How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you’re able to live without advanced features such as mapping, robotvacuummops and you don’t mind emptying the garbage bin every 60 days or so, a basic robot vacuum could be a good choice for you. Select a model with an uncluttered base that can work with voice assistants.

It excels at removing dirt, clumps of pet hair and cat litter on hardwood floors, tile and carpeting with less pile than any other vacuum we’ve tried. It can also map and create virtual no-go zones for rooms and areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum will help you keep up with the dust, pet fur and dander that settles on your floors every day. It can also decrease the frequency of deep cleaning, which will save your time and effort. The most effective model comes with powerful suction that can take on the most difficult messes and leave your home cleaner.

You can cover more area by using a robot vacuum as well as a mop, which is especially beneficial if you live in a large house. There are models with a tank for water either in the chassis itself or as an extra piece that you can take out after vacuuming. You’ll have to empty it and fill it up, however, so this is an additional task that will require a little extra work on your part.

In ideal world, you’d clean your floors before you used your robot vacuum to keep it from crashing into objects. However, in the majority of homes, this isn’t feasible or desirable. Most models allow you to utilize an app on your smartphone to create virtual barriers the robot can observe. Some have no-go zones which can be used to mark areas that you don’t want it access, such as children’ rooms or a pile of cords for your device in the corner.

If you’re looking for a basic robot vacuum with no bells and bells, this model from the networking company TP-Link is a great option. It is quiet, is able to work on hard floors as well as low-pile carpets and can be programmed using the app to mop and vacuum at your leisure. It’s got a long battery life that can last for up to 180 minutes before it requires to recharge.

1. Simple to operate

Robot vacuums typically require very little from you. They utilize sensors, lasers, and cameras to move around and collect dust, pet hair and food crumbs from tiles, hard floors and hardwood. A lot of models come with boundary strips that allow them to remain in a room. The more expensive models can be programmed to wake up at a specific time and start cleaning. Some models even have fall detection technology that prevents falling down the stairs or getting caught in electrical cords.

If you’d like to control your robot vacuum from the comfort of your couch, search for models that work with voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also pick Wi-Fi models that allow users to start cleaning anywhere you want using an app. Depending on how large your house is, you might prefer an item that has a long battery life and a spacious dust bin that doesn’t require being regularly emptied.

Some robot vacuums can double as mops, using water reservoirs to clean your floors. This is great for regular mopping but won’t work for tough messes such as pet poop or other spills that are wet. You can select hybrids that have a removable microfiber mopping pad or a self-emptying model that allows you to stay up to 60 days before emptying the base.

1. Smart Mapping

Certain robots utilize advanced mapping technology to create a precise map while they clean. This makes it easier to avoid crashing into furniture and getting caught on cords or chair legs. This feature is only available on higher-end models however it lets your robot get a complete understanding of your home’s layout and to know where it should move when the battery runs out.

If you don’t want your robot to venture into areas of your home that you’d prefer to keep it away from (like your kids’ toys or the tangled mess of gadget cords in the corner) Most robots provide the possibility of creating virtual barriers, either through their app or physical boundary strips. You can block off areas that you don’t want your robot to go into in order to focus on the rooms that require the most attention.

Many robots will also automatically change floors depending on the kind of flooring they are cleaning. This can be done by switching from carpet to hard flooring or by paying attention to specific areas of your house like corners and baseboards. This feature was useful in our tests and enhanced the performance of the vacuum on hardwood flooring and carpet flooring with low pile. It’s nevertheless important to put away loose cords and furniture before using your robot vacuum to ensure that it doesn’t get caught or run into something it shouldn’t.

1. Remote Control

Most robot vacuums are WiFi-connected and can be controlled by Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts to allow you to control them via voice commands or via your smartphone. Many robot vacuums connect to smart home systems, and create a map of the space they clean after each session. This allows them to “learn” how your home is laid out, and then plan more efficient routes in future cleaning sessions. There are also built-in obstacles avoidance that stops them from crashing 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 the ability to control them with a remote that can be used to guide them around your house. The majority of robots can be operated by mobile applications that comes with more features. You can usually set multiple cleaning schedules, build an inventory of your favorite rooms and even manually guide your robot to specific areas by using directional arrows that appear on the screen.

Certain models have zones that are not allowed. These are virtual barriers you can set up within the app to block the robot from accessing certain areas (like toys for kids or dog beds and dishes). Some apps allow you to draw an image of your home and provide detailed information on the floors. The Roborock S7+ app has many useful features that can assist you in cleaning your home. However, its interface isn’t quite as polished as iRobot or Shark.

1. Long Battery Life

Robot vacuums that can clean your entire home without stopping for a recharge or to empty their bins save time and effort. Some are compatible with smart home devices like Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts for hands-free operation. They can also draw maps of the area that allows you to program them to specific rooms or areas and to stay clear of obstacles.

The majority of robot vacuums detect objects, however the iRobot j7 offers advanced features like “home mapping” and obstacle avoidance. These can make your life much easier (although one of our test robots did “eat” a couple of socks). If you want to take your home maintenance even further, look for a robotic mop that has a water tank that you fill and empty yourself.

While none of the models we tested can beat the dirt-picking power of a stand-up model, they all do a great job of cleaning carpets and hard floors. They excel at picking up food crumbs and tracked-in dirt. They can also handle metal screws and nuts and the stray cat litter. The most effective robot vacuums can remove dirt from edges and corners and work around furniture. For an affordable model that can work on its own and is reasonably priced, check out the Eufy 11S.

1. Convenient Self-Charging

With the right configuration with the right setup, a robot vacuum will assist you in keeping your home looking and looking and feeling cleaner on a regular basis without much work from you. You can schedule cleanings through 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 empty their dustbins and clean their docking station.

The top robot vacuums are programmable to keep your floors clean for weeks or even months at a time, thereby saving you the time and effort of manually mopping or sweeping your floors every single week or every day. This lets you spend more time doing things you enjoy and reduces the amount of time your floors need to be cleaned manually.

During testing the Q Revo was able to capture fine particles such as baking soda and oatmeal. It also snatched up heavier debris like nails and screws made of steel, as well as fluffy stuff like pet hair. It lacks the intelligent mapping and object-avoiding features found in 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 like power cords, shoes and socks, and pet waste. This means that you don’t need to tidy up before using your robot. However, cluttered rooms may cause your bot to become stuck and perform poorly.