Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner UK
If you don't wish to get your hands dirty, then robot vacuum cleaners are ideal. They are more efficient than manual vacuum cleaners and are ideal for single-storey homes and flats.
Smart features are a bonus. These include mapping technology that will remember your home's layout, avoidance of rugs and furniture, and avoiding those nipples underneath furniture that bigger robots struggle with.
iRobot Roomba j7+
The iRobot Roomba J7+, an upgrade to the previous model by the company, features new technology that makes it more effective in avoiding pet waste. It uses intelligent navigation and mapping to create maps of floors and rooms and is able to navigate around obstacles like charging cords, furniture and shoes. It can also detect dirt and clean areas that are heavily dirty. This is a significant improvement over older models that often ignore dirty spots or only clean them for a brief period of time.
The robot vacuum comes with a self-emptying base station, which can dump dust from the bin into its own 2.4L dirt disposal bag. iRobot claims that the bag can store debris for up to 60 days. This means that you only have to empty it and refill it every three months. The base station also includes a spare bag that can be used for quick replacements.
It's easy to set-up and use the Roomba device, which is compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant and is fully controllable via the iRobot Genius app. The app allows you to choose when to start and end the cleaning, as well as how long it will take to complete a particular task and also create a schedule.
During our testing, the iRobot Roomba J7+ cleaned flooring and area rug surfaces in the family room, foyer and kitchen without a problem. It was quiet and listened to us as it performed its task. The decibel meter recorded only 64db during operation. It took approximately 90 minutes to finish a single cleaning, and its battery required an hour and 58 minutes to recharge following the cleaning. You can also extend your iRobot ecosystem with the Combo j7, which allows you to pair it with the iRobot mop m6 and have one mop while the other one moves around the room.
Dyson 360 Viz Nav
The Dyson 360 Viz Nav robot vacuum and mop vacuum cleaner is the ideal option for anyone who lives in a multi-floored residence. This model can make maps of different floors and save them to the app, making it simple to switch between spaces without having to repeat the setup procedure. The robot can also be controlled with voice, with support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
Dyson's robot vacuum cleaners uk vacuum makes use of a combination of cameras, sensors and other technologies to detect obstacles. A panoramic camera mounted on the top of the robot together with 26 sensors externally can help create an image of the area as it moves. This aids to avoid obstacles and furniture.
In our tests, we observed that the Dyson 360 Vis Nav could reach up to baseboards and edges, and was able navigate around furniture with tight corners. The suction of the robot is strong and it is able to pick up every hair strand, dust particle and dried-out piece Playdoh that we tossed at it. The vacuum also got the bin out easily and quickly, reducing clean-up time by half.
The Dyson 360 Viz Nav did not perform as well as the other robots we tested during our obstacle avoidance tests. It had a difficult time avoiding a temporary drying rack, which it kept trying to maneuver under. It eventually got stuck and stopped the cleaning cycle. It also struggled to evade some taller pieces of furniture, like chairs or tables. The Dyson 360 Vis Nav is also unable to climb stairs, which can be a problem for a lot of people who live in multi-story houses.
Roborock
Roborock robot vacuum cleaners provide top-of-the-line cleaning features that are above the other. Dual mops are included that spin and lift stains when pressing down. They also lift automatically when vacuuming carpets, preventing streaks of dirt from appearing and re-clogging vacuums. They have a suction of up to 5,500 Pa which is the best for dirt and dust removal. They also have smart water flow controls to ensure that the proper amount of moisture is absorbed by each floor type.
Roborock's ability to map out your entire home using laser technology is one of its most impressive features. The LiDAR system in a Roborock robot rotates continuously emitting laser beams and calculating the amount of time it takes for them to bounce back from nearby objects. This information is used to create a real-time map of your home which allows the robot to move accurately and avoid obstacles.
Depending on the model you choose, you can customize the map to include furniture placements, no-go zones and a specific room's cleaning. You can also pick a cleaning schedule for vacuum only, mop on its own or vacuum and mop. You can schedule regular cleanings by using an app-based system for cleaning that lets you set it and forget it.
Roborock offers a range of options, ranging from the budget-friendly S6 MaxV to the top-of the-line S7 MaxV. They all come with advanced mapping capabilities, a long battery life, and a huge capacity dustbin. The docking station comes with a variety of features, including charging and refilling the hot water tank. In the UK, they also come with a two-year warranty.
Beko RCV 5
The Beko RCV 5 is a relative newcomer to the robotic vacuum and mopping scene, but it's already making some waves with its sleek design and decent cost. The Beko RCV 5 has a few tricks in its sleeve that set it apart from its competitors, such as self-emptying capabilities and object recognition. It's easy to set up and use using an application that lets you to alter the settings.
This model's navigation system uses a combination mapping and sensors to navigate through your home. It does a great deal of getting around obstacles. You can also adjust the cleaning route with the app, making it easier to clean certain areas more often than other areas. The app is a bit difficult to use initially but once you get knack of it you'll be able schedule cleanings and monitor your robot's power levels easily.
Despite its impressive array of features however, the RCV 5 is not without its flaws. It has a tiny water tank, which can only hold 240 milliliters at a given time. While this is enough to perform a basic wipe clean, it's not the best to remove staining that is difficult to remove. The wiping plate also lacks the ability to rotate or vibrate.
The battery life of a robot in this price range is not as long as one might expect. The battery of the RCV 5 only lasts for about a third of a cleaning cycle. This isn't necessarily a deal-breaker, but is something you should keep in mind when shopping for a new robotic vacuum cleaner.
Karcher RCV 5
Karcher is a German manufacturer best known for its pressure washers and other pressure washers, has entered the robotic vacuum market by introducing an RCV 5 model that vacuums and mop. The RCV 5 offers an impressive range of features including excellent obstacle detection (with the dual laser system) and mapping that can be tracked in real-time via the smart app.
It can also detect carpeted surfaces and automatically start the wet mopping function. The spot cleaning feature is also extremely useful. It can be programmed to run weekly. The RCV 5 comes with a respectable suction power of 2,500 pascals and a good robot vacuum sweeping capacity for both soft and hard flooring. It can also be able to get into tight nooks and under low furniture that can block larger robot cleaners.
Like many modern robots, the RCV 5 has a smartphone-powered app called Karcher Home Robots. It can be used to start cleaning processes and create and manage maps of your home. The RCV 5 also has the ability to create virtual walls and zones in which it isn't able to drive.
The RCV 5 has a downside in that its dust container is just a litre and it will require regular emptying. This is in contrast to other models which have integrated disposal technology within their docking station. It's also a bit heavier than some competing gadgets that make it less mobile and requiring more space to place in its charging station. However, the test participants found the RCV 5 user-friendly and rated its app control as high. It was a great performer in our tests, but some testers had difficulty getting its voice technology to work properly.