How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you can live without smart capabilities like mapping, and you don't mind emptying the dustbin every 60 days or so, a basic robot vacuum could be a good choice for you. Choose a model with an uncluttered base that can work with voice assistants.

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

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum can keep clean of the dust, pet hair and dander that accumulates on your floors on a day-to-day basis. It also can reduce the frequency at which you have to clean your floors and saves you time and effort. The best models come with powerful suction, which will take on the majority of messes and leave your home cleaner.

A robot vacuum that also mop will help you achieve more coverage using one machine, which could be especially helpful for homes with a large area. You can find a model with a tank for water either built into the chassis or as an additional piece that you can remove after vacuuming. You'll have to empty it and refill it, however it's an additional task that will require a little extra work on your part.

In the ideal world, you'd clean your floors before you used your robot vacuum for pets vacuum to keep it from running into things. But in most homes, this isn't possible or desirable. Thankfully, many models allow you to use your smartphone to create virtual barriers that the robot can detect and avoid. Some models have no-go zones, which you can flag areas you don't want the robot to enter. For example an area for children's play or a pile cords in an area.

If you're looking for a basic robot vacuum without all the bells and whistles, this model made by the company that makes networking TP-Link is a great option. It's quiet, and Self cleaning robot vacuum it works on hard floors as well as low-pile carpets and can be scheduled using the app to vacuum or mop at any time. It comes with a battery life that can last up to 180 minutes.

2. Easy to operate

In general, robot vacuums require very little input from you. They make use of navigation tools such as sensors lasers, cameras and sensors to maneuver through obstacles and collect food particles, dust and pet hair from hard floors, tiles carpets, hardwood floors and low-pile carpets. Many models come with boundaries strips that help them remain inside the room. Higher-end models can be programmed to get up at a particular time and start cleaning. Some models even have fall detection technology that prevents tumbling down stairs or getting caught in electrical cords.

Look for models that can be controlled from your couch via voice assistants, such as Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also choose Wi-Fi models that permit you to start cleaning anywhere you want using an app. Depending on how large your home is, you might prefer a model that has a long battery life and a roomy dustbin that doesn't have to be emptying frequently.

Some robot vacuums double as mops and use reservoirs of water to clean your floor. This is useful for regular mopping but won't work for extra-tough messes, like pet poop or other spills that are wet. You can choose hybrids that have a removable microfiber mopping pad or a self-emptying option that lets you go up to 60 days before emptying the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Some robots use advanced mapping technology to create an accurate map of your floorplan as they clean, making it easier for them to avoid crashing into furniture or tripping over things such as cords or chairs. This feature is usually only available on higher-end 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 running out of battery.

Most robots allow you to create virtual barriers. This can be done using an app or physically-based boundary strips. You can block off areas that you don't wish your robot to access, so that it can concentrate on rooms that require the most attention.

A lot of robots can also automatically change floors depending on the kind of flooring they are cleaning. This can be done by switching from carpet to hard flooring, or by focussing on specific areas of your house, such as corners and baseboards. This feature proved useful in our tests and enhanced the vacuum's performance on both hardwood flooring and carpeting for floors with low-pile. But, it's still essential to put away furniture and cords 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 using voice commands, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Siri Shortcuts. Many connect to smart home systems that create an outline of your space after each cleaning session so that they can "learn" your layout and plan more efficient routes for future trips. Certain models have obstacle avoidance built in that 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 that you can use to pilot them around your home. Most robots can be controlled by a mobile app that comes with more features. You can set up multiple cleaning schedules, and create an agenda of your most-loved rooms. You can also guide the robot with directional arrows.

Some models have zones that are not allowed. These are virtual barriers can be created in the app to stop the robot from entering specific areas (like kid's toys or dishes and dog beds). Some apps allow you to create an image of your home and provide more detailed information about the floors. The app on our top choice, 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

Robot vacuums that can clean your entire house without stopping for a recharge or emptying their trash bins save time and effort. Certain robot vacuums can work with smart home platforms such as Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Shortcuts to allow hands-free operation. They can also draw an outline of the space that allows you to program them for specific areas or rooms, and to stay clear of obstacles.

The majority of robot vacuums detect objects, however the iRobot j7 offers advanced features like "home mapping" and obstacle avoidance. These features can make your life easier (although one of our test robots did "eat" two socks). If you're seeking to improve your home maintenance, consider the use of a robot mop and water containers that you can fill and empty.

While none of the models we tested could compete with the dirt-picking power of a standup vacuum, they did a great job cleaning hard floors as well as carpets with low pile. They excel in sweeping up dust and food particles, dirt tracked in and pet hair. They can also tackle scattered cat litter, as well as metal screws and nuts. The top robot vacuums are able to clean edges and corners and can work around furniture. Eufy 11S is a relatively inexpensive and basic model.

6. Convenient self cleaning robot vacuum-Charging

A robot vacuum can keep your home tidy and clean without doing much work. You can schedule cleanings using the app, and set up no-go areas to ensure that your robot does not step on your plants or favorite chair. Many of our top picks also automatically empty their trash bins and clean their docking stations for you.

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

During testing during testing, Q Revo was able to grab small particles such as baking soda and oatmeal. It also snatched up larger particles like nails and screws made of steel, as well as fluffy stuff like pet hair. It isn't equipped with the smart mapping and objects-avoiding features of our top picks, but it is still a good choice for most families.

The best feature of the j7 is that it utilizes camera and processor-powered smarts to recognize and avoid obstacles such as shoes, power cords, socks and pet waste. This means that you don't need to spend time tidying up before you can run your robot, however clutter in your home can mean your bot may get stuck and not perform the job as well.