How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you're able to live without advanced features such as mapping, and aren't worried about cleaning the trash bin every 60 days or so, a basic robotic vacuum is likely to work for you. Find an option that is clean and can work with voice assistants.

It is the best robo-vacuum we have tested for cleaning up pet hair from tile floors, hardwood floors and carpeting with low pile. It can also map and create virtual no-go zones in rooms or areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum will help you keep up with the dust, pet fur and dander that settles on your floor each day. It also can reduce the frequency at which you have to do a deeper clean which will save you time and effort. The most effective models feature powerful suction, which will take on the majority of messes and leave your home cleaner.

A robot vacuum that is also able to mop will allow you to get more space by using just one machine. This is especially beneficial for homes with a large area. You can find a model that has a water tank integrated into the chassis or as an extra piece that you can take out after vacuuming. It will need to be empty and refill it, though it's an additional task that requires some extra effort on your part.

In the ideal world, you'd be able to clean your floors before you used your robot vacuum to keep it from running into things. In the majority of homes, this is not possible or desirable. Most models allow you to use an app that you can install on your phone to create virtual barriers the robot can observe. Some models have no-go zones that you can mark areas you don't want the robot to enter. For example the child's room or a pile cords in an area.

If you're looking for a simple robot vacuum that doesn't have all the bells and bells, this model from the networking company TP-Link is a great option. It is quiet, works on both hard floors and carpets with low pile and can be programmed through the app to mop and vacuum at your leisure. It's got a long battery life of up to 180 minutes.

2. Easy to Operate

Robot vacuums typically require very little from you. They make use of navigation tools such as sensors lasers, cameras and sensors to navigate around obstacles and suck up dust, food crumbs and pet hair from hard floors, tile carpets, hardwood floors and low-pile carpets. Many models have boundary strips to help them remain in a room. The more expensive models can be programmed to get up at a particular time and start cleaning. Some models have fall detection technology to help users avoid falling down the stairs or becoming tangled in cords.

If you're looking to control your robot vacuum from the comfort of a couch, search for models that integrate voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also choose Wi-Fi models that allow you to begin a cleaning session anywhere using an app. You may want to select one with an extremely long-lasting battery as well as an enormous dust bin, based on the size of your home.

Some robot vacuums can double as mops, utilizing water reservoirs to clean your floor. This is great for regular mopping but won't work for extra-tough messes, like pet poop or other spills that get wet. You can pick hybrids that have an adjustable microfiber mopping pad or a self-emptying option that allows you to stay for up to 60 days before emptying the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Certain robots employ advanced mapping technologies to build an accurate map of your floorplan as they clean the floor, which makes it easier for them to avoid bumping mindlessly into furniture or falling over things like cords or chair legs. This feature is only available on the top models however it allows your kyvol robot vacuum to be aware of your home's layout and knows where to go when the battery runs out.

Most robots let you create virtual barriers. This can be done via an application or even physical boundary strips. This lets you create zones that you don't want your robot to enter, so that it can concentrate its attention on areas that require the most attention.

A lot of robots are able to automatically navigate to different floorings according to the type of floor they're cleaning, whether they're switching between hard and carpet or focusing on 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 made of low-pile or hardwood. However, it's still important to secure furniture and cords that are loose prior to using your robot vacuum to ensure that it doesn't get caught or get into something it shouldn't.

4. Remote Control

Most robot vacuums have WiFi capabilities and can be controlled using voice commands, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Siri Shortcuts. Many connect to smart home systems and create a map of your space after each cleaning session to "learn" your layout and design more efficient routes for local future trips. Some also have built-in obstacle avoidance that prevents them from bumping into furniture and local damaging it or getting stuck on things like loose charging cables shoes, laces for shoes and pet hair.

Most robots are equipped with the ability to control them with a remote that you can use to move them around your house. The majority of robots can be controlled by a mobile app, which offers more features. You can usually create multiple cleaning schedules, build the list of rooms you like and even manually guide your robot to specific areas by using directions on the screen.

Some 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). Certain apps let you create a map of your house and provide detailed information about the floors. The app that we recommend as our top choice Roborock S7+, the Roborock S7+, has numerous options to help you tidy your house, but its interface isn't as polished as those from iRobot and Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

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

The majority of robot vacuums come with some degree of object detection however, higher-end models such as the iRobot j7 offer sophisticated features such as "home mapping" and advanced obstacle avoidance that will make your life easier (although our test bot did "eat" a pair of socks). If you're looking to take your home maintenance to the next level, look for a robotic mop with a water tank that you fill and empty yourself.

While none of the models we tested could match the dirt-picking ability of a standup vacuum, they did a great job cleaning hard floors and carpets with a low pile. They excel at picking up food crumbs, and tracked-in dirt. They can also handle nuts and screws made of metal, as well as the stray cat litter. The best robot vacs can easily maneuver around furniture and are great at cleaning edges and corners as well. For a basic model that functions on its own and is comparatively inexpensive take a look at the Eufy 11S.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

A robot vacuum can keep your home clean and tidy without having to do lots of work. You can schedule cleanings in the app and create no-go zones to ensure that your robot doesn't damage your plants or ruin your favorite chair. Many of our top picks also automatically empty their bins and clean their docking stations for you.

The top robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors regularly for months or even weeks at a time, removing you from the arduous task of manually mopping and sweeping your floors on a weekly or daily basis. This lets you enjoy more time doing things you enjoy and reduces the time needed to clean your floors manually.

During testing the Q Revo was able to capture fine particles like baking soda and oatmeal. It also picked up heavier debris like metal screws and nails and fluffy stuff like pet hair. It does not have the intelligent mapping and objects-avoiding features of our top picks, but is still a great option for families with children.

The most impressive feature of the j7 is its ability to spot and avoid obstacles such as power cords, shoes and socks and pet waste. This means you don't have to spend time tidying the room prior to running your robot, however cluttered rooms will mean that your robot could get stuck and not be able to do as good a job.