Robot Vacuum: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you can live without advanced features such as mapping, and don't mind emptying the garbage bin every 60 days or so, a basic robot vacuum will probably work for you. Choose one that has a clean base and works with voice assistants.

It excels at picking up dirt, clumps of pet hair and cat litter on tile floors, hardwood floors and low-pile carpeting better than any other vacuum we've tested. It also maps and set virtual no-go zones for rooms and areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum will help you keep track of the pet fur, dust and dander that collects on your floor each day. It can also decrease the frequency of deep cleaning, which will save you time and effort. The most effective models have powerful suction that can clean up most mess and leave your home clean.

You can cover more area with a robot vacuum and mop, which is especially beneficial if you live in a large house. You can find a model with a water tank either in the chassis itself or cheap robot vacuum cleaner as an extra piece that you can take out after vacuuming. It will have to be filled and empty in order to complete the task to complete.

In a perfect world, you'd clean your floors prior to using your robot vacuum to prevent it from crashing into objects. In most homes, however it's not feasible or desirable. Most models allow you to make use of an app on your smartphone to create virtual barriers that the robot will see. Some models have no-go zones which can be used to mark areas you don't want it to be in, like kids rooms or a pile of device cords in the corner.

If you're looking for a simple robot vacuum that doesn't have all the bells and bells, this model from the networking company TP-Link is a great option. It's quiet, it is able to work on hard floors as well as low-pile carpets and can be programmed using the app to mop and vacuum at your leisure. It's got a long battery life, and can last for up to 180 minutes before needing to recharge.

2. Easy to operate

Robot vacuums typically require only minimal effort from you. They use navigation tools like sensors, lasers and cameras to move through obstacles and collect dust, food crumbs and pet hair from flooring, tile, hardwood and low-pile carpets. Many have boundary strips that allow them to stay within the walls of a room while higher-end models can be set to automatically wake up and begin cleaning at a set time. Some models include fall detection technology to help them avoid falling down a flight of stairs or getting caught in 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 pick Wi-Fi models that permit users to start cleaning from anywhere with an app. Depending on the size of your house is, you may prefer an item with a long battery life and a large dust bin that doesn't need to be emptied frequently.

Some robot vacuums double as mops, utilizing reservoirs of water to wash your floors. This is ideal for mopping, but not ideal for tough messes like pet poop and other spills. There are hybrids that come with an ejectable microfiber pad for mopping, or choose an auto-emptying model that lets you go 30 to 60 days without having to empty the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Some robots use advanced mapping technology to create a detailed map as they clean. This helps them avoid hitting furniture or tripping over cords or legs of chairs. This feature is only available on top-of-the-line models however it allows your robot to get a complete understanding of the layout of your home and know where to go when the battery runs out.

Most robots allow you to create virtual barriers. This can be done through an app or physical boundary strips. You can block off areas that you don't wish your robot to enter to allow it to concentrate on rooms that require the most attention.

Many robots also automatically change floors based on the type of floor they are cleaning. This can be done by switching from carpet to hard flooring, or by focusing on specific areas of your house, such as corners and baseboards. In our tests it was a great feature that improved their pick-up scores for both 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 dreame robot vacuum vacuums are WiFi-enabled and work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts, which enable you to control them using voice commands or via your smartphone. Many connect to smart home systems that create an outline of your space after each cleaning session, so that they can "learn" your layout and design more efficient routes for future runs. Some also have built-in obstacle avoidance that prevents them from hitting 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 control them around your home. Most robots are operated by mobile applications which has more options. You can set up multiple cleaning schedules and make an inventory of your preferred rooms. You can also guide the robot using direction the arrows.

Certain models have no-go zones, which are virtual barriers that you can configure in the app to block the robot from entering certain areas (like toys for children or dog beds and bowls). Some apps let you create an outline of your home and provide detailed information on the floors. The app on our top choice one, the Roborock S7+, has many useful options to help you tidy your home, but its interface isn't as polished and elegant as those from iRobot and Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robotic vacuums that can sweep throughout the house without stopping to recharge or empty their trash bins make it easier for you to save time and effort. Some are compatible with smart home devices like Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts to allow hands-free operation. They can also create a map of the space to allow you to program them for specific areas or rooms, and to avoid obstacles.

The majority of cheap robot vacuum cleaner (see page) vacuums can detect objects, but the iRobot j7 comes with advanced features such as "home mapping" and obstacle avoidance. These features can make your life easier (although one of our test robots did "eat" two socks). If you're looking to push your home maintenance even further consider a robot mop that comes with a water tank that can be filled and then empty.

While none of the models we tested can beat the dirt-picking power of a stand-up vacuum they all do a great job at cleaning carpets with low pile and hard floors. They are great at sweeping up fine dust and debris, food crumbs, tracked-in dirt and pet hair. They are also able to handle metal screws and nuts and the stray cat litter. The most effective robot vacuums are able to easily work their way around furniture, and they do a great job of cleaning corners and edges as well. Eufy 11S is a relatively affordable and basic model.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

A robot vacuum can keep your home tidy and clean without you having to do many tasks. You can schedule your cleanings using the app and create zones that are not allowed to enter so that your robot won't trample your plants or your favourite chair. Many of our top picks empty their dustbins and clean their docking stations.

The most effective robot 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 cleaning your floors on a daily or weekly basis. This lets you take more time doing the things you enjoy and reduces the amount of time required to clean your floors manually.

During testing the Q Revo was able grab fine particles such as baking soda and oatmeal. It also snatched up larger particles like nails and screws made of metal, as well as fluffy things like pet hair. It does not have the intelligent mapping and object-avoiding features of our top picks but is still a great choice for families with children.

The greatest feature of the j7 is that it utilizes camera and Cheap robot vacuum cleaner processor-powered smarts to recognize and avoid obstacles like power cords, shoes, socks and pet waste. This means that you don't need to tidy up before using your robot. However, cluttered rooms may cause your bot to become stuck and perform a poor job.