How to Find the best robot vacuum for carpet Robot Vacuum

If you're willing to live without smart capabilities like mapping, and aren't worried about emptying the dustbin every 60 days or then, a basic robot vacuum will probably work for you. Find one with a clean base and is compatible with voice assistants.

It is a pro at picking up dirt, clumps of pet hair and cat litter on hardwood floors, tile and carpeting with less pile than any other vacuum we've tried. It can also map out and create virtual no go zones for rooms or certain areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum can keep clean of the dust, pet hair and dander that collects on your floors on a day-to-day basis. It can also reduce the frequency of deep cleaning, which will save your time and effort. The most effective model comes with powerful suction that will easily clean up most mess and leave your home sparkling clean.

You can cover more area by using a robot vacuum as well as a mop, which is especially useful if you have a large home. There are models with a tank for water either in the chassis itself or Top robot vacuum Cleaner as an extra piece that you can take out after vacuuming. You'll need to empty and refill it, however, so this is an additional task that will require some extra effort on your part.

In a perfect universe, you would clear your floors first before using your robot vacuum, preventing it from hitting anything. In the majority of homes, however it's not feasible or desirable. Fortunately, the majority of models allow you to use a smartphone to create virtual barriers that the robot can detect and avoid. Some models have no-go zones which can be used to mark areas you don't want the robot to enter, such as kids rooms or a stack of device cords in the corner.

If you're looking for a basic robot vacuum that doesn't have all the bells and whistles, this model made by the company that makes networking TP-Link is a great choice. It's quiet and works well on hard floors as well as low-pile rugs. It can be scheduled using the app to mop or vacuum at any time. It comes with a battery life of up to 180 minutes.

2. Easy to Operate

Robot vacuums generally require very little from you. They utilize navigation tools like sensors, lasers and cameras to maneuver through obstacles and collect dust, food crumbs and pet hair from floors, tiles carpets, and hardwood. Many have boundary strips that help them stay within the walls of a room while pricier models can be programmed to automatically wake up and start cleaning at a predetermined time. Some even come with fall detection technology that helps them avoid falling down the stairs or getting caught in electrical cords.

Find models that you can control from your couch via voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also search for models that connect to Wi-Fi and allow you to begin cleaning from any location using an app. Depending on how big your house is, you may want an item with a long battery life and a spacious dust bin that doesn't have to be emptying frequently.

Some robot vacuums double as mops, using reservoirs of water to clean your floor. This is great for regular mopping but won't be effective for messes that are more difficult to clean, like pet poop, or other wet spills. You can choose hybrids that have an adjustable 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 while they clean the floor, which makes it easier for 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 lets your robot have a thorough understanding of your home's layout and to know where it should go when the battery is out.

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

Many robots can also automatically navigate to different floors according to the type of floor they're cleaning, whether that's switching between carpet and hard flooring or focusing on particular areas of your home, 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. It is important to secure any loose cords or furniture prior to using your robot vacuum, to ensure that it doesn't get caught.

4. Remote Control

The majority of robot vacuums have WiFi connectivity and can be controlled by Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts that enable users to control them with voice commands or via your smartphone. Many connect to smart home systems and build an outline of your space after each cleaning session, so they can "learn" your layout and devise more efficient routes for future trips. Some have built-in obstacle avoidance that stops them from crashing into furniture and damaging it or getting stuck on things like charging cables that are loose shoes, laces for shoes and hair from pets.

Most robots come with a remote that you can use to control them around your home. However, most can also be controlled using a mobile app that offers more features. It is possible to create multiple cleaning schedules, create a list of favorite rooms and even manually guide your robot to certain areas by using directional arrows on the screen.

Certain models have no-go zones, which are virtual barriers you can set up in the app to block the robot from entering certain areas (like kids' toys or dog bowls and beds). Some apps allow you to create an outline of your home and provide detailed information about the floors. The app on our top choice Roborock S7+, the Roborock S7+, has many useful options to help you tidy your home, however its interface isn't as polished and elegant as those from iRobot and Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robotic vacs that can clean a whole house without stopping to recharge or empty their bins of dust save you time and effort. Some work with smart home platforms such as Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts for hands-free operation. They can also build an image of your home and allow you to program them to clean certain areas or rooms, and to beware of obstacles.

Most robot vacuums offer some degree of object detection and Top Robot Vacuum Cleaner object detection, but more expensive models such as the iRobot j7 come with advanced features like "home mapping" and advanced obstacle avoidance that can really make your life easier (although our test bot did once "eat" a pair of socks). If you're looking to take your home cleaning to the next level, look for a robotic mop that has a tank of water that you fill and empty yourself.

While none of the models we tested could match the dirt-picking power of a stand-up model, the majority of them do an excellent job of cleaning hard floors and low-pile carpets. They are excellent at sweeping up fine dirt, food crumbs and dirt that has been tracked into. They can also tackle pet litter that is stray and metal screws and nuts. The most effective robot vacuums are able to clean corners and edges and can even work around furniture. For an affordable model that can work by itself and is reasonably priced take a look at the Eufy 11S.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

With the right configuration with the right setup, a robot vacuum will help you keep your home looking and feeling fresh every day with minimal effort. It is possible to schedule cleanings with the app, and designate no-go areas to ensure that your robot does not step on your plants or favorite chair. A majority of our top picks also automatically empty their dustbins and clean their docking stations for you.

The most effective robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors regularly for months or even weeks at a time, removing you from the arduous task of manually sweeping and mopping your floors on a weekly or daily basis. This allows you to spend more time on things you like and reduces the amount of time your floors have to be cleaned manually.

During testing the Q Revo was able to capture fine particles such as baking soda and oatmeal. It also picked up heavier particles such as nails and screws made of metal, as well as fluffy stuff like pet hair. It's not equipped with the advanced mapping and objects avoidance features of our top Robot Vacuum cleaner picks, however it's sufficient for the majority of families.

The j7's best feature is its ability to spot and avoid obstacles such as power cords as well as socks and shoes and pet waste. This means you don't have to clean up before you can run your robot, although clutter in your home can mean the robot may become stuck and not perform the job as well.