15 Robot Vacuum Bloggers You Need To Follow

How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you're able to live without smart capabilities like mapping, and aren't worried about cleaning the trash bin every 60 days or so, a basic robot vacuum is likely to work for you. Pick a model that has a clean base that works with voice assistants.

It is the best vacuum we have tested in cleaning up pet hair on hardwood floors, tile, and carpeting with low pile. It also maps and create virtual no-go zones in rooms or areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum will help you keep track of the pet fur, dust and dander that accumulates on your floors every day. It can also reduce the frequency of deep cleaning, which will save you time and effort. The most effective models have powerful suction that can tackle most messes and leave your home sparkling clean.

A robot vacuum that is also able to mop will help you cover more ground with one machine, which could be especially helpful in larger homes. There are models with a water tank either in the chassis itself or as an extra piece that you can remove after vacuuming. It will have to be emptied and filled, so it's an extra chore.

In a perfect world, you'd clear your floors prior to using your robot vac to keep it from running into things. In the majority of homes, however, this is not possible or desirable. The majority of models let you utilize an app for your smartphone to build virtual barriers the robot can observe. Some models include no-go areas that you can mark areas you don't want the robot to be allowed to enter. For example an area for children's play or a pile of cords in the corner.

If you're looking to buy a basic robot vacuum with no bells and whistles, this model made by the company that makes networking TP-Link is a great choice. It is quiet, is able to work on hard floors and carpets with low pile and can be programmed via the app to vacuum and mop at your own convenience. It has a good battery life, and can last for up to 180 minutes before it needs to recharge.

2. Simple to operate

Robot vacuums generally need very little effort from you. They make use of sensors, lasers, and cameras to move around and collect dust, pet hair and food crumbs off tiles, hard floors and hardwood. Many have boundary strips to help them stay within the walls of a room while higher-end models can be programmed to automatically wake up and begin cleaning at a scheduled time. Some even come with fall detection technology that prevents falling down the stairs or getting caught in electrical cords.

Look for models that allow you to control from the comfort of your sofa using voice assistants such as Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also search for models that connect to Wi-Fi and allow you to start a cleaning session from anywhere via an app. You might want to choose an option with a long-lasting battery and a large dustbin, depending on the size of your home.

Some robot vacuums can double as mops, using reservoirs of water to wash your floors. This is useful for everyday mopping, but will not work for tough messes like pet poop or other wet spills. There are hybrids that have an ejectable microfiber pad for mopping, or opt for an auto-emptying model that lets you go 30 to 60 days without having to empty the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Some robots utilize advanced mapping technologies to build an accurate map of your floorplan as they clean, making it easier for them to avoid bumping mindlessly into furniture or falling over things like chair legs or cords. This feature is typically only available on more expensive models, but it's certainly one of the best ways to ensure your robot has a full understanding of the layout of your house and knows where to go next when it's low on battery.

If you don't want your robot navigating into areas of your home that you'd rather it stay away from (like your kids' toys or the tangled mess of gadget cords in the corner), most robots offer some method of creating virtual barriers, either with their app or a set of physical boundary strips. You can block off areas that you don't wish your robot to access, so that it can concentrate on the rooms that need the most attention.

Many robots also automatically change floors based on the type of flooring they are cleaning. This can be done by switching from carpet to hard flooring, or by focussing on certain areas of your home like corners and baseboards. In our tests this was a helpful feature that helped improve their scores on picking up carpeting that is low-pile and hardwood. It is essential to put away any loose cords or furniture before using your robot vacuum, so it doesn't get caught.

4. Remote Control

The majority of robot vacuums are WiFi-enabled and can be controlled by Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts that allow you to control them via voice commands or via your smartphone. Many robot vacuums connect to smart home systems, and can create a map of the area they clean after each cleaning session. This lets them "learn" the way your home is laid out, and then plan more efficient routes in future cleaning sessions. Some have built-in obstacle avoidance, which stops them from bumping into and damaging furniture or getting stuck on things like charging cables that are loose, shoe laces and pet hair.

Most robots come with a remote that you can use to steer them around your home. However, many can be controlled using an app on your mobile that comes with additional options. You can typically set multiple cleaning schedules, create the list of rooms you like and even manually guide your robot around specific areas by using directional arrows on the screen.

Some models have zones that are not allowed. These are virtual barriers that you can create within the app to block the robot from accessing certain areas (like toys for kids or dog beds and dishes). Some apps allow you to create an outline of your home and provide more detailed information about the floors. The Roborock S7+ app has several useful features that will assist you in cleaning your home. However its interface isn't as polished as iRobot or Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robot vacuums that can sweep your entire house without stopping to recharge or to empty their bins save time and effort. Some robot vacuums work with smart home devices like Alexa, Ilife V3S Pro Robot Vacuum Cleaner Google Assistant, and Siri Shortcuts to enable hands-free operation. They can also build a map of your home and allow you to program them to clean specific areas or rooms, and to stay clear of obstacles.

The majority of robot vacuums can detect objects, but the iRobot J7 has advanced features such as "home mapping" and obstacle avoidance. These features can simplify your life (although one of our test bots did "eat" two socks). If you're seeking to improve your home maintenance, think about the use of a robot mop and an water container that can be filled and then empty.

While none of the models we tested could match the dirt-picking ability of a stand-up vacuum they were able to do a fantastic job cleaning hard floors and carpets with a low pile. They excel at sweeping up fine dirt, food crumbs and tracked-in dirt. They can also handle screws and nuts made of metal and cats' litter. The best brookstone robot vacuum vacuums are able to clean corners and edges and can work around furniture. For an affordable model that can work on its own and is reasonably priced look into the Eufy 11S.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

With the right configuration, a robot vacuum can aid in keeping your home looking and looking and feeling cleaner every day with minimal effort. You can schedule your cleanings using the app and create no-go zones to ensure that your Ilife V3S Pro Robot Vacuum Cleaner won't trample your plants or ruin your favorite chair. The majority of our top picks will empty their dustbins and clean their docking stations.

The most effective robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors regularly for months or even weeks at a stretch, freeing you from the time-consuming task of manually cleaning your floors on a weekly or daily basis. This allows you to enjoy more time doing things you like and reduces the amount of time required to clean your floors manually.

During tests, Q Revo was able grab fine particles such as baking soda and oatmeal. It also snatched up heavier particles such as nails and screws made of metal, as well as fluffy things like pet hair. It doesn't have the smart mapping and object avoidance features of our top picks, however it works well enough for most families.

The j7's best feature is its ability to detect and avoid obstacles such as power cords and socks, shoes, ilife v3S pro Robot vacuum cleaner and pet waste. This means that you don't have to clean up before using your robot. However, cluttered rooms can cause your robot to become stuck and do a poor job.