How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum
If you're able to live without smart capabilities like mapping, and aren't worried about emptying the dustbin every 60 days or so, a basic robot vacuum will probably work for you. Look for an option that is clean and is compatible with voice assistants.
It is the most effective robo-vacuum we have tested for cleaning up pet hair on tile floors, hardwood floors and low-pile carpeting. It can also plan out and set virtual no go zones for rooms or specific areas.
1. Powerful Suction
A robot vacuum is able to stay on top of the pet hair, dust and dander that collects on your floors on a daily basis. It can also decrease the frequency of deep cleaning, saving your time and effort. The most effective models have powerful suction that will easily tackle most messes and leave your home clean.
Choosing a robot vacuum that also mop will help you achieve more coverage with one machine, which can be particularly beneficial in a larger home. Look for a model that has water reservoirs either built into its chassis or as a separate item that you can swap out when vacuuming is complete. You'll need to empty and refill it, however it's an additional task that requires a little extra work on your part.
In a perfect universe, you would clear your floors first before you use your robot vacuum to prevent it from running into anything. However, in the majority of homes, this isn't feasible or desirable. Thankfully, many 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 can be used to mark areas that you don't want it to be in, like kids rooms or a stack of device cords in the corner.
This model is a good choice if you want a simple robot cleaner without all the bells and whistles. It is quiet, is able to work on hard floors as well as carpets with low pile and can be programmed via the app to mop and vacuum at your convenience. It has a good battery life, and can last up to 180 minutes before needing to recharge.
2. Simple to operate
In general, robot vacuums require very little input from you. They make use of instruments for navigation, such as sensors lasers, cameras, and sensors to maneuver and collect pet hair, dust and food crumbs from hard floors, tile and hardwood. A lot of them have boundary strips that aid in staying within the walls of a room while more expensive models can be programmed to automatically wake up and begin cleaning at a scheduled time. Some even have fall-detection technology that helps them avoid tumbling down stairs or getting tangled in electrical cords.
If you'd like to control your robot vacuum from the comfort of a couch, you should look for models that can work with voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also select Wi-Fi models that permit you to begin cleaning from anywhere with an app. Depending on the size of your home is, you might prefer an item with a long battery life and a large dust bin that doesn't need to be regularly emptied.
Some robot vacuums are also mops. They use water reservoirs to wash the floor. This is great for normal mopping, but it won't be effective for messes that are more difficult to clean, such as pet poop or other spills that are wet. There are hybrids that come with a removable microfiber pad that can be used for mopping, or opt for a self-emptying model that lets you go for 30 to 60 days without needing to empty the base.
3. Smart Mapping
Some robots use advanced mapping technologies to build a precise map of your floorplan while they clean, making it easier for them to avoid bumping mindlessly into furniture or falling over things like chair legs or cords. This feature is usually only available on higher-end models, but it's one of the best ways to make sure that your robot has an accurate understanding of the layout of your house and can determine where to go when it's low on battery.
If you do not want your robot to go into areas of your home you'd rather it stay away from (like your children's toys or the tangled mess of gadget cords in the corner) Most robots provide some way to create virtual barriers, either through their apps or physical boundary strips. You can block off areas you don't wish your robot to enter in order to focus on the rooms that need the most attention.
Many robots will also automatically change floors depending on the floor they are cleaning. This can be accomplished by switching from carpet to hard flooring, or by paying attention to specific areas of your house, such as corners and baseboards. In our tests this was a helpful feature that improved their scores on picking up hardwood and low-pile carpeting. It's nevertheless important to tuck away furniture and cords before running your robot vacuum so that it doesn't get stuck or get into something it shouldn't.
4. Remote Control
Almost all robot vacuums have WiFi connectivity and work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts to allow you to control them using voice commands or from 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 allows them to "learn" the way your home is laid out and to plan more efficient routes for future cleaning sessions. Some come with obstacles avoidance built-in to prevent them from causing damage to furniture and getting stuck on things such as loose charging cables or pet hair.
Most robots come with a remote you can use to pilot them around your home. However, most can also be controlled using an app on your mobile that offers more features. best self emptying robot vacuum can typically create multiple cleaning schedules, make an inventory of your favorite rooms and even manually guide your robot to certain areas by using directional arrows 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 kid's toys or dishes for dogs and dog beds). Other apps allow you to make a map of your home and provide the robot with detailed information about your floors. The app that we recommend as our top choice Roborock S7+, the Roborock S7+, has a lot of useful options to help you clean your home, however its interface isn't as polished as the ones from iRobot and Shark.
5. Long Battery Life
Robot vacs that can work a whole house without stopping to recharge or empty their bins of dust save you 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 make a map of your living space that allows you to program them to clean certain rooms or areas and avoid obstacles.
The majority of robot vacuums can detect objects, but the iRobot J7 has advanced features, such as "home mapping" and obstacle avoidance. These can make your life much easier (although one of our test robots did "eat" two socks). If you're seeking to improve your home's maintenance, consider the use of a robot mop and an water container that you can fill and empty.
While none of the models that we tested could compete with the dirt-picking power of a stand-up vacuum they did an excellent job cleaning hard floors as well as carpets with a low pile. They excel at sweeping up fine dirt, food crumbs, and tracked-in dirt. They are also able to handle metal screws and nuts and cats' litter. The top robot vacuums can effortlessly work through furniture, and they excel at cleaning corners and edges as well. Eufy 11S is a relatively basic and affordable model.
6. Convenient Self-Charging
A robot vacuum will help keep your home clean and tidy without having to do many tasks. You can schedule cleanings through the app and set up no-go zones to ensure that your robot won't trample your plants or your favorite chair. The majority of our top picks will also empty their dustbins and clean their docking stations.
The top robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors regularly for weeks or months at a time, making it easier to save time and effort of manually sweeping or mopping your floors every week or even every day. This lets you spend more time doing things you like and cuts down on the amount of time your floors need to be cleaned manually.
In the course of testing the Q Revo was able to grab fine particles like baking soda and oatmeal as well as heavier debris such metal screws and nails, and fluffy stuff such as pet hair. It isn't equipped with the advanced mapping and object-avoiding features of our top picks, but it is still a great option for most families.
The best feature of the j7 is that it utilizes camera and processor-powered sensors to identify and avoid obstacles like shoes, power cords, socks and pet waste. This means that you don't have to tidy up before using your robot. However, messy rooms may cause your bot to become stuck and do a poor job.