How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you're able to live without smart capabilities like mapping, and you don't mind emptying the garbage bin every 60 days or so, a basic robot vacuum could be a good choice for you. Find an option with a clean base and works with voice assistants.

It excels at removing dirt, cat litter and pet hair on hardwood floors, tile and carpeting with less pile than any other robo vacuum we've tested. It can also map out and set virtual no-go zones for rooms or specific areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum can help you keep up with the dust, pet fur and dander that collects on your floors every day. It also can reduce the frequency of deep cleaning, which will save you time and effort. The most effective models feature powerful suction, which will clean up most mess with ease and leave your home cleaner.

Choosing a robot vacuum that is also able to mop will help you achieve more coverage by using just one machine. This can be particularly beneficial for homes with a large area. You can find a model with a tank for water either in the chassis itself or as an additional piece that you can swap out after vacuuming. It will have to be filled and empty and refilled, which is an additional chore.

In a perfect world, you'd be able to clean your floors before you used your bobsweep robot vacuum (redirect to Littleyaksa Yodev) vacuum to keep it from crashing into objects. However, in the majority of homes, this isn't feasible or desirable. The majority of models let you use an app for your smartphone to build virtual barriers that the robot can detect. Some models include no-go areas that you can mark areas you don't want the robot to be allowed to enter. For instance an area for children's play or a pile cords in the corner.

This model is a great choice if you want a simple robot cleaner without all the bells and whistles. It's quiet, it works on both hard floors and carpets with low pile and can be programmed using the app to mop and vacuum at your leisure. It comes with a battery life of around 180 minutes.

2. Simple to operate

In general robot vacuums require little input from you. They make use of sensors, lasers, and cameras to move and collect dust, pet hair and food crumbs from hard floors, tiles and hardwood. Many have boundary strips to help them stay within the walls of a room while more expensive models can be set to automatically wake up and begin cleaning at a scheduled time. Some models include fall detection technology to help them avoid falling down stairs or becoming tangled in cords.

Find models that you can control from the comfort of your sofa using voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also search for models with Wi-Fi connectivity that allow you to begin cleaning from any location using an app. Depending on how large your home is, you might prefer a model with a long-lasting battery and a roomy dustbin that doesn't require being emptied frequently.

Some robot vacuums double as mops, using reservoirs of water to clean your floor. This is great for normal mopping, but it won't work for tough messes like pet poop or other wet spills. You can choose hybrids that have a removable microfiber mopping pad or a self-emptying model that allows you to stay for up to 60 days without emptying the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Some robots use advanced mapping technology to create a precise map as they clean. This makes it easier to avoid hitting furniture or tripping over cords or chair legs. This feature is only available on higher-end models however, it allows your robot to have a thorough understanding of the layout of your home and to know where it should go when the battery runs out.

If you do not want your robot to go into areas of your home that you'd prefer to keep it away from (like your kids' toys or the mess of device cords in the corner) The majority of robots offer the possibility of creating virtual barriers, either with their apps or a set of physical boundary strips. This allows you to create zones that you do not want your robot to explore, so that it can concentrate its attention on areas and rooms that require the most cleaning.

Many robots also have the ability to automatically navigate to different flooring types based on the type of surface they're cleaning, whether that's changing between carpet and hard flooring or focusing on particular areas of your home, like baseboards and corners. This feature was helpful in our tests and improved the performance of the vacuum on both hardwood flooring and carpeting for floors with low-pile. However, it's still important to put away furniture and cords that are loose prior to using your robot vacuum to ensure that it doesn't get stuck or get into something it shouldn't.

4. Remote Control

The majority of robot vacuums are WiFi-enabled and work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts to allow users to control them with voice commands or via your smartphone. Many connect to smart home systems and build a map of your space after each cleaning session, to "learn" your layout and plan more efficient routes for future runs. There are also built-in obstacles avoidance, which stops them from crashing into and damaging furniture or getting stuck on things like loose charging cables, shoe laces and pet hair.

Most robots come with a remote you can use to pilot them around your home. Most robots can be controlled by a mobile app, which offers more features. You can set up multiple cleaning schedules, and create an inventory of your preferred rooms. You can also guide the robot using directional Arrows.

Some models have no-go zones. These are virtual barriers that can be created in the app to stop the robot from entering specific areas (like toys for kids or dog beds and dishes). Some apps let you create an image of your home and provide detailed information on the floors. The app on our top choice one, the Roborock S7+, has many useful options to help you clean your house, but its interface isn't as polished as those from iRobot and Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robot vacuums that clean your entire house without stopping for a recharge or to empty their bins save time and effort. Some robot vacuums work with smart home devices like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Shortcuts to allow hands-free operation. They can also create a map of the space for Bobsweep Robot Vacuum you to program them to specific areas or rooms and to stay clear of obstacles.

Most robot vacuums offer some degree of object detection however, higher-end models such as the iRobot j7 come with advanced features such as "home mapping" and advanced obstacle avoidance that can really simplify your life (although our test bot did once "eat" the socks of a pair). socks). If you're looking to take your home maintenance to the next level opt for a robotic mop with a tank of water that can be filled and then empty.

While none of the models we tested could match the dirt-picking ability of a standup vacuum, they were able to do a fantastic job of cleaning hard floors and carpets with a low pile. They are excellent at sweeping up food crumbs and tracked-in dirt. They can even tackle some scattered cat litter, as well as metal screws and nuts. The top robot vacuums are able to clean corners and edges and work around furniture. For a basic model that works by itself and is relatively inexpensive take a look at the Eufy 11S.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

With the right configuration and the right setup, a robotic vacuum can aid in keeping your home looking and feeling cleaner every day without a lot of effort. It is possible to schedule cleanings with the app, and you can create no-go zones so that your robot doesn't walk on your favorite chair or plants. A majority of our top picks will also 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 weeks at a stretch, making it easier to save time and effort of manually mopping or sweeping your floors every single week or day. 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 tiny particles such as baking soda and oatmeal, heavier debris such as metal screws and nails, and fluffy stuff like hair of pets. It doesn't have the smart mapping and object avoidance features found in our top picks, however it works well enough for most families.

The best feature of the j7 is that it utilizes camera and processor-powered sensors to identify and avoid obstacles such as shoes, power cords, socks, and pet waste. This means that you don't have to clean up before using your robot. However, messy rooms could cause your robot to become stuck and perform a poor job.