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 probably suitable for you. Find an option that has a clean base and is compatible with voice assistants.

It excels at picking up dirt, cat litter and pet hair on tile floors, hardwood floors and carpeting with less pile than any other vacuum we've tried. It also maps and set virtual no-go zones in rooms or areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum will stay on top of the dust, pet hair and dander that accumulates on your floors on a day-to-day basis. It can also reduce the frequency of deep cleaning, saving you both time and effort. The best models come with powerful suction, which can clean up most mess with ease and leave your home cleaner.

You can cover more area by using a robot vacuum as well as a mop, which can be useful if you have a large home. Find a model that has an water reservoir built into its chassis or as a separate piece that you put in after the vacuuming is finished. You'll have to empty it and refill it, though it's an additional chore that requires some extra effort on your part.

In a perfect world, you'd clear your floors prior to using your robot vacuum to prevent it from crashing into objects. But in most homes, this isn't possible or desirable. Most robots allow you to make use of an app on your smartphone to create virtual barriers the robot can see. Some include no-go zones, which can be used to mark areas that you don't want it access, such as children rooms or a stack of device cords in the corner.

This model is a good option if you're looking for a basic robot cleaner that does not have all the bells. It's quiet, works well on hard floors and low-pile carpets and can be scheduled through the app to vacuum or mop at your own convenience. It has a long 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 use navigational tools such as sensors, lasers, and cameras to move around and collect pet hair, dust, and food crumbs from hard floors, tiles and hardwood. Many have boundary strips that aid in staying within the walls of a room while pricier models can be set to automatically wake up and start cleaning at a scheduled time. Some even come with fall detection technology that helps them avoid falling down stairs or becoming caught in electrical cords.

Find models that allow you to control from the comfort of your sofa using voice assistants such as Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also search for Wi-Fi-connected models that allow you to start cleaning from any location via an app. You may want to select an option with an extremely long-lasting battery as well as an enormous dust bin, wet Dry robot vacuum based on the size of your home.

Some robot vacuums can double as mops and use water reservoirs to clean your floor. This is great for mopping, but not great for difficult messes such as pet poop and other wet dry robot Vacuum spills. You can choose hybrids that have an able mopping pad made of microfiber or a self-emptying option that allows you to go for up to 60 days without emptying the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Some robots that vacuum and mop use advanced mapping technologies to build a detailed map of your floorplan while they clean and tidy, allowing them to avoid bumping mindlessly into furniture or tripping over things like chair legs or cords. 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 is aware of where to go when it's low on battery.

Most robots allow you to create virtual barriers. This can be done via an app or physical boundary strips. You can block off areas you don't wish your robot to access, so that it can concentrate on the rooms that need the most attention.

A lot of robots can also automatically change floors based on the kind of floor they are cleaning. This can be done by changing from carpet to hard flooring or by focusing on particular areas of your home, such as corners and baseboards. In our tests it was a great 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 to ensure that it doesn't get caught.

4. Remote Control

The majority of robot vacuums have WiFi capabilities and can be controlled with voice commands, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Siri Shortcuts. Many connect to smart home systems that create a map of your space after each cleaning session, to "learn" your layout and devise more efficient routes for future trips. Some also have built-in obstacle avoidance that prevents them from hitting furniture and causing damage or getting stuck on things like loose charging cables or shoe laces, as well as pet hair.

Most robots come with a remote you can use to steer them around your home. Most robots are controlled via a mobile application that comes with more features. You can set up multiple cleaning schedules and make an inventory of your preferred rooms. You can also manually direct the robot with direction the arrows.

Some models have no-go zones. These are virtual barriers you can set up within the app to block the robot from accessing certain areas (like toys for kids or dishes for dogs and dog beds). Other apps let you set up an outline of your home and give the robot detailed information about your floors. The Roborock S7+ app has a number of useful features that can aid in cleaning the house. However, its interface isn't quite as polished as iRobot or Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robotic vacuums that can sweep a whole house without stopping to recharge or empty their dust bins save you time and effort. Some robot vacuums work with smart home platforms like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Shortcuts to enable hands-free operation. They can also build a map of your home, allowing you to program them to clean specific areas or rooms and stay clear of obstacles.

Most robot vacuums offer some level of object detection, but higher-end 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 once "eat" socks). socks). If you're looking to take your home cleaning to the next level opt for a robotic mop that has a tank of water that you fill and empty yourself.

While none of the models we tested beat the dirt-picking power of a stand-up vacuum, they all do a great job at cleaning hard floors and low-pile carpets. They excel at picking up fine dirt, food crumbs and tracked-in dirt. They can also handle metal screws and nuts and the stray cat litter. The best robot vacs can easily work their way around furniture, and they are great at cleaning corners and edges as well. Eufy 11S is a relatively basic and affordable model.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

With the right setup and the right setup, a robotic vacuum can aid in keeping your home looking and feeling fresh on a regular basis without a lot of effort. You can schedule your cleanings using the app and create no-go zones to ensure that your robot won't trample your plants or your favorite chair. A majority of our top picks also automatically empty their dustbins and clean their docking stations for you.

The most effective robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors on a regular basis for weeks or even months at a time, saving you from the tedious chore of manually mopping and sweeping your floors on a daily or weekly basis. This lets you enjoy more time doing things you enjoy, and decreases the time needed to clean your floors manually.

During tests, Q Revo was able to grab small particles such as baking soda and oatmeal. It also snatched up heavier particles such as nails and screws made of steel, as well as fluffy hair. It's not equipped with the sophisticated mapping and object avoidance features found in our top picks, but it works well enough for the majority of families.

The most appealing thing about the j7 is that it uses camera and processor-powered sensors to identify and avoid obstacles such as shoes, power cords, socks, and pet waste. This means you don't have to spend time tidying the room prior to running your robot, although cluttered rooms will mean that the robot may become stuck and not perform as well.