How to Choose the Best Robot Cleaner for Your Home
You'll have to put some effort into the home maintenance of your robot. This includes clearing out the mess, tangled rug and loose cords.
Pick a model that comes with an auto-emptying container. This will make it easier to clean up spills and messes. You may also want two-in-ones that vacuum and mops.
Features
You can choose a robot vacuum cleaner that has smart features based on your house's requirements. Some models are built to map your home and create floor plans, while others have a built-in camera that provides live video feeds of your space. These cameras can also be used to identify issues and assist in problem-solving. Certain robots come with a feature where you can schedule cleaning sessions or adjust the frequency.
Look for a robot with self-emptying dustbins if you want it to be able to vacuum and mop. The Ecovacs Deebot T30S Pro is one the best options we've tested since it comes with both features at an affordable price. It has a tiny suction opening, similar to those on upright vacuums, which lets it to remove debris more effectively than other robots. It uses side brushes with 3 bristles, which force hair and dirt into the robot's path. This model is the top of its kind for many reasons including its mopping capabilities effective navigation, and its affordable price.
The top robovacs are outfitted with large dust bins that can last for weeks without having to be emptied. The Narwal Freo X Ultra, the top-of-the-line robotic vacuum cleaner that has self-emptying dust bins and smart features that offer hands-free cleaning, is a perfect example. It comes with a small mopping pad that scrubs off dirt stuck on it and is able to glide over light mats and rugs that cause problems for other robots. Its sensors can help it locate dirtier areas, and it can also mop and vacuum simultaneously.
The Eufy Clean X10 is another top choice, and its app has an easy-to-use interface that makes setting up custom options quick and simple. Its lidar-powered mapping is quick and precise and allows you to easily divide rooms to ensure a thorough cleaning. It's got great object avoidance technology that sucks up Cheerios and dodges fake dog poop, but it struggled a bit with stairs. The square-front design of the robot helped it to get into corners better than most other robots we've tested. It also has the ability to edge-hug, which helps it to sweep along baseboards easily.
Cleaning performance
Robots are not as effective as vacuums in cleaning carpets deep and sweeping up dirt that has been hidden. However, they can remove small particles like baking soda and dust as well as heavier debris such as metal screws and pet fur. They can also sweep up spills and crumbs. Making sure that your robot is maintained with regular maintenance like emptying the dustbin and cleaning or changing the filter, and cleaning the cameras and sensors will ensure it lasts for the longest time possible.
The best robots are excellent at picking up fine particles from hard carpets and floors that have low pile. They also excel at picking up orzo, sand and wood shavings. They can pick up screws made of metal and cat litter, however they struggle with slower objects like coffee grounds or baked flour. They are less impressive on stairs, and do not always grab everything that is on the edges.
Some models excel at cleaning and mopping. The iRoborock Roomba 900, for instance, is a model that can do a great cleaning job on hardwood floors. It can get rid of coffee spills and other liquids and dry or sticky food mess. The robot's spot and area cleaning options let you set up a specific zone for it to concentrate on. This way, the robot won't be wasting time vacuuming areas that are already clean. The Dreame X40 is another bot that does a good job of mopping, and it has an extra advantage over the Roborock: the option to vacuum first and then mop, which is better at cleaning up spills from high-pile rug.
Another top mopping robot is the Dyson V8 Absolute. It's a bit more expensive than the Roomba, but it has superior suction and can handle a greater variety of flooring types and textures. It can also return to the charging station after running out of water to continue cleaning where it began. Its app offers lots of other perks as well such as an option to automatically schedule recurring cleaning sessions. It's also very quiet which makes it a great choice for homes with kids or pets.
Cost
The top robot cleaners work well for a reasonable cost and many come with smart features that can help you save money over the long term. You'll want to consider the price of a vacuum and a mop to get the best value for your buck. Certain models have features you might not need but you will find useful. For example, a self-emptying trash can or navigation that is efficient.
The most cost-effective option is to buy a model which can do both mops and vacuums. It is important to remember that a robot cleaner will only be as effective as the dirt they remove.
You should expect to pay about $500 for a robot that can do both vacuuming as well as mopping, like the iRobot Combo j9+. This robot scored highly in the CR's tests and can clean carpets and bare floors. It also comes with an intuitive app that allows you to view its cleaning route and create zones that are not allowed to be used. Jaclyn Turner noticed that the mopping function could be improved, since it uses a dragging mechanism using light pressure instead of real scrub.
If you're on the budget, you can find a great deal for an electric vacuum that is highly rated and can only do one thing, such as the Eufy 11S. robotic vacuum cleaner on sale and quiet design excels at cleaning floors made of hardwood, tiles and carpets with low pile. It also didn't miss a beat when it came to picking up pet hair and litter.
Some budget-friendly robotics have rudimentary bump navigation, but it doesn't create a map of coverage and is more likely to fall on furniture or miss specific spots. While these robots can still clean your floors however, they're not as efficient and are less capable of navigating around household obstacles.
Shark IQ XL is another alternative. It's a budget-friendly model that has received high marks for its cleaning performance and price-to-value ratio. It's not as smart as the Combo J9+, but it's user-friendly and performs admirably on both floors that are unfinished and carpets. It's also relatively lightweight and can be easily pushed under furniture without getting stuck.
Maintenance
A robot cleaner can be an excellent way to keep your house clean, especially when it is used by pets or children. It does require some maintenance in order to keep it in good condition. Regular cleaning, such as emptying dust bins and washing filters, changing them and wiping sensors and cameras, can prolong the life of your robot.
Vacuums require more frequent maintenance than robot mopping machines, however, you can extend the life of your vacuum if you follow the manufacturer's instructions for emptying and cleaning the dustbin, brush roller, and filter. Wipe down the charging contacts on the robot's sensor using a damp rag to avoid them becoming clogged.
This model from Eufy is an excellent pick for those who want a sophisticated robust and durable robot that's simple to use. It has a sleek ultra-slim design that enables it to slip underneath low ottomans and couches to find hidden dirt. The app allows you to organize a cleaning time and select rooms. You can also create zones of no-go areas, and alter the intensity of cleaning.
This robot is a bit more expensive than the other models on this list, but it comes with numerous features that make up for that. Its mapping is quick and it's able to save four maps of your house in 3D or 2D. It's also among the quieter robotic devices that we test. The battery lasts for about three hours.
The Romba 11s is a versatile vacuum with an impressively high performance on walls. It was able to clean up to 1.3 inches from the wall in our tests, which is far more than any other robot we test. It has a number of useful smart features, such as spot-cleaning features and an auto-boost mode. It also uses random navigation, so it doesn't have to clean the same spots over and over.
This robot has one disadvantage: it can't detect floors that aren't bare and is easily confused by carpets and rug. It's perfect for small apartments or single-family homes with narrow hallways, lots of furniture and narrow hallways.