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 robot vacuum could be for you. Look for an option that has a clean base and works with voice assistants.

It is the best vacuum mop cleaner robot we have tested at picking up dirt and pet hair from hardwood floors, tile, and carpeting with low pile. It also has the ability to map out and create virtual no-go zones for rooms or specific areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum is able to stay clean of the dust, pet hair and dander that build up on your floors on a daily basis. It can also reduce the frequency of deep cleaning, which will save you both time and effort. The most effective model comes with powerful suction that can take on the most difficult messes and leave your home clean.

A robot vacuum that is also able to mop will help you achieve more coverage with one machine, which can be particularly beneficial for homes with a large area. You can find a model with a water tank either integrated into the chassis or as an additional piece that you can swap out after vacuuming. It will need to be empty and refill it, however, so this is an additional task that will require a little extra work on your part.

In the ideal world, you'd clear your floors before you used your robot vac to keep it from hitting things. But in most homes, this isn't possible or desirable. Most robots allow you to make use of an app for your smartphone to build virtual barriers the robot can observe. Some include no-go zones, which you can use to mark areas that you don't want it be in, like kids rooms or a stack of cords for your device in the corner.

This model is a great choice if you want a simple robot cleaner without all the bells and whistles. It's quiet, works well on hard floors and low-pile rugs. It can be scheduled using the app to mop or vacuum at your own convenience. It has a long battery life of up to 180 minutes.

2. Easy to Operate

In general robot vacuums require little input from you. They make use of sensors lasers, cameras, and sensors to move and collect pet hair, dust, and food crumbs from tiles, hard floors and hardwood. Many have boundary strips that allow them to stay within a room's walls, while higher-end models can be programmed to automatically wake up and begin cleaning at a scheduled time. Some models have fall detection technology that helps them avoid falling down a flight of stairs or becoming tangled in cords.

Look for models that you can control from your couch via voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also pick Wi-Fi models that allow users to start cleaning from anywhere with an app. Depending on the size of your house is, you might prefer a model with a long-lasting battery and a spacious dust bin that doesn't need to be emptying frequently.

Some robot vacuums can also be mops. They use water reservoirs to wash the floor. This is great for mopping, but not ideal for difficult messes such as pet poop and other spills. You can select hybrids that have a removable microfiber mopping pad or a self-emptying option that lets you go for up to 60 days without emptying the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Certain robots utilize advanced mapping technology to create a detailed map while they clean. This allows them to avoid crashing into furniture and tripping on cords or chair legs. This feature is usually only available on higher-end models, but it's one of the best vacuum mop robot most effective ways to ensure your robot has a full understanding of the layout of your house and is aware of where to go when it's running out of battery.

The majority of robots allow you to create virtual barriers. This can be done via an app or physical boundary strips. This lets you define areas that you don't want your robot enter, so that it can focus its attention on the areas that require the most attention.

A lot of robots are able to automatically navigate to different floors according to the type of flooring they're cleaning, be it that's changing between carpet and hard flooring or focusing on certain areas of your home, like corners and baseboards. In our tests it was a great feature that improved their pick-up scores for both carpeting that is low-pile and hardwood. It is essential to put away any furniture or cords that are loose before using your robot vacuum to ensure that it doesn't get caught.

4. Remote Control

Most robot vacuums come with WiFi capabilities and can be controlled via voice commands, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Siri Shortcuts. Many connect to smart home systems and create an outline of your space after each cleaning session, so they can "learn" your layout and devise more efficient routes for future trips. Certain models have obstacle avoidance features built in, which 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, many can be controlled using a mobile app that comes with additional features. You can usually set multiple cleaning schedules, create an inventory of your favorite rooms and even manually guide your robot to specific areas using directional arrows that appear on the screen.

Certain models have no-go zones that are virtual barriers that you can set up within the app to prevent the robot from entering certain areas (like kids' toys or dog beds and bowls). Certain apps let you create an outline of your home and provide detailed information about the floors. The app we ranked as our top pick one, the Roborock S7+, has numerous options to help you clean your home, but its interface isn't as polished as the ones 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 robot vacuums work with smart home devices like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Shortcuts to enable hands-free operation. They can also create a map of the space to allow you to program them for certain areas or rooms and to stay clear of obstacles.

Most robot vacs have some degree of detection of objects, but higher-end models like the iRobot J7 have advanced features like "home mapping" and advanced obstacle avoidance that can really make your life easier (although our test bot did once "eat" a pair of socks). If you're trying to improve your home maintenance, think about a robot mop with water containers that you can fill and empty.

While none of the models we tested could beat the dirt-picking power of a stand-up model, they all do a great job at cleaning carpets with low pile and hard floors. They excel at sweeping up fine dust and food crumbs, tracked-in dirt and pet hair. They are also able to handle metal screws and nuts and the stray cat litter. The best robot vacs can easily work their way around furniture, and they are great at cleaning corners and edges as well. For an affordable model that can work on its own and is reasonably priced look into the Eufy 11S.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

A robot vacuum can help keep your home tidy and clean without having to do much work. You can schedule your cleanings using the app and set up no-go zones to ensure that your robot doesn't harm your plants or ruin 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 weeks or even months at a stretch, freeing you from the time-consuming task of manually cleaning your floors on a daily or weekly basis. This allows you to spend more time on things you enjoy and decreases the amount of time your floors need to be cleaned manually.

During tests during testing, Q Revo was able grab fine particles such as baking soda and oatmeal. It also snatched up heavier particles such as metal screws and nails and fluffy stuff like pet hair. It's not equipped with the advanced mapping and object avoidance features of our top picks, but it's sufficient for the majority of families.

The j7's best robot Floor cleaner feature is its ability to recognize and avoid obstacles such as power cords and socks, shoes as well as pet waste. This means that you don't need to tidy up before using your robot. However, rooms that are cluttered could cause your robot to get stuck and do a poor job.