10 Apps To Help You Manage Your Robot Vacuum How to Find the Best Robot Vacuum

If you don't require advanced features such as mapping and aren't worried about emptying your bin every 60 to 90 days, a basic robotic vacuum is probably for you. Look for a model with a clean base and is compatible with voice assistants.

It is the most effective robo-vacuum we have tested for picking up dirt and pet hair on tile floors, hardwood floors and carpeting with low pile. It can also map out and create virtual no go zones for rooms or areas.

1. Powerful Suction

A robot vacuum will help you keep up with the dust, pet fur and dander that settles on your floor each day. It can also decrease the frequency of deep cleaning, saving you both time and effort. The most effective models feature powerful suction, which will take on the majority of messes and leave your home clean.

You can cover more area by using a robot vacuum and mop, which is especially useful if you have a large home. Look for models that have a water reservoir either built into its chassis or as a separate item that you swap in when the vacuuming is done. You'll have to empty it and refill it, however, so this is an additional chore that requires some extra effort on your part.


In a perfect world, you would clear your floors before using your robot vacuum to prevent it from crashing into anything. In the majority of homes, however this isn't possible or desirable. Most robots allow you to make use of an app on your smartphone to create virtual barriers that the robot will observe. Some have no-go zones which you can use to mark areas you don't want the robot to enter, such as kids rooms or a stack of cords for your device in the corner.

If you're looking for a simple robot vacuum that doesn't have all the bells and whistles, this model from the company that makes networking TP-Link is a great choice. It's quiet, and it works on hard floors as well as low-pile rugs. It can be scheduled through the app to vacuum or mop at your own convenience. It's got a long battery life of around 180 minutes.

2. Simple to operate

Robot vacuums generally require very little from you. They use navigational tools such as sensors, lasers, and cameras to move around and collect pet hair, dust and food crumbs from hard floors, tiles and hardwood. Many have boundary strips to help them stay within a room's walls, while pricier models can be programmed to automatically wake up and begin cleaning at a set time. Some models even have fall detection technology that prevents tumbling down stairs or getting tangled in electrical cords.

If you want to control your robot vacuum from the comfort of your couch, search for models that work with voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also pick Wi-Fi models that permit users to start a cleaning session anywhere using an app. You might want to choose 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 and use water reservoirs to clean your floor. This is great for regular mopping but won't work for tough messes like pet poop or other spills that are wet. You can choose hybrids with an able mopping pad made of microfiber or a self-emptying model that allows you to go for up to 60 days before emptying the base.

3. Smart Mapping

Certain robots utilize advanced mapping technology to build a detailed map as they clean. This allows them to avoid hitting furniture and tripping on cords or chair legs. This feature is only available on top-of-the-line models however, it allows your robot to be aware of your home's layout and knows where to go when the battery is out.

Most robots let you create virtual barriers. This can be done using an app or physically-based boundary strips. This lets you create zones that you do not want your robot to venture into, so it can concentrate its attention on the areas and rooms that require the most attention.

Many robots also have the ability to automatically navigate to different floors according to the type of floor they're cleaning, whether that's changing between hard and carpet or focusing on certain areas of your home, such as corners and baseboards. This feature proved to be useful in our tests and improved the performance of the vacuum on hardwood flooring and carpeting for floors with low-pile. It is important to secure any loose cords or furniture before using your robot vacuum so it doesn't get caught.

4. Remote Control

Most robot vacuums come with WiFi capabilities and can be controlled via voice commands, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Siri Shortcuts. Many robot vacuums connect to smart home systems and generate a map of the area they clean after each cleaning session. This lets them "learn" the way your home is laid out and plan more efficient routes in future cleaning sessions. Some also have built-in obstacle avoidance that stops them from bumping into and damaging furniture or getting stuck on things like charging cables that are loose, shoe laces and hair from pets.

Most robots come with a remote that you can use to steer them around your home. Most robots can be operated by mobile applications, which offers more features. It is possible to set up multiple cleaning schedules, create the list of rooms you like and even manually guide your robot to certain areas using directional arrows that appear on the screen.

Certain models have no-go zones, which are virtual barriers you can create in the app to stop the robot from entering certain areas (like toys for kids or dog bowls and beds). Other apps allow you to make the map of your house and provide the robot with precise information about your floors. The app we ranked as our top choice, 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 can clean your entire home without stopping for a recharge or to empty their dustbins save time and effort. Some of them work with smart home platforms such as Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts to allow hands-free operation. They can also make an outline of the space for you to program them for specific areas or rooms, and to avoid obstacles.

The majority of robot vacuums detect objects, but the iRobot J7 has advanced features, such as "home mapping" and obstacle avoidance. These can simplify your life (although one of our test robots did "eat" a few socks). If robot vacuum mop seeking to improve your home's maintenance, you should consider an automated mop that comes with a water container that you can fill and empty.

While none of the models we tested can beat the dirt-picking power of a stand-up model, they all do a great job at cleaning carpets and hard floors. They are excellent at sweeping up fine dirt, food crumbs, and dirt that has been tracked in. They can even tackle some stray cat litter and metal screws and nuts. The most effective robot vacuums are able to clean edges and corners and can even work on furniture. For an affordable model that can work on its own and is comparatively inexpensive take a look at the Eufy 11S.

6. Convenient Self-Charging

A robot vacuum can help keep your home tidy and clean without you having to do many tasks. You can schedule your cleanings using the app and set up no-go zones to ensure that your robot won't trample your plants or ruin your favorite chair. A majority of our top picks automatically empty their trash bins and clean their docking stations for you.

The top robot vacuums can be programmed to clean your floors on a regular basis for weeks or even months at a stretch, freeing you from the tedious chore of manually sweeping and mopping your floors on a weekly or daily basis. This allows you to spend more time doing things you love and decreases the amount of time your floors need to be cleaned manually.

In our tests the Q Revo was able to pick up small particles such as oatmeal and baking soda and heavier debris like nails and screws made of metal, and fluffy stuff like hair of pets. It lacks the intelligent mapping and objects-avoiding features of our top picks, but is still a good choice for most families.

The greatest feature of the j7 is that it utilizes camera and processor-powered smarts to recognize and avoid obstacles like power cords, shoes, socks, and pet waste. This means that you don't have to tidy up before using your robot. However, messy rooms could cause your robot to become stuck and perform poorly.