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 robotic vacuum is likely to work for you. Look for one that has a clean base and can work with voice assistants.

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

1. Powerful Suction

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

You can cover a larger area by using a robot vacuum and mop, which is especially beneficial if you live in a large house. Choose one that has a water reservoir either in the chassis or as a separate piece that you can swap out when vacuuming is complete. It'll need to be emptied and filled in order to complete the task.

In the ideal world, you'd clear your floors prior to using your robot vac to keep it from crashing into objects. In the majority of homes it's not feasible or desirable. Most models allow you to utilize an app for your smartphone to build virtual barriers that the robot will see. Some models have no-go zones which can be used to mark areas that you don't want it to enter, such as kids rooms or a stack of device cords in the corner.

If you're looking for dreame robot vacuum a basic robot vacuum with no bells and whistles, this model made by the company that makes networking TP-Link is a good choice. It's quiet, works well on hard floors as well as low-pile rugs. It can be scheduled via the app to mop or vacuum at your own convenience. It's got a long battery life of around 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 and lasers to maneuver around obstacles and remove food particles, dust and pet hair from floors, tiles, hardwood and low-pile carpets. Many have boundary strips to aid in staying within the walls of a room while higher-end models can be set to automatically wake up and begin cleaning at a predetermined time. Some models include fall detection technology that helps them avoid falling down stairs or getting caught in cords.

Find models that allow you to control from your couch using voice assistants such as Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also search for models with Wi-Fi connectivity that allow you to begin cleaning from any location using an app. Depending on the size of your home is, you may prefer one with a long battery life and a roomy dustbin that doesn't require being emptied frequently.

Some robot vacuums can double as mops, utilizing reservoirs of water to wash your floor. This is ideal for mopping, but not for difficult messes such as pet poop and other wet spills. You can pick hybrids that have a removable microfiber mopping pad or a self-emptying model that allows you to stay up to 60 days before emptying the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Some robots use advanced mapping technologies to build an accurate map of your floorplan as they clean the floor, which makes it easier for them to avoid crashing into furniture or tripping over things like chair legs or cords. This feature is typically only available on higher-end models, but it's certainly one of the best ways to make sure your robot has a complete understanding of the layout of your house and knows where to go next when it's low on battery.

If you don't want your dreame robot vacuum (click through the next article) to venture into areas of your home you'd rather it stay away from (like your children's toys or the tangled mess of gadget cords in the corner) Most robots provide some method of creating virtual barriers, either through their app or physical boundary strips. You can block off areas that you don't wish your robot to go into, so that it can focus on the rooms that need the most attention.

A lot of robots can also automatically change floors depending on the kind of flooring they are cleaning. This can be accomplished by switching from carpet to hard flooring, or by paying attention to certain areas of your home, such as corners and baseboards. In our tests it was a great feature that helped improve their scores on picking up carpeting made of low-pile or hardwood. It's important to tuck away 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 come with WiFi capabilities and can be controlled via voice commands, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Siri Shortcuts. Many robot vacuums are connected to smart home systems, and can create a map of the space they clean after each cleaning session. This allows them to "learn" how your home is laid out and plan more efficient routes during future cleaning sessions. Some have built-in obstacle avoidance that stops them from hitting and damaging furniture or getting stuck on things like loose charging cables shoes, laces for shoes and hair from pets.

Most robots come with a remote you can use to steer them around your home. However, most can also be controlled via an app on your mobile that offers more features. You can create multiple cleaning schedules, and create a list with your favorite rooms. You can also guide the robot by using the directional arrows.

Some models have no-go zones. These are virtual barriers that you can set up within the app to block the robot from entering specific areas (like toys for kids or dishes and dog beds). Some apps allow you to draw a map of your house and provide more detailed information about the floors. The Roborock S7+ app has a number of useful features that will assist you in cleaning your home. However its interface isn't as polished as iRobot or shark 2 in 1 robot vacuum.

5. Long Battery Life

Robotic vacuums that can sweep throughout the house without stopping to recharge or empty their dust bins save you time and effort. Some robot vacuums work with smart home platforms like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Shortcuts to allow hands-free operation. They can also create maps of the area to allow you to program them to specific areas or rooms and to avoid obstacles.

Most robot vacuums offer some degree of object detection, but higher-end models like the iRobot j7 come with advanced features such as "home mapping" and advanced obstacle avoidance, which can simplify your life (although our test bot did once "eat" the socks of a pair). socks). If you're trying to improve your home's maintenance, think about a robot mop with water containers that you can fill and empty.

While none of the models we tested could match the dirt-picking ability of a standup vacuum, they were able to do a fantastic job of cleaning hard floors and carpets with low pile. They excel at sweeping up fine dust and food crumbs, tracked-in dirt and pet hair. They are also able to tackle pet litter that is stray and metal screws and nuts. The top robot vacuums can clean corners and edges and can even work on furniture. Eufy 11S is a relatively affordable and basic model.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

With the right configuration, a robot vacuum can help you keep your home looking and feeling fresh every day without much work from you. You can schedule cleanings using the app, and you can designate no-go areas so that the robot won't walk on your favorite chair or plants. A majority of our top picks also automatically empty their dustbins and clean their docking stations for you.

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

During testing during testing, Q Revo was able grab fine particles such as baking soda and oatmeal. It also snatched up heavier debris like nails and screws made of metal, as well as fluffy hair. It doesn't have the smart mapping and object avoidance features of our top picks, but it works well enough for the majority of families.

The best thing about the j7 is its ability to recognize and avoid obstacles such as power cords as well as socks and shoes, and pet waste. This means that you don't need to clean up before using your robot. However, cluttered rooms can cause your robot to get stuck and do a poor job.