Jade Ketner

Best Rated Robot Vacuum and Mop

Eufy's top-rated robot vacuum cleaner mop and vacuum takes a lot of the hands-off work out of keeping your floors tidy. It can re-fill its own water tank, self-empty its tower bin, and change the dust bag.

Advanced models can map your home and record furniture arrangement. They can also detect hazards and help you avoid them, such as loose charging cables or unintentional socks.

Object Avoidance

Object avoidance features allow your robot to avoid running into things like toys, power cords and clothes that be caught in the vacuum. These features are particularly important if you have pets or children who may leave items on the floor for your robot to search.

Depending on which model you pick, your robot may have several sensor options to assist it in its quest to avoid obstacles. Some of the most popular include crossed IR sensor beams that are a focused infrared light that scan across the room looking for things like furniture legs or door frames. This technology is widely used by a variety of robots available, and you can also see it in the top models that cost more than other models.

Other technologies for avoiding objects that you might find in more expensive robots include 3D Structured Light, which uses cameras and crossed IR sensors to map the environment and detect obstacles. Also, Time of Flight (ToF) sensors that emit and measure the time it takes for light to reflect off objects, to determine the distance to them. These are less common but are a great addition to your robot, should you want to have more security.

The majority of the top-rated robots can also mop your floors. Some come with their own water tanks that allow them to wash away the stains and spills that are wet. You'll need to clean the robot's dust bin onboard and clean its cameras and sensors in between cleaning sessions.

Mapping

Robot vacuums need to have mapping capabilities. This lets them navigate around your home and avoid bumping against things like walls. They could be tripped by pet toys, cords, or furniture without mapping. This will result in them cleaning less space. With sensors, the majority of robots map out your space to identify any obstacles and help them navigate around them. This allows them to sweep the entire floor with fewer passes, saving your time. Many of the best robot vacuums also come with this feature, which allows you to designate areas that are not accessible.

Robots with built-in LIDAR system use this technology to map out your home quickly and efficiently. During our tests with the Eufy Clean robot utilized this feature to divide my home into various areas and clean each independently, which was a huge improvement over the cheaper models we tested that just used the front bump sensor. This was a more accurate way of navigating my home and was simple to control using the on-device application.

While there aren't any robotic vacuums that can climb stairs, top models do come with obstacles avoidance and mapping features. These tools assist to remove debris from carpets with low pile and hard floors, and to avoid falling down the stairs. Some tools have sensors that stop them from falling over the edge of the stairs. Some have boundaries to keep them away.

Certain robots have an enormous base tower that can collect dirt. This reduces the amount of dust or allergens released within your home. The bases can be kept for weeks or months without being emptied which is particularly beneficial for those who suffer from allergies. Some models have self-emptying dust bins that you can empty without opening and closing them manually.

Wi-Fi enabled

Some robot vacuums communicate via Wi-Fi with their apps. This allows you to operate them with your smartphone instead (or in addition) to the physical remote. These models are more expensive but can save you time by letting you schedule cleaning times on a weekly, daily or even monthly basis. These models also allow you to edit floor maps, save them and offer alternative cleaning patterns.

Dual sensors are used by the most advanced robot vacuums. They combine with a LIDAR mapping system with a structured-light sensor which can detect and block out objects, even when they're hidden under furniture or power cables. These features allow your robot to access tight areas, such as the nook beneath your kitchen cabinets or underneath sofas. Some robots have difficulty in these kinds of spaces. They also have a faster speed to get around obstacles, have longer run times and larger dust bins. This makes them ideal for homes with large spaces compared to entry-level robots.

The top rated robot vacuums tend to be quick, efficient and effective, picking up most kinds of floor debris, including pet hair, kitty litter, and other messes. They can also be quite quiet which makes them a great option for homes with young kids and pets. The majority of robot vacuum users have told us that they love the convenience of having their floor cleaned without much effort. This is especially true when used regularly. Robots can last as long as traditional vacuum cleaners, provided they have the proper maintenance (cleaning rotating brushes and keeping track of replacement parts). PCWorld provides a guide that includes some helpful tips to keep yours running smoothly.

Larger Dust Bags

A robotic vacuum is not as efficient in cleaning as a canister or upright vacuum, but it's fantastic at picking up dust and other debris that regular vacuuming has left behind. It is a great tool for quick touch-ups of bare floors and can also traverse around cords or other obstacles in your home. It is possible to use a robot to clean your floors on a regular basis if you don't have time to do it yourself.

The top rated robot vacuums come with large dust bags that are easy to empty and hold more than a single room's worth of dirt. This can save you time and money on bags that need to be replaced. Several of the models on our list include this feature, including our most popular model, the Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo. This all-in-one robovac has an impressive performance score and comes with an auto-emptying bin. It also comes with mopping capabilities and efficient navigation. It's a close contest between the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ and this model, which utilizes the latest technology for avoidance and smart mapping. This robovac is more expensive but has a bigger capacity.

The two models also differ in how they handle long hair, which may become tangled in the rollers of a few robots. The Roborock Q5 Max+, SwitchBot K10S Plus and Roborock Q5 Max+ are the best performing models. They all have outstanding hair pickup and tangle-avoidance scores together with excellent auto empty results and great path planning. The Shark Matrix Plus and eufy are also great options with decent hair pick-up and tangle avoidance, however they don't have as much path planning or auto empty.

The most recent robots are outfitted with sensors that can identify dirt and debris on carpets, and they are better at removing pet hair. Some even have a dedicated mopping mode that can use the reservoir of water to eliminate the stains and spills. This feature is essential for families with children and pets.

Maintenance

A robot vacuum can be a great aid in keeping up with your home. The most effective models pick up more surface dirt pet hair, and lint than the broom that is used on low-pile or hard flooring. They come with navigational features that help them avoid getting stuck on power cords, rug fringes or furniture.

According to the model, you can program the robot vacuum to run multiple times per day or even watch it perform its duties using an app. However, these useful vacuums are also prone to clogging and require frequent maintenance, such as emptying the onboard bin (or the base's bigger dust bin in certain cases), checking brushes for hair that is tangled, and then periodically washing and letting the filters dry as suggested by the manufacturer.

automatic vacuum and mop robot expert Emily Rairdin, a store owner apprentice at University Vacuum + Sewing, says that a quality robot automatic vacuum and mop robot should last three to five years or more if it receives regular maintenance and care. She recommends regularly emptying the bin and brush roll, cutting out hair that's tangled up in the brushes and regularly cleaning and drying the filter in the event that your robot acts as mop. It's also recommended to wipe down the sensors and charging contacts on the robot vacuums with mop or dock often with a soft, clean cloth. You can recharge and refill your robot before the next clean-up session.