How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you're able to live without the benefits of smart features like mapping, and don't mind emptying the dustbin 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 is the most effective robo-vacuum we have tested in cleaning up pet hair from tiles, hardwood floors, and carpets with low pile. It can also map out and create virtual no-go zones in rooms or certain areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum will help you keep track of the pet fur, dust and dander that collects on your floors every day. It also can reduce the frequency of deep cleaning, saving you both time and effort. The best models come with powerful suction that can clean up most mess with ease and leave your house cleaner.

You can cover more area by using a robot vacuum and mop, which can be useful if you have a large home. There are models that has a water tank built into the chassis or as an additional piece that you can remove after vacuuming. It will need to be empty and refill it, though, so this is an additional chore that requires some extra effort on your part.

In a perfect world, you'd be able to clean your floors prior to using your robot vacuum to keep it from crashing into objects. In most homes, however it's not feasible or desirable. Most models allow you to make use of an app on your smartphone to create virtual barriers the robot can observe. Certain models have no-go zones that you can mark areas you don't want the robot to access. For example, a child's room or a pile of cords in the corner.

This model is a great option if you're looking for a simple robot cleaner without all the bells. It's quiet, and Best Robot Vacuum for carpet and hardwood it works on hard floors as well as low-pile rugs. It can be scheduled via the app to vacuum or mop at your convenience. It has a long battery life of around 180 minutes.

2. Simple to operate

In general robot vacuums require little input from you. They use sensors, lasers, and cameras to move around and collect dust, pet hair and food crumbs off tiles, hard floors and hardwood. Many have boundary strips that help them stay within a room's walls, while more expensive models can be programmed to automatically wake up and start cleaning at a scheduled time. Some models have fall detection technology to help users avoid falling down the stairs or becoming tangled in cords.

Look for models that you can control from the comfort of your sofa using voice assistants, such as Alexa or Google Assistant. Also, look for Wi-Fi-connected models that let you start a cleaning session from anywhere via an app. You may want to select one with a long-lasting battery, as well as a large dust bin, depending on the size of your house.

Some robot vacuums can also be mopping. They utilize 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 get wet. You can select hybrids that have a removable microfiber mopping pad or a self-emptying model that lets you go for up to 60 days without emptying the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Some robots utilize advanced mapping technologies to build a precise map of your floorplan while they clean and tidy, allowing them to avoid bumping mindlessly into furniture or falling over things like cords or chair legs. This feature is typically only available on higher-end models, but it's certainly one of the best robot vacuum for carpet And hardwood ways to make sure that your robot has an accurate understanding of the layout of your house and is aware of where to go when it's running 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 mess of device cords in the corner) Most robots provide some method of creating virtual barriers, either via their app or a set of physical boundary strips. This lets you create zones that you don't want your robot to explore, so that it can concentrate its attention on the rooms and spaces that need the most attention.

Many robots can also automatically navigate to different flooring types based on the type of surface they're cleaning, whether that's switching between hard flooring and carpet or focusing on particular areas of your home, such as corners and baseboards. This feature proved to be effective during our tests and helped improve the performance of the vacuum on hardwood flooring and carpeting for floors with low-pile. It's important to tuck away any loose cords or furniture prior to using your robot vacuum sale vacuum, to ensure that it doesn't get caught.

4. Remote Control

Most robot vacuums come with 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 a map of the area 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. Some come with obstacles avoidance built-in that prevents 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 pilot them around your home. However, most can also be controlled using an app on your mobile that comes with additional options. You can set up a variety of cleaning schedules, and create an inventory of your preferred rooms. You can also guide the robot by using the directional the arrows.

Some models provide no-go zones, which are virtual barriers that you can set up within the app to prevent the robot from entering certain areas (like toys for kids or dog beds and bowls). Certain apps let you draw a map of your house and provide detailed information on the floors. The app on our top pick, the Roborock S7+, has a lot of useful options to help you clean your home, but its interface isn't as polished as those from iRobot and Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robot vacs that can work all over your home without stopping to recharge or empty their dust bins can save you time and energy. Some work with smart home platforms such as Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts to allow hands-free operation. They can also create an outline of the space for you to program them for specific areas or rooms, and to stay clear of obstacles.

The majority of robot vacuums come with some level of object detection, but higher-end models like the iRobot j7 offer sophisticated features like "home mapping" and advanced obstacle avoidance that will simplify your life (although our test bot did once "eat" the socks of a pair). socks). If you're looking to improve your home's maintenance, you should consider a robot mop with water containers that can be filled and then empty.

While no of the models we tested could compete with the dirt-picking power of a stand-up vacuum they did a great job cleaning hard floors and carpets with a low pile. They excel at picking up food crumbs, and dirt that has been tracked into. They can also tackle pet litter that is stray and metal screws and nuts. The best robot vacs can effortlessly work around furniture and are great at cleaning corners and edges as well. 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 help keep your home tidy and clean without you having to do lots of work. It is possible to schedule cleanings with the app, and designate no-go areas to ensure that your robot does not step on your favorite chair or plants. A majority of our top picks automatically empty their trash bins and clean their docking stations for you.

The top robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors regularly for months or even weeks at a time, saving you from the time-consuming task of manually cleaning your floors on a daily or weekly basis. This helps you spend more time doing things you enjoy and decreases the amount of time your floors have to be cleaned manually.

In our tests during testing, Q Revo was able to grab small particles like baking soda and oatmeal. It also picked up larger particles like nails and screws made of steel, as well as fluffy things like pet hair. It does not have the intelligent mapping and objects-avoiding features of our top picks, but is still a great option for most families.

The best thing about the j7 is its ability to detect and avoid obstacles like power cords and socks, shoes, and pet waste. This means that you don't have to clean up after using your robot. However, messy rooms could cause your robot to become stuck and perform poorly.