Robot Vacuum: 10 Things I'd Like To Have Known In The Past

How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you don't need advanced features like mapping, and do not mind cleaning your trash bin every 60 to 90 days, a basic robotic vacuum is likely to be the best choice suitable for you. Choose an option with a clean base and is compatible with voice assistants.

It is the best robo-vacuum we have tested in picking up dirt and pet hair on tiles, hardwood floors, and low-pile carpeting. It also has the ability to map out and create virtual no-go zones for rooms or certain areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum will stay up with the dust, pet hair and dander that build up on your floors on a day-to-day basis. It can also cut down on the frequency at which you have to do a deeper clean, saving your time and effort. The best model has powerful suction that can take on the most difficult messes and leave your home clean.

Selecting a vacuum that also mop will allow you to get more space using one machine, which can be particularly beneficial in larger homes. Choose a model that has an water reservoir integrated into the chassis or as a separate item that you can swap out when vacuuming is complete. You'll need to empty and refill it, though, so this is an additional chore that requires some extra effort on your part.

In a perfect universe it would be ideal to clean your floors before using your robot vacuum to stop it from hitting anything. In most homes, however, this is not possible or desirable. Most robots allow you to make use of an app that you can install on your phone to create virtual barriers the robot can observe. Some have no-go zones which you can use to mark areas that you don't want the robot to be in, like kids rooms or a stack of cords for your device in the corner.

If you're looking for a simple robot vacuum that doesn't have all the bells and whistles, this model made by the networking company TP-Link is a good choice. It's quiet, works well on hard floors and low-pile rugs. It can be scheduled using the app to vacuum or mop at your own convenience. It has a long battery life that can last up to 180 minutes before it needs to recharge.

2. Simple to operate

Robot vacuums generally require very little effort from you. They use navigation tools like sensors and lasers to move around obstacles and suck up dust, food crumbs and pet hair from floors, tiles, hardwood and low-pile carpets. A lot of them have boundary strips that aid in staying 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 stairs or getting caught in cords.

If you'd like to control your robot vacuum from the comfort of your couch, search for models that integrate voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. Also, look for Wi-Fi-connected models that allow you to begin a cleaning session from anywhere using an app. Depending on the size of your house is, you might prefer an item with a long battery life and a spacious dust bin that doesn't need to be regularly emptied.

Some robot vacuums are also mops. They make use of water reservoirs to clean the floor. This is ideal for mopping, but not ideal for tough messes like pet poop and other wet spills. There are hybrids that have an ejectable microfiber pad for mopping, or you can choose a self-emptying model that lets you go for 30 to 60 days without having to empty the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Certain robots utilize advanced mapping technology to create a precise map as they clean. This allows them to avoid hitting furniture and tripping on cords or chairs. This feature is usually only available on more expensive models, but it's one of the best ways to make sure your robot has a full understanding of the layout of your home and is aware of where to go when it runs out of battery.

Most robots let you create virtual barriers. This can be done using an app or physically-based boundary strips. You can block off areas you don't wish your robot to access, so that it can focus on the areas that require the most attention.

Many robots will also automatically switch floors based on the type of flooring they are cleaning. This can be done by changing from carpet to hard flooring or by paying attention to specific areas of your house, such as corners and baseboards. This feature proved helpful during our tests and helped improve the performance of the vacuum on hardwood flooring and carpeting for floors with low-pile. It's important to tuck away any loose cords or furniture prior to using your robot vacuum, to ensure that it doesn't get caught.

4. Remote Control

Almost all robot vacuums are WiFi-connected and can be controlled by Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts, which allow you to control them using voice commands or through 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 allows them to "learn" how your home is laid out and plan more efficient routes for future cleaning sessions. Some have built-in obstacle avoidance that stops them from crashing into and damaging furniture or getting stuck on things like charging cables that are loose or shoe laces, as well as hair from pets.

The majority of robots come with an remote control that you can use to navigate them around your home. However, many can be controlled via an app on your mobile, which gives you more features. You can create multiple cleaning schedules and make an inventory of your preferred rooms. You can also manually guide the robot by using the directional the arrows.

Some models have zones that are not allowed. These are virtual barriers that you can set up in the app to prevent the robot from accessing certain areas (like toys for children or dog beds and dishes). Some apps allow you to draw an image of your home and provide more detailed information about the floors. The app that we recommend as our top pick one, the Roborock s7 Maxv ultra robot vacuum S7+, has many useful options to help you tidy your home, however its interface isn't as polished as the ones from iRobot and Shark.

5. Long Battery Life

Robot vacuums that can clean your entire house without stopping for a recharge or emptying their trash bins save time and effort. Some are compatible with smart home platforms such as Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts for hands-free operation. They can also make a map of your living space that allows you to program them to clean specific areas or rooms, and to avoid obstacles.

Most robot vacuums offer some degree of object detection, but higher-end models such as the iRobot j7 come with advanced features like "home mapping" and advanced obstacle avoidance that can really simplify your life (although our test bot did once "eat" socks). socks). If you're looking to improve your home's maintenance, you should consider 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 compete with the power of a stand-up vacuum, they all do a great job of cleaning hard floors and low-pile carpets. They excel at sweeping up fine dust and debris, food dust, tracked-in dirt, and pet hair. They are also able to handle nuts and screws made of metal and the stray cat litter. The top robot vacuums are able to clean edges and corners and Roborock s7 maxv ultra robot vacuum can work on furniture. Eufy 11S is a relatively basic and affordable model.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

A robot vacuum can help keep your home clean and tidy without you having to do lots of work. You can schedule cleanings using the app, and set up no-go areas so that your robot doesn't get in the way of your plants or favorite chair. A majority of our top picks will empty their trash bins for you and clean their docking station.

The top robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors on a regular basis for months or even weeks at a stretch, freeing you from the tedious chore of manually sweeping and mopping your floors on a weekly or daily basis. This allows you to spend more time doing things you like and reduces the time needed to clean your floors manually.

During testing the Q Revo was able to pick up small particles such as oatmeal and baking soda and heavier debris like nails and screws made of steel, and fluffy stuff such as pet hair. It isn't equipped with the smart mapping and object-avoiding features found in our top picks, but is still a good choice for most families.

The j7's best feature is its ability to spot and avoid obstacles such as power cords and socks, shoes, and pet waste. This means that you don't need to tidy up before you can run your robot, but messy rooms can mean that your robot could get stuck and not be able to do as good a job.