The Best Robot Vacuums of 2020 Ultimate Guide & Reviews

As we usher in the digital age, robot vacuums have taken over the market. No longer is vacuuming a tiresome task – with a robot vacuum, you no longer have to get off your couch! Although they are newer additions to the industry, the best robot vacuums will make domestic cleaning much more efficient.

In the age of digital home assistants and smartphone connectivity, we’ve found these to be the best robot vacuums in 2020. While it might seem like there is a never ending pool of devices, our ultimate guide covers the best robot vacuums for your budget!

While robot vacuums might seem like a recent revelation, the field has actually seen constant development since 1996. From the first “robovac” invented by the Swedish company, Electrox, called “Trilobite,” the field has seen massive amounts of growth.

As technology back in the day simply failed to meet the standards that Electrox aimed to meet, the robot vacuum remained a fancy novelty object, rather than a practical day-to-day digital assistant like the models of today.

The navigation and mapping technology did not work very well and robovas, as they were known, were clunky, often bumping into furniture and being overly expensive.

In 2001, the British tech company Dyson attempted another foray into the robovac market, with the launch of the DC06, but, failed to reach mass production as the number of orders were very low, given the steep price tag.

In 2007, an American company called iRobot also attempted to make waves in the robovac market and were the first to build a functional prototype. After perfecting their navigating technology that allowed the robot vacuum to maneuver itself around your house, iRobot launched the Roomba, which would later revolutionize the vacuum cleaning industry.

How do Robot Vacuums Work?

A Robot Vacuum, such as a Roomba, is a computerized vacuum cleaner that moves around your home. Like a conventional unit, it picks up dust and debris with the use of spinning brushes and vacuums. It stores all the waste in a little storage in attached to the unit and moves around on two wheels powered by motors. Many also come with HEPA filters that prevent the spread of allergens. It is powered by a rechargeable battery pack that is housed onboard and is designed around using as little power as possible.

iRobot Corporation, makers of the famous Roomba, call it a functioning “vacuum cleaning robot.”  Only the highest-end robot vacuums come with charging docks. All you have to do is find a place in your house for it and the robot will return to it when it needs to be charged. Apart from a charging dock, most robot vacuums and robot mops also ship with smartphone and Wi-Fi compatibility.

As your devices are synced to each other, your smartphone works as your remote control device. Once the setup is done, scheduling and cleaning can be controlled from an app on your smartphone, making the process almost entirely handsfree! Once the robot vacuum collects debris and is done cleaning, it stores the waste collected in a little bin housed inside the unit. After the cleaning process is completed, the bin should then be emptied and placed back into the unit.

Many of the advanced robot vacuums also come with additional features pre-programmed, such as the Roomba I7+, which will automatically dispose and replace the bin for you! Ultimately, a robot vacuum just needs to be placed in the room that needs cleaning and switched on. On more budget friendly models, you will have to select a mode suitable for the room that needs to be cleaned.

On more advanced models, the robot vacuum or robot mop will automatically detect the conditions of the room and will automatically chart the most efficient cleaning route. When compared to traditional canister vacuum cleaners, they require much less effort, consume much less power and are not as noisy or clunky.

Features of Robot Vacuums

Although some the best robot vacuums do come with a hefty price tag and are generally more expensive than their conventional counterparts, they can prove to be extremely useful. Depending on the size of your house or office, the best robot vacuums can save you a lot of time and effort.

Furthermore, technology has caught up. So much so, that many of the best robot vacuums today are on par with conventional units when it comes to high vacuuming power. The combination of spinning brushes, side brushes and a powerful vacuum make them work just as well as anything else on the market. Some of the advanced robot vacuums even store information and track where your furniture is placed, so that they can navigate efficiently.

Many Wi-Fi compatible vacuums have a smartphone app that gives you access to remote controls. Some of the higher end bots can even generate a map of the area they just cleaned. All in all, these bots work extremely well in a home or office environment, making them a very attractive purchase in 2020. In our ultimate guide to the best robot vacuums in 2020, we review the best performing units on the market with comprehensive research and testing.

These units are commonly tested in homes as well as offices, taking factors like battery life, navigation and mapping, power in terms of suction, ease of setup and wireless compatibility into account.

They are also tested on a variety of surfaces, including hardwood, tile, marble and on top of rugs to gauge performance. When it comes to battery life, 60 to 80 minutes is roughly the average you can expect.

The industry standard battle life is more than sufficient for a moderately sized home. If you have a larger house or are looking for the best robot vacuum to service a multi-storeyed house, 90 minutes of battery life should be ample.

The latest models of robot vacuums are more than capable of handling most household dust, debris and lint, so tests include a more realistic home environment. The robot vacuums are tested on their ability to clean food particles and other types of small household waste as well.

Some of the best robot vacuum cleaners are also tested to see if they are able to map their patterns, or whether they follow randomized routes. Finally, ease of setup is assessed and Wi-Fi compatibility, battery replacement, charging time and accessibility are all taken into consideration in our ultimate buyers guide to the best robot vacuums on the market today.

Other Types of Robot Vacuums

Other than robot vacuums, there are a host of other products that may potentially replace their conventional counterparts in your homes! Robot mops, for example, can render their traditional canister based counterparts null and void.

Since mopping, along with vacuuming can be on the more tedious end of the spectrum when it comes to household tasks, companies like iRobot have since ventured into the automated mop market. Now, all you have to do is fill up the water reservoir and activate the cleaning cycle.

In fact, many companies have paired the two together, coming up with robot vacuums and mops built into the same unit. Just like a robot vacuum, a robot mop is also usually controlled by a smartphone app. There are, however, a few robot mops that only have singular functionality, so you might need to invest in a hybrid utility option in case you’re looking for a mop as well as a vacuum.

Some of the combined units also sport unique features. Many combined robot mop/vacuum units are more capable of taking on dirty surfaces, as they feature much more suction power. Moreover, they come with built-in sensors that can detect dirty areas in your home.

Much like a robot vacuum, a robot mop also makes cleaning the house much faster and more efficient. They are also surprisingly easy to use and require very little knowledge of machinery. They virtually run themselves once you do the programming and setup, so any buyers afraid of an overly technical device need not worry.

Developers are also constantly making firmware and software updates, so the performance of these devices is almost on the rise! They are also surprisingly economical, as the cheaper robot mops and vacuums start at around $100.

You don’t need to buy anything other than the unit itself, so it can become a surprisingly economical option in the long run. They also function with the same efficiency, as many of them come programmed to find their way back to their charging dock, and some of them even dump the dust they collect back at a pre decided spot!

Many of them come equipped with sensors that adapt to the type of surface and material they’re trying to clean, making them viable for all sorts of different surfaces.

Maintaining your Robot Vacuum

While the best robot vacuums in 2020 are optimized to an industry standard, there are certain guidelines that one should follow in order to get the best out of their units. These simple tips can help you get started with the maintenance of your robot vacuum, so that you can get the best out of the product and use it sustainably for years to come:

• Clear your floor! Make sure there are no awkwardly shaped or positioned objects on the floor, such as curtain hems or pull cords, as they can affect the internal functioning of the robot vacuum. Small objects, such as toys and things like pet excrements should most definitely be removed prior to any cleaning, as these can lead to less than desired results.
• In case your robot vacuum gets stuck under some furniture or in a particular spot, make sure you don’t pull on it directly, as this can cause damage to its sensors. Instead, move your furniture slightly so that it can track its way out. You may clean the sensors with a soft rag and some soapy water.
• Make sure to constantly check and replace bins, so that your unit is never overflowing with garbage. This applies to filters as well, as many units come equipped with filters to prevent the spread of allergens.
• Keep the wheels and brushes clean and make sure to remove any small objects caught in them to maintain the potency of the robot vacuum.
• Pay attention to the user guide of your particular robot vacuum and understand the specifications of its battery. Since replacement batteries are extremely expensive, maintenance of the battery is critical.
• Keep your robot vacuum updated with the latest firmware and applications. As the field grows, developers are constantly updating existing units with new firmware, increasing compatibility and adding tweaks and improvements on the go. Keep your unit updated to get access to many new features and quality of life changes, so that you can get the most out of your robot vacuum cleaner in 2020.

Robot Vacuum Buying Guide

Now that we’ve gone over some of the basic information regarding robot vacuums and robot mops, we’re going to look at some of the factors to consider in case you’re looking to pick up a robot vacuum in 2020.

• Start by examining your house and deciding what exactly you’ll need. You should consider the size of your house, as some units are inherently more powerful than others. Naturally, some work better in smaller spaces, whereas others are more suited to large residences and workplaces.
• Take into consideration the form factor. As some robot vacuums and robot mops are much larger than others, you should assess the amount of furniture you have. In the case that you have a lot of furniture, we recommend picking up a smaller, slimmer robot vacuum or mop, as furniture can be obstructive. In case you have a much more open space, a larger robot vacuum or robot mop will do wonders.
• Understand the surface you need cleaned. Do you have hardwood floors or a very high number of carpets? In that case, you might want to look at products that are more suited to the terrain. While advanced models are often equipped to handle all sorts of surfaces with various pre-programmed modes, lower-end, and budget models are usually meant for certain types of surfaces, so make sure you take that into account before making your purchase.
• Do you have a cat or a dog? Fret not. There are many robot vacuums and robot mops designed with pets in mind. Make sure to look at models with HEPA filters and large dustbins (ideally larger than 600mL) so that you can maintain a clean environment and bin replacement doesn’t become a daily ordeal.
• Do you want smartphone compatibility? In the case that you’re trying to build an entirely digital home, you might want to look at models with enhanced Wi-Fi and smartphone connectivity. As more advanced models come packed with connectivity features, allowing you to sync your robot vacuum to Alexa or Google assistant, lower end, budget models come with a simple remote control. Make sure to decide on whether you really want your devices to work in sync or not, as this is a distinguishing factor between lower end and higher end robot vacuums and robot mops.
• Battery Life doesn’t tell the whole story. Most robot vacuums and robot mops in 2020 usually have anywhere from an hour to two hours of battery life. As this largely pertains to the size of your house, try to gauge the average time you would need your robot vacuum or robot mop to work so that you can find a model better suited to your needs.
• Finally, settle on a budget. When it comes to the best robot vacuums and robot mops in 2020, there is a product for every price range. Make sure to settle on a budget and look within it, as some of the more advanced models can really take a toll on your wallet! 

Conclusion

So, there you have it – our ultimate guide to robot vacuums in 2020. While we have reviewed and researched many units in our bid to compile resources and create an ultimate buyers guide to robot vacuums, it is still apparent that there is much room for growth in this space. We hope you continue to follow our guide, as we will keep it updated with the latest developments concerning robot vacuums, as many of us aim to create a digital household in the near future.