How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum
If you’re able to live without the benefits of smart features like mapping, and don’t mind cleaning the trash bin every 60 days or so, a basic robot vacuum will probably work for you. Choose a model with an uncluttered base that can work with voice assistants.
It is the best robot vacuum For thick Carpet and pet hair robo-vacuum we have tested in cleaning up pet hair from tile floors, hardwood floors and carpets with low pile. It can also plan out and create virtual no-go zones for rooms or certain areas.
1. Powerful Suction
A robot vacuum will stay on top of the pet hair, dust and dander that collects on your floors on a day-to-day basis. It can also decrease the frequency of deep cleaning, which will save you both time and effort. The most effective models have powerful suction that can tackle most messes and leave your home cleaner.
You can take care of more space with a robot vacuum and mop, which is especially beneficial if you live in an extensive home. Choose one that has a water reservoir either integrated into the chassis or as a separate piece that you put in after the vacuuming is finished. It will need to be empty and fill it up, however, so this is an additional task that requires a little extra work on your part.
In the ideal world, you’d clear your floors prior to using your robot vacuum to keep it from running into things. But in most homes, this isn’t possible or desirable. Thankfully, most models allow you to use your smartphone to create virtual barriers that the robot will detect and avoid. Some models have no-go zones which you can use to flag areas that you don’t want the robot to access, such as children’ rooms or a pile of cords for your device in the corner.
If you’re looking to buy a basic robot vacuum with no bells and bells, this model from networking company TP-Link is a great option. It’s quiet, it is able to work on hard floors as well as carpets with low pile and can be programmed using the app to vacuum and mop at your convenience. It has a long battery life of around 180 minutes.
2. Simple to operate
Robot vacuums typically require very little effort from you. They make use of navigation tools such as sensors, best robot vacuum for Thick carpet and pet hair lasers and cameras to navigate through obstacles and collect food particles, dust and pet hair from floors, tile carpets, hardwood floors and low-pile carpets. Many models come with boundary strips that allow them to stay inside a room. More expensive models can be programmed to get up at a particular time and start cleaning. Some models have fall detection technology to help them avoid falling down a flight of stairs or getting caught in cords.
If you want to control your robot vacuum from the comfort of a couch, you should look for models that work with voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also search for models that connect to Wi-Fi and allow you to start cleaning sessions from anywhere through an app. You might want to choose a model that has an extremely long-lasting battery as well as a large dust bin, depending on the size of your home.
Some robot vacuums can also be mops. They make use of water reservoirs to clean the floor. This is ideal for mopping, but not great for difficult messes such as pet poop or other wet spills. You can pick hybrids that have an able mopping pad made of microfiber or a self-emptying option that lets you go for up to 60 days before emptying the base.
3. Smart Mapping
Certain robots employ advanced mapping technology to create a precise map of your floorplan while they clean the floor, which makes it easier for them to avoid falling into furniture or falling over things such as cords or chairs. This feature is typically only available on higher-end models, but it’s certainly one of the best ways to ensure your robot has a complete understanding of the layout of your house and is aware of where to go when it’s low on battery.
The majority of robots allow you to create virtual barriers. This can be done using an app or physical boundary strips. You can block off areas that you don’t wish your robot to go into in order to concentrate on rooms that require the most attention.
Many robots will also automatically switch floors based on the type of floor they are cleaning. This can be accomplished by switching from carpet to hard flooring, or by focusing on specific areas of your house, such as corners and baseboards. This feature proved useful 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
The majority of robot vacuums have WiFi capabilities and can be controlled via voice commands, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Siri Shortcuts. Many connect to smart home systems that create maps of your home after each cleaning session, to «learn» your layout and design more efficient routes for future trips. Certain models have obstacle avoidance features built in to prevent them from causing damage to furniture or getting stuck on objects like loose charging cables or pet hair.
Most robots have an remote control that you can use to move them around your house. However, many can be controlled with an app on your mobile that comes with additional options. You can create multiple cleaning schedules and create an agenda of your most-loved rooms. You can also guide the robot using the directional Arrows.
Some models have no-go zones. These are virtual barriers that you can create within the app to block the robot from entering specific areas (like kid’s toys or dog beds and dishes). Other apps allow you to create the map of your house and provide the robot with detailed information about your floors. The app that we recommend as our top choice one, the Roborock S7+, has many useful options to help you clean your home, but its interface isn’t as polished and elegant as those from iRobot and shark ion robot vacuum.
5. Long Battery Life
Robot vacs that can work throughout the house without stopping to recharge or empty their dust bins save you time and effort. Some robot vacuums are compatible with smart home devices like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Shortcuts to allow hands-free operation. They can also build an outline of your space that allows you to program them to clean certain areas or rooms, and to stay clear of obstacles.
The majority of robot vacuums detect objects, however the iRobot J7 has advanced features, such as «home mapping» and obstacle avoidance. These features can make your life much easier (although one of our test robots did «eat» two socks). If you want to take your home maintenance to the next level, look for a robotic mop with an water tank that can be filled and then empty.
While none of the models we tested could beat the dirt-picking power of a stand-up model, most do an admirable job at cleaning hard floors and low-pile carpets. They excel at picking up fine dirt, food crumbs, and dirt that has been tracked in. They also can handle screws and nuts made of metal, as well as stray cat litter. The top robot vacuums are able to clean edges and corners and work around furniture. Eufy 11S is a relatively inexpensive and basic model.
6. Convenient Self-Charging
With the right configuration and the right setup, a robotic vacuum can help you keep your home looking and feeling cleaner every day without a lot of effort. You can schedule your cleanings using the app and set up no-go zones to ensure that your robot doesn’t damage your plants or your favourite chair. The majority of our top picks also automatically empty their bins and clean their docking stations for you.
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 arduous task of manually cleaning your floors on a weekly or daily basis. This lets you enjoy more time doing things you enjoy and reduces the amount of time required to clean your floors manually.
During testing, Q Revo was able to capture fine particles like baking soda and oatmeal. It also snatched up heavier particles such as metal screws and nails and fluffy things like pet hair. It’s not equipped with the advanced mapping and object avoidance features found in our top picks, however it’s sufficient for most families.
The greatest thing about the j7 is that it uses camera and processor-powered smarts to detect and avoid obstacles such as 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 get stuck and do poorly.