How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum
If you're able to live without advanced features such as mapping, and don't mind emptying the dustbin every 60 days or then, a basic robot vacuum will probably work for you. Look for one with a clean base and works with voice assistants.
It is the best vacuum we have tested in getting rid of dirt and pet hair from tiles, hardwood floors, and carpeting with low pile. It can also map and set virtual no-go zones in rooms or areas.
1. Powerful Suction
A robot vacuum can assist you in keeping up with the pet fur, dust and dander that accumulates on your floor each day. It also can reduce the frequency of deep cleaning, which will save you time and effort. The most effective models have powerful suction that can take on the most difficult messes and leave your home clean.
You can cover more area with a robot vacuum and mop, which is particularly useful if you have a large home. Find one that has water reservoirs either in the chassis or as a separate item that you put in after the vacuuming is finished. You'll need to empty and refill it, though, so this is an additional task that requires some extra effort on your part.
In ideal world, you'd clean your floors prior to using your robot vacuum to keep it from crashing into objects. In the majority of homes, this is not possible or desirable. Most models allow you to make use of an app that you can install on your phone to create virtual barriers the robot can see. Some have no-go zones which you can use to mark areas you don't want the robot to enter, such as kids rooms or a stack of cords for your device in the corner.
This model is a great option if you're looking for an easy robot cleaner that doesn't have all the bells. It's quiet and works well on hard floors and low-pile rugs and can be scheduled through the app to mop or vacuum at any time. It has a long battery life of around 180 minutes.
2. Easy to operate
Robot vacuums generally require only minimal effort from you. They utilize navigation tools like sensors and lasers to navigate through obstacles and collect food particles, dust and pet hair from hard floors, tiles, hardwood and low-pile carpets. Many have boundary strips that help them stay within the walls of a room while more expensive models can be programmed to automatically wake up and begin cleaning at a predetermined time. Certain models come with fall detection technology that helps them avoid falling down a flight of stairs or getting caught in cords.
If you're looking to control your robot vacuum from the comfort of your couch, you should look for models that work with voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. robot vacuum black friday can also search for models that connect to Wi-Fi and allow you to begin a cleaning session from anywhere through an app. You may want to select one with an extremely long-lasting battery as well as an enormous dust bin, based on the size of your home.
Some robot vacuums can double as mops, utilizing reservoirs of water to wash your floor. This is great for mopping, but not ideal for difficult messes such as pet poop or other wet spills. You can pick hybrids that have an adjustable microfiber mopping pad or a self-emptying model that allows you to stay for up to 60 days without emptying the base.
3. Smart Mapping
Some robots employ advanced mapping technology to create a detailed map while they clean. This allows them to avoid hitting furniture and tripping on cords or chairs. This feature is usually only available on higher-end models, but it's one of the best ways to make sure your robot has a complete understanding of the layout of your house and can determine where to go when it runs out of battery.
If you do not want your robot to go into areas of your home that you'd prefer to keep it away from (like your children's toys or the tangled mess of gadget cords in the corner), most robots offer some way to create virtual barriers, either via their app or physical boundary strips. This allows you to define areas that you don't want your robot venture into, so it can focus its attention on the rooms and spaces that need the most attention.
A lot of robots can also automatically change floors depending on the kind of floor they are cleaning. This can be achieved by switching from carpet to hard flooring or by focussing on particular areas of your home like corners and baseboards. In our tests it was a great feature that helped improve their scores on picking up carpeting made of low-pile or hardwood. However, it's still important to tuck away loose cords and furniture before running your robot vacuum so that it doesn't become stuck or get into something it shouldn't.
4. Remote Control
Almost all robot vacuums are WiFi-enabled and can be controlled by Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts to enable you to control them via voice commands or through your smartphone. Many robot vacuums are connected to smart home systems and create a map of the space 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 have built-in obstacle avoidance, which stops them from crashing into and damaging furniture or getting stuck on things like loose charging cables shoes, laces for shoes and hair from pets.
Most robots are equipped with an remote control that can be used to guide them around your home. However, most can also be controlled with a mobile app that comes with additional features. You can typically set up multiple cleaning schedules, build a list of favorite rooms and even manually guide your robot around specific areas using directional arrows that appear on the screen.
Some models offer no-go zones These are virtual barriers that you can configure in the app to stop the robot from entering certain areas (like kids' toys or dog bowls and beds). Other apps allow you to make a map of your home and provide the robot with precise information about your floors. The Roborock S7+ app has many useful features to assist you in cleaning your home. However its interface isn't as sleek as iRobot or Shark.
5. Long Battery Life
Robot vacuums that clean your entire house without stopping for a recharge or to empty their dustbins save time and effort. Some are compatible with smart home platforms such as Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts for hands-free operation. They can also draw a map of the space that allows you to program them for certain areas or rooms, and to avoid obstacles.
Most robot vacuums offer some level of object detection, but higher-end models like the iRobot J7 have advanced features such as "home mapping" and advanced obstacle avoidance that will make your life easier (although our test bot did "eat" a pair of socks). If you're looking to take your home maintenance even further opt for a robotic mop that has a water tank that can be filled and then empty.
While none of the models we tested could match the dirt-picking ability of a stand-up vacuum, they were able to do a fantastic job cleaning hard floors as well as carpets with low pile. They are great at sweeping up fine dust and debris, food dust, tracked-in dirt, and pet hair. They also can handle nuts and screws made of metal and cats' litter. The most effective robot vacuums can clean edges and corners and can even work on furniture. For an affordable model that can work by itself and is comparatively inexpensive take a look at the Eufy 11S.
6. Convenient Self-Charging
With the proper setup with the right setup, a robot vacuum will assist you in keeping your home looking and looking and feeling cleaner regularly, with minimal effort. You can schedule cleanings through the app, and create no-go zones so that your robot doesn't 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 station.
The best robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors on a regular basis for months or even weeks at a time, removing you from the tedious chore of manually mopping and sweeping your floors on a weekly or daily basis. This helps you spend more time doing things you like and decreases the amount of time your floors need to be cleaned manually.
During testing, Q Revo was able grab fine particles like baking soda and oatmeal. It also picked up heavier debris like nails and screws made of steel, as well as fluffy things like pet hair. It does not have the smart mapping and object-avoiding features of our top picks but is still a good choice for families with children.
The best thing about the j7 is that it utilizes camera and processor-powered smarts to detect and avoid obstacles like power cords, shoes, socks and pet waste. This means you don't have to spend time tidying up before running your robot, although clutter in your home can mean your bot may get stuck and not do as well.