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 cling to furniture or sink into carpets. Many also work with smart assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to give you an unrestricted experience.
Many models come with the ability to map, which allows them to draw a map of your home. This helps them avoid tumbling off ledges and traversing the cords of devices.
What to Find
Certain robots come with advanced features that allow you to control them via voice assistants, such as Alexa or Google Assistant. Smart mapping, zone cleaning, and object avoidance are just a few of the features. They might also have longer battery lives and larger dust collection bins.
Find a model that has a broad brushes that is able to sweep up large debris and one that's slim enough to be able to fit under furniture. Also, check if the vacuum is able to move across different floor types without having to swap out brushes or alter suction settings, which could reduce its cleaning effectiveness 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 an accessible collection bin that you can empty it frequently. Some models come with an additional side brush to clean up pet hair and debris in difficult-to-access areas under and behind furniture. They also typically have a clean dustbin door, which helps you keep an eye on the level of dirt accumulation so you know when it's time to empty the.
In addition to scheduling your robot vacuum to run at times when you're likely be at home, you can also use the app to create an area around your furniture and rooms that you want it to avoid. Some models are also able to detect the type of flooring and adjust their vacuum and brush settings accordingly.
There are robots that recharge and continue cleaning the area they left when their battery runs out. There are some that have an inbuilt camera that lets you see your robot vacuum's route and view what it's collecting.
Some robots also let you control them with your voice, though they may not do so as well as others. Make sure the model you select is compatible with your voice assistant of preference, and then test how it responds to different commands during the purchasing process. Some robots will even empty their trash bins and clean their docking stations, making your chore list a little more. But this feature comes with an expense, as does an extra bin for collection and a faster charging speed.
Cleaning Performance
While robots can't replace a full-on vacuum or broom, they can provide an effective and efficient alternative to the everyday chore of keeping floors clean. If you're looking to keep track of dust, crumbs and pet hair or get rid of larger debris like wood shavings and screws, most top-rated robotic cleaners are capable of picking up various materials in the first go-around and without causing damage to your floor surfaces or furniture.
Often, they will register the type of floor they're cleaning and adjust their suction or brush functions accordingly so that they can more thoroughly clean your floors. This is particularly important if your home is surrounded by different kinds of flooring. Many models also come with many options for setting up virtual boundaries, allowing you to instruct the robot to stay away from certain areas of your home. This will prevent your children or pets from getting in areas they shouldn't. It will also ensure that your house is cleaned during each scheduled time.
You should also think about how much autonomy you're comfortable giving your robot. Certain models require your attention and presence while others operate independently with the capability to change the cleaning mode and schedule through a mobile app or voice commands through an integrated smart assistant. Some models map and learn your home's layout and let you set up zones, and instruct the robot only to clean specific areas within 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 a master in mapping, creating virtual boundaries and avoiding obstacles better than all the other robots we tested. It also has the ability to empty itself so you aren't required to manually do it. And, the side brushes are used to sweep debris from edges and corners that a vacuum cannot reach.
Its slim design and infrared sensor allow it to clean behind and under furniture which allows it to do a better job than other robots. Furthermore, its advanced navigation system allows it to sweep the entire floor of your home on a single battery charge. With its low cost you'll be able to find it difficult to beat in everyday use.
Battery Life
A quality robot vacuum will make keeping your floors clean feel less like a chore and more like a treat. Promptly nabbing tracked-in dirt, crumbs, and shed pet hair can make all the difference in how clean your home feels every day. While a robot of a basic design can keep up with most cleaning tasks, those who want a bit more of a hands-off experience should look for one that doubles as mop.
Ecovacs Deebot T10 OMNI provides excellent performance in both mopping and vacuuming modes. It can handle dirt, pet hair, and even cat litter. Its function to avoid objects is amazing. It allows it to steer away from objects and not get tangled on them.
It has a large dustbin as well as a long-lasting battery, so it can cover a large amount of space in a single session. It's also a smart cleaner, which means that it can track your home, and it is compatible with apps like the ones offered by Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to allow you to control the vacuum with voice commands.
The application that comes with the robot allows you to create schedules, assign rooms to be cleaned or pause/resume sessions. It will also alert you to when its battery is running low and return to its docking station to recharge.
Another good thing about best robot floor cleaner this robot is that it can differentiate between carpets and hard floors and adjust its settings accordingly. This prevents the machine from being stuck on one kind of surface or accidently tearing up furniture. It is not able to detect high-pile carpeting or seams in rooms, therefore it's important to be careful when grabbing large objects.
To ensure that robot vacuums are in top condition, they require maintenance. This includes cleaning the brushes of hair and emptying the trash bin (and sometimes washing it) after each cleaning session. Cameras and sensors must also be cleaned between uses. The manufacturer will provide specific instructions for these actions and other steps, which may differ according to the model.
Cost
The best robot vacuums might not be inexpensive, but they're much less expensive than a professional carpet cleaner or even a stand-up one. They also need less maintenance than a traditional vacuum and most require that you empty (and sometimes rinse) their bins of dust after each cleaning session and occasionally cleaning their sensors or cameras.
Many robot vacuums have intelligent features that make them more efficient for your home, for instance mapping technology that allows you to instruct the vacuum to follow the layout of your room through an app so it doesn't run into the stairs or under the furniture where there could be the possibility of a mess. Others can tell what flooring type they are working on, so they can adjust their suction or brush features for the most effective results.
Certain models come with object avoidance, which uses sensors (or even a camera) to identify objects like toys and other things on the floor and instruct the robot to go around them rather than run into them. This is a great benefit if you have kids or pets who tend to scatter toys all over the home.
Voice control is a different feature you might find useful. It allows you to operate your robot with your voice, instead of the buttons on board. This is a great option for children who aren't quite old enough to be able to use the controls or if you simply want a hands-free solution.
The frequency at which you use your robot will be contingent on the amount of dirt or debris is on your floor. Most experts recommend using a robot vacuum several times a week to keep your floors looking their best and nabbing pet hair, lint and surface dirt before it is able to get crushed or become difficult to remove.
If you're only working with only a small amount of space on your floor and do not plan to make use of the robot for other purposes such as cleaning, then a budget model, like our top pick Eufy 11S is a great option. It's simple to use, affordable, and does the job without causing any noise while you work or watch TV.