10 Best Mobile Apps For Robot Vacuum

How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you can live without smart capabilities like mapping, and don't mind emptying the garbage bin every 60 days or then, a basic robot vacuum could be a good choice for you. Find one that has a clean base and can work with voice assistants.

It is a pro at picking up dirt, clumps of pet hair and cat litter on tile floors, hardwood floors and carpeting that is lower-pile better than any other robo vacuum we've tried. It can also map and create virtual no-go zones for rooms or areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum cleaner can help you keep track of the pet fur, dust and dander that settles on your floor each day. It can also reduce how often you need to do a deeper clean, saving you time and effort. The most effective models feature powerful suction, which can tackle most messes with ease and leave your home clean.

Selecting a vacuum that can also mop can help you cover more ground with one machine, which is especially beneficial in a larger home. You can find a model that has a water tank integrated into the chassis or as an extra piece that you can remove after vacuuming. It will need to be filled and empty in order to complete the task.

In ideal world, you'd clean your floors before you used your robot vacuum to keep it from crashing into objects. In the majority of homes it's not feasible or desirable. The majority of models let you use an app for your smartphone to build virtual barriers that the robot can detect. Some models have no-go zones that you can mark areas you don't want the robot to enter. For instance, a child's room or a pile cords in a corner.

If you're looking to buy a basic robot vacuum that doesn't have all the bells and whistles, this model made by the company that makes networking TP-Link is a good choice. It's quiet, it is able to work on hard floors and carpets with low pile and can be programmed using the app to vacuum and mop at your convenience. It comes with a battery life of up to 180 minutes.

2. Easy to Operate

In general robot vacuums require little input from you. They make use of navigation tools such as sensors, lasers and cameras to maneuver through obstacles and collect dust, food crumbs and pet hair from hard floors, tiles, hardwood and low-pile carpets. Many models have boundaries strips that help them remain in a room. More expensive models can be programmed to wake up at a specific time and start cleaning. Some models have fall detection technology that helps them avoid falling down stairs or getting caught in cords.

If you'd like to control your robot vacuum from the comfort of your couch, you should look for models that can work with voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also pick Wi-Fi models that permit users to start cleaning anywhere you want using an app. Depending on how big your home is, you may want an item with a long battery life and a roomy dustbin that doesn't require being emptying frequently.

Some robot vacuums double as mops, using reservoirs of water to wash your floors. This is helpful for regular mopping but won't work for tough messes like pet poop or other spills that get wet. There are hybrids that have an ejectable microfiber pad for mopping, or opt for a self-emptying model that lets you go for 30 to 60 days without having to empty the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Some robots use advanced mapping technology to create a precise map while they clean. This makes it easier to avoid crashing into furniture or tripping over cords or chair legs. This feature is typically only available on higher-end models, but it's one of the best ways to make sure that your robot has an accurate understanding of the layout of your house and is aware of where to go when it runs out of battery.

The majority of robots allow you to create virtual barriers. This can be done via an app or physical boundary strips. You can block off areas that you don't want your robot to access to allow it to concentrate on rooms that need the most attention.

Many robots also have the ability to automatically navigate to different floorings according to the type of flooring they're cleaning, be it that's changing between hard and carpet or focusing on specific areas of your home, such as corners and baseboards. In our tests, this was a useful feature that helped improve their performance in picking up hardwood and low-pile carpeting. It's important to tuck away any furniture or cords that are loose before using your robot vacuum to ensure that 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 connect to smart home systems and build maps of your home after each cleaning session, so that they can "learn" your layout and devise more efficient routes for future trips. Some come with obstacle avoidance built in to prevent them from causing damage to furniture or getting stuck on objects like loose charging cables or pet hair.

Most robots come with a remote that you can use to control them around your home. Most robots are operated by mobile applications, which offers more features. You can usually create multiple cleaning schedules, create an inventory of your favorite rooms and even manually guide your robot around specific areas using directions on the screen.

Certain models have no-go zones These are virtual barriers you can configure in the app to stop the robot from entering certain areas (like toys for kids or dog beds and bowls). Other apps let you create the map of your house and provide the robot with detailed information about your floors. The app on our top choice one, the Roborock S7+, has numerous options to help you tidy your home, however its interface isn't as polished and elegant as those from irobot robot vacuum and Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robot vacs that can work a whole house without stopping to recharge or empty their bins of dust make it easier for you to save time and effort. Some work with smart home platforms such as Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts for hands-free operation. They can also make an outline of the space that allows you to program them for certain areas or vacuum and mop rooms and to avoid obstacles.

Most robot vacs have some degree of detection of objects however, higher-end models such as the iRobot j7 come with advanced features such as "home mapping" and advanced obstacle avoidance that will make your life easier (although our test bot did once "eat" socks). socks). If you want to take your home maintenance even further consider a robot mop that comes with an water tank that you fill and empty yourself.

While no of the models we tested could match the ability to pick up dirt of a standup vacuum, they did a great job of cleaning hard floors and carpets with a low pile. They are excellent at sweeping up fine dirt, food crumbs and dirt that has been tracked into. They also can handle metal screws and nuts as well as stray cat litter. The best robot vacuums can clean edges and corners and can even work around furniture. For a basic model that works by itself and is comparatively inexpensive look into the Eufy 11S.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

With the proper setup, a robot vacuum can help you keep your home looking and feeling fresh regularly, with minimal effort. It is possible to schedule cleanings with the app, and you can create no-go zones so that your robot doesn't walk on your favorite chair or plants. Many of our top picks will also empty their trash bins for you and clean their docking station.

The most effective mini robot vacuum vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors regularly for weeks or even months at a stretch, freeing you from the tedious chore of manually sweeping and mopping your floors on a daily or weekly basis. This helps you spend more time doing things you love and cuts down on the amount of time that your floors require to be cleaned manually.

In our tests the Q Revo was able to capture tiny particles such as oatmeal and baking soda, heavier debris such as nails and screws made of steel as well as fluffy things such as hair of pets. It lacks the smart mapping and object-avoiding features found in our top picks, but it is still a good choice for families with children.

The most appealing thing about the j7 is that it makes use of cameras and processor-powered sensors to identify and avoid obstacles such as power cords, shoes socks 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 perform poorly.