The Best Robot Vacuums
A good robot vacuum does the bulk of the work and removes pet hair, lint, and surface dirt before it adheres to furniture or sink into carpets. They also have smart assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to offer an unrestricted experience.
Many models come with maps, which allows them to create a map of your home. This helps them avoid tumbling off ledges or navigating cords that connect devices.
What to Look For
Some robots have advanced features, allowing users to control them with voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant. These include smart mapping cleaning zones and spots, and object avoidance. They might also have longer battery life and larger dust collection bins.
Look for a model with an extended brush that can clean up large pieces of debris and one that is slim enough to be able to fit under furniture. Find out if the vacuum is able to clean different types of floors without altering brushes or suction settings. This could reduce the effectiveness of cleaning and reduce its lifespan.
The best robot vacuums have top-quality filters that catch fine particles to protect the interior of your home and an accessible collection bin that lets you clear it frequently. Some have an extra side brush that can be used to sweep up pet hair and other debris in difficult-to-access areas under and behind furniture. The bins are typically transparent, so you can see how much dirt is in the bin, and when to empty it.
You can also make use of the app to set boundaries around furniture and rooms that you don't want it entering. Some models can also detect the kind of flooring and adjust their brush and vacuum settings accordingly.
You can also find robots that recharge and continue cleaning right where they left off when their battery is low. Certain robot vacuums have cameras built-in that lets you see the path the robot took and the data it has gathered.
Many robots also let you control them with your voice, however not all do so as effortlessly as other models. Be sure that the robot you select is compatible with the voice assistant of your choice, and test out how well it responds to various commands during the purchase process. Some robots are able to automatically empty their dustbins and clean their docking stations, making the chores you have to do a more. However, this feature comes at cost, as do a larger collection bin and a faster charging speed.
Cleaning Performance
While robots cannot substitute for a full-on vacuum cleaner or broom, they can offer a reliable and effective alternative to the daily chore of cleaning your floors. The most effective robotic cleaners pick up small debris such as pet hair, dust and crumbs, or larger objects like metal shavings and wood shavings. They can do this without damaging furniture or floors.
They often detect the type of surface they are cleaning and adjust their suction/brush features accordingly to clean your floors more thoroughly. This is especially important when your home is made up of different types of flooring. Many models offer the option to set up virtual boundaries. This allows you to tell your robot to stay out of certain areas of your house. This will prevent your children or pets from getting into areas they shouldn't. It helps ensure that your house is cleaned at the end of every scheduled session.
You should also consider the level of autonomy you're comfortable giving your robot. Some models require you to be present and attentive, whereas others can work independently. They can change cleaning modes and schedules via the mobile app or via voice commands with an integrated smart assistant. Some models will map and learn your space and allow you to create zones and instruct the robot to clean specific areas of your home on a weekly or daily basis.
In our tests, the iRobot J7+ proved to be the best robot for "set it and forget it". It was the best at mapping, creating virtual boundaries and eliminating obstacles better than the other robots we test. Plus, it can completely empty itself so you don't have to do that manually and has side brushes that help to sweep debris out of corners and edges that the vacuum isn't able to reach.
Its slim profile and infrared sensors also enable it to reach behind and under furniture for more thorough cleaning than other robots, while its advanced navigation system is more efficient in cleaning the entire floor of your home in one charge than other devices we've tested. Even at its affordable price you'll find it hard to beat for everyday use.
Battery Life
A robot vacuum can make cleaning your floors feel like less of a chore, and more like an indulgence. The difference between a clean house and one that is dirty is vacuum mop robot cleaner made by getting rid of dirt that has been tracked into the house, as well as crumbs pet hair, and other debris. While a robot of a basic design is able to handle the majority of cleaning tasks, those who want an extra hands-free experience should consider models that double as mop.
The Ecovacs Deebot T10 OMNI is one the best models for both, as it is extremely efficient in both vacuuming and mop modes and can easily handle dirt, debris, pet hair and even cat litter. Its ability to avoid objects is impressive. It allows it to keep away from objects and avoid getting caught on them.
It comes with a huge dustbin as well as a battery that lasts for a long time, so it can cover a large amount of space in one session. It's also a smart vacuum, which means it can map your home, and works with apps such as the ones offered by Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to allow you to control the vacuum using voice commands.
The app that comes with the robot is simple and easy to use, allowing you to set schedules, assign rooms for cleaning, or to pause and resume your sessions. It will notify you when its battery is depleted and return to the docking station for recharging.
Another nice feature of this robot is that it can differentiate between carpets and hard floors and adjust its settings accordingly. This helps keep the machine from being caught up in one type of surface or damaging furniture. However, it isn't yet able to recognize high pile carpeting or the seams of rooms, so you'll have to be cautious about picking up large items.
To keep robot vacuums in good working order, they require maintenance. This includes cleaning brushes of hair, and emptying the trash bin (and sometimes washing it) after every cleaning session. Cameras and sensors should be cleaned after each use. The manufacturer will provide specific instructions for these steps and other procedures, which will vary according to the model.
Cost
The most effective robot vacuums aren't cheap, but they are far cheaper than a professional carpet cleaner or even a stand-up one. They also require less maintenance than traditional vacuums as they require that you empty (and sometimes rinse) their bins after each cleaning session, and periodically cleaning their cameras or sensors.
Many robot vacuums have clever features that make them more efficient in your home. For example mapping technology allows you to tell the vacuum where to go through an app, which means it doesn't run into the staircase or under furniture, where there could be an unclean mess. Other robot vacuums can detect the type of floor they are cleaning so they can alter their suction and brush features to get the best results.
Some models come with object avoidance. This uses sensors (or cameras) which can detect toys and other items lying on the floor. The robot is then instructed to avoid them instead of running into them. This is a great option for families with pets or children who are known to leave toys around the house.
Another feature that might be important to you is voice control that lets you control the robot using your voice instead of using the buttons on the board. This is a great option if your children aren't old enough yet to operate the robot or if it's just convenient for you.
How often you need to use your robot depends on the amount of dirt and debris is typically on your floors. Most experts recommend using your robot vacuum at least once a week in order to keep your floors clean and remove pet hair, lint, and dirt from the surface.
If you're limited with areas of floor space and don't want to make use of your robot for other purposes, 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 gets the job done with little noise interference while you work or watch TV.