Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner UK
If you don't want your hands dirty, then robotic vacuum cleaners are ideal. They are more efficient than manual cleaning and are perfect for flats and single-storey houses.
Smart features are a benefit. This includes mapping technology that will remember the layout of your home as well as avoiding furniture and rug, and navigating those nipples underneath low furniture that larger robots struggle to reach.
iRobot Roomba J7+
The iRobot Roomba J7+, an upgrade over the previous model by the company, features new technology that makes it more efficient in avoiding pet waste. It makes use of smart mapping and navigation to make maps of rooms and floors and is able to navigate around obstacles like furniture, charging cords and shoes. It also can detect dirt, and prioritise areas for cleaning that are dirty. This is a major improvement over earlier models that sometimes ignore the dirty spots or only clean them for a brief time.
The robot vacuum comes with a self-emptying base station, which can collect dust into its own 2.4L dirt disposal bag. IRobot claims that this bag can hold up to 60 days of trash, which means you only have to empty and change the bag once every three months. The base station also comes with an extra bag that can be used for quick replacements.
It's simple to set up and use the Roomba that is compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant and is fully controlled through the iRobot Genius app. The app allows you to choose when to start and stop the cleaning, how it should take to complete a particular task, and create a schedule.
In our tests we found that the iRobot Roomba J7+ cleaned the floors of area rug and hardwood in the foyer, family room and kitchen with no problem. It listened to our commands and carried out its tasks quietly, recording just 64db on the decibel meter during operation. It took about 90 minutes to clean a single room and the battery needed to be recharged afterward for a total of an hour and 58 minute. The Combo J7 lets you expand your iRobot ecosystem by pairing it with the iRobot Mop m6. One can run while the other moves around the room.
Dyson 360 Viz Nav
The Dyson 360 Viz Nav is the best robot vacuum cleaner for anyone who lives in a multi-floor house. This model can make maps of floors across multiple floors and store them in the app, making it easy to switch between different rooms without repeating the setup process. The robot can also be controlled with voice, with support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
Dyson's robot vacuum uses a combination of sensors, cameras and other technologies to detect obstacles. A panoramic camera that is mounted on the top of the robot along with 26 sensors external, helps create an image of the area as it moves. This assists to avoid obstacles and furniture.
In robot vacuum reviews during our tests, the Dyson 360 Vis Nav was capable of reaching up to edges and baseboards. It could also be easily navigated around pieces of furniture with extremely tight corners. The suction of the robot was strong and was able to pick up every dust speck hair, strand of hair, and dried-out piece of Playdoh that we threw at it. The vacuum took out the bin quickly and effortlessly, cutting down on the time spent cleaning by half.
The Dyson 360 Viz Nav did not perform as well as the other robots we evaluated in our obstacle avoidance tests. It had trouble avoiding a temporary drying rack that it repeatedly tried to get under. It eventually got stuck and halted the cleaning cycle. It also had difficulty getting around furniture pieces that are taller like the chair or coffee table. The Dyson 360 Vis Nav is also unable to climb stairs, which can be a problem for many people living in multi-story homes.
Roborock
Roborock robot vacuums come with top-of-the-line features that help them stand out from the rest. Two mops are provided that spin and lift stains when pressing down. They also automatically lift when vacuuming carpets, to keep streaks of dirt from being left behind and making the vacuum clog again with dirt. They are extremely suction with 5,500 Pa to ensure superior dust and dirt removal. They also have sophisticated water flow controls to ensure that the appropriate amount of moisture is applied to every floor type.
Roborock's ability of mapping your entire home with laser technology is one of its most impressive capabilities. The LiDAR system of Roborock is a Roborock robotic arm rotates constantly emitting lasers and determining the time it takes for to bounce off of surrounding objects. This information is then used to construct an accurate map of your home layout, allowing it to navigate with a high degree of accuracy and avoid obstacles.
Based on the model you select You can alter the map to include no-go zones, furniture placements and room-specific cleansing. You can also select the cleaning routine to include mop only, mop on its own, or vacuum+mop. You can schedule regular cleanings using an app-based system for cleaning that lets you to set it and forget.
Roborock provides a range of options, from the budget-friendly S6 MaxV up to the most expensive S7 MaxV. All models feature advanced mapping and a long-lasting battery and a huge dustbin. They also have docks that offer a variety of features, including charging and hot water tank refilling. In the UK they also have a two-year warranty.
Beko RCV 5
The Beko RCV 5 is a relative newcomer to the robotic vacuum and mopping industry and is already making waves with its sleek design and reasonable price. The robot has a few features that make it stand out from other robotic vacuums, like self-emptying features. It's easy to set up and use using a simple application that allows you to alter the options.
The navigation system in this model uses a combination of sensors and mapping technology to guide your home, and it does a fantastic job of getting around obstacles. The app lets you modify the cleaning route to allow certain areas to be cleaned more frequently. The app is a bit confusing at first however once you get grasp of it you'll be able schedule cleanings and control the power of your robot with ease.
The RCV 5 has some flaws despite its impressive list of features. For starters, it uses a relatively small water tank that holds up to 240ml of water at each time. This is enough for a basic wipe-clean but not ideal for tough stains. Furthermore, the wiping plate is quite basic and doesn't include a vibration or rotation function.
The battery life of the robots in this price range is not as long as one might imagine. In reality, the RCV 5 only lasts for approximately a third of the cleaning cycle before needing to recharge. It's not a huge issue, but it is something to consider when you are looking for a new robot vacuum cleaner.
Karcher RCV 5
Karcher, a German manufacturer best known for its pressure washers and other pressure washers, has entered the robotic vacuum market with an RCV 5 model that vacuums and mop. The RCV 5 has a range of impressive features including a superior obstacle detection using a dual-laser system, and mapping that is monitor in real-time using the smart app.
It can also detect carpeted areas and automatically start the wet mopping function. There's also a handy spot cleaning function that intensely cleans a localised area of around 3 feet and can be scheduled for weekly repetition. The RCV 5 is a reliable robot cleaner that has suction capacity of 2,500 pascals. It is able to clean both hard and soft floors and can reach into tight corners and even under furniture that is low.
As with many modern robots the RCV 5 has a smartphone-powered application known as Karcher Home Robots. It can be used to start cleaning processes and to create and manage maps of the home. It is also possible to create virtual walls and zones in which the RCV 5 isn't allowed to drive, and a host of other options for controlling.
One drawback to the RCV 5 is that its dust bin can only hold about 1 liters and requires regular emptying, in contrast to models that have integrated disposal technology integrated into their docking stations. It's also heavier than a few of its rivals which makes it less mobile, and thus requiring more space in the charging station. The RCV 5 was highly rated by users for its ease of use and app control. It performed well on our tests, but some struggled to get the voice technology to function properly and found the docking station difficult to put in the flat position.