The Best Robot Vacuums
A good robot vacuum will do most of the work and nabs pet hair, lint and surface dirt before it can cling to furniture or get ground into carpets. Many also work with smart assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to provide an unrestricted experience.
Many models include the ability to map, which allows them to draw a map of your home. This helps them to avoid falling off ledges and navigating around clusters if device cords.
What to Look For
Certain robots come with advanced features, which allow you to control them via voice assistants such as Alexa or Google Assistant. These include smart mapping as well as spot and zone cleaning and object avoidance. They might also have longer battery life and bigger dust collection bins.
Select a model that has a wide brush to clean up large debris and that is slim enough to fit underneath furniture. Make sure the robot vacuum is able to clean various kinds of floors without having to change the suction settings or brushes. This can decrease its cleaning efficiency and shorten its lifespan.
The top robot vacuums have high-quality filters to catch fine particles and safeguard your home from damage. They also have a large, easily accessible bin for collecting so that you can empty it often. Some have an extra side brush to clean up pet hair and debris in hard-to-reach places under and behind furniture. They also usually have a clear dustbin door, which helps you keep an eye on the level of dirt accumulation to know when it's time for you to empty.
In addition to scheduling your robot vacuum to run at times when you're most likely to be at home, you can use the app to create an area around your furniture and the rooms that you want it to avoid. Some models also register what type of floor they're cleaning, and automatically adjust their brush and suction settings accordingly.
There are robotics that recharge and continue cleaning where they left off when their battery runs out. Some robot vacuums come with cameras built-in that lets you see the path taken by your robot and what it has collected.
A lot of robots let you control them with your voice, but not all of them do it as easily as others. Be sure that the robot you select is compatible with the voice assistant of your choice, and test how well it responds to different commands during the buying process. Some robots can even empty their bins and clean their docking station, which will help you reduce your chore list. But this feature comes at cost, as do an extra bin for collection and faster charging speed.
Cleaning Performance
Robots aren't a substitute for a vacuum or broom. However they can be incredibly efficient and effective in keeping your floors spotless. The best robotic cleaners can pick up small debris such as dust, pet hair, and crumbs, or bigger items such as metal shavings or wood shavings. They do this without damaging the floor or furniture.
Most of the time, they'll detect the type of surface they're cleaning and adjust their suction or brush functions accordingly so that they can more effectively clean your floors. This is especially important if your home is surrounded by different types of flooring. Many models also come with many options for setting up virtual boundaries that allow you to instruct the robot to stay away from certain areas of your home. This helps to keep your pets and children from getting in areas they shouldn't. It will also ensure that your house is cleaned at the end of each scheduled session.
Consider the amount of autonomy your robot will enjoy. Certain models require your attention and presence while others operate on their own and can change cleaning modes and schedules using a mobile application or voice commands using an integrated smart assistant. Some models can map and understand your home, allowing you to set up zones and instruct the robot to clean certain areas of your home on a daily or weekly basis.
In our testing, the iRobot j7+ was the best "set it and forget it" robot. It was better in mapping the virtual boundaries and avoiding obstacles than any of the other robots that we tested. It also has the ability to empty itself so you do not have to manually do it. Best self empty robot vacuum Additionally, the side brushes can help clean debris from corners and edges that a vacuum might not reach.
Its slim profile and infrared sensors permit it to go behind and under furniture to provide a deeper clean than most robots, while its advanced navigation system allows it to be more capable of cleaning the entire floor of your home in a single charge than other models we've tested. For a price that is affordable you'll find it hard to beat for daily use.
Battery Life
A robot vacuum can make cleaning your floors feel like less of a chore, and more like a treat. The difference between a clean house and a dirty one can be made by removing dirt that has been tracked into the house, as well as crumbs pet hair, and other particles. A basic robot is able to handle most cleaning tasks. However, those who prefer a less hands-on experience might want to look for a model which also can be used as an mops.
Ecovacs Deebot T10 ONI offers excellent performance in both mopping and vacuuming modes. It can take care of pet hair, dirt, and even cat litter. Its ability to avoid objects is impressive. It lets it avoid objects and avoid getting caught on them.
It has a big dustbin and a long-lasting battery, so it can cover a lot of space in one session. It's also a smart vacuum, which means that it can create maps of your home and work with apps, such as the ones offered by Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to allow you to use voice commands to control it.
The app that comes with the robot is easy and straightforward to use, allowing you to set schedules, define rooms for cleaning, or stop and resume sessions. It will alert you when its battery is running low and return to the docking station to recharge.
The robot can also differentiate between carpets and hard floors and adjust its settings accordingly. This will prevent the machine from becoming stuck on one type of surface and accidentally tearing your furniture. However, it is not yet able to recognize high pile carpeting or the seams between rooms, so you'll still have to be careful about picking up large items.
To ensure that robot vacuums are in good condition, they require maintenance. This includes cleaning brushes of hair, and emptying the dust bin (and sometimes washing it) after each cleaning session. Cameras and sensors should also be cleaned between uses. The manufacturer will offer specific recommendations for these and other maintenance steps, which may vary depending on the particular model.
Cost
The best robot vacuums aren't inexpensive, but they're much less expensive than professional carpet cleaning machines or even a stand-up one. They require less maintenance than traditional vacuums as they require that you empty and sometimes rinse their dust bins after each cleaning session.
Many robot vacuums come with clever features which make them more efficient within your home. For instance mapping technology lets you tell the vacuum where to go via an app, ensuring it doesn't run into the staircase or under furniture, where there might be a mess. Other models can determine the floor type they are working on, so they can alter their suction and brush features for the best results.
Some models feature objects avoidance. The system uses sensors (or cameras) that detect toys and other objects lying on the floor. The robot is then instructed to avoid them, rather than crashing into them. This can be a huge help for families with children or pets that tend to throw toys around the house.
Voice control is another smart feature that you could find useful. It lets you operate your robot with your voice, rather than the buttons on the board. This can be beneficial when you have children who aren't quite old enough to operate the controls or are looking for a hands-free option.
The frequency at which you use your robot will be contingent on how much dirt or debris is accumulating on your floor. The majority of experts recommend using your robot vacuum at least once per week to keep your floors clean and to get rid of 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 choice the Eufy 11S, is a suitable option. It's affordable, easy to install and operate and gets the job done with minimal noise disturbance while you work or watch TV.