to build virtual barriers the 360 robot vacuum can see. Some models have no-go zones that you can mark areas you don't wish it to access. For example the child's room or a pile of cords in the corner.

If you're looking for a basic robot vacuum with no bells and bells, this model from the networking company TP-Link is a good choice. It's quiet, works well on both hard floors and low-pile carpets and can be scheduled via the app to vacuum or mop at your convenience. It has a good battery life, which can last up to 180 minutes before it requires to recharge.

2. Easy to Operate

Robot vacuums generally require only minimal effort from you. They utilize navigation tools like sensors, lasers and cameras to maneuver around obstacles and suck up dust, food crumbs and pet hair from floors, tiles, hardwood and low-pile carpets. A lot of them have boundary strips that help them stay within the walls of a room, while pricier models can be programmed to automatically wake up and start cleaning at a set time. Certain models come with fall detection technology that helps them avoid falling down a flight of stairs or getting caught in cords.

Find models that can be controlled from your couch using voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also choose Wi-Fi models that allow you to begin a cleaning session anywhere using an app. Depending on how big your house is, you may want a model with a long-lasting battery and a roomy dustbin that doesn't require being regularly emptied.

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

3. Smart Mapping

Certain robots utilize advanced mapping technology to create a detailed map while they clean. This helps them avoid hitting furniture and getting caught on cords or legs of chairs. This feature is typically only available on more expensive models, but it's one of the best ways to make sure your robot has a full understanding of the layout of your home and can determine where to go when it runs out of battery.

If you do not want your robot to go into areas of your home that you'd prefer to keep it away from (like your kids' toys or the tangled mess of gadget cords in the corner) The majority of robots offer the possibility of creating virtual barriers, either with their app or a set of physical boundary strips. This allows you to block off zones that you do not want your robot to enter, so that it can concentrate its attention on areas that require the most attention.

A lot of robots are able to automatically navigate to different floors based on the type of flooring they're cleaning, be it they're switching between carpet and hard flooring or focusing on certain areas of your home, like baseboards and corners. This feature proved useful during our tests and helped improve the performance of the vacuum on hardwood flooring and carpet flooring with low pile. It's nevertheless important to put 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

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

Most robots come with a remote you can use to pilot them around your home. Most robots are controlled by a mobile app which has more options. It is possible to set multiple cleaning schedules, create an inventory of your favorite rooms and even manually guide your robot to specific areas by using directions on the screen.

Certain models have zones that are not allowed. These are virtual barriers that you can set up within the app to block the robot from entering specific areas (like kid's toys or dishes for dogs and dog beds). Certain apps let you create a map of your house and provide detailed information on the floors. The Roborock S7+ app has several useful features to help you clean the house. However the interface isn't as polished as that from iRobot or Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robot vacs that can work all over your home without stopping to recharge or empty their trash bins can save you time and energy. Some robot vacuums are compatible with smart home platforms like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Best robot vacuums 2022 Siri Shortcuts to allow hands-free operation. They can also create an outline of the space for you to program them for certain areas or rooms and to avoid obstacles.

Most robot vacs have some level of object detection and object detection, but more expensive models such as the iRobot J7 have advanced features like "home mapping" and advanced obstacle avoidance that will make your life easier (although our test bot did "eat" socks). socks). If you want to take your home maintenance to the next level consider a robot mop that has a water tank that you fill and empty yourself.

While none of the models we tested could beat the dirt-picking power of a stand-up vacuum, most do an admirable job at cleaning carpets and hard floors. They excel at picking up food crumbs and tracked-in dirt. They are also able to handle nuts and screws made of metal as well as cats' litter. The top robot vacuums 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 relatively inexpensive take a look at the Eufy 11S.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

With the right configuration, a robot vacuum can assist you in keeping your home looking and feeling cleaner regularly, without a lot of effort. You can schedule cleanings using the app, and you can create no-go zones to ensure that your robot does not step on your plants or sit on your favorite chair. Many of our top picks will also empty their dustbins and clean their docking station.

The top robot vacuums are programmable to keep your floors clean for months or weeks at a time, thereby saving you the time and effort of manually mopping or sweeping your floors every single week or every day. This allows you to enjoy more time doing things you enjoy, and decreases the amount of time required to clean your floors manually.

In our tests, Q Revo was able grab fine particles like baking soda and oatmeal. It also snatched up heavier debris like metal screws and nails and fluffy things like pet hair. It doesn't have the smart mapping and object avoidance features found in our top picks, but it's adequate for the majority of families.

The best thing about the j7 is its ability to detect and avoid obstacles such as power cords, shoes and socks, best robot vacuums 2022 and pet waste. This means that you don't need to tidy up before running your robot, however messy rooms can mean that your bot may get stuck and not be able to do the job as well.