How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you're willing to live without smart capabilities like mapping, and aren't worried about emptying the dustbin every 60 days or so, a basic robotic vacuum could be a good choice for you. Find one with a clean base and works with voice assistants.

It is the best vacuum we have tested at cleaning up pet hair on tiles, hardwood floors, and carpeting with low pile. It also maps and create virtual no-go zones for rooms and areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum will help you keep track of the pet fur, dust and dander that settles on your floor each day. It can also reduce the frequency you have to clean your floors, saving your time and effort. The most effective model comes with powerful suction that can clean up most mess and leave your home sparkling clean.

You can cover more area by using a robot vacuum as well as a mop, which is especially useful if you have a large house. There are models that has a water tank in the chassis itself or as an extra piece that you can remove after vacuuming. You'll need to empty and refill it, though, so this is an additional task that will require a little extra work on your part.

In ideal world, you'd clear your floors prior to using your robot vacuum to prevent it from running into things. In the majority of homes, however it's not feasible or desirable. Most robots allow you to use an app for your smartphone to build virtual barriers the robot can see. Some models include no-go areas that you can mark areas you don't want the robot vacuum for Carpet to access. For instance the child's room or a pile of cords in an area.

This model is a good option for those looking for a basic robot cleaner that does not have all the bells and whistles. It is quiet, works on both hard floors as well as carpets with low pile and can be programmed using the app to mop and vacuum at your own convenience. It's got a long battery life of up to 180 minutes.

2. Simple to operate

In general, robot vacuums require very little input from you. They utilize navigation tools like sensors lasers, cameras and sensors to move through obstacles and collect food particles, dust and pet hair from floors, tile carpets, hardwood floors and low-pile carpets. Many have boundary strips to help them stay within a room's walls, while more expensive models can be set to automatically wake up and begin cleaning at a scheduled time. Some models have fall detection technology to help them avoid falling down stairs or becoming tangled in cords.

Look for models that allow you to control from your couch using voice assistants, such as Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also pick Wi-Fi models that permit you to start cleaning anywhere you want using an app. Depending on how big your home is, you might prefer one that has a long battery life and a roomy dustbin that doesn't need to be regularly emptied.

Some robot vacuums can double as mops, utilizing reservoirs of water to wash your floor. This is ideal for mopping, but not for difficult messes such as pet poop and other spills. You can pick hybrids with an adjustable microfiber mopping pad or a self-emptying option that allows you to stay for up to 60 days without emptying the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Certain robots employ advanced mapping technology to create an accurate map of your floorplan while they clean the floor, which makes it easier for them to avoid crashing into furniture or falling over things like cords or chair legs. This feature is only available on the top models however, it lets your cheap robot vacuum cleaner have a thorough understanding of your home's layout and knows where to go when the battery is out.

Most robots allow you to create virtual barriers. This can be done through an app or physical boundary strips. This allows you to define areas that you do not want your robot to explore, so that it can concentrate its attention on the areas that require the most cleaning.

Many robots can also automatically navigate to different floorings depending on the flooring they're cleaning, be it they're switching between carpet and hard flooring or focusing on particular areas of your home, like corners and baseboards. In our tests, this was a useful feature that improved their performance in picking up carpeting that is low-pile and robot vacuum for carpet hardwood. It is important to secure any loose cords or furniture prior to using your robot vacuum, so that it doesn't become caught.

4. Remote Control

The majority of robot vacuums have WiFi capabilities and can be controlled using voice commands, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Siri Shortcuts. Many robot vacuums are connected to smart home systems, and generate a map of the area they clean after each cleaning session. This lets them "learn" the way your home is laid out and to plan more efficient routes during future cleaning sessions. Some also have built-in obstacle avoidance, which stops them from bumping into furniture and causing damage or getting stuck on things like loose charging cables, shoe laces and hair from pets.

The majority of robots come with an remote control that you can use to navigate them around your house. However, the majority of them can be controlled with a mobile app that offers more features. You can set up multiple cleaning schedules and create a list with your favorite rooms. You can also manually guide the robot with directional Arrows.

Some models offer no-go zones that are virtual barriers that you can configure within the app to prevent the robot from entering certain areas (like toys for kids or dog beds and bowls). Some apps let you create an outline of your home and provide more detailed information about the floors. The Roborock S7+ app has several useful features to assist you in cleaning your home. However its interface isn't as polished as iRobot or Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robotic vacuums that can sweep all over your home without stopping to recharge or empty their bins of dust make it easier for you to save 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 draw an outline of the space that allows you to program them for specific areas or rooms, and to stay clear of obstacles.

The majority of robot vacuums detect objects, but the iRobot j7 comes with advanced features like "home mapping" and obstacle avoidance. These features can make your life easier (although one of our test robots did "eat" two socks). If you're looking 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 can beat the dirt-picking power of a stand-up vacuum most do an admirable job of cleaning carpets with low pile and hard floors. They excel in sweeping up dust and debris, food crumbs, tracked-in dirt and pet hair. They are also able to tackle stray cat litter and metal screws and nuts. The best robot vacuum under 200 robot vacs can easily maneuver around furniture, and they excel at cleaning edges and corners as well. For a basic model that functions on its own and is reasonably priced, check out the Eufy 11S.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

With the right setup and the right setup, a robotic vacuum can assist you in keeping your home looking and looking and feeling cleaner regularly, without much work from you. You can schedule cleanings using the app, and you can designate no-go areas so that the robot won't walk on your plants or favorite chair. The majority of our top picks automatically empty their dustbins and clean their docking stations for you.

The most effective robot vacuums are programmable to clean your floors regularly for weeks or even months at a time, making it easier to save time and effort of manually sweeping or mopping your floors every single week or even every day. This allows you to take more time doing the things you like and reduces the amount of time required to clean your floors manually.

In our tests, the Q Revo was able to grab fine particles like oatmeal and baking soda, heavier debris such as nails and screws made of metal and even fluffy matter like hair from pets. It lacks the intelligent mapping and object-avoiding features found in our top picks but is still a good choice for families with children.

The best aspect of the j7 robot is that it utilizes camera and processor-powered sensors to identify and avoid obstacles like power cords, shoes socks and pet waste. This means that you don't need to tidy up before running your robot, however cluttered rooms will mean that your bot may get stuck and not do as well.