The Best Robot Vacuums

A good robot vacuum does the bulk of the work for you and removes pet hair, lint and surface dirt before it can cling to furniture or sink into carpets. Many robot vacuums work with smart assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to provide a hands-free cleaning experience.

Many models come with mapping capabilities that allow them to create an interactive map of your home. This helps them avoid tumbling off ledges and navigating around the cords of devices.

What to Find

Some robots have advanced features, allowing you to control them via voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant. These include smart mapping as well as spot and zone cleaning and object avoidance. These machines could also have larger dust bins and longer-lasting batteries.

Choose a model with a an extended brush that is able to sweep up large pieces of debris and one that is slim enough to be able to fit under furniture. Make sure the robot vacuum is able to clean various types of floors without altering suction settings or brushes. This can reduce the effectiveness of cleaning and reduce its lifespan.

The top robot vacuums are equipped with high-quality filters that can capture fine particles and protect your home. They also come with an ample accessible collection bin so you can empty it frequently. Certain robot vacuums come with an additional side brush to clean pet hair or debris in difficult to reach areas, such as under and behind furniture. The bins are typically transparent, so you can see the amount of dirt in the bin and when you should empty it.

In addition to scheduling your robot vacuum for times when you're likely be at home, you can also use the app to create an area around your furniture and areas that you want it to avoid. Some models are also able to detect the type of flooring and adjust their brush and vacuum settings accordingly.

There are also robots that will recharge and continue cleaning right where they left off if their battery is low. Some also have a built-in camera that allows you to see your robot vacuum's route and view what it's taken in.

Some robots can be operated by voice commands however, not all. Make sure the model you choose is compatible with your voice assistant of choice, and test the way it responds to various commands during the purchase process. Some robots will even empty their trash bins and clean their docking stations, which can reduce the chores you have to do a more. However, this feature comes at cost, as do a larger collection bin and a faster charging speed.

Cleaning Performance

While robots can't replace a full-on vacuum or broom, they do provide a practical and efficient alternative to the daily chore of cleaning your floors. The best robotic cleaners can clean up small particles like dust, pet hair and crumbs, or larger objects like metal shavings and wood shavings. They can do this without harming the flooring or furniture.

Often, they will register the 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 especially important if your home is made up of different types of flooring. There are many models that offer a wide range of options for setting virtual boundaries that allow you to tell the robot to stay clear from certain areas of your home. This can be helpful in keeping your pets or children from stepping into areas where they shouldn't be in, and also helps ensure that your entire house is cleaned at the end of every scheduled time.

It is also important to consider the amount of autonomy you're comfortable with giving your robot. Some models require you to be present and attentive, while others can work independently. They can change cleaning methods and schedules using the mobile app or via voice commands with an integrated smart assistant. Some models can map and understand your home, allowing you to define zones and instruct the robot to only clean certain areas of your home on a daily or weekly basis.

In our testing, the iRobot was the top "set it and forget it" robot. It was more adept at mapping the virtual boundaries and avoiding obstacles than any of the other robots we tested. Plus, it can completely empty itself so that you don't need to do that manually and has side brushes that help to sweep debris out of corners and edges that the vacuum isn't able to reach.

Its slim profile and infrared sensors also permit it to go behind and under furniture to provide an even more thorough clean than most robots, and its advanced navigation system allows it to be more capable of cleaning the entire level of your home on a single charge than other models we've tested. Even at its affordable price, you'll find it tough to beat in everyday use.

Battery Life

A robot vacuum can make cleaning your floors feel less of a chore, and more like an indulgence. The difference between a clean home and one that is dirty can be made by removing dirt that has been tracked into the house, as well as crumbs, pet hair, and other messes. A basic robot is able to handle the majority of cleaning tasks. However those who prefer a more hands-off experience may wish to search for a model that can be used as an mops.

The Ecovacs Deebot T10 OMNI is one the best models for both, as it offers great performance in both its mop and vacuuming modes, and is able to handle dirt, debris, pet hair and even cat litter. Its object avoidance feature is awe-inspiring, allowing it to steer clear of objects and not get stuck on them.

It has a large dust bin and an extremely long-lasting battery, which means it can cover a large amount of space in just one go. It's also a smart vacuum, which means it can make maps of your home and use apps, like those offered by Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to allow you to control it with voice commands.

The app that comes with the robot lets you create schedules, assign rooms to be cleaned or the ability to pause and resume sessions. It will notify you when its battery is low and return to the docking station for recharging.

Another nice feature of this robot is the ability to distinguish between carpets and hard floors and adjust its settings accordingly, which helps keep the machine from getting bogged down in one type of surface or accidentally tearing up your furniture. It's not able detect high-pile carpeting or seams in rooms, which is why it is important to be cautious when grabbing large objects.

To keep robot vacuums in good working order, they require maintenance. This includes cleaning brushes of hair and emptying the trash bin (and sometimes washing it) after every cleaning session. Sensors and cameras should also be cleaned between each use. The manufacturer will give specific instructions for these steps as well as other steps, which may differ depending on the model.

Cost

The top robot vacuums aren't cheap, but they are considerably less expensive than a professional carpet cleaning machine or even a stand-up vacuum. They also require less maintenance than traditional vacuums and most require that you empty (and occasionally rinse) their dust bin after each cleaning session and occasionally wiping down their sensors or cameras.

A lot of robot vacuums have intelligent features that make them more efficient within your home. For instance mapping technology allows you to inform the vacuum of where to go using an app, so it doesn't go through stairs, or under furniture, where there may be a mess. Others can identify what floor type they're working on, and they can adjust their suction or brush functions to get the most effective results.

Some models come with objects avoidance. It makes use of sensors (or cameras) that detect toys and other items lying on the floor. The robot is then instructed to stay clear of them, rather than crashing into them. This is a great benefit for families with children or pets who tend to scatter toys around the home.

Another smart feature that might be important to you is voice control which allows you to operate the robot using your voice instead of using the on-board buttons. This is useful for children who aren't old enough yet to operate the robot vacuum mop cleaner robot or if it's just practical for you.

How often you need to use your robot depends on how much dirt and debris is normally found on your floors. Most experts recommend using your robot vacuum at least once a week to keep your floors clean and to remove pet hair, lint, and dirt on the surface.

If you're working with limited flooring and don't intend to make use of your robot for other tasks, a low-cost model such as our top pick, the Eufy 11S, is a suitable option. It's easy to use, affordable, and does the job without creating any noise when you're working or watching TV.