The best rated robot vacuum Robot Vacuums
A robot vacuum will take care of most of the cleaning work for you. It can remove pet hair, lint and dirt from surfaces and furniture before they can become stuck. Many robot vacuums are compatible with smart assistants, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to provide a hands-free clean experience.
Many models include maps, which allows them to create maps of your home. This allows them to avoid falling off ledges or moving through clusters if the cords for your device are.
What to Look For
Certain robots have advanced features that let you control them using apps and voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. Smart mapping, zone cleaning, and object avoidance are a few of the features. They could also have longer battery life and bigger dust collection bins.
Select a model that has an extensive brush that can remove large particles, and is thin enough to be able to fit under furniture. Make sure the robot vacuum is able to clean various kinds of floors without altering brushes or suction settings. This can decrease its effectiveness in cleaning and decrease its life span.
The top robotic vacuums come with top-quality filters that capture fine particles and protect your home. They also come with an ample, easily accessible collection bin so you can empty it frequently. Some come with an additional side brush to clean up pet hair and debris in difficult-to-access places such as behind and under furniture. The dustbins are usually transparent, so you can see how much dirt is in the bin and when to empty it.
In addition to scheduling your robot vacuum for times when you're likely be at home, you can use the app to draw a boundary around your furniture and rooms that you'd like it avoid. Some models are also able to detect the kind of floor and adjust their brush and vacuum settings accordingly.
There are robots that can recharge and continue cleaning where they left off after their battery has run out. Some robot vacuums have cameras built-in which allows you to view the path the robot took and the data it has gathered.
A lot of robots allow you to control them using your voice, but not all of them do it as well as others. Check that the model you pick is compatible with the voice assistant of your choice and test it out to see how well the robot responds to commands before buying. Some robots even empty their bins and clean their docking stations, which can reduce the chore list. This feature is costly, as are a larger container for collecting waste and a faster charging speed.
Cleaning Performance
While robots can't replace a full-on vacuum or broom, they provide a practical and efficient alternative to the daily chore of cleaning your floors. The best robotic cleaners can remove small particles like dust, pet hair, and crumbs, or bigger items like metal shavings and wood shavings. They can do this without causing damage to the flooring or furniture.
Often, they will register the type of surface they're cleaning and adjust their suction or brush features accordingly so that they can more effectively clean your floors. This is especially important if you have different flooring types throughout your home. A lot of models come with many options for setting virtual boundaries, which allows you to tell the robot to stay away from certain areas of your home. This is useful in keeping your pets or children from stepping into areas where they shouldn't be in, and it can help ensure that your entire home is cleaned at the end of every scheduled time.
You should also consider the level of autonomy you're comfortable giving your robot. Some models require your presence and attention while others operate on their own and can alter cleaning schedules and cleaning modes using a mobile application or voice commands through an integrated smart assistant. Certain models map and learn your home's layout and let you create zones, and tell the robot to clean specific areas of your home on a daily or weekly basis.
In our testing, the iRobot was the most efficient "set it and forget it" robot. It was more adept at mapping virtual boundaries, making virtual borders and eliminating obstacles than any of the other robots that we tested. Plus, it can completely empty itself so that you don't have to do that manually and has side brushes that help sweep debris away from corners and edges where the vacuum isn't able to reach.
Its slim profile and infrared sensors permit it to go under and behind furniture for more thorough cleaning than other robots, and its advanced navigation system makes it more efficient in cleaning the entire area of your home in one charge as compared to other devices we've tested. It's a tough one to beat, especially at its price.
Battery Life
A high-quality robot vacuum can make keeping your floors clean seem less like a chore, and more like a luxury. The difference between a clean house and one that is dirty is made by getting rid of dirt that has been tracked into the house, as well as crumbs, pet hair, and other debris. A basic robot can take care of the majority of cleaning tasks. However, those who prefer a more hands-off experience may wish to search for a model which also doubles as an mop.
The Ecovacs Deebot T10 OMNI is one of the top models for both, since it delivers excellent performance in both vacuuming and mop modes, and is able to handle dirt, debris, pet hair and even cat litter. Its object avoidance function is remarkable. It lets it keep away from objects and avoid getting caught on them.
It also has a long battery life and a large dust bin that allows it to cover a decent amount of space in one session. It's also a smart cleaner which means it can be able to map your home, and it can be used with apps like those provided by Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to let you control the vacuum with voice commands.
The app that comes with the robot is easy and simple to use, allowing you to set schedules, define rooms for cleaning, and to pause and resume your sessions. It can even notify you the moment that its battery is low and then return to its docking station to recharge.
This robot can also distinguish between hard floors and carpets and adjust its settings accordingly. This prevents the machine from squeezing on one type of floor and then accidentally tearing furniture. But, it's not yet able to recognize high pile carpeting or the seams of rooms, so you'll still need to be vigilant when picking up large objects.
All robot vacuums require a certain degree of maintenance, such as getting rid of hair from brushes, emptying (and sometimes, rinsing) the trash bin after each cleaning session and wiping down cameras or sensors between uses to keep them in good shape. The manufacturer will give specific instructions for these steps and others, which can vary depending on the model.
Cost
The best robot vacuums are not inexpensive, but they're less expensive than a professional carpet cleaner or an entire stand-up vacuum. They require less maintenance than traditional vacuums, since most only require that you empty and clean their dust bins after each cleaning session.
Many robot vacuums have smart features which make them more efficient within your home. For example mapping technology lets you instruct the vacuum on where to go via an app, ensuring it doesn't run into the stairs or under furniture, where there might be a mess. Others can tell what floor type they are working on, so they can alter their suction or brush features for the most effective results.
Some models feature objects avoidance, which utilizes sensors (or even cameras) to identify objects like toys and other things on the floor. They then instruct the robot to move around them instead of running into them. This could be extremely helpful when you have children or pets who scatter toys around the home.
Voice control is another smart feature that you could find useful. It lets you operate your robot with your voice, instead of the on-board buttons. This is a great option for children who 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 is on your floor. The majority of experts recommend using a robotic vacuuming at least once per week to keep your floors looking their best and nabbing pet hair dust and dirt from the surface before it gets trapped or become difficult to remove.
If you only have only a small amount of floor space and don't plan to utilize the robot for any other purpose, then an affordable model like our top pick Eufy 11S is a great 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.