The No. 1 Question Anyone Working In Robot Vacuum Should Be Able To Answer
How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum
If you can live without smart capabilities like mapping, and aren't worried about emptying the dustbin every 60 days or so, a basic robot vacuum is likely to work for you. Select a model with a clean base that works with voice assistants.
It is the best robo-vacuum we have tested in cleaning up pet hair from tiles, hardwood floors, and low-pile carpeting. It can also map and create virtual no-go zones for rooms or areas.
1. Powerful Suction
A robot vacuum cleaner can help you keep up with the dust, pet fur and dander that accumulates on your floors every day. It can also decrease the frequency of deep cleaning, which will save you both time and effort. The most effective models feature powerful suction, which will tackle most messes with ease and leave your home clean.
Choosing a robot vacuum that is also able to mop can help you get more space with one machine, which is especially beneficial for homes with a large area. There are models with a tank for water either in the chassis itself or as an additional piece that you can remove after vacuuming. It will have to be filled and empty in order to complete the chore.
In a perfect universe it would be ideal to clean your floors first before you use your robot vacuum to stop it from hitting anything. In the majority of homes, however, this is not possible or desirable. Most robots allow you to use an app that you can install on your phone to create virtual barriers that the robot will detect. Some include no-go zones, which you can use to mark areas 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 option if you're looking for a basic robot cleaner that does not have all the bells and whistles. It's quiet, it can be used on hard floors as well as low-pile carpets and can be programmed through the app to mop and vacuum at your convenience. It's got a long battery life, which can last for up to 180 minutes before it needs to recharge.
2. Easy to operate
In vacuum and mop combo , robot vacuums require very little input from you. They utilize sensors cameras, lasers, and sensors to move around and collect pet hair, dust and food crumbs off hard floors, tile and hardwood. Many models come with boundaries strips that help them remain in a room. The more expensive models can be programmed to start up at a certain time and start cleaning. Some even come with fall detection technology that can help them avoid falling down the stairs or getting tangled in electrical cords.
If you'd like to control your robot vacuum from the comfort of a couch, search for models that work with voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also pick Wi-Fi models that permit users to start cleaning anywhere you want using an app. Depending on how big your home is, you might prefer a model that has a long battery life and a spacious dust bin that doesn't need to be emptying frequently.
Some robot vacuums double as mops and use water reservoirs to clean your floor. This is ideal for mopping, but not for tough messes like pet poop and other wet spills. You can find hybrids with an ejectable microfiber pad for mopping, or you can choose self-emptying models that let you use the device for 30 to 60 days without having to empty the base.
3. Smart Mapping
Some robots utilize advanced mapping technology to create a precise map of your floorplan as they clean the floor, which makes it easier for them to avoid crashing into furniture or falling over things like chair legs or cords. This feature is only available on higher-end models however, it lets your robot be aware of your home's layout and knows where to go when the battery runs out.
The majority of robots allow you to create virtual barriers. This can be done through an application or even 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 areas and rooms that require the most attention.
A lot of robots can also automatically change floors based on the type 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 it was a great feature that helped improve their performance in picking up carpeting that is low-pile and hardwood. It is important to secure any loose cords or furniture before using your robot vacuum, to ensure that it doesn't get caught.
4. Remote Control
Most robot vacuums have WiFi connectivity and work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts, which allow users to control them with voice commands or via your smartphone. Many robot vacuums are connected to smart home systems and can create an outline of the area they clean after each cleaning session. This lets them "learn" how your home is laid out, and then plan more efficient routes during future cleaning sessions. Certain models have obstacle avoidance features built in to prevent them from damaging furniture and getting stuck on things such as loose charging cables or pet hair.
Most robots come with a remote you can use to steer them around your home. However, many can be controlled using an app on your mobile, which gives you more features. It is possible to set up multiple cleaning schedules, create an inventory of your favorite rooms and even manually guide your robot to certain areas by using directional arrows that appear on the screen.
Certain models have no-go zones. These are virtual barriers that you can create in the app to prevent the robot from accessing certain areas (like toys for kids or dog beds and dishes). Other apps allow you to create the map of your house and provide the robot with detailed information about your floors. The app that we recommend as our top pick Roborock S7+, the Roborock S7+, has many useful options to help you tidy your home, but its interface isn't as polished as those from iRobot and Shark.
5. Long Battery Life
Robot vacuums that can clean your entire home without stopping to recharge or to empty their bins save time and effort. Some robot vacuums work with smart home devices like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Shortcuts to enable hands-free operation. They can also create an outline of the space to allow you to program them for certain areas or rooms, and to stay clear of obstacles.
Most robot vacuums offer some degree of detection of objects, but higher-end models like the iRobot j7 come with advanced features such as "home mapping" and advanced obstacle avoidance that will make your life easier (although our test bot did once "eat" a pair of socks). If you're trying to improve your home's maintenance, think about a robot mop with a water container that you can fill and empty.
While none of the models we tested beat the dirt-picking power of a stand-up model, most do an admirable job at cleaning hard floors and low-pile carpets. They are great at sweeping up fine dust and debris, food crumbs, tracked-in dirt and pet hair. They also can handle screws and nuts made of metal, as well as the stray cat litter. The best robot vacuums can clean edges and corners and can work around furniture. For an affordable model that can work by itself and is reasonably priced, check out the Eufy 11S.
6. Convenient Self-Charging
A robot vacuum can keep your home tidy and clean without doing many tasks. You can schedule cleanings in the app and create no-go zones to ensure that your robot doesn't harm your plants or your favorite chair. The majority of our top picks will also empty their dustbins for you and clean their docking stations.
The best robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors regularly for months or weeks at a stretch, which saves you the time and effort of manually mopping or sweeping your floors every single week or day. This lets you take more time doing the things you enjoy and reduces the time needed 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 steel, and fluffy stuff such as hair from pets. It's not equipped with the sophisticated mapping and object avoidance features found in our top picks, however it's sufficient for most families.
The j7's best feature is its ability to recognize and avoid obstacles like power cords and socks, shoes and pet waste. This means that you don't need to clean up after using your robot. However, cluttered rooms may cause your bot to become stuck and do a poor job.