How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you don't require advanced features like mapping, and don't mind emptying your dustbin every 60 to 90 days A basic robot vacuum is probably suitable for you. Choose an option with a clean base and is compatible with voice assistants.

It is the best robo-vacuum we have tested at getting rid of dirt and pet hair from hardwood floors, tile, and carpeting with low pile. It can also plan out and set virtual no-go zones for rooms or specific areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum will help you keep up with the pet fur, dust and dander that settles on your floor each day. It can also cut down on how often you need to clean your floors, saving you time and effort. The most effective model comes with powerful suction that will easily clean up most mess and leave your home cleaner.

You can take care of more space by using a robot vacuum as well as a mop, which is especially beneficial if you live in an extensive home. There are models with a water tank either in the chassis itself or as an extra piece that you can take out after vacuuming. It'll need to be emptied and filled in order to complete the task to complete.

In a perfect world you would clean your floors before using your robot vacuum to stop it from crashing into anything. But in most homes, this isn't feasible or desirable. Thankfully, most models let you use your smartphone app to set up virtual barriers that the robot will detect and avoid. Some have no-go zones which can be used to mark areas you don't want it to enter, such as kids rooms or a stack of device cords in the corner.

This model is a good option for those looking for a simple robot cleaner without all the bells. 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 has a long battery life that can last up to 180 minutes.

2. Easy to operate

In general, robot vacuums require very little input from you. They utilize navigation tools like sensors and lasers to navigate around obstacles and suck up food particles, dust and pet hair from hard floors, tiles carpets, and hardwood. Many models have boundary strips that allow them to remain in a room. Higher-end models can be programmed to get up at a particular time and start cleaning. Some models have fall detection technology to help users avoid falling down the stairs or becoming tangled in cords.

Find models that you can control from your couch using voice assistants, such as Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also choose Wi-Fi models that allow you to start a cleaning session anywhere using an app. You may want to select a model that has a long-lasting battery, as well as an enormous dust bin, based on the size of your house.

Some robot vacuums can double as mops, using reservoirs of water to wash your floors. 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 are wet. You can choose hybrids that have an adjustable microfiber mopping pad or a self cleaning vacuum-emptying option that lets you go for up to 60 days without emptying the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Some robots utilize advanced mapping technologies to build an accurate map of your floorplan as they clean the floor, which makes it easier for them to avoid bumping mindlessly into furniture or tripping over things like cords or chair legs. This feature is only available on top-of-the-line models however, it allows your Robot Mop Vacuum to get a complete understanding of the layout of your home and to know where it should go when the battery is out.

If you do not want your robot to go into areas of your home you'd prefer to keep it away from (like your children's toys or the tangled mess of gadget cords in the corner) The majority of robots offer some way to create virtual barriers, either through their apps or physical boundary strips. This allows you to create zones that you don't want your robot to explore, so that it can concentrate its attention on areas that require the most cleaning.

Many robots also have the ability to automatically navigate to different floorings based on the type of flooring they're cleaning, be it that's switching between hard and carpet or focusing on specific areas of your home, such as baseboards and corners. In our tests it was a great feature that helped improve their scores on picking up carpeting that is low-pile and hardwood. It's important to tuck away any furniture or cords that are loose prior to using your robot vacuum to ensure that it doesn't get caught.

4. Remote Control

Most robot mop and vacuum combo vacuums come with WiFi capabilities and can be controlled with voice commands, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Siri Shortcuts. Many robot vacuums connect to smart home systems, and generate a map of the space they clean after each session. This allows them to "learn" how your home is laid out and plan more efficient routes in future cleaning sessions. Some also have built-in obstacle avoidance that stops them from crashing into furniture and damaging it 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 steer them around your home. The majority of robots can be controlled by a mobile app that comes with more features. You can create multiple cleaning schedules, and create an agenda of your most-loved rooms. You can also manually guide the robot with directional arrows.

Certain models have no-go zones. These are virtual barriers you can create in the app to stop the robot from entering certain areas (like toys for children or dishes for dogs and dog beds). Certain apps let you draw an outline of your home and provide detailed information about the floors. The app we ranked as our top pick Roborock S7+, the Roborock S7+, has numerous 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. Some are compatible with smart home platforms like Alexa, Google Assistant and Robot mop Vacuum Siri Shortcuts for hands-free operation. They can also make an image of your living space, allowing you to program them to clean certain rooms or areas and beware of obstacles.

The majority of robot vacuums come with some degree of detection of objects however, higher-end models like the iRobot J7 have advanced features such as "home mapping" and advanced obstacle avoidance, which can simplify your life (although our test bot did "eat" a pair of socks). If you're trying to improve the quality of your home maintenance, consider a robot mop with an water container that you can fill and empty.

While none of the models we tested could beat the dirt-picking power of a stand-up model, they all do a great job of cleaning carpets with low pile and hard floors. They are excellent at sweeping up food crumbs and dirt that has been tracked into. They can also tackle stray cat litter and metal screws and nuts. The most effective robot vacuums are able to clean corners and edges and can even work around furniture. Eufy 11S is a relatively basic and affordable model.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

A robot vacuum will help keep your home clean and tidy without having to do much work. You can schedule cleanings using the app, and you can designate no-go areas so that your robot doesn't get in the way of your plants or sit on your favorite chair. Many of our top picks empty their dustbins for you and clean their docking station.

The top robot vacuums are programmable to keep your floors clean for months or weeks at a stretch, making it easier to save time and effort of manually sweeping or mopping your floors every week or even every day. This allows you to spend more time on things you enjoy and decreases the amount of time that your floors require to be cleaned manually.

During testing, Q Revo was able to capture fine particles like baking soda and oatmeal. It also snatched up heavier debris like nails and screws made of steel, as well as fluffy things like pet hair. It does not have the intelligent mapping and object-avoiding features found in our top picks but is still a great choice for most families.

The best thing about the j7 is its ability to detect and avoid obstacles such as power cords and socks, shoes, and pet waste. This means that you don't have to tidy up before using your robot. However, cluttered rooms could cause your robot to get stuck and do poorly.