How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you're able to live without advanced features such as mapping, and don't mind emptying the dustbin every 60 days or so, a basic robot vacuum will probably work for you. Pick a model that has 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 robo vacuum we've tested. It also has the ability to map out and set virtual no go zones for rooms or areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum will help you keep up with the dust, pet fur and dander that settles on your floor every day. It also can reduce the frequency of deep cleaning, saving your time and effort. The best robot vacuum deals models come with powerful suction, which can clean up most mess with ease and leave your home cleaner.

Selecting a vacuum that can also mop will help you get more space with one machine, which is especially beneficial in a larger home. There are models that has a water tank integrated into the chassis or as an additional piece that you can swap out after vacuuming. It will need to be filled and empty, so it's an extra task to complete.

In ideal world, you'd clear your floors prior to using your robot vacuum to keep it from running into things. In the majority of homes, however, this is not possible or desirable. Most robots allow you to use an app for your smartphone to build virtual barriers that the robot can observe. Certain models have no-go zones that you can mark areas that you don't want it to be allowed to enter. For example the child's room or a pile of cords in the corner.

If you're looking for a simple robot vacuum without all the bells and whistles, this model from networking company TP-Link is a good choice. It's quiet and works well on hard floors and low-pile carpets and can be scheduled using the app to vacuum or mop at your convenience. It's got a long battery life, and can last for up to 180 minutes before it needs to recharge.

2. Easy to Operate

In general robot vacuums require little input from you. They make use of navigation tools such as sensors and lasers to navigate through obstacles and collect food particles, dust and pet hair from hard flooring, tile carpets, and hardwood. Many have boundary strips that allow them to stay within a room's walls, while more expensive models can be set to automatically wake up and begin cleaning at a scheduled time. Some models have fall detection technology to help them avoid falling down stairs or becoming tangled in cords.

If you want to control your robot vacuum from the comfort of your couch, look for models that can work with voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also select 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 one with a long-lasting battery and a large dust bin that doesn't have to be emptied frequently.

Some robot vacuums double as mops, using reservoirs of water to clean your floors. This is ideal for mopping, but not ideal for tough messes like pet poop and other wet spills. There are hybrids that have an ejectable microfiber pad for mopping, or you can choose self-emptying models that let you go 30 to 60 days without needing to empty the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Certain robots employ advanced mapping technologies to build an accurate map of your floorplan as they clean, making it easier for them to avoid falling into furniture or falling over things like cords or chair legs. This feature is typically only available on higher-end models, but it's one of the most effective ways to ensure that your robot has an accurate understanding of the layout of your house and is aware of where to go when it's running 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 mess of device cords in the corner) Most robots provide the possibility of creating virtual barriers, either with their app or physical boundary strips. This lets you create zones that you don't want your robot enter, so that it can focus its attention on the areas that require the most attention.

Many robots also automatically switch floors based on the type of flooring they are cleaning. This can be accomplished by changing from carpet to hard flooring, or by focussing on specific areas of your house, such as corners and baseboards. This feature proved to be useful during our tests and helped improve the performance of the vacuum on hardwood flooring and low-pile floor carpeting. However, it's still important to secure furniture and robot vacuum and Mop self empty cords that are loose prior to using your robot vacuum and Mop self empty vacuum to ensure that it doesn't get caught or run into something it shouldn't.

4. Remote Control

Almost all robot vacuums have WiFi connectivity and can be controlled by Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts to enable you to control them via voice commands or via your smartphone. Many robot vacuums connect to smart robot vacuum home systems, and can create an outline of the area they clean after each cleaning session. This allows them to "learn" the way your home is laid out and to plan more efficient routes for future cleaning sessions. There are also built-in obstacles avoidance that prevents them from crashing into furniture and damaging it or getting stuck on things like charging cables that are loose, shoe laces and hair from pets.

Most robots come with a remote you can use to steer them around your home. Most robots can be operated by mobile applications that comes with more features. You can usually create multiple cleaning schedules, create an inventory of your favorite rooms and even manually guide your robot to specific areas using directional arrows on the screen.

Some models have zones that are not allowed. These are virtual barriers can be created within the app to block the robot from entering certain areas (like toys for kids or dog beds and dishes). Some apps allow you to draw a map of your house and provide detailed information about the floors. The app on our top choice, the Roborock S7+, has many useful options to help you tidy your home, but its interface isn't as polished and elegant as those from iRobot and Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robot vacuums that clean your entire house without stopping for a recharge or to empty their dustbins save time and effort. Some robot vacuums work with smart home platforms such as Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Shortcuts to allow hands-free operation. They can also make a map of the space that allows you to program them to specific areas or rooms and to avoid obstacles.

Most robot vacuums offer some degree of detection of objects, but higher-end models like the iRobot J7 have advanced features such as "home mapping" and advanced obstacle avoidance, which can simplify your life (although our test bot did "eat" the socks of a pair). socks). If you're looking to push your home maintenance even further opt for a robotic mop that comes with an water tank that can be filled and then empty.

While none of the models that we tested could match the dirt-picking ability of a stand-up vacuum they were able to do a fantastic job of cleaning hard floors and low pile carpets. They excel in sweeping up dust and debris, food dust, tracked-in dirt, and pet hair. They also can handle screws and nuts made of metal and stray cat litter. The most effective robot vacuums are able to effortlessly work through furniture, and they do a great job of cleaning corners and edges as well. Eufy 11S is a relatively affordable and basic model.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

A robot vacuum can help keep your home tidy and clean without you having to do much work. You can schedule your cleanings using the app and create no-go zones so that your robot won't trample your plants or ruin your favorite chair. A majority of our top picks empty their dustbins for you and clean their docking station.

The best robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors regularly for weeks or even months at a time, removing you from the time-consuming task of manually cleaning your floors on a daily or weekly basis. This helps you have more time to do the things you love and cuts down on the amount of time that your floors require to be cleaned manually.

During testing the Q Revo was able grab fine particles such as baking soda and oatmeal. It also snatched up heavier particles such as nails and screws made of metal, as well as fluffy things like pet hair. It lacks the intelligent mapping and object-avoiding features found in our top picks but is still a good choice for most families.

The j7's best feature is its ability to detect and avoid obstacles like power cords and socks, shoes and pet waste. This means that you don't have to clean up after using your robot. However, rooms that are cluttered may cause your bot to become stuck and perform a poor job.