How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you can live without advanced features such as mapping, and don't mind emptying the dustbin every 60 days or so, a basic robot vacuum could be a good choice for you. Select a model with an uncluttered base that can work with voice assistants.

It is the best robo-vacuum we have tested at picking up dirt and pet hair from tile floors, hardwood floors and carpets with low pile. It also has the ability to map out and create virtual no-go zones in rooms or certain areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum can keep clean of the pet hair, dust and dander that collects on your floors on a day-to-day basis. It can also reduce the frequency you have to do a deeper clean and saves you time and effort. The best model has powerful suction that can clean up most mess and leave your home sparkling clean.

You can cover a larger area by using a robot vacuum as well as a mop vacuum robot, which is especially beneficial if you live in a large home. You can find a model with a water tank either built into the chassis or as an additional piece that you can remove after vacuuming. It will need to be empty and refill it, though, so this is an additional task that requires a little extra work on your part.

In a perfect world, you would clear your floors first before you use your robot vacuum to stop it from running into anything. But in most homes, this isn't feasible or desirable. The majority of models let you make use of an app on your smartphone to create virtual barriers the robot can observe. Some models include no-go areas that you can mark areas you don't want the robot to enter. For mop Robot Vacuum instance the child's room or a pile of cords in an area.

If you're looking for a basic robot vacuum without all the bells and whistles, this model from networking company TP-Link is a great option. It's quiet, and it works on both hard floors and low-pile carpets and can be scheduled using the app to mop robot Vacuum or vacuum at your convenience. It has a long battery life that can last for up to 180 minutes before it requires to recharge.

2. Simple to operate

Robot vacuums typically require very little from you. They make use of navigation tools such as sensors lasers, cameras and sensors to move through obstacles and collect dust, food crumbs and pet hair from hard flooring, tile, hardwood and low-pile carpets. A lot of them have boundary strips that allow them to stay within the walls of a room while pricier models can be set to automatically wake up and start cleaning at a predetermined time. Some models include fall detection technology that helps them avoid falling down a flight of stairs or getting caught in cords.

Find models that you can control from your couch using voice assistants, such as Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also search for models that connect to Wi-Fi and let you start cleaning sessions from anywhere through an app. You may prefer a model that has a long-lasting battery and a large dust bin, depending on the size of your home.

Some robot vacuums double as mops, using reservoirs of water to wash your floors. This is useful for regular mopping but won't work for extra-tough messes, such as pet poop or other wet spills. You can choose hybrids that have an adjustable microfiber mopping pad, or a self-emptying version that allows you to stay for mop Robot vacuum up to 60 days before emptying the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Some robots utilize advanced mapping technologies to build an accurate map of your floorplan as they clean the floor, which makes it easier for them to avoid crashing into furniture or tripping over things such as cords or chairs. This feature is typically only available on higher-end models, but it's one of the most effective ways to ensure your robot has a full understanding of the layout of your house and can determine where to go when it's running out of battery.

If you don't want your robot navigating into areas of your home that you'd prefer to keep it away from (like your kids' toys or the tangled mess of device cords in the corner) The majority of robots offer some method of creating virtual barriers, either via their apps or physical boundary strips. This lets you define areas that you don't want your robot enter, so that it can focus its attention on areas and rooms that require the most cleaning.

Many robots also have the ability to automatically navigate to different floorings based on the type of surface they're cleaning, whether that's changing between carpet and hard flooring or focusing on specific areas of your home, like baseboards and corners. In our tests this was a helpful feature that improved their performance in picking up carpeting made of low-pile or hardwood. It's nevertheless important to put away furniture and cords that are loose prior to running your robot vacuum so that it doesn't get caught or run into something it shouldn't.

4. Remote Control

The majority of robot vacuums are WiFi-enabled and can be controlled by Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts to allow you to control them via voice commands or through your smartphone. Many robot vacuums connect to smart home systems, and create an outline of the area they clean after each session. This allows them to "learn" the way your home is laid out and to plan more efficient routes for future cleaning sessions. There are also built-in obstacles avoidance that prevents them from crashing into furniture and damaging it or getting stuck on things like charging cables that are loose or shoe laces, as well as hair from pets.

Most robots come with a remote you can use to control them around your home. However, many can be controlled with an app on your mobile that comes with additional features. You can set up a variety of cleaning schedules, and create an inventory of your preferred rooms. You can also manually guide the robot with direction the arrows.

Some models have no-go zones. These are virtual barriers can be created in the app to prevent the robot from entering specific areas (like toys for children or dog beds and dishes). Other apps let you set up a map of your home and provide the robot with precise information about your floors. The Roborock S7+ app has a number of useful features that will assist you in cleaning your home. However the interface isn't as polished as iRobot or Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

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

The majority of robot vacuums detect objects, however the iRobot j7 offers advanced features like "home mapping" and obstacle avoidance. These features can simplify your life (although one of our test bots did "eat" a couple of socks). If you're seeking to improve your home maintenance, you should consider a robot mop with water containers that can be filled and then empty.

While none of the models we tested could match the dirt-picking power of a stand-up vacuum the majority of them do an excellent job at cleaning hard floors and low-pile carpets. They are great at sweeping up fine dust and food particles, dirt tracked in and pet hair. They can even tackle some scattered cat litter, as well as metal screws and nuts. The top robot vacuums can easily maneuver through furniture, and they are great at cleaning edges and corners as well. Eufy 11S is a relatively basic and affordable model.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

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

The best cheap robot vacuum robot vacuums are programmable to keep your floors clean for weeks or months at a stretch, making it easier to save time and effort of manually sweeping or mopping your floors each week or every day. This allows you to spend more time doing things you like and reduces the amount of time required to clean your floors manually.

During testing, Q Revo was able grab fine particles like baking soda and oatmeal. It also picked up heavier particles such as nails and screws made of steel, as well as fluffy things like pet hair. It isn't equipped with the advanced mapping and objects-avoiding features of our top picks, but is still a good choice for most families.

The most impressive feature of the j7 is its ability to recognize and avoid obstacles like power cords, shoes and socks and pet waste. This means that you don't need to tidy up before using your robot. However, messy rooms could cause your robot to get stuck and do a poor job.