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 robot vacuum is likely to be the best choice for you. Look for an option with a clean base and works with voice assistants.

It excels at picking up dirt, clumps of cat litter and pet hair on hardwood floors, tile and carpeting that is lower-pile better than any other robo vacuum we've tested. It can also map and set virtual no-go zones for rooms or areas.

1. Powerful Suction

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

A robot vacuum that also mop will allow you to achieve more coverage using one machine, which can be particularly beneficial in a larger home. There are models with a water tank either integrated into the chassis or as an extra piece that you can swap out after vacuuming. You'll have to empty it and fill it up, however, so this is an additional task that requires some extra effort on your part.

In a perfect world it would be ideal to clean your floors first before you use your robot vacuum to stop it from running into anything. But in most homes, this isn't possible or desirable. The majority of models let you use an app on your smartphone to create virtual barriers that the robot will see. Some include no-go zones, which you can use to flag areas you don't want it to enter, such as kids rooms or a pile of cords for your device in the corner.

If you're looking for a simple robot vacuum with no bells and whistles, this model from the company that makes networking TP-Link is a great choice. It's quiet and works well on hard floors and low-pile carpets and can be scheduled via the app to vacuum or mop at any time. It comes with a battery life that can last up to 180 minutes.

2. Easy to operate

Robot vacuums generally need only minimal effort from you. They use sensors cameras, lasers, and sensors to move around and collect dust, pet hair and food crumbs from tiles, hard floors and hardwood. A lot of models come with boundary strips that allow them to remain inside the room. Higher-end models can be programmed to start up at a certain time and begin cleaning. Some models even have fall detection technology that can help them avoid falling down the stairs or getting caught in electrical cords.

If you want to control your robot vacuum from the comfort of your couch, best robot Vacuum deals look for models that integrate voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also pick Wi-Fi models that allow you to start cleaning from anywhere with an app. Depending on how large your house is, you may prefer one with a long battery life and a spacious dust bin that doesn't require being regularly emptied.

Some robot vacuums can double as mops, utilizing water reservoirs to clean your floor. This is useful for regular mopping but won't be effective for messes that are more difficult to clean, like pet poop or other spills that get wet. You can choose hybrids that have an adjustable microfiber mopping pad or a self-emptying option that allows you to go for up to 60 days without emptying the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Certain robots employ advanced mapping technology to create a detailed map of your floorplan as they clean, making it easier for them to avoid bumping mindlessly into furniture or falling over things such as cords or chairs. 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 knows where to move when the battery runs out.

If you do not want your robot to go into areas of your home you'd rather it stay away from (like your children's toys or the tangled mess of gadget cords in the corner) Most robots provide some method of creating virtual barriers, either through their app or a set of physical boundary strips. This lets you create zones that you don't want your robot vacuum cleaner black friday venture into, so it can concentrate its attention on areas that require the most cleaning.

A lot of robots are able to automatically navigate to different floors depending on the floor they're cleaning, whether that's changing between hard flooring and carpet or focusing on particular areas of your home, like corners and baseboards. In our tests it was a great feature that improved their performance in picking up carpeting that is low-pile and hardwood. However, it's still important to secure loose cords and furniture before running your robot vacuum so that it doesn't get caught or run into something it shouldn't.

4. Remote Control

Most robot vacuums have WiFi connectivity and work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts to allow you to control them using voice commands or from your smartphone. Many robot vacuums connect to smart home systems and generate a map of the space they clean after each cleaning session. This lets them "learn" how your home is laid out and plan more efficient routes for future cleaning sessions. Some come with obstacles avoidance built-in, which prevents them from causing damage to furniture or getting stuck on things like loose charging cables or pet hair.

Most robots come with a remote you can use to steer them around your home. However, many can be controlled with an app for mobile devices that comes with additional features. You can usually set multiple cleaning schedules, build the list of rooms you like and even manually guide your robot around specific areas using directional arrows on the screen.

Some models provide no-go zones that are virtual barriers you can configure in the app to stop the robot from entering certain areas (like kids' toys or dog beds and bowls). Some apps let you create an image of your home and provide detailed information about the floors. The app we ranked as our top pick, the Roborock S7+, has numerous options to help you clean your home, but its interface isn't as polished as the ones from iRobot and Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

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

The majority of robot vacuums come with 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" the socks of a pair). socks). If you're looking to improve your home maintenance, best robot vacuum deals consider an automated mop that comes with a water container that can be filled and then empty.

While no of the models we tested could match the ability to pick up dirt of a stand-up vacuum they did an excellent job cleaning hard floors as well as carpets with a low pile. They are excellent at sweeping up food crumbs, and dirt that has been tracked into. They are also able to handle screws and nuts made of metal as well as stray cat litter. The most effective robot vacuums are able to easily work their way around furniture, and they do a great job of cleaning corners and edges as well. Eufy 11S is a relatively basic and affordable model.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

A robot vacuum can keep your home tidy and clean without having to do many tasks. You can schedule your cleanings using the app and create no-go zones so that your robot doesn't damage your plants or ruin your favorite chair. A majority of our top picks will also 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 time, thereby which saves you the time and effort of manually sweeping or mopping your floors every week or day. This lets you enjoy more time doing things you like and reduces the time needed to clean your floors manually.

During testing, the Q Revo was able to capture small particles such as baking soda and oatmeal as well as heavier debris such nails and screws made of steel and even fluffy matter such as pet hair. It does not have the advanced mapping and object-avoiding features of our top robot vacuum picks but is still a great option for families with children.

The best thing about the j7 is its ability to recognize and avoid obstacles such as power cords, shoes and socks and pet waste. This means you don't have to clean up before running your robot, although cluttered rooms will mean that your robot could get stuck and not perform as well.