The Best Robot Vacuums
A robot vacuum will take care of the majority of the cleaning for you. It can remove pet hair, lint, and dirt from surfaces and furniture before they become stuck. Many robot vacuums work with smart assistants, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to give you a hands-free cleaning experience.
Many models come with the ability to map, which allows them to create maps of your home. robotvacuummops helps them avoid tumbling off ledges and traversing clusters of device cords.
What to look for
Certain robots have advanced features that let you control them using apps and voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant. Smart mapping, zone cleaning and object avoidance are some of the features. They could also have longer battery lives and larger dust collection bins.
Look for a model with broad brushes that is able to sweep large particles and one that's small enough to be able to fit under furniture. Also, make sure that the vacuum can move over multiple kinds of floors without having to swap out brushes or change suction settings. This can decrease the effectiveness of cleaning and decrease its lifespan.
The best robot vacuums have high-quality filters to capture fine particles and protect your home from damage. They also have a large easy-to-access collection bin so you can empty it often. Some come with an additional side brush for sweeping up pet hair and debris in difficult-to-access places such as behind and under furniture. The dustbins are usually transparent, which means you can see how much dirt is in the bin and when you should empty it.
In addition to scheduling your robot vacuum to operate at times when you're likely be at home, you can also use the app to create the boundaries around your furniture and areas that you'd like it avoid. Some models can also detect the kind of flooring and adjust their brush and vacuum settings to match.
You can also find robots that can recharge and resume cleaning right where they left off in case their battery is low. Some robot vacuums come with cameras that lets you see the route that your robot has taken and what it has collected.
Certain robots can be controlled by voice commands however, not all. Make sure that the model you choose is compatible with the voice assistant of your choice and test it out to see how well the robot responds to commands before you purchase. Some robots are able to automatically empty their trash bins and clean their docking stations, which can reduce your chore list a little bit. This is a costly feature and comes with a bigger collection container and faster charging speed.
Cleaning Performance
Robots are not a replacement for a broom or vacuum. However, they can be incredibly efficient and effective in keeping your floors clean. Whether you need to keep track of dust as well as pet hair and crumbs or get rid of larger debris like metal screws and wood shavings, most top-rated robotic cleaners are adept at removing various materials in the first go-around and doing so without damaging your furniture or floors.
In most cases, they'll be able to detect what type of surface they're cleaning and adjust their suction or brush functions accordingly to more effectively clean your floors. This is particularly important if your home is surrounded by different types of flooring. A lot of models come with an array of options to set up virtual boundaries, which allows you to tell the robot to stay away from certain areas of your home. This will keep your pets or children from entering areas they shouldn't. It will also ensure that your home is kept clean during each scheduled time.
You should also think about the level of autonomy you're comfortable giving your robot. Certain models require you to be present and attentive, while others work on their own. They can alter cleaning modes and schedules via a mobile application or voice commands with an integrated smart assistant. Some will map and learn your space and allow you to create zones and instruct the robot to only clean certain areas of your home on a daily or weekly basis.
In our tests the iRobot J7+ was the top "set it and forget it" robot. It was more adept at mapping the virtual boundaries and avoiding obstacles than any of the other robots we test. Additionally, it can completely empty itself so you don't have to do that manually and has side brushes that can help sweep debris into its path from corners and edges where a vacuum may not reach.
Its slim design and infrared sensor allows it to clean behind and under furniture, allowing it to perform better than most robots. Its advanced navigation system allows it to sweep the entire floor of your house with just one battery charge. It's hard to beat, especially at its affordable price.
Battery Life
A robot vacuum can make cleaning your floors feel less of a chore and more like a treat. The difference between a clean home and a dirty one can be made by removing dirt that has been tracked in, as well as crumbs, pet hair, and other debris. While a basic robot can handle most cleaning tasks, those who want an extra hands-free experience should consider one that doubles as a mop.
The Ecovacs Deebot T10 OMNI is one of the best models for both as it is extremely efficient in both vacuuming and mop modes, and is able to handle dirt, debris, pet hair and even cat litter. Its function to avoid objects is impressive. It allows it to keep away from objects and not get caught on them.
It also comes with a long battery life and a large dust bin which allows it to cover a considerable amount of space in one session. It also functions as smart vacuum, which means that it can create maps of your home and work with apps, like the ones offered by Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to allow you to control it with voice commands.
The software that comes with the robot is easy and simple to use, allowing you to set schedules, designate rooms for cleaning, and stop and resume sessions. It will notify you when its battery is low and return to the docking station to recharge.
The robot can also differentiate between carpets and hard floors and adjust its settings according to the type of floor. This helps to prevent the machine from getting stuck on one type of floor and causing damage to furniture. However, it is not yet able to recognize high pile carpeting or the seams between rooms, so you will still need to be vigilant when picking up large objects.
All robot vacuums require some amount of maintenance, such as getting rid of hair from brushes, emptying (and sometimes, rinsing) the dust bin after each cleaning session. Also, wiping down sensors or cameras between uses to keep them in good shape. The manufacturer will provide specific instructions for these and other maintenance procedures that may differ based on the specific model.
Cost
The top robot vacuums don't come inexpensive, but they're less expensive than a professional carpet cleaner, or even an entire stand-up vacuum. They require less maintenance than traditional vacuums, since they only require you to empty and rinse their dust bins following every cleaning session.
Many robot vacuums come with intelligent features that make them more efficient for your home, like mapping technology, which allows you to instruct the vacuum on the layout of your home via an app so that it knows not to run over the stairs or underneath the furniture, where there might be a mess. Other robot vacuums can detect the kind of floor they are cleaning so they can adjust their suction and brush functions to achieve the best results.
Some models feature object avoidance, which uses sensors (or even a camera) to detect toys and other items on the floor and coach the robot to go around them rather than run over them. This is a great option if your children or pets tend to leave toys all over the home.
Voice control is another smart feature you may find useful. It lets you operate your robot using your voice, rather than the on-board buttons. This is helpful if your children aren't old enough to operate the robot, or when it's practical for you.
The frequency at which you use your robot will depend on the amount of dirt or debris has accumulated on your floor. The majority of experts recommend using a robotic vacuuming at least once per week to keep your floors looking their best and to remove pet hair, dirt and lint before it is able to get ground in or become more difficult to get rid of.
If you're limited with floor surfaces and don't plan to utilize your robot for other tasks, a budget model, such as our top pick the Eufy 11S, is a suitable option. It's affordable, easy to set up and use, and can complete the task without causing any noise disruption while you work or watch TV.