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 robotic vacuum could be suitable for you. Find one that has a clean base and works with voice assistants.
It is the best robo-vacuum we have tested in getting rid of dirt and pet hair on hardwood floors, tile, and low-pile carpeting. It also maps and set virtual no-go zones in rooms or areas.
1. Powerful Suction
A robot vacuum will assist you in keeping up with the dust, pet fur and dander that settles on your floors every day. It also can reduce the frequency at which you have to clean your floors, saving your time and effort. The most effective models feature powerful suction, which can clean up most mess with ease and leave your house cleaner.
You can take care of more space with a robot vacuum and mop, which can be beneficial if you live in a large house. Look for a model that has a water reservoir either integrated into the chassis or as a separate piece that you put in after the vacuuming is finished. You'll need to empty and fill it up, however, so this is an additional task that requires some extra effort on your part.
In a perfect world you would clean your floors before you use your robot vacuum to stop it from crashing into anything. However, in the majority of homes, this isn't feasible or desirable. Thankfully, most models let you use your smartphone app to set up virtual barriers that the robot will detect and avoid. Some include no-go zones, which you can use to flag areas that you don't want it enter, such as kids rooms or a pile of cords for your device in the corner.
If robot vacuum for pet hair looking to buy a basic robot vacuum with no bells and whistles, this model made by the company that makes networking TP-Link is a great option. It's quiet, works well on both hard floors and low-pile rugs. It can be scheduled using the app to vacuum or mop at your convenience. It has a good battery life that can last up to 180 minutes before it needs to recharge.
2. Easy to Operate
Robot vacuums generally need very little effort from you. They make use of navigational tools such as sensors lasers, cameras, and sensors to move around and collect pet hair, dust and food crumbs from hard floors, tiles and hardwood. 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 start cleaning at a set time. Some even have fall-detection technology that can help them avoid falling down stairs or becoming tangled in electrical cords.
If you'd like to control your robot vacuum from the comfort of your couch, you should look for models that can work with voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also choose Wi-Fi models that allow you to start cleaning from anywhere with an app. You may want to select a model that has a long-lasting battery, as well as a large dustbin, depending on the size of your house.
Some robot vacuums are also mops. They utilize water reservoirs to wash the floor. This is useful for normal mopping, but it won't work for extra-tough messes, like pet poop, or other spills that are wet. There are hybrids that have a removable microfiber pad that can be used for mopping, or you can choose an auto-emptying model that lets you go 30 to 60 days without needing to empty the base.
3. Smart Mapping
Some robots use advanced mapping technology to create a precise map while they clean. This helps them avoid crashing into furniture or tripping over cords or chairs. This feature is usually only available on more expensive models, but it's certainly one of the best 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 runs out of battery.
If you don't want your robot navigating 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 the possibility of creating virtual barriers, either via their app or physical boundary strips. You can block off areas that you don't wish your robot to go into in order to concentrate on the rooms that need the most attention.
A lot of robots can also automatically change floors based on the kind of flooring they are cleaning. This can be done by switching from carpet to hard flooring or by focussing on certain areas of your home like corners and baseboards. In our tests this was a helpful feature that helped improve their performance in picking up carpeting made of low-pile or hardwood. But, it's still essential 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
Most robot vacuums come with WiFi capabilities and can be controlled with voice commands, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Siri Shortcuts. Many connect to smart home systems that create maps of your home after each cleaning session so that they can "learn" your layout and plan more efficient routes for future trips. Some have obstacle avoidance features built in that prevents them from causing damage to furniture or getting stuck on things like loose charging cables or pet hair.
Most robots come with a remote that you can use to pilot them around your home. Most robots are operated by mobile applications which has more options. You can usually set multiple cleaning schedules, create a list of favorite rooms and even manually guide your robot around specific areas by using directional arrows on the screen.
Some models provide no-go zones, which are virtual barriers you can create within the app to prevent the robot from entering certain areas (like toys for children or dog bowls and beds). Other apps let you create a map of your home and give the robot detailed information about your floors. The app on our top pick Roborock S7+, the Roborock S7+, has numerous options to help you tidy your home, but its interface isn't as polished and elegant as those from iRobot and Shark.
5. Long Battery Life
Robot vacs that can work a whole house without stopping to recharge or empty their trash bins save you 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 create an image of your living space that allows you to program them to clean specific areas or rooms, and to stay clear of obstacles.
The majority of robot vacuums can detect objects, however the iRobot J7 has advanced features like "home mapping" and obstacle avoidance. These can simplify your life (although one of our test robots did "eat" two socks). If you're looking to push your home maintenance even further consider a robot mop that comes with an water tank that you fill and empty yourself.
While none of the models we tested could match the dirt-picking power of a stand-up vacuum the majority of them do an excellent job of 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 are also able to tackle pet litter that is stray and metal screws and nuts. The best robot vacs can effortlessly work through furniture, and they are great at cleaning edges and corners 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 you having to do much work. It is possible to schedule cleanings with the app, and set up no-go areas so that the robot won't step on your favorite chair or plants. The majority of our top picks automatically empty their trash bins and clean their docking stations for you.
The top robot vacuums are programmable 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 helps you have more time to do the things you like and decreases the amount of time your floors have to be cleaned manually.
During testing during testing, Q Revo was able grab fine particles like baking soda and oatmeal. It also picked up heavier particles such as metal screws and nails and fluffy things like pet hair. It's not equipped with the sophisticated mapping and objects avoidance features of our top picks, but it's adequate for most families.
The best aspect of the j7 robot is that it utilizes camera and processor-powered sensors to identify and avoid obstacles such as shoes, power cords, socks and pet waste. This means that you don't need to tidy up before you can run your robot, however messy rooms can mean that the robot may become stuck and not be able to do as good a job.