The Best Robot Vacuums
A good robot vacuum will do the bulk of the work and nabs pet hair, lint and dirt before it can cling to furniture or sink into carpets. Some also integrate with smart assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to provide the convenience of hands-free operation.
Many models have the ability to map, which allows them to create a map of your home. This allows them to avoid falling off ledges and traversing the cords of devices.
What to Look For
Certain robots come with advanced features, allowing you to control them using voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant. Smart mapping, zone cleaning, and object avoidance are just a few of the features. They may also have longer battery lives and bigger dust collection bins.
Select a model with an extensive brush that can sweep up large debris, and is small enough to fit underneath furniture. Check if the robot vacuum can clean different types of floors without having to change the suction settings or brushes. This can reduce its cleaning efficiency and shorten its lifespan.
The top robotic vacuums come with top-quality filters that can catch fine particles and safeguard your home from damage. They also come with a large easy-to-access bin for collecting so that you can empty it often. Some have an extra side brush for sweeping up pet hair and debris in difficult-to-access areas behind and under furniture. They also typically have a door for the dustbin that is clear, which helps you keep an eye on the amount of dirt buildup so you know when it's time to empty the.
In addition to scheduling your robot vacuum for times when you're likely be at home, you can also use the app to draw 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 also robots that will recharge and continue cleaning right where they left off in case their battery runs low. There are some that have an inbuilt camera that allows you to see your robot vacuum's route and even see what it's collected.
A lot of robots allow you to control them using your voice, but they may not do so as effortlessly as other models. Make sure that the model you pick is compatible with the voice assistant you prefer and test it out to see how well the robot responds to commands before buying. Some robots even empty their bins and clean their docking stations which will reduce your chore list. But this feature comes with a premium, as does the capacity of the bin and faster charging speed.
Cleaning Performance
Robots aren't a substitute for a vacuum or broom. However, they can be incredibly efficient and efficient in keeping your floors tidy. The best robotic cleaners can pick up small debris such as dust, pet hair and crumbs, or larger items such as metal shavings or wood shavings. They can do this without harming the floor or furniture.
Often, they will register what type of surface they're cleaning and adjust their suction or brush features accordingly so that they can more effectively clean your floors. This is particularly important if your home has different types of flooring. Many models also come with an array of options to set up virtual boundaries, allowing you to tell the robot to stay clear from certain areas of your home. This will keep your pets or children from getting into areas they shouldn't. It will also ensure that your house is cleaned at the end of each scheduled session.
You should also think about the level of autonomy you're comfortable giving your robot. Some models require you to be present and attentive, whereas others work on their own. They can alter cleaning modes and schedules via a mobile application or voice commands via an integrated smart assistant. Some will map and learn your home 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 best "set it and forget it" robot. It excelled at mapping, creating virtual boundaries and avoiding obstacles better than all the other robots we tried. Plus, it can completely empty itself so you don't need to do it manually. It also has side brushes that help sweep debris out of corners and edges that it is difficult to reach.
Its slim design and infrared sensor enable it to clean behind and under furniture which allows it to do a better job than the majority of robots. Furthermore, its advanced navigation system allows it to sweep the entire floor of your home using just a single charge of battery. It's a tough one to beat, even at its price.
Battery Life
A quality robot vacuum will make keeping your floors clean feel less like a chore, and more like a treat. The difference between a clean home and one that is dirty can be made by removing dirt that has been tracked in, as well as crumbs, pet hair, and other messes. A basic robot can take care of the majority of cleaning tasks. However, those who prefer a less hands-on experience may want to look for a model which also can be used as an mops.
Ecovacs Deebot T10 ONI provides excellent performance in both mopping and vacuuming modes. It can handle pet hair, dirt, and even cat litter. Its object avoidance feature is particularly impressive, allowing it to avoid objects and not get stuck on them.
It has a big dustbin and a long-lasting battery, so it can cover a lot of space in just one go. It also functions as smart vacuum, which means that it can create maps of your home and integrate with applications, such as the ones offered by Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to allow you to control it using voice commands.
The app that comes with the robot is easy and straightforward to use, allowing you to set schedules, designate rooms for cleaning, and to pause and resume your sessions. It will notify you when its battery is low and then return to the docking station to recharge.
The robot can also differentiate between carpets and hard floors, and adjust its settings accordingly. This helps to prevent the machine from becoming stuck on a particular type of surface and then accidentally tearing furniture. It's not able detect high-pile carpeting or seams in rooms, therefore it's important to be careful when grabbing large objects.
All robot vacuums require some degree of maintenance, such as getting rid of hair from brushes, emptying (and sometimes rinsing) the dust bin after each cleaning session and wiping down cameras or sensors between uses to keep them in good shape. The manufacturer will give specific guidelines for these and other maintenance steps that may differ based on the specific model.
Cost
The top robot vacuums aren't cheap, but they're far less expensive than a professional carpet cleaner or a full-size stand-up vac. They require less maintenance than traditional vacuums, as most only require that you empty and rinse their dust bins after every cleaning session.
Many robot vacuums have intelligent features that make them more efficient for your home, like mapping technology that allows you to instruct the vacuum on the layout of your room through an app so it doesn't run into the stairs or under the furniture, where there could be an issue. Other robot vacuums are able to detect the type of floor they are cleaning so they can alter their suction and brush capabilities to ensure the best results.
Some models have object avoidance, which uses sensors (or even cameras) to detect objects like toys and other things on the floor and coach the robot to move around them rather than run through them. This is a great benefit if you have kids or pets who scatter toys around the house.
Another smart feature that may be important to you is voice control that lets you control the robot using your voice instead of using the on-board buttons. This can be helpful for children read more who aren't yet old enough to be able to use the controls or just want a hands-free option.
The frequency at which you should utilize your robot is contingent upon the amount of dirt and dust is typically on your floors. The majority of experts recommend using a robotic vacuum several times a week to keep your floors looking their best and nabbing pet hair lint and surface dirt before it can get trapped or become difficult to get rid of.
If you're working with limited areas of floor space and don't want to utilize your robot for other tasks, a budget model like our top pick the Eufy 11S, is a suitable option. It's reasonably priced, easy to set up and use and can complete the task with minimal noise disturbance while you work or watch TV.