How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum
If you can live without smart capabilities like mapping, and aren't worried about cleaning the trash bin every 60 days or then, a basic robot vacuum could be a good choice for you. Choose an option that is clean and works with voice assistants.
It is the most effective robo-vacuum we have tested for picking up dirt and pet hair on hardwood floors, tile, and low-pile carpeting. It also maps and create virtual no-go zones in rooms or areas.
1. Powerful Suction
A robot vacuum can assist you in keeping up with the dust, pet fur and dander that accumulates on your floors every day. It can also reduce the frequency of deep cleaning, saving you time and effort. The best model has powerful suction that is able to tackle most messes and leave your home clean.
You can take care of more space by using a robot vacuum as well as a mop, which is particularly beneficial if you live in an extensive 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. You'll need to empty and fill it up, however, so this is an additional chore that requires some extra effort on your part.
In a perfect world it would be ideal to clean your floors before you use your robot vacuum to stop it from running into anything. However, in the majority of homes, this isn't feasible or desirable. Thankfully, most models allow you to use your smartphone app to set up virtual barriers that the robot will see and avoid. Certain models have no-go zones that you can mark areas that you don't want it to access. For example an area for children's play or a pile cords in a corner.
If you're looking for a simple robot vacuum that doesn't have all the bells and whistles, this model made by the company that makes networking TP-Link is a great option. It's quiet, and it works on hard floors as well as low-pile rugs and can be scheduled using the app to mop or vacuum at your own convenience. It has a long battery life, and can last for up to 180 minutes before it requires to recharge.
2. Easy to Operate
In general, robot vacuums require very little input from you. They make use of navigational tools such as sensors lasers, cameras, and sensors to move and collect dust, pet hair and food crumbs from hard floors, tiles and hardwood. Many have boundary strips that aid in staying within the walls of a room while higher-end models can be set to automatically wake up and start cleaning at a scheduled time. Some models include fall detection technology that helps them avoid falling down a flight of stairs or getting caught in cords.
Look for models that can be controlled from your couch via voice assistants, such as Alexa or Google Assistant. Also, look for Wi-Fi-connected models that allow you to begin cleaning sessions from anywhere using an app. Depending on how large your house is, you might prefer an item with a long battery life and a roomy dustbin that doesn't have to be emptied frequently.
Some robot vacuums are also mops. They utilize water reservoirs to wash the floor. This is great for mopping, but not ideal for tough messes like pet poop and other spills. You can choose hybrids that have an adjustable microfiber mopping pad or a self-emptying model that allows you to go for up to 60 days before emptying the base.
3. Smart Mapping
Certain robots employ advanced mapping technology to create a detailed map of your floorplan as they clean, making it easier for them to avoid crashing into furniture or tripping over things like chair legs or cords. This feature is only available on higher-end models however, it lets your robot get a complete understanding of the layout of your home and to know where it should go when the battery runs out.
The majority of robots allow you to create virtual barriers. This can be done using an app or physical boundary strips. This lets you define areas that you don't want your robot venture into, so it can focus its attention on the areas and rooms that require the most cleaning.
Many robots can also automatically navigate to different flooring types based on the type of flooring they're cleaning, be it that's changing between hard and carpet or focusing on particular areas of your home, such as baseboards and corners. In our tests this was a helpful feature that helped improve their pick-up scores for both carpeting made of low-pile or hardwood. It is important to secure any loose cords or furniture before using your robot vacuum so that it doesn't become caught.
4. Remote Control
Almost all robot vacuums are WiFi-connected and work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts that allow users to control them with voice commands or via your smartphone. Many robot vacuums connect to smart home systems, and can create a map of the area they clean after each cleaning session. This lets them "learn" the way your home is laid out, and then plan more efficient routes during future cleaning sessions. Certain models have obstacle avoidance built in that prevents them from damaging furniture and getting stuck on objects like loose charging cables or pet hair.
Most robots have a remote control that you can use to navigate them around your house. However, the majority of them can be controlled with an app on your mobile that comes with additional options. 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 no-go zones. These are virtual barriers you can set up in the app to prevent the robot from accessing certain areas (like kid's toys or dog beds and dishes). Other apps allow you to set up the map of your house and give the robot detailed information about your floors. The Roborock S7+ app has several useful features that can assist you in cleaning your home. However its interface isn't as polished as that from iRobot or 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 of them work with smart home platforms like Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts for hands-free operation. They can also draw maps of the area for you to program them for specific areas or rooms, and to avoid obstacles.
The majority of robot vacuums detect objects, but the iRobot j7 offers advanced features such as "home mapping" and obstacle avoidance. These features can make your life much easier (although one of our test bots did "eat" a couple of socks). If you're trying to improve the quality of your home maintenance, you should consider the use of a robot mop and a water container that you can fill and empty.
While no of the models we tested could match the dirt-picking ability of a stand-up vacuum, they did a great job cleaning hard floors as well as low pile carpets. They excel at sweeping up fine dirt, food crumbs and dirt that has been tracked in. They also can handle metal screws and nuts, as well as stray cat litter. The top robot vacuums can clean corners and edges and can work around furniture. Eufy 11S is a relatively affordable and basic model.
6. Convenient Self-Charging
With the right configuration and the right setup, a robotic vacuum can assist you in keeping your home looking and feeling fresh on a regular basis without a lot of effort. You can schedule cleanings using the app, and create no-go zones to ensure that your robot does not walk on your plants or sit on your favorite chair. A majority of our top picks will also empty their dustbins for you and clean their docking stations.
The top robot vacuums can be programmed to keep your floors clean for months or weeks at a time, which saves you the time and effort of manually sweeping or mopping your floors each week or day. This allows you to have more time to do the things you love and reduces the amount of time your floors have to be cleaned manually.
During vacuum mop robot cleaner , the Q Revo was able to grab small particles such as baking soda and oatmeal and heavier debris like nails and screws made of steel and even fluffy matter such as hair from pets. It does not have the intelligent mapping and objects-avoiding features of our top picks, but it is still a great choice for most families.
The most impressive feature of the j7 is its ability to detect and avoid obstacles such as power cords and socks, shoes as well as pet waste. This means you don't have to spend time tidying up before running your robot, although clutter in your home can mean the robot may become stuck and not perform as well.