The Best Robot Vacuums
A good robot vacuum will do the majority of the work for you and removes pet hair, lint and surface dirt before it can stick to furniture or be sucked into carpets. Many robot vacuums are compatible with smart assistants, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to provide a hands-free clean experience.
Many models come with the ability to map, allowing them to create an interactive map of your house. This helps them to avoid falling off ledges or navigating around clusters if device cords.
What to Look For
Some robots come with advanced features that allow you to control them using apps and voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant. Smart mapping, zone cleaning, and object avoidance are some of the features. These machines may also come with larger dust bins and longer-lasting batteries.
Choose a model that has an extensive brush that can clean up large debris and that is slim enough to fit under furniture. Make sure the robot vacuum is able to clean various kinds of floors without having to change suction settings or brushes. This can decrease its effectiveness in cleaning and decrease its lifespan.
The top robot vacuums come with top-quality filters that catch fine particles to protect the interior of your home and an ample, easy-to-access collection bin that allows you to empty it often. Some robot vacuums have an additional side brush to remove pet hair or debris in hard-to reach places like under and behind furniture. They also have a door for the dustbin that is clear which allows you to keep an eye on the level of dirt accumulation to know when it's time to empty.
You can also make use of the app to establish boundaries around furniture and rooms that you don't want it entering. Some models can also detect the kind of floor and adjust their vacuum and brush settings accordingly.
There are also robots that will recharge and resume cleaning exactly where they left off when their battery runs low. Some also have a built-in camera that allows you to see your robot vacuum's route and see what it has taken in.
Certain robots can be controlled via voice commands however, not all. Make sure the model you select is compatible with your voice assistant of choice, and test out the way it responds to different commands during the purchasing process. Some robots even empty their trash bins or clean their docking stations, which will reduce your chore list. But this feature comes with a premium, as does a larger collection 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. It doesn't matter if you have to keep track of dust, crumbs and pet hair or pick up larger debris such as wood shavings and metal screws The top robotic cleaners are adept at removing various materials in the first pass 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 settings in order to clean your floors more thoroughly. This is especially important if you have a variety of flooring throughout your home. Many models also come with a wide range of options for setting up virtual boundaries that allow you to tell the robot to stay clear from certain areas of your home. This can be helpful in keeping your pets or children from entering areas they shouldn't be in, and it helps to ensure that your entire house is cleaned up at the end of every scheduled time.
It is also important to consider how much autonomy you're comfortable with giving your robot. Some models require your attention and presence while others work independently, with the ability to change the cleaning mode and schedule through a mobile app or voice commands using an integrated smart assistant. Some will map and learn your space, allowing 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+ proved to be the best robot to "set it and leave it". It was more adept at mapping the virtual boundaries and eliminating obstacles than any of the other robots that we test. Additionally, it can completely empty itself so you don't have to do it manually. It also has side brushes that can help sweep debris out of corners and edges that the vacuum isn't able to reach.
Its slim profile and infrared sensors permit it to go behind and under furniture to provide more thorough cleaning than other robots, while its advanced navigation system makes it more efficient in cleaning the entire area of your home in one charge than other models we've tried. It's a tough one to beat even at its affordable 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 the cleanliness of your home every day. While a robot of a basic design is able to handle the majority of cleaning tasks, those seeking an extra hands-free experience should choose a model that doubles as mop.
Ecovacs' Deebot T10 OMNI is a top performer in both mopping and vacuuming modes. It can take care of pet hair, dirt and even cat litter. Its feature for avoiding objects is particularly impressive, allowing it to avoid objects and not become stuck on them.
It also comes with a long battery life and a large bin for dust which allows it to cover a large amount of space in one session. It also functions as smart vacuum, meaning it can create maps of your home and integrate with apps, such as those offered by Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant that let you control it using voice commands.
The application that comes with the robot is easy and easy to use it allows you to create schedules, assign rooms for cleaning, or stop and resume sessions. It will alert you when its battery is low and then return to the docking station for recharging.
Another good thing about this robot is the ability to distinguish between hard floors and carpets and adjust its settings accordingly, which prevents the machine from becoming stuck on one kind of surface or damaging furniture. But, it's not yet able to discern high pile carpeting or seams in rooms, so you will still need to be vigilant when picking up large objects.
All robot vacuums require a degree of maintenance, for example brush hair removal and emptying (and sometimes rinsing) the dust bin after each cleaning session, and cleaning sensors or cameras between uses to keep them in top shape. The manufacturer will offer specific guidelines for these and other maintenance steps which can differ based on the particular 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 vacuum. They also require less maintenance than a traditional vacuum and most require that you empty (and sometimes wash) their bins after each cleaning session and periodically cleaning their sensors or cameras.
Many robot vacuums come with intelligent features which make them more efficient in your home. For top rated robot vacuum mapping technology allows you to instruct the vacuum on where to go through an app, so it doesn't run into the stairs, or under furniture, where there could be the possibility of a mess. Other robot vacuums can detect the type of floor they are cleaning, so that they can adjust their suction and brush functions to ensure the best results.
Certain models come with object avoidance, which makes use of sensors (or even cameras) to identify objects and toys on the floor and coach the robot to go around them rather than run through them. This could be extremely helpful for families with children or pets who tend to scatter toys all over the house.
Voice control is another useful feature that you could consider useful. It allows you to operate your robot with your voice, instead of the buttons on board. This is a great option when you have children who aren't yet old enough to use the controls or simply want a hands-free solution.
How often you should use your robot will be contingent on how much dirt or debris is on your floor. Most experts recommend using a robotic vacuuming at least once per week to keep your floors looking good and to remove pet hair, lint and surface dirt before it can get trapped or become difficult to remove.
If you have limited floor surfaces and don't plan to utilize your robot for other tasks, a budget model like our top choice, the Eufy 11S, is a good choice. It's affordable, easy to set up and use and does the job with minimal noise disturbance while you work or watch TV.