15 Reasons To Not Overlook Robot Vacuum
The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Robot vacuums can make the task of vacuuming a bit less painful. Today's models also mop and climb (small) steps.
They have a small dustbin which they empty themselves and some are controlled from a smartphone app instead of a physical remote. Some models have mapping features that assist in navigation.
1. Power
Our top choice for robot vacuums has a suction power of 8000Pa, which is strong enough to remove even the most difficult hairs and dirt. Its super-thin square design allows it to slide under furniture, such as beds and sofas and its Dual-Laser LiDAR technology provides precise navigation and accurate obstacle avoidance. It is also great at cleaning baking powder, pet hair, and other debris near corners and baseboards.
Aside from the DEEBOT X2 OMNI bot, other powerful bots in this list include the IRobot Roomba J7+ and the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra. The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra has a docking station which automates maintenance. It also comes with mopping capabilities. Its powerful suction and efficient mopping helped keep my floors clear of pet hair as well as muddy paw prints and other debris during every floor type test we ran.
A model with 2500Pa suction should be sufficient for homes that are in the lower price range. They are also quieter and are therefore a better choice for those with sensitive ears. They aren't silent, however they are not the same volume as conversations at home.
Consider your budget and cleaning needs to find the right combination of power and convenience. A regular light-duty cleaning schedule requires longer runtime and lower suction, while weekly high-volume cleaning demands maximum power. Consider your flooring, layout of your home, and cleaning schedules to select the best model to meet your needs. We recommend looking through our full list of robot vacuum reviews and ratings for more details on the most recent models available. Many users report having their carpets and floors appear cleaner after introducing a robot vacuum into their home.
2. Navigation
A robot vacuum can't do its job if it does not know how to navigate your home. The best robots employ sophisticated navigation technologies to scan rooms and create maps, ensuring thorough cleaning without getting stuck or hitting obstacles. There are three types of robot navigation: LiDAR, camera and sensor.
LiDAR is used by the most expensive models to create a virtual room map, which provides the highest levels of accuracy and efficiency. Bump sensors are utilized in lower-end models, however they can be inaccurate and miss a lot of debris when working in dark places. Many robots also have cliff sensors to stop them from falling down stairs or other falls.
Many of the robots I tried used object recognition to navigate around things such as cords and fake dog turds. However, the Eufy X10 was the best. It was a fantastic mapping device, powerful oscillating mops, an easy-to-use app, and the ability to clean a specific zone, room or entire house.
Other features worth considering include floor type sensors that can detect carpets with soft and hard floors, automatically boosting suction power when needed. Some robots, such as the Roborock mops, use mopping pad lifts to reach corners and clean up dried spills. Many hybrids can apply cleaning solution on staining that is difficult to remove.
A smaller bin will require less frequent emptying, whereas a larger one can save money on replacements. The most affordable robotic cleaners generally employ a tiny disposable dust bag, while the mid-range models typically have larger 3L dustbins that last for decades. Some premium robots like the ECOVACS DEEBOT OMNI Station can self-empty and fill up their water tank for hands-free convenience.
3. App control
The majority of robot vacuums come with an app to monitor cleaning progress, schedule sessions and connect to smart home devices. Many also can sync with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for control via voice. Certain models come with a remote control that lets you start or pause and then return to dock. Find a model with larger dustbins that self-empty, as opposed to one that requires manual emptying.
Certain robovacs come with mapping technology that helps them avoid obstacles such as stairs and furniture. Others allow you to set no-go zones or targeted rooms, so they only clean areas that need it most. They also have cliff sensors to prevent them from falling down stairs, which is particularly beneficial in multi-level homes.
If you intend to make use of your robot vacuum to clean rugs, opt for a model that can do dry mopping and wet. You'll be able to get better cleaning results by having your robot vacuum remove its mop pad. Rinse it and then reattach it when you need to conduct a clean-up cycle. Find robots that have an elastomer roller. This will be less likely to get caught from pet hair or other particles. It's recommended to inspect the robot's brushroll as well as side brushes for stuck-on debris every once or twice per week as well. If you notice that they're beginning to clog, it might be time to buy replacement parts.
4. Collection of debris
As the name suggests robot vacuums are created to collect dust and debris from your floors. The best robot vacuums can take tiny particles, such as baking soda and sand, in addition to larger ones such as metal screws orzo, as well as pet hair. They also deliver better results on low pile carpets than manual vacuums.
The top-performing robots across all flooring types had a pickup score greater than 95 percent. Our two best-performing robots in this category were the ECOVACS DEEBOT X2 OMNI and the Roborock Q Revo. Both are highly automated with docking stations that perform maintenance by themselves and app features which make them extremely user-friendly.
They both come with self-emptying bins which automatically collect the waste from the wastebasket and can clean the washboard while mowing. They also have an 8,000Pa vacuum cleaner, smart mapping technology and advanced obstacle avoidance to help them navigate even the most difficult of spaces. The ECOVACS robot is among the few that can clean carpet and remove the mop pads. This makes it a perfect option for those who need to switch between mopping and vacuuming regularly.
If you're looking for a cheaper alternative, take a look at the iRobot Roomba Combo J7 Plus, our budget pick. It offers LIDAR navigation at reasonable prices and decent debris collection performance. It's not the fastest to map out rooms and can be prone to bumping into obstacles, however it's much less expensive than our other best-buy picks.
5. Battery life
The best robot vacuums let you move about your day while they keep your floors in top condition. It is still necessary to manually vacuum your home every so often but robovacs can aid in maintaining a certain level of cleanliness and even keep your home clean when you're away.
To maximize the time you can get out of your robovac, choose a model with excellent battery life. If you select the highest power setting, the model should last two cleaning sessions. This is not as long as a large vacuum cleaner, but it is enough to provide for the majority of homes. If you don't want to sit for your robovac to recharge you can select a model that automatically returns to the base station for charging.
If you are looking for a robovac that does a amount of everything, you should consider an all-in-one machine that is able to mop as well. robotic hoovers robotvacuummops is the top model in this category, offers self-emptying and self-refilling for the dust bin as well as the water tank and the mop pad. It can be programmed to refill and wash mops once they are out.
The clear winner of our tests is the Dyson V810, because of its impressive carpet and hard floor pickup, excellent hair pickup, tangle-free performance and nearly perfect auto empty score. However, it's not cheap and unless you live in a the smallest of homes with no pets, it could be too expensive for some. The runner-up, the Dreametech D10+, has identical performance, but costs about 25 percent less.