How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you're willing to live without advanced features such as mapping, and you don't mind emptying the garbage bin every 60 days or so, a basic robot vacuum will probably work for you. Choose a model with a clean base and is compatible with voice assistants.

It is a pro at picking up dirt, pet hair and cat litter on tile floors, hardwood floors and carpeting with less pile than any other automatic vacuum and mop we've tested. It can also map out and set virtual no-go zones in rooms or certain areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum cleaner can help you keep up with the pet fur, dust and dander that accumulates on your floor each day. It can also reduce the frequency of deep cleaning, which will save you time and effort. The best models come with powerful suction, which can tackle most messes with ease and leave your home cleaner.

Selecting a vacuum that can also mop will allow you to get more space with one machine, which is especially beneficial in larger homes. Look for one that has an water reservoir in the chassis or as a separate piece that you swap in when vacuuming is complete. It will need to be empty and refill it, though it's an additional task that will require some extra effort on your part.

In a perfect world, you would clear your floors before using your robot vacuum to stop it from hitting anything. However, in the majority of homes, this isn't possible or desirable. Fortunately, the majority of models allow you to use your smartphone app to set up virtual barriers that the robot can see and avoid. Some have no-go zones which can be used to mark areas that you don't want it to access, such as children' rooms or a pile of cords for your device in the corner.

If you're looking for a simple robot vacuum that doesn't have all the bells and whistles, this model made by the company that makes networking TP-Link is a good choice. It's quiet and works well on hard floors as well as low-pile rugs and can be scheduled through the app to mop or vacuum at any time. 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 use navigation tools like sensors and lasers to move 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 a room's walls, while pricier models can be programmed to automatically wake up and begin cleaning at a scheduled time. Some models include fall detection technology that helps them avoid falling down stairs or becoming tangled in cords.

If you want to control your robot vacuum from the comfort of your couch, look for models that work with voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also select Wi-Fi models that permit you to begin cleaning anywhere you want using an app. Depending on how big your home is, you might prefer one that has a long battery life and a spacious dust bin that doesn't require being emptied frequently.

Some robot vacuums are also mops. They use water reservoirs to clean the floor. This is ideal for mopping, but not ideal for tough messes like pet poop and other wet spills. There are hybrids that come with a removable microfiber pad for mopping, Mops or choose a self-emptying model that lets you use the device for 30 to 60 days without needing to empty the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Certain robots utilize advanced mapping technology to build a detailed map while they clean. This allows them to avoid bumping into furniture and getting caught on cords or legs of chairs. This feature is only available on higher-end models however, it allows your robot to have a thorough understanding of your home's layout and know where to go when the battery is out.

Most robots let you create virtual barriers. This can be done via an app or physical boundary strips. You can block off areas you don't want your robot to enter in order to focus on the areas that require the most attention.

Many robots also automatically change floors depending on the floor they are cleaning. This can be done by switching from carpet to hard flooring, or by paying attention to specific areas of your house like corners and baseboards. This feature proved to be effective during our tests and helped improve the performance of the vacuum on hardwood flooring and low-pile floor carpeting. But, it's still essential to tuck away furniture and cords before running your robot vacuum so that it doesn't become stuck or come into contact with something it shouldn't.

4. Remote Control

Most robot vacuums come with WiFi capabilities and can be controlled using voice commands, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Siri Shortcuts. Many robot vacuums connect to smart home systems and create a map of the area they clean after each session. This allows them to "learn" how your home is laid out and to plan more efficient routes in future cleaning sessions. Some come with obstacles avoidance built-in to prevent them from damaging furniture and getting stuck on objects like loose charging cables or pet hair.

Most robots have an remote control that you can use to move them around your house. However, many can be controlled via an app on your mobile, which gives you more features. It is possible to set multiple cleaning schedules, make a list of favorite rooms and even manually guide your robot around specific areas by using directional arrows that appear on the screen.

Certain models have zones that are not allowed. These are virtual barriers that you can set up in the app to stop the robot from accessing certain areas (like kid's toys or dishes and dog beds). Some apps let you draw an outline of your home and provide detailed information on the floors. The Roborock S7+ app has several useful features that can help you clean the house. However the interface isn't as sleek as iRobot or Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robot vacs that can work throughout the house without stopping to recharge or empty their trash bins make it easier for you to save time and effort. Some robot vacuums work with smart home platforms like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Shortcuts to enable hands-free operation. They can also create an outline of the space that allows you to program them for specific rooms or areas and to avoid obstacles.

The majority of robot vacuums detect objects, but the iRobot J7 has advanced features like "home mapping" and obstacle avoidance. These features can make your life much easier (although one of our test bots did "eat" a couple of socks). If you want to take your home maintenance to the next level opt for a robotic mop that comes with a water tank that can be filled and then empty.

While no of the models we tested could match the dirt-picking ability of a standup vacuum, they did an excellent job of cleaning hard floors and carpets with low pile. They are great at sweeping up fine dust and debris, food crumbs, tracked-in dirt and pet hair. They can even tackle some pet litter that is stray and metal screws and nuts. The best robot vacs can easily maneuver around furniture and excel at cleaning corners and edges as well. For an affordable model that can work on its own and is comparatively inexpensive look into the Eufy 11S.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

With the proper setup and the right setup, a robotic vacuum can help you keep your home looking and looking and feeling cleaner every day with minimal effort. You can schedule your cleanings using the app and create no-go zones to ensure that your robot doesn't harm your plants or your favourite chair. Many of our top picks automatically empty their bins and clean their docking stations for you.

The most effective robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors on a regular basis for months or even weeks at a time, saving you from the arduous task of manually mopping and sweeping your floors on a weekly or daily basis. This allows you to have more time to do the things you enjoy and decreases the amount of time your floors need to be cleaned manually.

In the course of testing, the Q Revo was able to grab tiny particles such as oatmeal and baking soda, heavier debris such as nails and screws made of metal and even fluffy matter like hair from pets. It lacks the smart mapping and object-avoiding features found in our top picks, but is still a great option for families with children.

The greatest thing about the j7 is that it makes use of cameras and processor-powered smarts to recognize and avoid obstacles like power cords, shoes, socks, and pet waste. This means you don't have to clean the room prior to running your robot, although clutter in your home can mean your bot may get stuck and not be able to do as good a job.