How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Robot vacuums will save you time and effort when it comes to regular cleaning. The top models do a great job picking up dust and lightweight debris and allow you to create no-go zones for pet areas or power cords.
The more expensive models even clean your floors, but they can't climb stairs. Choose models that have intelligent mapping, real-time hazards avoidance, and spacious self-emptying bins.
Best Overall
The top robots we've tested that we have tested are effective and easy to use and able to cope with everyday debris. You'll need a robot that has decent carpet-picking power and the ability to handle stairs. If you're looking for extra features, you may be interested in a robot with smart mapping technology or an application that allows you to control it remotely.
Camryn Rabideau, a contributing shopping writer for PEOPLE and a reviewer of products who has tested several robotic vacuums, has been credited with testing hundreds of robot vacuums. She prefers robovacs that have the most features, such as ones that have self-emptying bins and charging stations that automatically empty and fill the water tanks used to mop robotic vacuums. She's also a fan of the robots that are able to recognize landmarks like furniture legs and power cords to ensure they don't get caught when climbing stairs.
Compared to the top-rated models, this Black and Decker robot vacuum has less object-avoidance technology and its score for navigation is lower. It comes with a huge, non-refillable dustbin and a long battery. In addition, it has an option that allows you to plan cleaning times and return to the spot the last time it was used which makes it easier to cover larger homes. This model is also a great option for pet owners as it can spot and eliminate hair tangled and fallen food particles.
In our tests, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combines a LIDAR sensor that is able to map rooms and identify obstacles using a structured light sensor to identify objects and detect edges. It can avoid stairs, liquid droplets, and furniture legs with this combination. It also has the ability to save up to four floor plans to be used in the future. It can also stop the cleaning process at any time and return to where it stopped so that you can complete chores while the robot works. The included app offers an interactive 3D model of your home, room labels and more advanced cleaning options.
The robot isn't as efficient in cleaning as our top models, but it is great at picking up heavier items like orzo pasta, metal screws, and fine debris such as sand. Its only downsides are that it's not able to mop, and its navigation system is less impressive.
Best for Carpet
If you have carpeting, choose one that has a high score for carpet and rug maneuverability and pickup. Many models are capable of cleaning dust from low-pile carpets, and some are capable of picking up heavier debris, such as orzo pasta and screws made of steel. They aren't able to pick up fine particles like an upright or canister, and may be unable to pick up dirt close to thresholds or baseboards.
The best choice for most carpeted areas is a 2-in-1 robot vacuum/mop, which allows you to swap out a cleaning bin and a damp mopping pad. The Roborock Q Revo is a 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop that can clean and mop simultaneously with circular pads that spin at 200 rpm. It detects and lifts its pads when they come into contact with carpet, preventing the flooring from getting wet. It is not necessary to remove them or replace them every time. The Q Revo is also more efficient than other robot vacuums/mops when it comes to avoiding obstacles and getting close to rugs and thresholds.
The iRobot Roomba Combo i5 is another good option. It did well in our tests, and you can schedule it to clean your home when you are away. It can be set to only mop. We loved its navigation on bare floors and carpets. The Combo i5 also has a very long run time and a great path-planning feature for such a small device.
If you want a more advanced model, look into the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Self-Empty Robot Vacuum & Mop. It has a huge charging dock that can last for months without needing to be emptied, and it has amazing navigation abilities and automatic emptying on bare floors and carpets. conversational tone 's also got a smart-mapping system and can be programmed to only operate at certain times of the day (a handy feature for keeping mischievous kids and dextrous pets from running it amuck). The Shark is less powerful than other mop/robot combination models however, it still manages to pick up pet hair and hair with a high degree of accuracy. It's also the highest price of our top picks.
Best for Hard Flooring
Robot vacuums are the best choice for floors with hardwood floors because they can maneuver around obstacles easily without damaging floors that aren't. They are fantastic for removing dust and crumbs but struggle with pet hair and larger debris. They don't have the suction of an upright or a top-quality canister vacuum, making them unsuitable for deep cleaning upholstery or carpeted areas.
The most effective two-in-one robots incorporate a vacuum and a mop, taking care of the entire chore in one pass. If you have flooring that is mixed you should look for models equipped with an onboard sensor that detects changes in floor texture and adjusts suction accordingly. The ECOVACS DEEBOT T9+, for instance, has this feature and can transition effortlessly from hard to soft carpeting.
If you have a lot of hardwood floors in your home, you might want to consider a robot mop and vacuum combination like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model features an efficient robot vacuum with intelligent navigation to clean hardwood and other hard surfaces. Additionally, it can mop too. Its sensors help it avoid the stairs and other hazards, so you don't have to be worried about the robot falling down the stairs and breaking your hardwood.
The Eufy S1 Pro mop is designed to clean hardwood floors by applying downward pressure, rather than simply swab them in order to remove dust and dirt. Its reusable pads reduce waste and spread fewer germs. They can also be cleaned at docking stations to help save time. They are also able to be dried, washed and reused.
Both the robovac as well as the mop are both controlled by your smartphone, making it easier to manage the device. You can, for example utilize the app to create zones where the vacuum cannot be allowed to enter, label different rooms, or plan specific cleaning times. The eufy S1 Pro has an auto-emptying port that collects the debris via trapdoors and then puts it into a bagless or disposable bin. This means that you won't need to empty the bin manually as often as with other models.
Ideal for small Spaces
These robots are designed for small spaces. They have smaller bins that can hold less garbage, and are more efficient than the larger models in navigating tight corners. They can also fit underneath furniture where larger robots have difficulty reaching. They are generally less expensive than the higher-end models as well, but you'll have to empty them manually from their dirt bins at end of each cleaning session.
A few years ago robot vacuums underwent an important change. Manufacturers began adding sensors that allowed them to navigate and avoid household items that traditional sensors could get stuck on or run across. This has reduced the number of times that our testers had to clean up after a robotic snag whether it was a power cord, toy, or piece of pet waste.
However, the new sensors haven't resolved all of these machines' problems. The cheapest models are still struggling with the same obstacles that the older ones faced and most need a certain amount of illumination to see where they're going. If you are living in a dark space or have lots of furniture with low-profiles, consider getting one that uses a top-mounted spinning LIDAR unit to map your area, like our best overall and runner-up picks do. This allows them to avoid obstacles like stairs and other ones when working in darkness.
In addition being capable of working in the dark, these models can be configured to use their cliff sensors only when they're close to or on the floor, not above them. It is essential to cover mirrors in order to stop this from happening. The lasers used by LIDAR-based models can bounce off reflective surfaces, making the robot think it's in another room.
A few of the models we recommend will allow you to create virtual no-go zones for areas you don't want the robot to go to. This can be helpful if you have pets or small children. Those features aren't available on all of the models we test and recommend that you review our full reviews of the choices below before making your purchase.