This is great for ad-hoc cleaning, but most models can also be programmed to clean on a schedule. ControlĪutonomy puts the “robot” in “robot vacuum.” Virtually all models include an “automatic” mode that requires you to do nothing more than press a button on a remote, in an app, or on the vacuum itself to clean a room. Here are some features and functions to consider beyond the basics. When cleaning is complete, or their battery is running low, they return themselves to their charging dock.īut just how they get the job done can differ across manufacturers and models. Two to four brushes on the bottom-both rolling-style agitators and spinning side brushes-grab dirt from the floor and wall edges respectively, and guide it into the suction area or direct it straight to a small, filtered dustbin. Robot vacuum features and functionsįundamentally, the robot vacuums in our guide all operate the same way: They autonomously maneuver around your home on a couple of wheels suctioning debris from your floors. Think of them as an easy way to maintain your floors in between deeper cleanings with your current vacuum. Despite manufacturer claims, most just don’t have the same suction power of an upright. To maintain the real-world environment, each model also had to contend with random floor clutter during several cleanings.īe aware even the most premium robot vacuums are a supplement, not a substitute, for your stand-up vacuum. I tasked each one with vacuuming a 400-plus foot space that includes low-pile carpet, hardwood flooring, and linoleum that was regularly littered with food crumbs, pet hair, tracked-in dirt, stray cat litter, and other debris. To help you determine which ones are worth the expense, we tested models from some of the most popular brands in a real-world lab: my home, where the floors are punished daily by two kids, three cats, and a dog. The convenience robot vacuums provide come at a cost: As much as $1,000 at the high end, with many of the best models running no less than half that. And you should strongly consider buying the optional charging station that empties Robot vacuum cleaners are not cheap Looking for a robot that can clean both your carpet and your hard-surface flooring? You want the Roborock S7. Paired with Roborock's Auto Empty Dock, it provides one of the most automated cleaning experiences to be had. The S7 is an exceptional robot vacuum/mop hybrid that gives equal attention to hard floors and carpet.
It's a promising entry to this crowded market, but a buggy app colored our opinion of its value. Updated Novemto add our Proscenic M8 robot vac/mop hybrid review. If you’re working with a more modest budget, we have a strong recommendation in that category as well. Our top pick isn’t the most expensive model on the market, though it’s price tag is up there. Robot vacs easily dispose of the most common household detritus-food crumbs, pet hair, dust-making them ideal for routine maintenance and quick cleanings when you’re expecting company. Robot vacuums don’t have unwieldy cords or hoses to contend with, and they require little effort from you: You can run one from your couch using a physical remote or smartphone app, and the higher-end models can be programmed to wake up and start cleaning without any intervention at all.
While it doesn’t come with the ick factor of cleaning the toilet or the tedium of dusting, pushing and dragging a noisy, cumbersome vacuum is its own kind of torture. Robot vacuums are all the rage-and why not!? Vacuuming is one of the most loathed household chores.