How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you can live without advanced features such as mapping, and don't mind emptying the garbage bin every 60 days or so, a basic robot vacuum could be a good choice for you. Pick a model that has an uncluttered base that can work with voice assistants.

It excels at picking up dirt, lidar robot vacuum clumps of pet hair and cat litter on tile floors, hardwood floors and carpeting that is lower-pile better than any other vacuum we've tried. It can also plan out and create virtual no go zones for rooms or areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum can keep on top of the pet hair, dust and dander that build up on your floors on a day-to-day basis. It can also reduce the frequency at which you have to deep clean and saves you time and effort. The best robot vacuum mop combo model has powerful suction that is able to take on the most difficult messes and leave your home cleaner.

You can cover a larger area by using a robot vacuum as well as a mop, which is particularly useful if you have a large house. Choose models that have an water reservoir in the chassis or as a separate piece that you can swap out when the vacuuming is done. It will need to be empty and fill it up, however it's an additional task that will require some extra effort on your part.

In a perfect universe it would be ideal to clean your floors first before you use your robot vacuum to prevent it from crashing into anything. But in most homes, this isn't possible or desirable. The majority of models let you make use of an app that you can install on your phone to create virtual barriers the robot can see. Some have no-go zones which can be used to mark areas that 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 lidar Robot Vacuum 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's quiet, it is able to work on hard floors as well as low-pile carpets and can be programmed through the app to mop and vacuum at your leisure. It has a long battery life that can last for up to 180 minutes before it requires to recharge.

2. Easy to Operate

In general robot vacuums require little input from you. They use sensors, lasers, and cameras to maneuver and collect dust, pet hair and food crumbs off hard floors, tile and hardwood. Many have boundary strips to help them stay within the walls of a room while pricier models can be set to automatically wake up and begin cleaning at a scheduled time. Some models have fall detection technology that helps them avoid falling down stairs or becoming tangled in cords.

If you're looking to control your robot vacuum from the comfort of your couch, you should look for models that work with voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant. Also, look for models with Wi-Fi connectivity that let you start cleaning sessions from anywhere through an app. You may want to select a model that has a long-lasting battery and a large dustbin, depending on the size of your home.

Some robot vacuums double as mops and use water reservoirs to clean your floors. This is ideal for mopping, but not for tough messes like pet poop or other wet spills. You can find hybrids with a removable microfiber pad that can be used for mopping, or opt for a self-emptying model that lets you go 30 to 60 days without having to empty the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Some robots employ advanced mapping technology to build a detailed map as they clean. This helps them avoid crashing into furniture or tripping over cords or chair legs. This feature is usually only available on more expensive 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 can determine where to go when it's low on battery.

The majority of robots allow you to create virtual barriers. This can be done via an app or physically-based boundary strips. You can block off areas you don't want your robot to enter in order to focus on the rooms that need the most attention.

A lot of robots can also automatically switch floors based on the kind of floor they are cleaning. This can be done by switching from carpet to hard flooring, or by paying attention to particular areas of your home like corners and baseboards. This feature was effective during our tests and helped improve the vacuum's performance on both hardwood flooring and carpet flooring with low pile. It is important to secure any furniture or cords that are loose prior to using your robot vacuum to ensure that it doesn't get caught.

4. Remote Control

The majority of robot vacuums are WiFi-enabled and work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts, which enable you to control them using voice commands or through your smartphone. Many robot vacuums connect to smart home systems and generate a map of the area they clean after each cleaning session. This allows them to "learn" how your home is laid out and plan more efficient routes during future cleaning sessions. Some have obstacle avoidance 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 steer them around your home. Most robots are controlled via a mobile application that comes with more features. You can typically create multiple cleaning schedules, create the list of rooms you like and even manually guide your robot around specific areas using directional arrows on the screen.

Some models have no-go zones. These are virtual barriers you can create in the app to stop the robot from entering certain areas (like kid's toys or dishes for dogs and dog beds). Other apps let you create the map of your house and give the robot detailed information about your floors. The app we ranked as our top choice, the Roborock S7+, has a lot of useful options to help you clean your home, however its interface isn't as polished 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 devices like Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts for hands-free operation. They can also create an outline of the space for you to program them to specific areas or rooms and to avoid obstacles.

Most robot vacs have some degree of object detection however, higher-end models such as the iRobot j7 offer sophisticated features like "home mapping" and advanced obstacle avoidance that can really make your life easier (although our test bot did "eat" the socks of a pair). socks). If you're looking to push your home maintenance to the next level opt for a robotic mop with a 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, most do an admirable job at cleaning carpets with low pile and hard floors. They are excellent at sweeping up fine dirt, food crumbs, and dirt that has been tracked into. They can even tackle some pet litter that is stray and metal screws and nuts. The top robot vacuums are able to remove dirt from edges and corners and work around furniture. For an affordable model that can work on its own and is comparatively inexpensive, check out the Eufy 11S.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

With the right 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 create no-go zones so that your robot doesn't walk 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 robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors on a regular basis for months or even weeks at a time, removing you from the arduous task of manually cleaning your floors on a weekly or daily basis. This allows you to spend more time doing things you enjoy and cuts down on the amount of time your floors need to be cleaned manually.

In our tests, the Q Revo was able to grab fine particles like baking soda and oatmeal and heavier debris like metal screws and nails and even fluffy matter like hair from pets. It does not have the advanced mapping and objects-avoiding features of our top picks, but it is still a great choice for families with children.

The best thing about the j7 is its ability to recognize and avoid obstacles like power cords as well as socks and shoes as well as pet waste. This means you don't have to tidy up before you can run your robot, but clutter in your home can mean the robot mop and vacuum combo may become stuck and not be able to do as well.