The Best Robot Vacuums
A robot vacuum will take care of most of the cleaning for you. It can remove pet hair, lint and dirt from surfaces and furniture before they can become stuck. Many also work with smart assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to give you an unrestricted experience.
Many models have the ability to map, allowing them to create an interactive map of your house. This can help them avoid falling off ledges or navigating around clusters of devices if cords are.
What to look for
Some robots have advanced features that allow users to control them with voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant. Smart mapping, zone cleaning and object avoidance are just a few of the features. These machines might also have larger dust bins as well as longer-lasting batteries.
Choose a model with a a wide brush that can clean large particles and one that's slim enough to be able to fit under furniture. Also, make sure that the vacuum can be used on multiple floor types without the need to swap brushes or change suction settings, which can make it less effective in cleaning and decrease its lifespan.
The most effective robot vacuums feature top-quality filters that catch tiny particles to safeguard the inside of your home and a large, easy-to-access bin that allows you to empty it frequently. Some come with an additional side brush to clean up pet hair and other debris in difficult-to-access areas behind and under furniture. The dustbins are usually transparent, allowing you to observe the amount of dirt in the bin and when you should empty it.
You can also make use of the app to set boundaries around furniture and rooms that you don't want it to enter. Some models are also able to detect the kind of floor and alter their brush and vacuum settings accordingly.
There are robots that can recharge and continue cleaning the area they left when their battery runs out. Certain robot vacuums have a camera built in which allows you to view the path the robot took and the data it has gathered.
Some robots are controlled by voice commands but not all. Be sure that the robot you select is compatible with your voice assistant of choice, and test out how well it responds to various commands during the purchase process. Some robots can even empty their bins and clean their docking station, which will help you reduce your chore list. This feature is expensive, as are a larger collection container and more rapid charging speeds.
Cleaning Performance
While robots aren't able to substitute for a full-on vacuum cleaner or broom, they do provide a practical and efficient alternative to the daily chore of cleaning floors. The best robotic cleaners can remove small particles like dust, pet hair, and crumbs, as well as larger objects like metal shavings and wood shavings. They do this without harming the floor or furniture.
They will often register the type of surface that they are cleaning and adjust their suction/brush features accordingly to clean your floors more thoroughly. This is especially important if you have a variety of flooring across your home. Many models come with the option of setting virtual boundaries. This allows you to tell your robot to stay clear of certain areas of your house. This helps prevent your children or pets from entering areas they shouldn't. It will also ensure that your house is cleaned during every scheduled session.
Think about the amount of autonomy your robot will have. Certain models require your presence and attention while others function on their own with the capability to change cleaning modes and schedules using a mobile application or voice commands through an integrated smart assistant. Certain models map and understand your space and allow you to define zones and tell the robot to clean certain areas in your home on a daily or weekly basis.
In our tests, the iRobot j7+ proved to be the top robot to "set it and leave it". It was more adept in mapping virtual boundaries, making virtual borders and avoiding obstacles than any of the other robots that we tested. Plus, it can empty itself completely so you don't have to do it manually. It also has side brushes that help sweep debris out of corners and edges that the vacuum isn't able to reach.
Its slim profile and infrared sensors enable it to reach behind and under furniture for a deeper clean than most robots. Its advanced navigation system makes it more efficient in cleaning the entire floor of your home in a single charge as compared to other devices we've tried. For a price that is affordable you'll find it hard to beat for everyday use.
Battery Life
A quality robot vacuum will make cleaning your floors feel less like a chore, and more like a treat. Promptly nabbing tracked-in dirt, crumbs, and shed pet hair can make a big difference in the cleanliness of your home on a regular basis. While a robot of a basic design can keep up with most cleaning tasks, those seeking a bit more of a hands-free experience should consider models that double as a mop.
The Ecovacs Deebot T10 OMNI is one the top models for both, since it is extremely efficient in both vacuuming and mop modes, and is able to handle dirt debris, pet hair and even cat litter. Its object avoidance feature is particularly impressive, enabling it to steer clear of objects and not get stuck on them.
It also has a long battery life and a large dust bin, making it able to cover a considerable amount of space in a single session. It's also a smart vacuum, which means it can track your home, and is compatible with apps like those offered by Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to allow you to control the vacuum with voice commands.
The application that comes with the robot lets you create schedules, define specific rooms for cleaning, or pause/resume sessions. It can even warn you the moment that its battery is low and return to its docking station to recharge.
Another nice feature of this robot is the ability to distinguish between hard floors and carpets and adjust its settings accordingly. This helps keep the machine from becoming stuck on one kind of surface or accidently tearing up furniture. But, it's not yet able to discern high pile carpeting or the seams between rooms, so you will still need to be vigilant when picking up large objects.
All robot vacuums require a amount of maintenance, like brush hair removal and emptying (and sometimes rinsing) the trash bin after each cleaning session. Also, cleaning sensors or cameras between uses to ensure they are in good condition. The manufacturer will give specific instructions for these steps as well as other steps, which may differ depending on the model.
Cost
The top robot vacuums don't come expensive, but they're less expensive than a professional carpet cleaner or even an all-in-one stand-up vac. They require less maintenance than traditional vacuums, since they only read more require you to empty and sometimes rinse their dust bins after every cleaning session.
Many robot vacuums have intelligent features which make them more efficient in your home. For example, mapping technology allows you to instruct the vacuum on where to go via an app, which means it doesn't go through stairs or under furniture, where there could be the possibility of a mess. Others can tell what floor type they are working on, allowing them to alter their suction or brush functions to get the most effective results.
Some models feature objects avoidance, which utilizes sensors (or even a camera) to detect toys and other items on the floor. They then instruct the robot to walk around them, rather than running over them. This is a great benefit if you have kids or pets that tend to scatter toys all over the house.
Voice control is a different feature you may find useful. It lets you control your robot with your voice, rather than the buttons on the board. This is helpful for children who aren't old enough to operate the robot, or when it's convenient for you.
The frequency at which you use your robot will be contingent on the amount of dirt or debris has accumulated on your floor. Most experts recommend using a robot vacuuming at least once per week to keep your floors looking great and to remove pet hair, dirt and lint before it is able to get crushed or become difficult to remove.
If you have the space for a space on your floor and do not plan to utilize the robot for any other purposes and you're looking for an affordable model like our top pick Eufy 11S is a great choice. It's user-friendly and affordable, and it does the job without making any noise when you're working or watching TV.