How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you don’t require advanced features such as mapping and do not mind cleaning your trash bin every 60 to 90 days A basic robot vacuum could be for you. Find an option that has a clean base and is compatible with voice assistants.

It is a pro at picking up dirt, cat litter and pet hair on hardwood floors, tile and carpeting with less pile than any other robo vacuum we’ve tested. It can also plan out and create virtual no go zones for rooms or specific areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum will stay up with the pet hair, dust and dander that collects on your floors on a day-to-day basis. It can also reduce the frequency at which you have to do a deeper clean, saving you time and effort. The most effective model comes with powerful suction that will easily take on the most difficult messes and leave your home cleaner.

A robot vacuum that can also mop will allow you to cover more ground using one machine, which can be particularly beneficial in larger homes. There are models with a water tank either in the chassis itself or as an additional piece that you can remove after vacuuming. It’ll need to be emptied and filled and refilled, which is an additional task.

In a perfect universe it would be ideal to clean your floors before using your robot vacuum, preventing it from running into anything. But in most homes, this isn’t possible or desirable. Fortunately, the majority of models let you use your smartphone to create virtual barriers that the robot is able to be aware of and avoid. Some have no-go zones which you can use to mark areas that you don’t want it to enter, such as kids rooms or a stack of device cords in the corner.

If you’re looking to buy a basic robot vacuum without all the bells and whistles, this model made by networking company TP-Link is a great option. 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 has a long battery life that can last for up to 180 minutes before it requires to recharge.

2. Easy to operate

Robot vacuums typically require very little from you. They make use of sensors cameras, lasers, and sensors to move and collect dust, pet hair and food crumbs off hard floors, tiles and hardwood. Many models have boundary strips to help them remain inside the room. The more expensive models can be programmed to get up at a particular time and begin cleaning. Some models even have fall detection technology that helps them avoid falling down stairs or becoming caught in electrical cords.

Look for models that allow you to control from your couch via voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also search for Wi-Fi-connected models that allow you to start cleaning from any location using an app. You might want to choose an option with a long-lasting battery, as well as an enormous dust bin, based on the size of your home.

Some robot vacuums double as mops and use water reservoirs to clean your floor. This is useful for everyday mopping, but will not be effective for messes that are more difficult to clean, such as pet poop or other wet spills. There are hybrids that come with a removable microfiber pad for mopping, or choose an auto-emptying model that lets you use the device for 30 to 60 days without having to empty the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Some robots employ advanced mapping technology to build a detailed map as they clean. This makes it easier to avoid hitting furniture and tripping on cords or legs of chairs. This feature is only available on the top models however it lets your robot be aware of the layout of your home and knows where to go when the battery is out.

If you do not want your robot to go into areas of your home you’d prefer to keep it away from (like your kids’ toys or the tangled mess of gadget cords in the corner) The majority of robots offer some way to create virtual barriers, either with their app or physical boundary strips. You can block off areas you don’t want your robot to enter to allow it to focus on the rooms that need the most attention.

Many robots can also automatically navigate to different floors according to the type of flooring they’re cleaning, be it they’re switching between carpet and hard flooring or focusing on certain areas of your home, like corners and baseboards. In our tests this was a helpful feature that improved their scores on picking up carpeting that is low-pile and hardwood. But, it’s still essential to put away loose cords and furniture before using your robot vacuum to ensure that it doesn’t get stuck or run into something it shouldn’t.

4. Remote Control

Most 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 create an outline of the area they clean after each cleaning session. This allows them to “learn” the way your home is laid out and to plan more efficient routes in future cleaning sessions. There are also built-in obstacles avoidance, which stops them from hitting and damaging furniture or getting stuck on things like loose charging cables, shoe laces and hair from pets.

Most robots are equipped with an remote control that can be used to guide them around your house. Most robots can be operated by mobile applications that comes with more features. You can typically create multiple cleaning schedules, create 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 that you can create within the app to block the robot from entering specific areas (like toys for children or dishes and dog beds). Some apps allow you to create an outline of your home and provide detailed information about the floors. The app on our top pick Roborock S7+, the Roborock S7+, has many useful options to help you tidy your house, but its interface isn’t as polished as those from iRobot and Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robotic vacs that can clean throughout the house without stopping to recharge or empty their dust bins save you time and effort. Some are compatible with smart home platforms such as Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts to allow hands-free operation. They can also create maps of the area that allows you to program them for certain areas or rooms, and to stay clear of obstacles.

The majority of robot vacuums detect objects, but the iRobot j7 comes with advanced features, such as “home mapping” and obstacle avoidance. These features can simplify your life (although one of our test bots did “eat” two socks). If you’re looking to take your home maintenance to the next level consider a robot mop that has a tank of water that can be filled and then empty.

While none of the models we tested can compete with the power of a stand-up model, they all do a great job at cleaning carpets with low pile and hard floors. They excel at picking up fine dirt, food crumbs, and dirt that has been tracked in. They also can handle nuts and screws made of metal and stray cat litter. The Top robot vacuum (https://www.robotvacuummops.com) robot vacuums can effortlessly work around furniture and are great at cleaning corners and edges as well. For a basic model that functions by itself and is reasonably priced take a look at the Eufy 11S.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

With the proper setup with the right setup, a robot vacuum will aid in keeping your home looking and feeling cleaner on a regular basis without a lot of effort. You can schedule cleanings using the app, and you can set up no-go areas so that the robot won’t walk on your favorite chair or plants. The majority of our top picks will empty their dustbins for you and clean their docking station.

The most effective robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors regularly for months or even weeks at a stretch, freeing you from the time-consuming task of manually mopping and sweeping your floors on a daily or weekly basis. This allows you to spend more time doing things you enjoy and reduces the time it takes to clean your floors manually.

During testing the Q Revo was able to grab fine particles like baking soda and oatmeal, heavier debris such as nails and screws made of metal as well as fluffy things like pet hair. It doesn’t have the smart mapping and object avoidance features of our top picks, however it’s sufficient for the majority of families.

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 clean up before using your robot. However, cluttered rooms can cause your robot to become stuck and do poorly.