How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you don't need advanced features such as mapping and don't mind emptying your dustbin every 60 to 90 days, a basic robotic vacuum is likely to be the best choice the best choice for you. Pick a model that has a clean base that works with voice assistants.

It excels at removing dirt, cat litter and pet hair on tile floors, hardwood floors and low-pile carpeting better than any other robo vacuum we've tried. It also maps and create virtual no-go zones for rooms and areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum can keep on top of the dust, pet hair and dander that accumulates on your floors on a daily basis. It can also cut down on how often you need to clean your floors and saves you time and effort. The most effective models have powerful suction that can clean up most mess and leave your home clean.

You can cover a larger area by using a robot vacuum as well as a mop, which is particularly beneficial if you live in a large house. Find models that have an water reservoir built into its chassis or as a separate piece that you put in after vacuuming is complete. It will need to be emptied and filled in order to complete the task.

In the ideal world, you'd clear your floors before you used your robot vac to keep it from hitting things. In the majority of homes, however, this is not possible or desirable. Fortunately, the majority of models let you use your smartphone to create virtual barriers that the robot will see and avoid. Some models 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.

This model is a good choice if you want a basic robot cleaner that does not have all the bells and whistles. It's quiet, and it works on hard floors as well as low-pile rugs and can be scheduled via the app to vacuum mop combo robot or mop at any time. It has a good battery life that can last for up to 180 minutes before it needs to recharge.

2. Simple to operate

In general, robot vacuums require very little input from you. They utilize navigational tools such as sensors lasers, cameras, and sensors to maneuver and collect dust, pet hair, the best Robot Vacuum cleaner and food crumbs from tiles, hard floors and hardwood. A lot of models come with boundary strips to help them stay inside a room. The more expensive models can be programmed to wake up at a specific time and begin cleaning. Some even come with fall detection technology that prevents tumbling down stairs or getting caught in electrical cords.

Find models that you can control from your couch via voice assistants, such as Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also look for models with Wi-Fi connectivity that allow you to begin cleaning sessions from anywhere via an app. Depending on how big your home is, you may prefer an item that has a long battery life and a large dust bin that doesn't have to be regularly emptied.

Some robot vacuums are also mops. They utilize water reservoirs to wash the floor. This is great for regular mopping but won't work for tough messes like pet poop, or other wet spills. You can select hybrids with 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 detailed map as they clean. This helps them avoid bumping into furniture and tripping on cords or chairs. This feature is usually only available on higher-end models, but it's one of the best ways to ensure that your robot has an accurate understanding of the layout of your home and knows where to go next when it's low on battery.

If you do not want your robot to go into areas of your home you'd prefer it to stay clear from (like your children's toys or the mess of device cords in the corner) The majority of robots offer the possibility of creating virtual barriers, either through their app or physical boundary strips. This lets you create zones that you don't want your robot to enter, so that it can focus its attention on areas that require the most attention.

A lot of robots can also automatically change floors based on the type of floor they are cleaning. This can be accomplished by changing from carpet to hard flooring or by paying attention to certain areas of your home, such as corners and baseboards. In our tests this was a helpful feature that improved their scores on picking up carpeting that is low-pile and hardwood. It's important to tuck away any loose cords or furniture before using your robot vacuum so that it doesn't become caught.

4. Remote Control

The majority of robot vacuums have WiFi connectivity and work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts that allow you to control them via voice commands or from your smartphone. Many robot vacuums connect to smart home systems, and create a map of the area they clean after each cleaning session. This allows them to "learn" how your home is laid out and plan more efficient routes in future cleaning sessions. Some have obstacles avoidance built-in that prevents them from damaging furniture and getting stuck on things such as loose charging cables or pet hair.

Most robots come with a remote you can use to steer them around your home. However, the majority of them can be controlled via an app for mobile devices, which gives you more options. It is possible to set up multiple cleaning schedules, make an inventory of your favorite rooms and even manually guide your robot around specific areas by using directions on the screen.

Certain models have zones that are not allowed. These are virtual barriers that you can create in the app to prevent the robot from entering certain areas (like toys for children or dog beds and dishes). Other apps allow you to create the map of your house and give the robot detailed information about your floors. The app we ranked as our top choice Roborock S7+, the Roborock S7+, has many useful options to help you tidy your home, but its interface isn't as polished and elegant as those from iRobot and Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robot vacuums that clean your entire house without stopping for a recharge or emptying their trash bins save time and effort. Some robot vacuums work with smart home devices like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Shortcuts to enable hands-free operation. They can also build an image of your living space, allowing you to program them to clean specific areas or rooms, and to avoid obstacles.

Most robot vacuums offer some degree of detection of objects and object detection, but more expensive 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 your home maintenance, think about a robot mop with a water container that you can fill and empty.

While none of the models we tested could compete with the power of a stand-up vacuum, the majority of them do an excellent job at cleaning carpets with low pile and hard floors. They excel in sweeping up dust and food particles, dirt tracked in and pet hair. They are also able to handle metal screws and nuts as well as cats' litter. The top robot vacuums can clean edges and corners and can even work on furniture. Eufy 11S is a relatively affordable and basic model.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

A robot vacuum will help keep your home tidy and clean without doing lots of work. You can schedule cleanings in the app and set up no-go zones to ensure that your robot won't trample your plants or ruin your favorite chair. A majority of our top picks empty their dustbins for you and clean their docking stations.

The most effective robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors regularly for months or even weeks at a stretch, freeing you from the arduous task 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 amount of time required to clean your floors manually.

In the best robot vacuum cleaner course of testing, the Q Revo was able to pick up small particles such as baking soda and oatmeal as well as heavier debris such nails and screws made of steel and even fluffy matter like pet hair. It's not equipped with the sophisticated mapping and object avoidance features of our top picks, however it works well enough for most families.

The most appealing feature of the j7 is that it uses camera and processor-powered smarts to recognize and avoid obstacles like power cords, shoes, socks, and pet waste. This means that you don't have to clean up after using your robot. However, rooms that are cluttered can cause your robot to get stuck and do poorly.