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 garbage bin every 60 days or so, a basic robotic vacuum will probably work for you. Choose one with a clean base and is compatible with voice assistants.

It excels at picking up dirt, pet hair and cat litter on tile floors, hardwood floors and carpeting with less pile than any other robo vacuum we've tried. It also maps and create virtual no-go zones in rooms or areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot mop vacuum combo vacuum cleaner can help you keep up with the dust, pet fur and dander that collects on your floor each day. It also can reduce the frequency of deep cleaning, saving you time and effort. The best robot vacuum for pets model has powerful suction that will easily clean up most mess and leave your home sparkling clean.

A robot vacuum that also mop will allow you to achieve more coverage by using just one machine. This is especially beneficial in a larger home. Find a model that has a water reservoir either built into its chassis or as a separate item that you put in after the vacuuming is done. It will need to be emptied and refilled and refilled, which is an additional chore.

In the ideal world, you'd clean your floors prior to using your robot vac to keep it from running into things. But in most homes, this isn't feasible or desirable. Most robots allow you to use an app on your smartphone to create virtual barriers that the robot will see. Some models include no-go areas, which you can flag areas you don't want the robot to enter. For instance an area for children's play or a pile of cords in a corner.

If you're looking for a simple deebot robot vacuum vacuum with no bells and whistles, this model made by networking company TP-Link is a good choice. It's quiet and is able to work on hard floors as well as carpets with low pile and can be programmed using the app to vacuum and mop at your leisure. It's got a long battery life of up to 180 minutes.

2. Simple to operate

In general robot vacuums require little input from you. They make use of sensors lasers, cameras, and sensors to maneuver and collect pet hair, dust and food crumbs from hard floors, tile and hardwood. Many have boundary strips that aid in staying within the walls of a room, while pricier models can be programmed 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 you can control from the comfort of your sofa using voice assistants, such as Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also choose Wi-Fi models that allow you to start cleaning from anywhere with an app. Depending on how large your house is, you might prefer an item with a long-lasting battery and a roomy dustbin that doesn't require being regularly emptied.

Some robot vacuums can double as mops, using reservoirs of water to wash your floor. This is useful for regular mopping but won't be effective for messes that are more difficult to clean, like pet poop or other spills that are wet. There are hybrids that have a removable microfiber pad that can be used for best robot vacuum for Thick carpet and pet hair mopping, or choose self-emptying models that let you use the device for 30 to 60 days without having to empty the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Some robots use advanced mapping technology to build a detailed map while they clean. This helps them avoid bumping into furniture or tripping over cords or legs of chairs. This feature is only available on top-of-the-line models however it allows your robot to have a thorough understanding of the layout of your home and know where to move when the battery runs out.

If you do not want your robot to go into areas of your home you'd prefer it to stay clear from (like your kids' toys or the mess of device cords in the corner), most robots offer some method of creating virtual barriers, either with their apps or physical boundary strips. You can block off areas that you don't wish your robot to enter to allow it to concentrate on the areas that require the most attention.

A lot of robots can also automatically switch floors based on the flooring they are cleaning. This can be achieved by changing from carpet to hard flooring or by focussing on certain areas of your home, such as corners and baseboards. This feature proved to be effective in our tests and improved the performance of the vacuum on hardwood flooring and low-pile floor carpeting. However, it's still important to tuck away furniture and cords that are loose prior to running your robot vacuum so that it doesn't get stuck or come into contact with something it shouldn't.

4. Remote Control

The majority of 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 a map of your space after each cleaning session, so that they can "learn" your layout and devise more efficient routes for future trips. Certain models have obstacles avoidance built-in to prevent them from causing damage to furniture and getting stuck on things such as 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 via a mobile application that comes with more features. You can set up a variety of cleaning schedules, and create an agenda of your most-loved rooms. You can also manually guide the robot with direction Arrows.

Some models provide no-go zones, which are virtual barriers you can set up within the app to prevent the robot from entering certain areas (like toys for kids or dog bowls and beds). Certain apps let you create an image of your home and provide more detailed information about the floors. The roborock s7 maxv ultra robot vacuum S7+ app has a number of useful features that can aid in cleaning the house. However, its interface isn't quite as polished as that from iRobot or Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robot vacuums that can clean your entire home without stopping for a recharge or to empty their dustbins save time and effort. Some are compatible with smart home devices like Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts for hands-free operation. They can also draw an outline of the space that allows you to program them for specific rooms or areas and to stay clear of obstacles.

The majority of robot vacuums detect objects, but the iRobot j7 offers advanced features such as "home mapping" and obstacle avoidance. These features can simplify your life (although one of our test robots did "eat" a few socks). If you're trying to improve your home maintenance, consider a robot mop with an water container that can be filled and then empty.

While none of the models we tested can compete with the power of a stand-up model, they all do a great job at cleaning carpets and hard floors. They are excellent at sweeping up fine dirt, food crumbs, and dirt that has been tracked in. They are also able to handle nuts and screws made of metal as well as stray cat litter. The top robot vacuums can clean edges and corners and can work on furniture. For a basic model that works on its own and is relatively inexpensive look into the Eufy 11S.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

A robot vacuum can keep your home tidy and clean without having to do many tasks. It is possible to schedule cleanings with the app, and you can set up no-go areas so that your robot vacuum and mop doesn't step on your plants or favorite chair. Many of our top picks will empty their trash bins for you and clean their docking stations.

The top robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors regularly for months or even weeks at a time, removing you from the time-consuming task of manually cleaning your floors on a daily or weekly basis. This lets you spend more time on things you like and reduces the amount of time your floors have to be cleaned manually.

In our tests the Q Revo was able to capture fine particles like baking soda and oatmeal and heavier debris like nails and screws made of metal and even fluffy matter such as hair from pets. It lacks the smart mapping and objects-avoiding features of our top picks, but is still a great option for most families.

The best robot vacuum for thick carpet and pet hair thing about the j7 is its ability to spot and avoid obstacles such as power cords as well as socks and shoes as well as pet waste. This means that you don't need to tidy up before running your robot, however messy rooms can mean that the robot may become stuck and not perform as good a job.