How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you don't need the most advanced features such as mapping and don't mind emptying your dustbin every 60 to 90 days A basic robot vacuum is probably the best choice for you. Select a model with an uncluttered base that can work with voice assistants.

It is the best robot vacuum for carpet and hardwood vacuum we have tested at cleaning up pet hair on tiles, hardwood floors, and carpets with low pile. It can also plan out and create virtual no-go zones in rooms or specific areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum is able to stay up with the dust, pet hair and dander that collects on your floors on a day-to-day basis. It can also cut down on the frequency at which you have to clean your floors which will save you time and effort. The most effective model comes with powerful suction that will easily take on the most difficult messes and leave your home sparkling clean.

Selecting a vacuum that also mop can help you cover more ground with one machine, which can be particularly beneficial for homes with a large area. Find one that has a water reservoir either in the chassis or as a separate piece that you put in after the vacuuming is finished. You'll need to empty and fill it up, however, so this is an additional task that will require a little extra work on your part.

In a perfect world it would be ideal to clean your floors first before you use your robot vacuum, preventing it from crashing into anything. In the majority of homes, this is not possible or desirable. Thankfully, most models let you use your smartphone to create virtual barriers that the robot can be aware of and avoid. Some models have no-go zones which you can use to mark areas that you don't want it enter, such as kids rooms or a pile of cords for your device in the corner.

This model is a good choice if you want a simple robot cleaner without all the bells and whistles. It's quiet, it is able to work on hard floors as well as carpets with low pile and can be programmed through the app to vacuum and mop at your leisure. It has a good battery life, and can last up to 180 minutes before needing to recharge.

2. Easy to Operate

In general, robot vacuums require very little input from you. They make use of navigation tools such as sensors lasers, cameras and sensors to move around obstacles and suck up food particles, dust and pet hair from hard flooring, tile, hardwood and low-pile carpets. Many have boundary strips that allow them to stay within the walls of a room while higher-end models can be set to automatically wake up and start cleaning at a set time. Some models even have fall detection technology that helps them avoid falling down stairs or becoming tangled in electrical cords.

If you want to control your robot vacuum from the comfort of a couch, search for models that work with voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also choose Wi-Fi models that permit you to start a Cleaning Robot Mop And Vacuum session anywhere using an app. Depending on the size of your home is, you may prefer an item with a long-lasting battery and a large dust bin that doesn't require being emptied frequently.

Certain robot vacuums are also mopping. They make use of water reservoirs to clean the floor. This is great for mopping, but not ideal for difficult messes such as pet poop and other wet spills. There are hybrids that come with an ejectable microfiber pad for mopping, or you can choose a self-emptying model that lets you go for 30 to 60 days without having to empty the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Certain robots employ advanced mapping technology to create an accurate map of your floorplan as they clean and tidy, allowing them to avoid bumping mindlessly into furniture or falling over things like cords or chair legs. This feature is typically only available on higher-end models, but it's one of the best ways to make sure your robot has a complete understanding of the layout of your house and is aware of where to go when it runs out of battery.

If you don't want your robot to venture into areas of your home that you'd prefer it to stay clear from (like your kids' toys or the tangled mess of gadget cords in the corner) The majority of robots offer some way to create virtual barriers, either with their apps or physical boundary strips. This lets you create zones that you don't want your robot enter, so that it can focus its attention on areas that require the most cleaning.

Many robots also have the ability to automatically navigate to different floors according to the type of surface they're cleaning, whether that's switching between hard and carpet or focusing on particular areas of your home, such as baseboards and corners. This feature was effective in our tests and improved the performance of the vacuum on hardwood flooring and carpet flooring with low pile. It's important to tuck away any loose cords or furniture before using your robot vacuum so it doesn't get caught.

4. Remote Control

The majority of robot vacuums are WiFi-enabled and can be controlled by Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts, which allow you to control them via voice commands or via your smartphone. Many connect to smart home systems that create an outline of your space after each cleaning session, so that they can "learn" your layout and devise more efficient routes for future trips. Some have built-in obstacle avoidance that prevents them from hitting furniture and causing damage or getting stuck on things like loose charging cables shoes, laces for shoes and pet hair.

Most robots are equipped with an remote control that you can use to move them around your house. However, most can also be controlled with a mobile app, which gives you more options. You can set up a variety of cleaning schedules and create an agenda of your most-loved rooms. You can also manually direct the robot using directional arrows.

Some models provide no-go zones that are virtual barriers you can configure in the app to block the robot from entering certain areas (like kids' toys or dog bowls and beds). Some apps let you create an image of your home and provide detailed information on the floors. The Roborock S7+ app has several useful features that will aid in cleaning the house. However, its interface isn't quite as polished as iRobot or Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robot vacuums that can clean your entire home without stopping to recharge or to empty their dustbins save time and effort. Some are compatible with smart home platforms such as Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts for hands-free operation. They can also make an outline of your living space that allows you to program them to clean specific areas or rooms, and to stay clear of obstacles.

The majority of robot vacuums detect objects, however the iRobot j7 offers advanced features such as "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 improve your home's maintenance, think about a robot mop with a water container that you can fill and empty.

While none of the models that we tested could compete with the dirt-picking power of a stand-up vacuum, they were able to do a fantastic job cleaning hard floors as well as carpets with a low pile. They are great at sweeping up fine dust and debris, food dust, tracked-in dirt, and pet hair. They can even tackle some pet litter that is stray and metal screws and nuts. The top robot vacuums can clean corners and edges and can work around furniture. For a basic model that works on its own and is comparatively inexpensive look into the Eufy 11S.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

A robot vacuum will help keep your home tidy and clean without you having to do lots of work. You can schedule cleanings in the app and Cleaning Robot Mop And Vacuum create no-go zones to ensure that your robot doesn't harm your plants or your favourite chair. The majority of our top picks empty their dustbins for you and clean their docking station.

The best robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors regularly for months or even weeks at a time, removing you from the tedious chore of manually cleaning your floors on a daily or weekly basis. This allows you to enjoy more time doing things you enjoy, and decreases the time needed to clean your floors manually.

During testing the Q Revo was able to grab fine particles like baking soda and oatmeal and heavier debris like nails and screws made of metal and even fluffy matter such as hair of pets. It doesn't have the smart mapping and objects avoidance features of our top picks, but it's sufficient for most families.

The greatest feature of the j7 is that it utilizes camera and processor-powered sensors to identify and avoid obstacles like power cords, shoes, socks, and pet waste. This means that you don't need to clean up before using your robot. However, cluttered rooms can cause your robot to get stuck and do an inadequate job.