7 Small Changes That Will Make A Huge Difference In Your Robot Vacuum
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 emptying the garbage bin every 60 days or then, a basic robot vacuum will probably work for you. Choose a model with an uncluttered base that can work with voice assistants.
It excels at picking up dirt, pet hair and cat litter on hardwood floors, tile and carpeting with less pile than any other vacuum we've tried. It can also map out and set virtual no go zones for rooms or areas.
1. Powerful Suction
A robot vacuum can keep up with the pet hair, dust and dander that accumulates on your floors on a day-to-day basis. It can also reduce the frequency at which you have to do a deeper clean which will save you time and effort. The most effective models have powerful suction that will easily take on the most difficult messes and leave your home sparkling clean.
Choosing a robot vacuum that can also mop will allow you to achieve more coverage using one machine, which can be particularly beneficial in larger homes. You can find a model with a tank for water either built into the chassis or as an extra piece that you can take out after vacuuming. It'll need to be filled and empty and refilled, which is an additional task to complete.
In ideal world, you'd clean your floors prior to using your robot vacuum to keep it from crashing into objects. In the majority of homes, however it's not feasible or desirable. Thankfully, many models allow you to use a smartphone app to set up virtual barriers that the robot is able to be aware of and avoid. Some models have no-go zones, which you can flag areas you don't want the robot to be allowed to enter. For instance, a child's room or a pile of cords in the corner.
If you're looking for a simple robot vacuum with no bells and whistles, this model from networking company TP-Link is a great choice. It's quiet, works well on hard floors and low-pile rugs. It can be scheduled via the app to vacuum or mop at your convenience. It has a good battery life that can last up to 180 minutes before needing to recharge.
2. Simple 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 food particles, dust and pet hair from hard floors, tile carpets, hardwood floors and low-pile carpets. A lot of models come with boundary strips that allow them to remain in a room. The more expensive models can be programmed to wake up at a specific time and begin cleaning. Some models include fall detection technology that helps them avoid falling down a flight of stairs or getting caught in cords.
If you're looking 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 select Wi-Fi models that allow users to start cleaning anywhere you want using an app. You may want to select a model that has a long-lasting battery and an enormous dust bin, based on the size of your house.
Some robot vacuums double as mops, using reservoirs of water to wash your floors. This is useful for normal mopping, but it won't work for tough messes like pet poop, or other spills that get wet. You can find hybrids with a removable microfiber pad that can be used for mopping, or opt for self-emptying models that let you use the device for 30 to 60 days without needing to empty the base.
3. Smart Mapping
Certain robots utilize advanced mapping technology to create a precise map as they clean. This helps them avoid bumping into furniture and getting caught on cords or chair legs. This feature is only available on higher-end models, but it allows your robot to have a thorough understanding of the layout of your home and know where to go when the battery is out.
If you don't want your robot to venture into areas of your house that you'd rather it stay away from (like your children's toys or the tangled mess of device cords in the corner), most robots offer some method of creating virtual barriers, either through their app or a set of physical boundary strips. This lets you block off zones that you do not want your robot to venture into, so it can focus its attention on the areas that require the most cleaning.
A lot of robots are able to automatically navigate to different flooring types based on the type of floor they're cleaning, whether they're switching between carpet and hard flooring or focusing on certain areas of your home, such as baseboards and corners. In our tests it was a great feature that improved their performance in picking up hardwood and low-pile carpeting. But, it's still essential to tuck away furniture and cords that are loose prior to running your robot vacuum so that it doesn't get caught or run into something it shouldn't.
4. Remote Control
Almost all robot vacuums have WiFi connectivity and work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts, which allow you to control them via voice commands or via your smartphone. Many connect to smart home systems that create a map of your space after each cleaning session, to "learn" your layout and devise more efficient routes for future runs. There are also built-in obstacles avoidance, which stops them from hitting furniture and causing damage or getting stuck on things like loose charging cables shoes, laces for shoes and pet hair.
Most robots have the ability to control them with a remote that can be used to guide them around your house. Most robots are controlled via a mobile application which has more options. It is possible to set multiple cleaning schedules, create an inventory of your favorite rooms and even manually guide your robot around specific areas using directional arrows that appear on the screen.
Certain models have zones that are not allowed. the advantage are virtual barriers that can be created in the app to stop the robot from accessing certain areas (like kid's toys or dishes for dogs and dog beds). Other apps allow you to make an outline of your home and provide the robot with precise information about your floors. The app that we recommend as our top choice Roborock S7+, the Roborock S7+, has numerous 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 clean your entire home without stopping for a recharge or to empty their bins save time and effort. Some of them work with smart home devices like Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts to allow hands-free operation. They can also draw a map of the space to allow you to program them for certain areas or rooms and to stay clear of obstacles.
Most robot vacs have some degree of object detection however, higher-end models like the iRobot J7 have advanced features such as "home mapping" and advanced obstacle avoidance that will simplify your life (although our test bot did once "eat" a pair of socks). If you're looking to improve your home maintenance, you should consider a robot mop with an water container that can be filled and then empty.
While none of the models we tested beat the dirt-picking power of a stand-up model, they all do a great job of cleaning carpets with low pile and hard floors. They are excellent at sweeping up fine dirt, food crumbs, and dirt that has been tracked into. They can also handle metal screws and nuts, as well as cats' litter. The top robot vacuums are able to clean edges and corners and can work on furniture. Eufy 11S is a relatively basic and affordable model.
6. Convenient Self-Charging
A robot vacuum can keep your home clean and tidy without you having to do much work. You can schedule cleanings using the app, and you can create no-go zones so that your robot doesn't step on your favorite chair or plants. The majority of our top picks also automatically empty their trash bins and clean their docking stations for you.
The best robot vacuums can be programmed to keep your floors clean for weeks or months at a time, making it easier to save time and effort of manually mopping or sweeping your floors each week or day. This lets you spend more time doing things you enjoy and cuts down on the amount of time that your floors require to be cleaned manually.
In the course of testing, the Q Revo was able to pick up tiny particles such as oatmeal and baking soda, heavier debris such as nails and screws made of steel and even fluffy matter such as hair from pets. It does not have the intelligent mapping and object-avoiding features found in our top picks, but is still a great choice for most families.
The most impressive feature of the j7 is its ability to detect and avoid obstacles like power cords, shoes and socks, and pet waste. This means that you don't need to tidy up before using your robot. However, messy rooms may cause your bot to become stuck and perform poorly.