The Best Robot Vacuums

A good robot vacuum does the bulk of the work for you and nabs pet hair, lint, and surface dirt before it can stick to furniture or sink into carpets. They also have smart assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to provide a hands-free experience.

Many models come with the ability to map, which allows them to create maps of your home. This helps them to avoid falling off ledges or moving around clusters of devices if cords are.

What to Look For

Certain robots have advanced features that let you control them using apps and voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant. These include smart mapping spot and zone cleaning, and the ability to avoid objects. They may also have longer battery life and larger dust collection bins.

Select a model that has broad brushes that can remove large particles, and is small enough to be able to fit under furniture. Also, make sure that the vacuum is able to move across different kinds of floors without having to swap out brushes or alter suction settings, which could reduce its cleaning effectiveness and shorten its life.

The best robot vacuums have high-quality filters to capture fine particles and protect your home. They also have a large easy-to-access collection bin so you can empty it often. Certain robot vacuums come with an additional side brush that can remove pet hair and debris from difficult to reach areas, such as under and behind furniture. The dustbins are usually transparent, so you can observe the amount of dirt in the bin and when to empty it.

You can also make use of the app to establish boundaries around furniture and rooms that you don't want it to enter. Certain models also recognize the kind of floor and adjust their brush and vacuum settings to match.

There are robots that can recharge and continue cleaning the area they left when their battery runs out. There are some that have an inbuilt camera that allows you to observe the path of your robot vacuum and even see what it's taken in.

Some robots can be controlled via voice commands but not all. Make sure that the model you choose is compatible with the voice assistant of your choice, and test the way it responds to various commands during the purchase process. Some robots even empty their bins and clean their docking station, which will help you reduce your chore list. However, this feature comes at an expense, as does the capacity of the bin and faster charging speed.

Cleaning Performance

Robots are not a replacement for a broom or vacuum. However they can be incredibly efficient and effective in keeping your floors clean. The best robotic cleaners can clean up small particles such as pet hair, dust and crumbs, as well as larger items like metal shavings and wood shavings. They can do this without causing damage to furniture or floors.

In most cases, they'll be able to detect what type of surface they're cleaning and adjust their suction or brush features in accordance with the type of surface so that they can more thoroughly clean your floors. This is particularly important if your home is made up of different types of flooring. A lot of models have the option to set up virtual boundaries. This lets you tell your robot to stay out of certain areas in your home. This is helpful for protecting your pets or children from stepping into areas where they shouldn't, and it can help ensure that your entire house gets cleaned in each scheduled session.

You should also consider the amount of autonomy you're willing to give your robot. Some models require you to be present and attentive, while others can work independently. They can alter cleaning methods and schedules using a mobile application or voice commands with an integrated smart assistant. Certain models map and learn your home's space, and allow you to create zones, and instruct the homekit robot vacuum to clean certain areas in your home on a daily or weekly basis.

In our tests, the irobot vacuum and mop combo j7+ was the top "set it and forget it" robot. It was better at mapping the virtual boundaries and avoiding obstacles than any of the other robots we evaluated. It can also empty itself so that you don't need to do it manually. Additionally, the side brushes are used to sweep debris off edges and corners that a vacuum robot cannot reach.

Its slim design and infrared sensor allow it to clean under and behind furniture which allows it to do a better job than most robots. Its advanced navigation system lets it to clean the entire floor of your house using just a single charge of battery. It's a tough one to beat, even at its price.

Battery Life

A robot vacuum can make cleaning your floors feel like less of a chore, automatic and more of an enjoyable experience. The distinction between a clean home and one that is dirty can be made by removing tracked-in dirt as well as crumbs pet hair, and other debris. While a robot of a basic design is able to handle the majority of cleaning tasks, those seeking an extra hands-free experience should consider a model that doubles as a mop.

The Ecovacs Deebot T10 OMNI is one the best models for both, as it is extremely efficient in both its mop and vacuuming modes and can easily handle dirt and pet hair, as well as debris and Automatic even cat litter. Its feature for avoiding objects is particularly impressive, allowing it to steer clear of objects and not become stuck on them.

It comes with a huge dust bin and a long-lasting battery, so it can cover a significant amount of space in a single session. It's also a smart cleaner which means that it can map your home, and it can be used with apps like those offered by Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to allow you to control the vacuum using voice commands.

The app that comes with the robot is simple and straightforward to use it allows you to create schedules, designate rooms to be cleaned, or to pause and resume your sessions. It will notify you when its battery is running low and then return to the docking station for recharging.

The robot is also able to distinguish between carpets and hard floors and adjust its settings according to the type of floor. This prevents the machine from squeezing on one type of surface and causing damage to furniture. However, it isn't yet able to recognize high pile carpeting or seams in rooms, so you'll still have to be careful when picking up large objects.

All robot vacuums require a certain amount of maintenance, for example brush hair removal and emptying (and sometimes, rinsing) the bin of dust after each cleaning session and automatic wiping down sensors or cameras between uses to keep them in good condition. The manufacturer will give specific recommendations for these and other maintenance steps that may differ based on the model.

Cost

The top robot vacuums are not expensive, but they're less expensive than a professional carpet cleaner or an all-in-one stand-up vac. They also need less maintenance than a traditional vacuum as they require that you empty (and sometimes rinse) their dust bin after each cleaning session and periodically wiping down their sensors or cameras.

Many robot vacuums come with intelligent features that make them more efficient in your home. For instance, mapping technology allows you to inform the vacuum of where to go via an app, ensuring it doesn't get stuck in stairs, or under furniture, where there could be an unclean mess. Other robot vacuums are able to detect the type of floor they are cleaning, so they can alter their suction and brush capabilities to ensure the best results.

Some models feature objects avoidance, which utilizes sensors (or even a camera) to detect objects and toys on the floor and instruct the robot to walk around them instead of running into them. This is a great solution when your pets or children are known to leave toys around the home.

Voice control is another useful feature that you could find useful. It allows you to operate your robot using your voice, instead of the buttons on board. This is helpful if your children aren't old enough yet to operate the robot or when it's practical for you.

The frequency at which you use your robot will be contingent on how much dirt or debris has accumulated on your floor. The majority of experts recommend using your robot vacuum at least once a week to keep your floors spotless and to get rid of pet hair, lint, and surface dirt.

If you're working with limited flooring and don't intend to use your robot for other tasks, a low-cost model like our top choice, the Eufy 11S, is a good choice. It's inexpensive, simple to install and operate, and gets the job done without causing any noise disruption while you work or watch TV.