How to Choose the Best Robot Cleaner for Your Home
You'll need to put a bit of effort into your robot's home maintenance. That means clearing out the clutter, removing loose cords and tangled rugs.
Pick a model that comes with self-emptying containers. This makes it easier to clean up spills and messes. It is also possible to get a 2-in-1 that vacuums and mop.
Features
You can pick a robot vacuum cleaner with intelligent features based on your house's requirements. Certain models can are able to map your home's layout to create floor plans, while some have an integrated camera that displays live video feeds. These cameras can also be used to spot obstacles and help with problem-solving. Some robots even have an option to plan cleaning sessions and alter the frequency.
Find a robot that has self-emptying dustbins for those who want it to be able to vacuum and mop. Ecovacs' Deebot Pro is among our top picks since it has both features at reasonable prices. It has a tiny suction opening that is similar to those on upright vacuums, which helps it scoop up debris better than other robots. It is equipped with side brushes that have 3 bristles that push dirt and hair into the path of the robot. This model is the top of its kind due to a variety of reasons, including its mopping ability effective navigation, and its low price.
The top robovacs are outfitted with large dust bins which can last for weeks without needing to be emptied. The Narwal Freo X Ultra is an excellent example of a top-quality robot with a self-emptying dustbin and intelligent features to provide an unrestricted hands-free experience. It comes with a small mopping pad that scrubs away stuck-on dirt and can glide over lightweight mats and rugs that can make other robots stumble. Its sensors help locate dirtier areas and it can mop and vacuum at the same time making it the perfect choice for keeping your home clean.
The Eufy Clean X10 is another excellent choice, and its app comes with a simple interface which makes setting up customized options simple and quick. Its lidar mapping is fast and accurate. It also divides rooms easily for a thorough cleaning robot price. It's got great technology to avoid objects, which sucks up Cheerios and evades fake dog poop. However, it struggled with stairs. Its square-front design helped it to maneuver around corners better than most other robots we've tested. It also has the ability to edge-hug, which helps it to easily sweep across baseboards.
Cleaning performance
While robots aren't able to clean deep into carpets or clean up ground-in dirt as well as a real vacuum, they are capable of picking up fine particles such as baking soda and dust as well as heavier debris such as pet hair and metal screws. They also can sweep up crumbs and spills. Making sure you are keeping up with routine maintenance, such as emptying the dust bin and cleaning or replacing the filter, and cleaning cameras and sensors can help you enjoy the longest possible lifespan from your robot.
The best robots are excellent at removing fine particles from hard floors and low pile carpets. They also excel at picking up orzo, sand and wood shavings. They can pick up metal screws and cat litter, but they struggle with slower objects like coffee grounds or baked flour. They're less impressive on stairs, and they don't always grab everything around the edges of furniture.
Some models are also great at mopping. The iRoborock Roomba 900 is one of them and is a fantastic tool for taking off coffee spills and other liquids as well as dried-on or sticky food-related messes off of hardwood. Its smart zone and spot cleaning modes let you set up an area for the robot to focus on, so it won't take too long to vacuum areas that are already clean. The Dreame X40 also does a good job of mopping however it has an advantage over the Roborock. It can first vacuum and afterwards mop to clean up staining and spills on high pile carpets.
Another top-rated mopping robot is the Dyson V8 Absolute. It's a little more expensive than the Roomba but it's got superior suction and is able to handle a greater variety of flooring types and textures. It also returns to the charging station when it runs out of water and continues cleaning the area where it started. The app provides a variety of other perks, too, including an option to automatically schedule periodic cleaning sessions. It's also quiet, making it a perfect choice for homes that have pets or children.
Cost
The best smart vacuum robot cleaners work well at a low cost, and many offer smart features that can help you save money over the long term. You should consider how much you need a vacuum and a mop to get the most expensive robot vacuum (have a peek here) bang for your buck. Some models have features you don't need but find useful. For instance the self-emptying trash bin or a navigation system that's efficient.
The most cost-effective choice is to buy an item that can perform both mops as well as vacuums. It is crucial to keep in mind that a robot vacuum cleaner will only be as good as the dirt they remove.
You should expect to pay around $500 for a machine that can do both vacuuming as well as mopping, such as the iRobot Combo j9+. This robot scored highly in CR's testing, and it can clean carpets and bare floors. It also has a user-friendly app that allows you to see its cleaning route and create no-go zones. Jaclyn found that the mopping feature could be improved since it relies on light pressure and a dragging motion, rather than scratching.
If you're looking to save money it's possible to find a great deal for a robot vacuum that is highly rated and can only do one thing, like the Eufy 11S. Its streamlined design is slim and quiet and it excelled on tile floors, hardwood floors, and low-pile carpets. It was also extremely effective at picking up pet hair, and litter.
A few robotics with a budget-friendly price tag have basic bump navigation that doesn't produce an outline of coverage and is more likely to get caught on furniture or miss specific spots. These robots are still able to clean your floors, but they're not as efficient or are able to navigate around obstacles that are common to household use.
Shark IQ XL is another alternative. It's a budget-friendly device which has received top marks for its cleaning performance and price-to-value ratio. It's not as sophisticated as the Combo j9+, however it's user-friendly and does an excellent job on both bare floors and carpets. It's also fairly light and can be moved under furniture without getting caught.
Maintenance
A robot cleaner is a great way to keep your home spotless, particularly when you have pets or children. However, it requires some maintenance to stay in top shape. Regular cleaning, like emptying dust bins, washing or changing filters as well as wiping sensors and cameras, can extend the life span of your robot.
Vacuums require more frequent maintenance than mopping robots. However, you can extend the life of your vacuum by following guidelines from the manufacturer on emptying and cleaning the brush roll, dust bin and filter. Wipe down the robot's charging contacts and sensor with a damp rag to prevent them from becoming clogged.
This model is a great option to find a durable, smart robot that's also easy to use. It has a sleek ultra-slim design that enables it to slip under low ottomans and couches to find hidden dirt. The app lets you plan a cleaning schedule and choose rooms. You can also set up no-go zones, and adjust the level of cleaning robots for home.
This model is a little more costly than the other models on this list, but it comes with many features which can make up for the cost. Its mapping is fast and it can save four maps of your home in 3D or 2D. It's also among the quieter robots we tested, and its battery lasts about three hours on a single charge.
The Romba 11s is a versatile vacuum that has a remarkable performance on walls. It cleared up to 1.3 inches from the wall in our tests, which is more than any other robot we tested. It has many smart features, including a spot-cleaning feature as well as an automatic floor cleaner boost mode. It also uses random navigation, so it doesn't have to clean the same spots repeatedly.
The only drawback to this robot vacuum cleaner price is that it lacks the ability to discern the floor's nakedness and is confused by large carpets or rug. It's perfect for small apartments or single-family homes with narrow hallways with lots of furniture and narrow hallways.