The Best Robot Vacuums
A robot vacuum will take care of the majority of the cleaning for you. It will take pet hair, lint, and dirt from surfaces and furniture before they get stuck. Some also integrate with smart assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to give you the convenience of hands-free operation.
Many models have the ability to map, allowing them to create an interactive 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 via voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant. Smart mapping, zone cleaning, and object avoidance are just a few of the features. They might also have longer battery life and bigger dust collection bins.
Select a model with broad brushes that can clean up large debris and is thin enough to fit under furniture. Also check whether the robot vacuum can be used on multiple flooring types without having to swap out brushes or change suction settings, which could make it less effective in cleaning and decrease its lifespan.
The top robot vacuums are equipped with high-quality filters that capture fine particles and protect your home. They also have an ample accessible collection bin so you can empty it often. Some have an extra side brush for sweeping up pet hair and debris in difficult-to-access places such as under and behind furniture. The bins are typically transparent, allowing you to see how much dirt is in the bin, and when to empty it.
In addition to scheduling your robot vacuum to operate at times when you're likely be at home, you can also use the app to create a boundary around your furniture and the rooms that you'd like it avoid. Some models also recognize the type of floor they're cleaning and automatically adjust their brush and suction settings accordingly.
There are also robots that recharge and continue cleaning exactly where they left off in case their battery runs low. Some also have a built-in camera that allows you to observe the path of your robot vacuum and even see what it's collected.
A lot of robots allow you to control them with your voice, though they may not do so as easily as others. Make sure the model you select is compatible with the voice assistant of your choice and then test it to see how well the robot responds to different commands before buying. Some robots can even empty their trash bins or clean their docking stations which will help you reduce your chore list. But this feature comes at a premium, as does a larger collection bin and faster charging speed.
Cleaning Performance
Robots are not a replacement for a broom or vacuum. However they can be incredibly efficient and efficient in keeping your floors clean. The most effective robotic cleaners pick up small debris like pet hair, dust and crumbs, as well as larger items such as metal shavings or wood shavings. They do this without damaging furniture or floors.
In most cases, they'll be able to detect the type of surface they're cleaning and adjust their suction or brush functions accordingly to more effectively clean your floors. This is especially important if you have a variety of flooring throughout your home. There are many models that offer many options for setting up virtual boundaries that allow you to tell the robot to stay away from certain areas of your home. This can be helpful in keeping your pets or children from getting into areas they shouldn't be in, and it helps to ensure that your entire home gets cleaned in every scheduled session.
Consider the amount of autonomy your robot will enjoy. Certain models require you to be present and attentive, while others work on their own. They can change cleaning schedules and cleaning modes using the mobile app or via voice commands with an integrated smart assistant. Some models map and learn your home's layout and allow you to set up zones, and instruct the robot to clean certain areas in your home on a weekly or daily basis.
In our tests, the iRobot j7+ proved to be the best robot for "set it and forget it". It was better at mapping virtual boundaries, making virtual borders and eliminating obstacles than any of the other robots we test. It also has the ability to empty itself, so you do not have to manually do it. The side brushes are used to sweep debris off edges and corners that a vacuum cannot reach.
Its slim design and infrared sensor enable it to clean under and behind furniture which allows it to do a better job than other robots. Its advanced navigation system enables it to clean the entire floor of your house using just a single charge of battery. With its low cost, you'll find it tough to beat for daily use.
Battery Life
A robot vacuum can make cleaning your floors feel less of a chore and more like an indulgence. Fastly removing dirt, crumbs and shedding pet hair can make a huge difference in how clean your home feels every day. While a simple robot click here can handle most cleaning tasks, those seeking an extra hands-free experience should choose models that double as mop.
The Ecovacs Deebot T10 OMNI is one of the top models for both as it delivers excellent performance in both its mop and vacuuming modes and is able to easily deal with dirt debris, pet hair and even cat litter. The feature to avoid objects is awe-inspiring, allowing it to avoid objects and not become stuck on them.
It also has a long battery lifespan and a large dust bin that allows it to cover a large amount of space in just one session. It is also a smart vacuum, meaning it can create maps of your home and use apps, like those offered by Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, to let you control it with voice commands.
The application that comes with the robot lets you create schedules, assign specific rooms for cleaning or the ability to pause and resume sessions. It will alert you when its battery is running low and will return to the docking station for recharging.
The robot can also differentiate between carpets and hard floors, and adjust its settings in accordance with the type of flooring. This prevents the machine from becoming stuck on a particular type of surface and accidentally tearing your furniture. However, it is not yet able to detect high pile carpeting or the seams of rooms, so you will still have to be careful when picking up large objects.
All robot vacuums require a level of maintenance, like removing hair from brushes and emptying (and sometimes, rinsing) the bin of dust after each cleaning session. Also, wiping down sensors or cameras between uses to keep them in good shape. The manufacturer will offer specific guidelines for these and other maintenance procedures that may differ based on the particular model.
Cost
The most effective robot vacuums aren't expensive, but they are much less expensive than a professional carpet cleaning machine or even a stand-up one. They require less maintenance than traditional vacuums as they only require you to empty and occasionally rinse their dust bins following every cleaning session.
Many robot vacuums are equipped with clever features that make them more efficient for your home, such as mapping technology that allows you to guide the vacuum on the layout of your home through an app so it is aware not to go through the stairs or under the furniture, where there could be a mess. Others can tell what floor type they're working on, allowing them to alter their suction or brush functions for the best results.
Some models have objects avoidance, which utilizes sensors (or even cameras) to detect objects like toys and other things on the floor and instruct the robot to move around them rather than run through them. This could be extremely helpful if you have kids or pets who scatter toys all over the house.
Another smart feature that might be important to you is voice control, which lets you operate the robot using your voice instead of using the buttons on the board. This can be helpful when you have children who aren't quite old enough to operate the controls or if you simply want a hands-free solution.
The frequency at which you use your robot will be contingent on how much dirt or debris is on your floor. The majority of experts suggest using your robot vacuum at least once a week to keep your floors clean and to get rid of pet hair, lint and dirt from the surface.
If you're only working with the space for a floor space and don't plan to use the robot for any other purpose such as cleaning, then an affordable model like our top pick Eufy 11S is a great choice. It's affordable, easy to set up and use, and does the job without causing any noise disruption while you work or watch TV.