Jai Bernhardt

Best Rated Robot Vacuum and Mop

Eufy's robotic mop and vacuum is among the top-rated product in its class. It takes a lot of the chore of cleaning your floors. It can replenish its own water tank and empty its tower bin. It can also change its dust bag.

Advanced models can map your house and take note of furniture positioning. They can also identify hazards and navigate around them, such as loose charging cables or stray socks.

Object Avoidance

Object avoidance allows your robot to avoid hitting objects like toys, cords, and clothing that could be caught in the vacuum. These features are particularly important if your family has children or pets that may leave objects on the floor for your robot vacuums that mop to search.

Based on the model you pick depending on the model you select, your robot could have various sensors to assist it in its quest to avoid obstacles. A few popular ones include crossed IR sensors that focus beams of infrared light across the room to identify things like doors and furniture legs. Many robots have adopted this technology, and you'll see it in the flagship models that cost more.

Other object avoidance technology that you may find in more expensive robots is 3D Structured Light which uses cameras and crossed IR sensor to map the surrounding area and detect obstacles. Time of Flight (ToF) sensors that measure and emit the time it takes for the light to reflect off of an object, in order to determine its distance, are available. They aren't as common, but can be an excellent option for your robot should you want to have more peace of mind.

Apart from collecting dust and debris from hard floors, most of the best-rated robots can mop your floor as well. Some even come with their own water tanks, which allow them to wash away the stains and spills that are wet. You'll need to empty your robot's dust bin and wipe down its sensors and cameras between cleaning sessions, but these chores will not take a lot of your time.

Mapping

Robot vacuums need to be able to map. This allows them to navigate your home and avoid bumping against things like walls. Without mapping, they might get tripped up by furniture, cords, or pet toys, and end up cleaning less of your space. The majority of robots utilize sensors to map your home and navigate around obstacles. This allows them to sweep your floors with fewer passes, saving your time. Many of the best robot vacuums also have this feature, which allows you to designate areas that are not accessible.

Robots that have a built-in LIDAR system use this technology to create a map of your home quickly and efficiently. The Eufy Clean robot separated my room into different areas and cleaned each one separately during our tests. This was an enormous improvement over cheaper models that rely on sensors on the front of the vehicle. This was a far more accurate way of navigating my home and was simple to control using the on-device app.

While no robot vacuum is able to climb stairs yet, the majority of the top-rated models come with obstacle avoidance and mapping features. These tools allow them to collect dirt from low-pile or hard floors, and to avoid falling down the stairs. Some tools have sensors that prevent them falling over the edge of stairs. Others come with boundaries to keep them out.

Some robots come with a large base tower that collects dirt. This helps reduce the amount of dust or allergens that are released in your home. These bases can last for several weeks or even months without emptying and are especially beneficial if you have allergies. Some models also have self-emptying systems that allow you to dump out their onboard dust bins without needing to open and close them.

Wi-Fi enabled

Some robot vacuums connect via Wi-Fi to their apps. This lets you control them with your smartphone instead (or in addition) to an actual remote. These models are more expensive, however, they can save time since they can schedule cleaning times each week, daily or even monthly. These models also allow you to modify floor maps and save them, as well as provide alternative cleaning patterns.

Dual sensors are utilized by the most modern robot vacuums. They combine a LIDAR mapping system with a structured-light sensor which can detect and avoid objects, even if they're hidden beneath furniture or power cables. Those features make it easier for your robot to get into small spaces, like the nook under your kitchen cabinets and under sofas, where many other robots struggle. They're also faster to get over obstacles and have longer run times with larger dust bins, which makes them better suited for large homes than entry-level robotics.

The best rated robot hoover vacuums tend to be quick, efficient and effective, picking up most kinds of floor debris, such as pet hair, kitty litter and other messes. They can also be quiet making them a good option for homes with children and pets. Most robot vacuum users have told us that they enjoy the convenience of having their floor cleaned with minimal effort. This is especially true when used regularly. Robots can last as long as traditional vacuum cleaners with the right maintenance (cleaning rotating brushes and keeping an eye on replacement parts). PCWorld offers a useful guide that provides tips to help you keep yours running smoothly for years to come.

Dust Bags Larger

While a robotic vacuum might not be as efficient as an upright or canister model, it is excellent in removing dust and other debris that regular vacuuming leaves behind. It is also a great tool for quick repairs to floors and can maneuver around cords and other obstacles in the home. If you don't want to do the deep cleaning yourself, a robot vacuum will let you send it out to scour your floors on a regular schedule.

A few of the top-rated robotic vacuums come with big easy to empty dust bags that can store more dirt than a single room. This can save you time and money on new bags. A number of the models on our list include this feature, including our top choice, the Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo. This robovac all-in-one has an excellent performance rating and has a self-emptying bin. It also comes with mopping capabilities and efficient navigation. It is a close race between the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ and this one, which uses the latest technology for avoidance and smart mapping. This model has a greater capacity, but it is a bit more expensive.

The two models 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 performance and great path planning. The Eufy and Shark Matrix Plus are also good choices with good hair pickup and tangle avoiding, but not as much planning for paths or auto empty.

The most recent robots have sensors that detect dirt and debris in the carpet, and are better at picking up hairs that have fallen off of pets. Some models even have a mopping mode that uses the reservoir of water to wash away spills and messes that have gotten stuck. This feature is a must-have for families with pets and children.

Maintenance

A robot vacuum can help you keep up with your home. The most effective models collect more dirt from the surface pet hair and lint than the broom that is used on low-pile or hard floors. They also come with navigation features that prevent them from getting caught on power cords or rug fringe and are able to slide easily under furniture.

Depending on the model, a top-rated robotic vacuum can also be scheduled to run several times per day or may allow you to view it in action via an app. These devices are convenient, but they can also get clogged and require regular maintenance. This involves emptying the dust bin onboard (or in some cases, the base's larger bin) and checking the brushes for tangled fur and regularly washing the filters and drying them in accordance with the manufacturer.

Emily Rairdin is a vacuum expert and store owner apprentice from University Vacuum + Sewing. She believes that a robotic vacuum can last for three to five years if it is properly care. She suggests emptying the bin and brush roll often cutting out hairs that get caught in the brushes, and regularly cleaning and drying the filter if your robot is a mop as well. It's also a good idea to wipe down the charging contacts and sensors on the dock or robot cleaner with mop occasionally with a soft cloth. Then, recharge and refill the robot mop when needed for the next time you clean.