If you can live without the benefits of smart features like mapping, and aren't worried about emptying the garbage bin every 60 days or so, a basic robot vacuum will probably work for you. Select a model with a clean base that works with voice assistants.
It is the best robo-vacuum we have tested at cleaning up pet hair on tiles, hardwood floors, and low-pile carpeting. It can also map out and set virtual no-go zones for rooms or certain areas.
1. Powerful Suction
A robot vacuum is able to stay clean of the pet hair, dust and dander that build up on your floors on a daily basis. It can also reduce the frequency at which you have to deep clean which will save your time and effort. The best models come with powerful suction, which will clean up most mess with ease and leave your home clean.
You can cover more area by using a robot vacuum and mop, which is especially useful if you have an extensive home. There are models with a tank for water either in the chassis itself or as an additional piece that you can swap out after vacuuming. It will have to be filled and empty in order to complete the task.
In a perfect universe it would be ideal to clean your floors first before using your robot vacuum to prevent it from crashing into anything. But in most homes, this isn't possible or desirable. Most models allow you to utilize an app that you can install on your phone to create virtual barriers the robot can see. Some models have no-go zones which you can use to flag areas 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 simple robot vacuum that doesn't have all the bells and bells, this model from the company that makes networking TP-Link is a great choice. It is quiet, can be used on hard floors and carpets with low pile and can be programmed via the app to vacuum and mop at your convenience. It has a good battery life, and can last up to 180 minutes before needing to recharge.
2. Easy to operate
In general robot vacuums require little input from you. They utilize instruments for navigation, such as sensors cameras, lasers, and sensors to move around and collect dust, pet hair, and food crumbs from hard floors, tile and hardwood. A lot of models come with boundary strips that allow them to remain in a room. More expensive models can be programmed to get up at a particular time and start cleaning. Some models have fall detection technology to help them avoid falling down a flight of stairs or getting caught in cords.
If you'd like to control your robot vacuum from the comfort of your couch, search for models that integrate voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also search for Wi-Fi-connected models that let you start cleaning from any location using an app. You may want to select one with an extremely long-lasting battery as well as a large dustbin, depending on the size of your house.
Some robot vacuums can double as mops, utilizing water reservoirs to clean your floors. This is great for mopping, but not great for tough messes like pet poop and other wet spills. You can find hybrids with a removable microfiber pad that can be used for mopping, or opt for self-emptying models that let you go 30 to 60 days without needing to empty the base.
3. Smart Mapping
Some robots use advanced mapping technology to create a detailed map of your floorplan while they clean and tidy, allowing them to avoid falling into furniture or falling over things such as cords or chairs. This feature is usually only available on higher-end models, but it's certainly one of the most effective ways to ensure that your robot has an accurate understanding of the layout of your house and knows where to go next when it's running out of battery.
Most robots let you create virtual barriers. This can be done via an app or physically-based boundary strips. You can block off areas that you don't wish your robot to enter in order to concentrate on the rooms that require the most attention.
Many robots can also automatically navigate to different floors according to the type of floor they're cleaning, whether that's changing between hard flooring and carpet or focusing on particular areas of your home, like corners and baseboards. In our tests, this was a useful feature that helped improve their scores on picking up carpeting that is low-pile and hardwood. It is important to secure any furniture or cords that are loose prior to using your robot vacuum so that it doesn't become caught.
4. Remote Control
Most robot vacuums are WiFi-enabled and work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts to enable you to control them via voice commands or through your smartphone. Many connect to smart home systems that create a map of your space after each cleaning session, so they can "learn" your layout and plan more efficient routes for future trips. There are also built-in obstacles avoidance that stops them from bumping into furniture and causing damage or getting stuck on things like loose charging cables, shoe laces and hair from pets.
Most robots are equipped with the ability to control them with a remote that you can use to move them around your house. However, most can also be controlled with a mobile app, which gives you more features. You can set up a variety of cleaning schedules, and create an agenda of your most-loved rooms. You can also guide the robot by using the directional the arrows.
Some models have zones that are not allowed. These are virtual barriers that can be created in the app to prevent the robot from entering certain areas (like kid's toys or dishes and dog beds). Other apps allow you to set up an outline of your home and give the robot detailed information about your floors. The app on our top choice Roborock S7+, the Roborock S7+, has a lot of 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
Robot vacuums that clean your entire house without stopping for a recharge or to empty their bins save time and effort. Some work with smart home platforms such as Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts to allow hands-free operation. They can also make an outline of your home, allowing you to program them to clean certain areas or rooms, and to avoid obstacles.
The majority of robot vacuums can detect objects, but the iRobot j7 comes with advanced features such as "home mapping" and obstacle avoidance. These can make your life easier (although one of our test robots did "eat" a couple of socks). If you're trying to improve your home's maintenance, consider an automated mop that comes with a water container that can be filled and then empty.
While none of the models we tested can beat the dirt-picking power of a stand-up vacuum, the majority of them do an excellent job at cleaning hard floors and low-pile carpets. They excel at sweeping up fine dirt, food crumbs, and dirt that has been tracked in. They can even tackle some scattered cat litter, as well as metal screws and nuts. The top robot vacuums can easily maneuver around furniture, and they are great at cleaning edges and corners as well. Eufy 11S is a relatively affordable and basic model.
6. Convenient Self-ChargingA robot vacuum will help keep your home tidy and clean without doing lots of work. You can schedule cleanings in the app and create zones that are not allowed to enter so that your robot doesn't damage your plants or ruin your favorite chair. A majority of our top picks empty their dustbins for you and clean their docking stations.
The best selling robot vacuum and mop robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors on a regular basis for weeks or even months at a time, removing you from the tedious chore of manually mopping and sweeping your floors on a daily or weekly basis. This allows you to have more time to do the things you love and cuts down on the amount of time your floors have to be cleaned manually.
In the course of testing the Q Revo was able to pick up small particles such as oatmeal and baking soda as well as heavier debris such nails and screws made of metal and even fluffy matter such as pet hair. It's not equipped with the sophisticated mapping and object avoidance features of our top picks, but it's sufficient for the majority of families.
The most impressive feature of the j7 is its ability to recognize and avoid obstacles such as power cords as well as socks and shoes, and pet waste. This means that you don't need to tidy up before running your robot, although messy rooms can mean that your bot may get stuck and not be able to do as well.
