How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you're able to live without the benefits of smart features like mapping, and commercial Robot Vacuum you don't mind emptying the garbage bin every 60 days or so, a basic robotic vacuum is likely to work for you. Choose a model with a clean base that works with voice assistants.

It is the best robo-vacuum we have tested in picking up dirt and pet hair on hardwood floors, tile, and carpets with low pile. It can also plan out and set virtual no go zones for rooms or specific 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 decrease the frequency of deep cleaning, saving you time and effort. The most effective models have powerful suction that will easily take on the most difficult messes and leave your home sparkling clean.

You can cover more area with a robot vacuum and mop, which can be beneficial if you live in an extensive home. Find models that have a water reservoir either in the chassis or as a separate piece that you can swap out when the vacuuming is done. You'll need to empty and refill it, though it's an additional task that requires some extra effort on your part.

In a perfect world, you'd clean your floors prior to using your robot vacuum to prevent it from hitting things. But in most homes, this isn't possible or desirable. Thankfully, most models allow you to use a smartphone to create virtual barriers that the robot is able to see and avoid. Some models have no-go zones which you can use to mark areas that you don't want the robot to enter, such as kids rooms or a pile of device cords in the corner.

This model is a good choice if you want an easy robot cleaner that doesn't have all the bells. It's quiet and works well on both hard floors and low-pile rugs and can be scheduled through the app to vacuum or mop at your convenience. It's got a long battery life, which can last for up to 180 minutes before it requires to recharge.

2. Easy to operate

In general robot vacuums require little input from you. They make use of navigational tools such as sensors lasers, cameras, and sensors to move and collect pet hair, dust and food crumbs off hard floors, tiles and hardwood. Many have boundary strips to aid in staying within a room's walls, while higher-end models can be programmed to automatically wake up and start cleaning at a set time. Some even come with 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, look for models that integrate voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also choose Wi-Fi models that permit users to start cleaning from anywhere with an app. Depending on the size of your home is, you might prefer an item that has a long battery life and a roomy dustbin that doesn't have to be emptying frequently.

Some robot vacuums can double as mops, using reservoirs of water to clean your floor. This is helpful for normal mopping, but it won't work for extra-tough messes, like pet poop or other wet spills. You can pick hybrids that have an able mopping pad made of microfiber, or a self-emptying version 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 hitting furniture and getting caught on cords or chair legs. This feature is typically only available on more expensive models, but it's certainly one of the most effective ways to ensure that your robot has an accurate understanding of the layout of your house and can determine where to go when it runs out of battery.

If you don't want your robot navigating into areas of your house that you'd rather it stay away from (like your kids' toys or the tangled mess of device cords in the corner), most robots offer some method of creating virtual barriers, either through their apps or physical boundary strips. This allows you to define areas that you don't want your robot to venture into, so it can concentrate its attention on areas that require the most cleaning.

Many robots also automatically change floors based on the kind of floor they are cleaning. This can be accomplished by switching from carpet to hard flooring, or by focusing on specific areas of your house, such as corners and baseboards. In our tests, this was a useful feature that improved their scores on picking up carpeting made of low-pile or hardwood. It's important to tuck away any furniture or cords that are loose before using your robot vacuum, so that it doesn't become caught.

4. Remote Control

Most robot vacuums come with WiFi capabilities and can be controlled via voice commands, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Siri Shortcuts. Many robot vacuums connect to smart home systems, and can create a map of the area they clean after each cleaning session. This allows them to "learn" the way your home is laid out, and then plan more efficient routes in future cleaning sessions. Certain models have obstacle avoidance features built in to prevent them from damaging furniture and getting stuck on objects like loose charging cables or pet hair.

The majority of robots come with the ability to control them with a remote that you can use to navigate them around your home. However, the majority of them can be controlled using an app for mobile devices that comes with additional features. You can usually set multiple cleaning schedules, make an inventory of your favorite rooms and even manually guide your robot around specific areas using directional arrows on the screen.

Certain models have zones that are not allowed. These are virtual barriers you can set up in the app to stop the robot from entering specific areas (like toys for kids or dishes for dogs and dog beds). Other apps allow you to set up an outline of your home and provide the commercial robot vacuum with precise information about your floors. The app on our top pick Roborock S7+, the Roborock S7+, has numerous 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 can clean your entire house without stopping for a recharge or to empty their dustbins save time and effort. Some robot vacuum mop combo vacuums are compatible with smart home platforms such as Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Shortcuts to allow hands-free operation. They can also create an image of your space that allows you to program them to clean specific areas or rooms and stay clear of obstacles.

Most robot vacuums offer some degree of object detection and object detection, but more expensive models like the iRobot j7 offer sophisticated features like "home mapping" and advanced obstacle avoidance, which can simplify your life (although our test bot did once "eat" a pair of socks). If you want to take your home maintenance even further opt for a robotic mop that comes with a tank of water that can be filled and then empty.

While none of the models we tested compete with the power of a stand-up vacuum most do an admirable job at cleaning carpets with low pile and hard floors. They are excellent at sweeping up food crumbs, and tracked-in dirt. They are also able to handle screws and nuts made of metal as well as the stray cat litter. The most effective robot vacuums are able to remove dirt from edges and corners and work on furniture. Eufy 11S is a relatively affordable and basic model.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

With the proper setup and the right setup, a robotic vacuum can assist you in keeping your home looking and feeling cleaner regularly, with minimal effort. You can schedule cleanings using the app, and you can create no-go zones so that your robot doesn't step on your plants or sit on your favorite chair. Many of our top picks empty their dustbins and clean their docking station.

The best robot vacuum for thick carpet and pet hair robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors regularly for months or weeks at a time, thereby making it easier to save time and effort of manually mopping or sweeping your floors every single week or every day. This allows you to spend more time doing things you enjoy and reduces the time needed to clean your floors manually.

In the course of testing the Q Revo was able to capture small particles such as baking soda and oatmeal, heavier debris such as nails and screws made of steel and even fluffy matter such as hair from pets. It isn't equipped with the advanced mapping and object-avoiding features of our top picks but is still a great choice 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 that you don't have to clean up after using your robot. However, messy rooms could cause your robot to get stuck and do poorly.