How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum
If you don’t need the most advanced features like mapping, and aren’t worried about emptying your bin every 60 to 90 days, a basic robotic vacuum is likely to be the best choice for you. Select a model with a clean base that works with voice assistants.
It is the best robot vacuum under 200 vacuum we have tested in getting rid of dirt and pet hair from tile floors, hardwood floors and carpets with low pile. It can also plan out and set virtual no-go zones in rooms or areas.
1. Powerful Suction
A robot vacuum can help you keep track of the pet fur, dust and dander that collects on your floor every day. It also can reduce the frequency you have to clean your floors which will save you time and effort. The best models come with powerful suction that can tackle most messes with ease and leave your house cleaner.
You can cover a larger area with a robot vacuum and mop, which is particularly useful if you have a large house. Look for one that has water reservoirs either integrated into the chassis or as a separate item that you can swap out when vacuuming is complete. It will need to be emptied and filled and refilled, which is an additional task.
In the ideal world, you’d be able to clean your floors before you used your robot vacuum to prevent it from hitting things. However, in the majority of homes, this isn’t possible or desirable. Fortunately, the majority of models let you use your smartphone to create virtual barriers that the robot will detect and avoid. Certain models have no-go zones that you can mark areas you don’t wish it to enter. For instance the child’s room or a pile cords in an area.
This model is a great option for those looking for an easy robot cleaner that doesn’t have all the bells and whistles. It’s quiet and can be used on hard floors as well as carpets with low pile and can be programmed via the app to mop and vacuum at your leisure. It has a good battery life, which can last for up to 180 minutes before needing to recharge.
2. Easy to operate
In general, robot vacuums require very little input from you. They use navigation tools like sensors, lasers and cameras to maneuver around obstacles and remove dust, food crumbs and pet hair from hard flooring, tile, hardwood and low-pile carpets. 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 begin cleaning at a set time. Some models include fall detection technology that helps them avoid falling down stairs or getting caught in cords.
If you’re looking to control your robot vacuum from the comfort of a couch, look for models that can work with voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also choose Wi-Fi models that permit users to start cleaning anywhere you want using an app. You might want to choose a model that has an extremely long-lasting battery as well as a large dustbin, depending on the size of your home.
Some robot vacuums can double as mops and use reservoirs of water to clean your floor. This is great for self emptying Robot vacuum mopping, but not ideal for difficult messes such as pet poop or other wet spills. There are hybrids that come with a removable microfiber pad for mopping, or opt for an auto-emptying model that lets you use the device for 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 makes it easier to avoid bumping into furniture and tripping on cords or legs of chairs. This feature is only available on higher-end models, but it allows your robot to get a complete understanding of your home’s layout and know where to move when the battery runs out.
If you do not want your robot to go into areas of your home you’d prefer it to stay clear from (like your children’s toys or the tangled mess of device cords in the corner) The majority of robots offer the possibility of creating virtual barriers, either through their apps or a set of physical boundary strips. This lets you block off zones that you don’t want your robot venture into, so it can focus its attention on the rooms and spaces that need the most attention.
Many robots will also automatically switch floors based on the flooring they are cleaning. This can be done by changing from carpet to hard flooring or by focusing on specific areas of your house, such as corners and baseboards. This feature proved to be useful in our tests and improved the vacuum’s performance on both hardwood flooring and carpeting for floors with low-pile. It is important to secure any loose cords or furniture prior to using your robot vacuum so it doesn’t get caught.
4. Remote Control
Almost all robot vacuums have WiFi connectivity and work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts to allow users to control them with voice commands or via your smartphone. Many robot vacuums connect to smart home systems and generate a map of the area they clean after each session. This lets them “learn” the way your home is laid out, and then plan more efficient routes in future cleaning sessions. Some also have built-in obstacle avoidance that prevents them from crashing into furniture and damaging it or getting stuck on things like charging cables that are loose or shoe laces, as well as pet hair.
Most robots come with a remote you can use to steer them around your home. The majority of robots can be controlled via a mobile application that comes with more features. You can set up multiple cleaning schedules and make an inventory of your preferred rooms. You can also manually guide the robot with the directional the arrows.
Certain models have zones that are not allowed. These are virtual barriers can be created within the app to block the robot from entering specific areas (like toys for children or dog beds and dishes). Some apps let you draw a map of your house and provide detailed information on the floors. The Roborock S7+ app has many useful features that will aid in cleaning the house. However its interface isn’t as polished as iRobot or Shark.
5. Long Battery Life
Robot vacuums that can clean your entire house without stopping to recharge or emptying their trash bins save time and effort. Certain robot vacuums can work with smart home platforms like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Shortcuts to enable hands-free operation. They can also build a map of your living space, allowing you to program them to clean certain areas or rooms, and to stay clear of obstacles.
The majority of ilife robot vacuum vacuums can detect objects, but the iRobot j7 offers advanced features such as “home mapping” and obstacle avoidance. These can simplify your life (although one of our test bots did “eat” a couple of socks). If you’re trying to improve the quality of your home maintenance, you should consider the use of a robot mop and an water container that you can fill and empty.
While none of the models that we tested could match the dirt-picking ability of a standup vacuum, they were able to do a fantastic job of cleaning hard floors and low pile carpets. They are great at sweeping up fine dust and debris, food dust, tracked-in dirt, and pet hair. They can also tackle stray cat litter and metal screws and nuts. The best robot vacuums can remove dirt from edges and corners and can work around furniture. Eufy 11S is a relatively inexpensive and basic model.
6. Convenient self Emptying robot vacuum-Charging
With the proper setup and the right setup, a robotic vacuum can aid in keeping your home looking and feeling fresh regularly, with minimal effort. You can schedule cleanings through the app, and create no-go zones to ensure that your robot does not walk on your plants or sit on your favorite chair. Many of our top picks empty their dustbins and clean their docking station.
The best robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors regularly for months or even weeks at a stretch, freeing you from the tedious chore of manually cleaning your floors on a weekly or daily basis. This allows you to spend more time on things you like and cuts down on the amount of time your floors have to be cleaned manually.
During testing the Q Revo was able to capture tiny particles such as oatmeal and baking soda, heavier debris such as nails and screws made of steel, and fluffy stuff like hair of pets. It lacks the intelligent mapping and object-avoiding features of our top picks, but is still a great choice for most families.
The most appealing thing about the j7 is that it utilizes camera and processor-powered smarts to detect and avoid obstacles like shoes, power cords, socks, and pet waste. This means that you don’t have to tidy up before using your robot. However, rooms that are cluttered may cause your bot to get stuck and do an inadequate job.