The Best Robot Vacuums

A robot vacuum can do most of the cleaning work for you. It will take pet hair, lint, and dirt from surfaces and furniture before they become stuck. Many robot vacuums are compatible with smart assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to provide a hands-free cleaning experience.

Many models include the ability to map, which allows them to create a map of your home. This allows them to avoid falling off ledges or navigating around clusters if device cords.

What to Do You Look For?

Certain robots come with advanced features, which allow users to control them with voice assistants, such as Alexa or Google Assistant. These include smart mapping, spot and zone cleaning and the ability to avoid objects. They might also have longer battery lives and larger dust collection bins.

Find a model that has a an extended brush that can clean up large debris and one that's slim enough to be able to fit under furniture. Also check whether the robot vacuum is able to move across different floor types without the need to swap brushes or change suction settings, which could make it less effective in cleaning and reduce its lifespan.

The best robot vacuums have high-quality filters that trap tiny particles to safeguard the interior of your house and an accessible collection bin that you can clear it frequently. Some robot vacuums come with an extra side brush to remove pet hair or debris in hard-to reach places like under and behind furniture. The dustbins are usually transparent, so you can observe the amount of dirt in the bin, and when to empty it.

You can also make use of the app to establish limits around furniture and rooms that you don't want it to enter. Some models also register what kind of floor they're cleaning and automatically adjust their suction and brush settings to match.

There are robots that recharge and continue cleaning where they left off when their battery is exhausted. And some have a built-in camera that allows you to observe the path of your robot vacuum and even see what it's taken in.

A lot of robots allow you to control them using your voice, though they may not do so as easily as others. Make sure that the model you pick is compatible with the voice assistant you prefer and test it out to see how the robot responds to commands before you purchase. Some robots can even empty their bins and clean their docking stations which will reduce your chore list. This feature is expensive and comes with a bigger collection container and faster charging speed.

Cleaning Performance

While robots cannot replace a traditional vacuum or broom, they provide a practical and efficient alternative to the everyday chore of keeping floors clean. The most effective robotic cleaners remove small particles such as dust, pet hair and crumbs, or bigger items such as metal shavings or wood shavings. They can do this without damaging furniture or floors.

They often detect the type of surface they are cleaning and adjust their suction/brush settings accordingly to clean your floors more thoroughly. This is especially important when your home is surrounded by different kinds of flooring. There are many models that offer many options to set up virtual boundaries, which allows 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 getting into areas they shouldn't be in, and it helps to ensure that your entire home is cleaned up at the end of each scheduled session.

It is also important to consider the level of autonomy you're comfortable giving your robot. Certain models require your attention and presence while others function on their own, with the ability to change the cleaning mode and schedule via a mobile app or voice commands via an integrated smart assistant. Some models map and learn your space and let you create zones, and instruct the robot only to clean specific areas of your home on a daily or weekly basis.

In our testing the iRobot J7+ was the top "set it and forget it" robot. It was better at mapping virtual boundaries, making virtual borders and avoiding obstacles than any of the other robots we tested. It can also empty itself so that you don't need to do it manually. The side brushes are used to sweep debris from edges and corners that a vacuum cannot reach.

Its slim design and infrared sensor allows it to clean under and behind furniture which allows it to do a better job than the majority of robots. Furthermore, its advanced navigation system allows it to clean the entire floor of your house with just one battery charge. It's difficult to beat, especially at its affordable price.

Battery Life

A good robot vacuum can make cleaning your floors seem less like a chore, and more like a treat. The difference between a clean house and a dirty one can be achieved by getting rid of dirt that has been tracked in, as well as crumbs, pet hair, and other debris. While a basic robot can handle most cleaning tasks, those who want more of a hands-free experience should choose a model that doubles as a mop.

Ecovacs' Deebot T10 OMNI offers excellent performance both in vacuuming and mopping modes. It can take care of pet hair, dirt and even cat litter. Its function to avoid objects is amazing. It lets it keep away from objects and not get tangled on them.

It also has a long battery lifespan and a large bin for dust, making it able to cover a large amount of space in a single session. It's also a smart vacuum, which means that it can track your home and is compatible with apps like the ones offered by Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to let you control the vacuum using voice commands.

The software that comes with the robot is simple and simple to use and allows you to set schedules, define rooms for cleaning, and pause and resume sessions. It will alert you when its battery is running low and return to the docking station to recharge.

Another good thing about this robot is the ability to distinguish between carpets and hard floors and adjust its settings accordingly, which helps keep the machine from being stuck on one kind of surface or accidently tearing up furniture. It's not able to detect seams or carpeting with high pile in rooms, therefore it is important to be cautious when picking up large objects.

All robot vacuums require a certain level of maintenance, for example getting rid of hair from brushes, emptying (and sometimes rinsing) the trash bin after each cleaning session. Also, cleaning sensors or cameras between uses to keep them in good shape. The manufacturer will provide specific instructions for these actions and other procedures, which will vary depending on the model.

Cost

The top robot vacuums aren't inexpensive, but they're less expensive than a professional carpet cleaner or even a full-size stand-up vac. They also need less maintenance than a traditional vacuum, with most requiring only that you empty (and sometimes rinse) their dust bin after each cleaning session, and often cleaning their sensors or cameras.

Many robot vacuums have intelligent features that make them more effective for your home, for instance mapping technology, which allows you to guide the vacuum on the layout of your home by using an app, so it is aware not to go into the stairs or under the furniture, where there might be an issue. Other robot vacuums can detect the type of flooring they are cleaning so that they can adjust their suction and brush features to ensure the most effective results.

Certain models have objects avoidance. This uses sensors (or a camera) which can detect toys and other objects lying on the floor. The robot is then directed to stay clear of them, instead of running into them. This is a great solution when your pets or children tend to leave toys in the home.

Voice control is another smart feature you may find useful. It lets you control your robot with your voice, instead of the buttons on board. This is helpful if your children aren't old enough to operate the robot or if it's just convenient for you.

How often you should use your robot will depend on how much dirt or debris is on your floor. Most experts recommend using your robot vacuum at least once a week to keep your floors spotless and remove pet hair, lint and surface dirt.

If you're limited with flooring and don't intend to make use of your robot for other tasks, a low-cost model such as our top pick the Eufy 11S, is a good choice. It's simple to use, affordable, and does the job without making any noise while you work or watch television.