How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you don't need the most advanced features like mapping and you aren't worried about emptying your bin every 60 to 90 days A basic robot vacuum could be suitable for you. Select a model with a clean base that works with voice assistants.

It excels at removing 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 can also map and create virtual no-go zones for rooms or areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum is able to stay on top of the dust, pet hair and dander that build up on your floors on a daily basis. It can also decrease the frequency of deep cleaning, saving you both time and effort. The best models have powerful suction that can take on the majority of messes and leave your house cleaner.

Choosing a robot vacuum that is also able to mop can help you cover more ground using one machine, which could be especially helpful in larger homes. Choose one that has an water reservoir in the chassis or as a separate item that you swap in when the vacuuming is finished. It will need to be empty and refill it, though it's an additional task that requires some extra effort on your part.

In a perfect world you would clean your floors first before using your robot vacuum to prevent it from running into anything. However, in the majority of homes, this isn't feasible or desirable. Thankfully, most models allow you to use your smartphone app to set up virtual barriers that the robot is able to see and avoid. Certain models have no-go zones that you can mark areas you don't wish it to enter. For instance an area for children's play or a pile of cords in the corner.

If you're looking to buy 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 and can be used on hard floors as well as carpets with low pile and can be programmed through the app to vacuum and mop at your own convenience. It's got a long battery life, and can last for up to 180 minutes before needing to recharge.

2. Easy to Operate

In general robot vacuums require little input from you. They make use of instruments for navigation, such as sensors, lasers, and cameras to move and collect pet hair, Robot vacuum with self empty dust, and food crumbs from hard floors, tile and hardwood. A lot of models come with boundaries strips that help them stay inside a room. The more expensive models can be programmed to wake up at a specific time and start cleaning. Some models even have fall detection technology that helps them avoid falling down the stairs or getting tangled in electrical cords.

If you're looking to control your robot vacuum from the comfort of a couch, you should look for models that work with voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also look for Wi-Fi-connected models that allow you to start cleaning from any location through an app. Depending on how large your home is, you might prefer an item that has a long battery life and a large dust bin that doesn't require being regularly emptied.

Certain robot vacuums are also mopping. They use water reservoirs to wash the floor. This is great for normal mopping, but it won't be effective for messes that are more difficult to clean, like pet poop, or other spills that get wet. You can pick hybrids with an able mopping pad made of microfiber or a self-emptying option that allows you to go for up to 60 days without emptying the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Certain robots employ advanced mapping technologies to build an accurate map of your floorplan as they clean and tidy, allowing them to avoid crashing into furniture or tripping over things such as cords or chairs. This feature is only available on the top models however, it allows your robot to have a thorough understanding of your home's layout and knows where to go when the battery runs out.

If you don't want your robot vacuum with self empty navigating into areas of your home you'd prefer it to stay clear from (like your children's toys or the tangled mess of device cords in the corner), most robots offer some method of creating virtual barriers, either via their apps or physical boundary strips. You can block off areas you don't wish your robot to go into to allow it to focus on the rooms that need the most attention.

Many robots also automatically change floors based on the floor they are cleaning. This can be accomplished by changing from carpet to hard flooring or by paying attention to specific areas of your house, such as corners and baseboards. This feature proved to be helpful in our tests and enhanced the performance of the vacuum on hardwood flooring and carpet flooring with low pile. However, it's still important to tuck away loose cords and furniture before using your robot vacuum to ensure that it doesn't get stuck or come into contact with something it shouldn't.

4. Remote Control

Almost all robot vacuums are WiFi-enabled and can be controlled by Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts that allow you to control them using voice commands or via your smartphone. Many connect to smart home systems and create a map of your space after each cleaning session, so they can "learn" your layout and plan more efficient routes for future runs. Some have built-in obstacle avoidance that stops them from bumping into and damaging furniture or getting stuck on things like loose charging cables shoes, laces for shoes and pet hair.

Most robots come with a remote you can use to control them around your home. However, most can also be controlled using a mobile app, which gives you more features. You can set up a variety of cleaning schedules and make an inventory of your preferred rooms. You can also guide the robot using directional the arrows.

Some models offer no-go zones, which are virtual barriers that you can configure in the app to block the robot from entering certain areas (like kids' toys or dog beds and bowls). Other apps allow you to create the map of your house and provide the robot with detailed information about your floors. The Roborock S7+ app has many useful features to assist you in cleaning your home. However the interface isn't as sleek as iRobot or Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robotic vacs that can clean all over your home without stopping to recharge or empty their dust bins can save you time and energy. Certain robot vacuum deals vacuums can work with smart home devices like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Shortcuts to allow hands-free operation. They can also create an image of your space that allows you to program them to clean specific rooms or areas and avoid obstacles.

The majority of robot vacuums detect objects, however the iRobot j7 comes with advanced features like "home mapping" and obstacle avoidance. These can make your life easier (although one of our test bots did "eat" a few socks). If you're looking to take your home maintenance even further, look for a robotic mop that comes with a water tank that can be filled and then empty.

While none of the models we tested compete with the power of a stand-up vacuum, most do an admirable job at cleaning carpets and hard floors. They are excellent at sweeping up food crumbs, and dirt that has been tracked into. They are also able to tackle pet litter that is stray and metal screws and nuts. The top robot vacuums can easily maneuver around furniture and do a great job of cleaning edges and corners as well. Eufy 11S is a relatively basic and affordable model.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

With the right setup with the right setup, a robot vacuum will help you keep your home looking and feeling cleaner every day without much work from you. You can schedule your cleanings using the app and create no-go zones to ensure that your robot doesn't harm your plants or ruin your favorite chair. The majority of our top picks will also empty their dustbins and clean their docking stations.

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

In our tests, the Q Revo was able to grab small particles such as baking soda and oatmeal and heavier debris like nails and screws made of metal as well as fluffy things such as hair from pets. It's not equipped with the advanced mapping and object avoidance features found in our top picks, but it's sufficient for most families.

The greatest feature of the j7 is that it uses camera and processor-powered smarts to detect and avoid obstacles such as shoes, power cords, socks, and pet waste. This means that you don't have to clean up after using your robot. However, rooms that are cluttered could cause your robot to become stuck and do an inadequate job.