If you're able to live without smart capabilities like mapping, and aren't worried about emptying the garbage bin every 60 days or so, a basic robotic vacuum is likely to work for you. Select a model with clean and tidy base that is compatible with voice assistants.
It excels at removing dirt, pet hair and cat litter on hardwood floors, tile and low-pile carpeting better than any other vacuum we've tested. It also maps and create virtual no-go zones in rooms or areas.
1. Powerful Suction
A robot vacuum cleaner can assist you in keeping up with the dust, pet fur and dander that settles on your floors every day. It can also cut down on how often you need to clean your floors and saves you time and effort. The best model has powerful suction that can tackle most messes and leave your home clean.
Choosing a robot vacuum that also mop will help you get more space using one machine, which can be particularly beneficial in a larger home. There are models with a tank for water either integrated into the chassis or as an additional piece that you can take out after vacuuming. It will need to be emptied and refilled in order to complete the chore.
In a perfect world you would clean your floors first before using your robot vacuum, preventing it from hitting anything. However, in the majority of homes, this isn't possible or desirable. Thankfully, most models let you use your smartphone to create virtual barriers that the robot will detect and avoid. Some include no-go zones, which can be used to mark areas you don't want it enter, such as kids' rooms or a pile of device cords in the corner.
If you're looking for a basic robot vacuum without all the bells and whistles, this model from the networking company TP-Link is a good choice. It's quiet, it is able to work on hard floors as well as carpets with low pile and can be programmed through the app to mop and vacuum at your own convenience. It's got a long battery life of around 180 minutes.
2. Easy to operate
Robot vacuums generally require very little effort from you. They utilize navigation tools like sensors and lasers to move around obstacles and suck up dust, food crumbs and pet hair from floors, tile carpets, hardwood floors and low-pile carpets. Many have boundary strips that aid in staying within the walls of a room, while pricier models can be programmed to automatically wake up and begin cleaning at a set time. Some models have fall detection technology that helps them avoid falling down a flight of stairs or becoming tangled in cords.
If you're looking to control your robot vacuum from the comfort of a couch, look for models that integrate voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also search for Wi-Fi-connected models that allow you to begin cleaning from any location via an app. Depending on how big your house is, you might prefer an item with a long-lasting battery and a large dust bin that doesn't need to be emptied frequently.
Some robot vacuums double as mops, utilizing reservoirs of water to wash your floor. This is helpful for normal mopping, but it won't be effective for messes that are more difficult to clean, like pet poop or other spills that get wet. You can choose hybrids with an able mopping pad made of microfiber or a self-emptying model that lets you go for up to 60 days without emptying the base.
3. Smart Mapping
Certain robots utilize advanced mapping technology to build a detailed map as they clean. This helps them avoid bumping into furniture and getting caught on cords or chairs. This feature is only available on higher-end models however, it lets your robot be aware of your home's layout and know where to go when the battery runs out.
The majority of robots allow you to create virtual barriers. This can be done via an application or even physical boundary strips. You can block off areas you don't want your robot to enter in order to focus on the areas that require the most attention.
Many robots also automatically switch floors based on the type of flooring they are cleaning. This can be accomplished by switching from carpet to hard flooring or by focusing on particular areas of your home, such as corners and baseboards. In our tests this was a helpful feature that improved their performance in picking up carpeting made of low-pile or hardwood. But, it's still essential to tuck away furniture and cords that are loose prior to running your robot vacuum so that it doesn't get stuck or come into contact with something it shouldn't.
4. Remote Control
Most robot vacuums are WiFi-connected and can be controlled by Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts that allow you to control them via voice commands or via your smartphone. Many robot vacuums are connected to smart home systems, and generate a map of the space they clean after each cleaning session. This allows them to "learn" how your home is laid out, and then plan more efficient routes during future cleaning sessions. Certain models have obstacle avoidance features built in to prevent them from causing damage to furniture or getting stuck on objects like loose charging cables or pet hair.
Most robots are equipped with a remote control that you can use to move them around your house. However, most can also be controlled via an app for mobile devices, which gives you more options. You can create multiple cleaning schedules and create an agenda of your most-loved rooms. You can also guide the robot using the directional the arrows.
Certain models have no-go zones, which are virtual barriers that you can create in the app to stop the robot from entering certain areas (like toys for kids or dog beds and bowls). Some apps allow you to create an outline of your home and provide detailed information on the floors. The app on our top pick, the Roborock S7+, has many 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 vacuums that clean your entire home without stopping for a recharge or to empty their bins save time and effort. Some robot vacuums are compatible with smart home platforms like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Shortcuts to enable hands-free operation. They can also create an outline of your living space and allow you to program them to clean specific areas or rooms and beware of obstacles.
Most robot vacuums offer some degree of object detection however, higher-end models such as the iRobot j7 come with advanced features such as "home mapping" and advanced obstacle avoidance, which can make your life easier (although our test bot did "eat" socks). socks). If you're looking to take your home maintenance to the next level consider a robot mop that has an water tank that you fill and empty yourself.
While none of the models we tested could beat the dirt-picking power of a stand-up model, they all do a great job of cleaning hard floors and low-pile carpets. They are excellent at sweeping up food crumbs, and dirt that has been tracked in. They also can handle metal screws and nuts, as well as stray cat litter. The most effective robot vacuums are able to clean corners and edges and work on furniture. For an affordable model that can work on its own and is comparatively inexpensive look into the Eufy 11S.
6. Convenient Self-Charging
With the right setup and the right setup, a robotic vacuum can assist you in keeping your home looking and feeling fresh regularly, without a lot of effort. It is possible to schedule cleanings with the app, and you can designate no-go areas so that the robot won't walk on your plants or favorite chair. The majority of our top picks automatically empty their trash bins and clean their docking stations for you.
The most effective robot vacuums are programmable to keep your floors clean for weeks or months at a stretch, saving you the time and effort of manually mopping or sweeping your floors each week or day. This helps you have more time to do the things you like and decreases the amount of time that your floors require to be cleaned manually.
In our tests, the Q Revo was able to capture tiny particles such as oatmeal and baking soda and heavier debris like nails and screws made of steel and even fluffy matter like hair of pets. mop robot vacuum doesn't have the smart mapping and objects avoidance features of our top picks, but it's adequate for the majority of families.
The j7's best feature is its ability to recognize and avoid obstacles like power cords and socks, shoes and pet waste. This means that you don't need to tidy up before running your robot, although cluttered rooms will mean that your robot could get stuck and not perform the job as well.
