How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you're willing to live without the benefits of smart features like mapping, and you don't mind cleaning the trash bin every 60 days or then, a basic robot vacuum could be a good choice for you. Find one with a clean base and works with voice assistants.

It is the best sweep and mop vacuum robo-vacuum we have tested in cleaning up pet hair on tile floors, hardwood floors and carpeting with low pile. It can also plan out 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 accumulates on your floors every day. It also can reduce the frequency you have to clean your floors and saves your time and effort. The Best Vacuums model has powerful suction that will easily take on the most difficult messes and leave your home clean.

You can take care of more space by using a robot vacuum as well as a mop, which can be beneficial if you live in an extensive home. Choose models that have an water reservoir integrated into the chassis or as a separate item that you can swap out when the vacuuming is done. It will need to be empty and refill it, though it's an additional task that requires some extra effort on your part.

In a perfect world, you'd be able to clean your floors before you used your robot vacuum to keep it from crashing into objects. But in most homes, this isn't possible or desirable. Thankfully, many models let you use your smartphone to create virtual barriers that the robot can see and avoid. Some models include no-go areas, which you can flag areas you don't want the robot to enter. For example, a child's room or a pile cords in an area.

If you're looking for a basic robot vacuum that doesn't have all the bells and whistles, this model made by the company that makes networking TP-Link is a great option. It is quiet, is able to work on hard floors and carpets with low pile and can be programmed using the app to mop and vacuum at your own convenience. It comes with a battery life of up to 180 minutes.

2. Easy to operate

In general robot vacuums require little input from you. They use navigational tools such as sensors lasers, cameras, and sensors to move around 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 more expensive models can be set to automatically wake up and begin cleaning at a predetermined time. Some models have fall detection technology to help users avoid falling down the 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 integrate voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also select Wi-Fi models that allow you to begin cleaning from anywhere with an app. Depending on how large your home is, you may want one with a long battery life and a large dust bin that doesn't require being regularly emptied.

Certain robot vacuums are also mops. They make use of water reservoirs to wash the floor. This is great for regular mopping but won't work for tough messes such as pet poop or other wet spills. You can pick hybrids that have a removable microfiber mopping pad or a self-emptying model that allows you to go up to 60 days before emptying the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Some robots use advanced mapping technology to create a detailed map of your floorplan as they clean the floor, which makes it easier for them to avoid crashing into furniture or tripping over things such as cords or chairs. This feature is typically only available on higher-end models, but it's one of the best ways to ensure your robot has a full understanding of the layout of your home and knows where to go next when it runs out of battery.

If you do not want your robot to go into areas of your home you'd prefer to keep it away from (like your children's toys or the mess of device cords in the corner), most robots offer the possibility of creating virtual barriers, either via their apps or physical boundary strips. This allows you to define areas that you do not want your robot to enter, so that it can focus its attention on areas and rooms that require the most cleaning.

A lot of robots are able to automatically navigate to different flooring types according to the type of surface they're cleaning, whether that's changing between hard and carpet or focusing on specific areas of your home, like baseboards and corners. In our tests, this was a useful feature that helped improve their performance in picking up carpeting that is low-pile and hardwood. However, it's still important to put 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

Most robot vacuums have WiFi connectivity and can be controlled by Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts, which enable you to control them via voice commands or through your smartphone. Many robot vacuums connect to smart home systems and create a map of the space they clean after each session. This lets them "learn" the way your home is laid out, and then plan more efficient routes during future cleaning sessions. Some come with obstacles avoidance built-in, which prevents them from causing damage to furniture or getting stuck on things such as loose charging cables or pet hair.

Most robots are equipped with the ability to control them with a remote that can be used to guide them around your house. The majority of robots can be controlled by a mobile app, which offers more features. You can usually set up multiple cleaning schedules, build the list of rooms you like and even manually guide your robot to specific areas using directional arrows that appear on the screen.

Some models offer no-go zones that are virtual barriers that you can configure in the app to block the robot from entering certain areas (like toys for kids or dog beds and bowls). Some apps let you draw an image of your home and provide detailed information about the floors. The app on our top pick, the Roborock S7+, has many useful options to help you clean your home, however its interface isn't as polished and elegant as those from iRobot and Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robot vacuums that can clean your entire home without stopping for a recharge or to empty their bins save time and effort. Certain robot vacuums can work with smart home platforms such as Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Shortcuts to allow hands-free operation. They can also build a map of your home, allowing you to program them to clean certain rooms or areas and avoid obstacles.

The majority of robot vacuums detect objects, however the iRobot J7 has advanced features, such as "home mapping" and obstacle avoidance. These features can make your life much easier (although one of our test bots did "eat" a couple of socks). If you're seeking to improve your home's maintenance, you should consider the use of a robot mop and water containers that you can fill and empty.

While none of the models that we tested could match the ability to pick up dirt of a stand-up vacuum, they were able to do a fantastic job cleaning hard floors and low pile carpets. They are great at sweeping up fine dust and food crumbs, tracked-in dirt and pet hair. They also can handle nuts and screws made of metal, as well as the stray cat litter. The top robot vacuums can easily work their way through furniture, and they do a great job of cleaning edges and corners as well. For a basic model that works by itself and is comparatively inexpensive look into the Eufy 11S.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

With the proper setup, a robot vacuum can help you keep your home looking and feeling cleaner regularly, with minimal effort. It is possible to schedule cleanings with the app, and you can designate no-go areas so that the robot won't step on your favorite chair or plants. A majority of our top picks automatically empty their dustbins and clean their docking stations for you.

The best vacuum cleaner with mop robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors on a regular basis for best Robot Mop For hardwood floors 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 lets you spend more time doing things you like and reduces the time needed to clean your floors manually.

During tests during testing, Q Revo was able to grab small particles such as baking soda and oatmeal. It also snatched up heavier particles such as nails and screws made of steel, as well as fluffy hair. It isn't equipped with the intelligent mapping and object-avoiding features of our top picks, but it is still a great option for families with children.

The best thing about the j7 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 have to clean up after using your robot. However, messy rooms could cause your robot to get stuck and do a poor job.