The Best Robot Vacuums
A quality robot vacuum does the majority of the work for you and removes pet hair, lint and surface dirt before it adheres to furniture or get ground into carpets. Many robot vacuums integrate with smart assistants such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to provide a hands-free cleaning experience.
Many models come with maps that allow them to create an interactive map of your house. This allows them to avoid falling off ledges and traversing the cords of devices.
What to Look for
Certain robots have advanced features that allow you to control them via apps and voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. These include smart mapping, cleaning zones and spots, and the ability to avoid objects. They could also have longer battery life and larger dust collection bins.
Select a model with broad brushes that can clean up large debris and is thin enough to be able to fit under furniture. Find out if the vacuum is able to clean different types of floors without having to change the suction settings or brushes. This can reduce the effectiveness of cleaning and reduce its life span.
The best robot vacuums have high-quality filters that trap small particles to guard the inside of your home and an ample, easy-to-access collection bin that allows you to empty it frequently. Some robot vacuums come with an extra side brush to remove pet hair or other debris in hard-to reach places, such as under and behind furniture. The bins are typically transparent, so you can see how much dirt is in the bin and when you should empty it.
You can also make use of the app to set limits around furniture and rooms that you don't want it entering. Some models also recognize the kind of floor they're cleaning, and automatically adjust their brush and suction settings accordingly.
You can also find robots that can recharge and continue cleaning exactly where they left off if their battery runs low. Some also have a built-in camera that allows you to observe the path of your robot vacuum and view what it's taken in.
Some robots are controlled by voice commands but not all. Check that the model you choose is compatible with the voice assistant of your choice and then test it to see how the robot responds to various commands before you purchase. Some robots can even empty their trash bins or clean their docking stations which will help you reduce your chore list. This feature is costly, as are a larger storage container and a more rapid charging speeds.
Cleaning Performance
While robots aren't able to replace a traditional vacuum or broom, they can offer a reliable and effective alternative to the everyday chore of cleaning your floors. It doesn't matter if you have to keep track of dust or pet hair, crumbs and crumbs or nab bigger debris like metal screws and wood shavings The top robotic cleaners are adept at picking up a variety of materials on the first go-around and without causing any damage to your floor surfaces or furniture.
They often detect the type of surface that they are cleaning and adjust their suction/brush features accordingly to clean your floors more thoroughly. This is particularly important if your home is made up of various types of flooring. Many models come with the option of setting up virtual boundaries. This lets you tell your robot to stay out of certain areas of your house. This helps to keep your pets and children from entering areas they shouldn't. It will also ensure that your house is cleaned during each scheduled session.
You should also consider how much autonomy you're comfortable giving your robot. Certain models require your attention and presence while others function independently with the capability to alter cleaning schedules and cleaning modes via a mobile app or voice commands using an integrated smart assistant. Certain models map and understand your space and allow you to create zones, and instruct the robot only to clean certain areas in your home on a daily or weekly basis.
In our tests, the iRobot j7+ proved to be the most effective robot for "set it and leave it". It was a master in mapping, creating virtual boundaries and avoiding obstacles better than all the other robots we tested. It also has the ability to empty itself, so you don't need to manually do it. Additionally, the side brushes are used to sweep debris off edges and corners that a vacuum cannot reach.
Its slim profile and infrared sensors permit it to go behind and under furniture for a deeper clean than most robots. Its advanced navigation system is more capable of cleaning the entire level of your home on a single charge than other devices we've tested. It's a tough one to beat, even at its price.
Battery Life
A robot vacuum can make cleaning your floors feel less of a chore and more of an enjoyable experience. Promptly nabbing tracked-in dirt, crumbs, and shed pet hair can make a huge difference in how clean your home is every day. A basic robot can take care of the majority of cleaning tasks. However, those who prefer a more relaxed experience might want to look for a model that doubles as a mops.
The Ecovacs Deebot T10 OMNI is among the best models for both, as it delivers excellent performance in both its mop and vacuuming modes, and is able to handle dirt, debris, pet hair and even cat litter. Its feature for avoiding objects is awe-inspiring, allowing it to avoid objects and avoid getting stuck on them.
It has a big dustbin as well as an extremely long-lasting battery, which means it can cover a significant amount of space in just one go. It is also a smart vacuum, meaning it can make maps of your home and work with apps, like those provided by Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, to let you use voice commands to control it.
The app that comes with the robot lets you create schedules, define rooms to be cleaned or pause/resume sessions. It will also notify you the moment its battery is low and return to its docking station to recharge.
The robot is also able to distinguish between carpets and hard floors, and adjust its settings according to the type of floor. This prevents the machine from becoming stuck on one type of surface and causing damage to furniture. It is not able to detect seams or carpeting with high pile in rooms, which is why it's important to be careful when picking up large objects.
To ensure that robot vacuums are in good working order, they require maintenance. This includes cleaning brushes of hair, and emptying the trash bin (and sometimes washing it) after each cleaning session. Sensors and cameras should also be cleaned between uses. The manufacturer will provide specific instructions for these actions and other steps, which may differ according to the model.
Cost
The best robot vacuums aren't inexpensive, but they're far cheaper than a professional carpet cleaning machine or even a stand-up one. They require less maintenance than traditional vacuums as most only require that you empty and occasionally rinse their dust bins following each cleaning session.
Many robot vacuums are equipped with intelligent features that make them more efficient for your home, like mapping technology which lets you guide the vacuum on the layout of your home via an app so that it knows not to run into the stairs or under the furniture, where there might be an issue. Other models can determine the floor type they're working on, allowing them to alter their suction and brush features for the most effective results.
Certain models have object avoidance. robot vacuum and mop makes use of sensors (or cameras) which can detect toys and other objects lying on the floor. The robot is then instructed to stay clear of them instead of running into them. This could be extremely helpful for families with children or pets who throw toys around the house.
Another smart feature that may be important to you is voice control, which lets you operate your robot using your voice instead of using the buttons on board. This is a great option for children who aren't old enough yet to operate the robot, or is it just more convenient for you.
How often you need to use your robot will depend on the amount of dirt and dust is typically on your floors. Most experts suggest using your robot vacuum at least once per week to keep your floors spotless and remove pet hair, lint and dirt from the surface.
If you have limited areas of floor space and don't want to make use of your robot for other purposes, a budget model, such as our top choice the Eufy 11S, is a good choice. It's user-friendly, affordable, and does the job without causing any noise while you work or watch television.