The Best Robot Vacuums
A good robot vacuum will do the bulk of the work and removes pet hair, lint, and surface dirt before it can stick to furniture or sink into carpets. Many robot vacuums integrate with smart assistants, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to provide a hands-free clean experience.
Many models include 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 Do You Look For?
Certain robots have advanced features that let you control them using apps and voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. Smart mapping, zone cleaning, and object avoidance are just a few of the features. These machines could also have larger dust bins as well as longer-lasting batteries.
Look for a model with an extended brush that is able to sweep large particles and one that's small enough to be able to fit under furniture. Also, check if the vacuum is able to move across different flooring types without the need to swap brushes or alter suction settings, which can decrease the effectiveness of cleaning and shorten its life.
The best rated robot vacuum robot vacuums have top-quality filters that catch 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 sweep up pet hair and debris from difficult-to-access places like under and behind furniture. They also typically have a door for the dustbin that is clear, which helps you keep an eye on the amount of dirt accumulation so you know when it's time for you to empty.
You can also make use of the app to establish limits around furniture and rooms you do not want it to enter. Some models also recognize the kind of floor they're cleaning, and automatically adjust their brush and suction settings to match.
There are robotics that recharge and continue cleaning where they left off when their battery runs out. And some have a built-in camera that lets you observe the path of your robot vacuum and even see what it's collecting.
Certain robots can be controlled via voice commands, but not all. Make sure the model you choose is compatible with your voice assistant of choice, and test the way it responds to different commands during the buying process. Some robots are able to automatically empty their trash bins and clean their docking stations, reducing your chore list a little more. But this feature comes at cost, as do the capacity of the bin and a faster charging speed.
Cleaning Performance
Robots aren't the same as for a vacuum or broom. However, they can be incredibly efficient and effective in keeping your floors clean. The best robotic cleaners can pick up small debris like pet hair, dust and crumbs, or larger items like metal shavings and wood shavings. They accomplish this without harming the floor or furniture.
They usually detect the type of surface they are cleaning and adjust their suction/brush features in order to clean your floors more thoroughly. This is particularly important if you have a variety of flooring throughout your home. Many models also come with many options for setting virtual boundaries, allowing you to instruct the robot to stay away from certain areas of your home. This can help to keep your pets and children from getting in areas they shouldn't. It will also ensure that your house is cleaned during every scheduled session.
Think about how much autonomy your robot will enjoy. Some models require your presence and attention while others function on their own with the capability to change cleaning modes and schedules through a mobile app or voice commands using an integrated smart assistant. Certain models map and understand your home's 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+ was the most efficient "set it and forget it" robot. It was better in mapping the virtual boundaries and eliminating obstacles than any of the other robots that we tested. It also has the ability to empty itself so that you aren't required to do it manually. The side brushes help sweep debris off edges and corners which a vacuum can't reach.
Its slim design and infrared sensor allow it to clean under and behind furniture and behind furniture, which allows it to do a better job than other robots. And its advanced navigation system lets it to sweep the entire floor of your home with just one battery charge. It's a tough one to beat even at a reasonable price.
Battery Life
A good robot vacuum can make cleaning your floors seem less like a chore, and more like a luxury. Promptly nabbing tracked-in dirt, crumbs, and shed pet hair can make all the difference in how clean your home feels on a daily basis. While a robot of a basic design can keep up with most cleaning tasks, those seeking more of a hands-free experience should choose models that double as a mop.
Ecovacs Deebot T10 OMNI provides excellent performance in both vacuuming and mopping modes. It can handle pet hair, dirt, 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 a battery that lasts for a long time, so it can cover a large amount of space in a single session. It is also a smart vacuum, which means it can make maps of your home and work with apps, like those offered by Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, to let you use voice commands to control it.
The application that comes with the robot allows you to create schedules, define rooms to be cleaned or suspend or resume sessions. It will notify you when its battery is running low and return to the docking station to recharge.
The robot is also able to distinguish between hard floors and carpets, and adjust its settings according to the type of floor. This helps to prevent the machine from becoming stuck on a particular type of surface 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 have to be careful when picking up large objects.
To keep robot vacuums in good condition, they require maintenance. This includes cleaning the brushes of hair and emptying the trash bin (and sometimes washing it) after each cleaning session. Cameras and sensors must be cleaned after each use. The manufacturer will offer specific recommendations for these and other steps to maintain that may differ based on the particular model.
Cost
The best robot vacuums don't come cheap, but they're far cheaper than a professional carpet cleaner, or even an all-in-one stand-up vac. They require less maintenance than traditional vacuums, as most only require that you empty and rinse their dust bins following each cleaning session.
Many robot vacuums are equipped with clever features that make them more effective for your home, such as mapping technology which lets you instruct the vacuum on the layout of your home by using an app, so it doesn't run through the stairs or under the furniture, where there could be a mess. Other robot vacuums are able to detect the type of floor they are cleaning, so they can adjust their suction and brush functions to ensure the most effective results.
Some models feature objects avoidance. It makes use of sensors (or cameras) that detect toys and other items lying on the floor. The robot is instructed to stay clear of them, rather than crashing into them. This is a great solution when your pets or children are prone to leaving toys around the house.
Another smart feature that may be important to you is voice control, which lets you operate your robot with your voice instead of using the buttons on board. This can be beneficial when you have children who aren't yet old enough to use the controls or simply want a hands-free solution.
How often you need to utilize your robot is contingent upon the amount of dirt and debris is usually found on your floors. The majority of experts suggest using your robot vacuum at least once per week to keep your floors clean and to remove pet hair, lint, and dirt on the surface.
If you're working with limited areas of floor space and don't want to use your robot for other tasks, a low-cost model such as our top pick, the Eufy 11S, is a great option. It's inexpensive, simple to set up and use, and gets the job done without causing any noise disruption while you work or watch TV.