Jai Bernhardt

The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Vacuuming is the bane of many lives, but robot vacuums make it a little more enjoyable. Modern models can also mop and climb (small) steps.

Some have a small trash bin that they empty on their own. Others are controlled with a smartphone app rather than a physical remote. Some models have mapping features that assist in navigation.

1. Power

Our top pick for robotic cleaner and mop vacuums has a suction power of 8,000Pa, which is enough to get rid of even the most stubborn dirt patches and hairs. The ultra-thin shape of the square allows it to slide underneath furniture, such as sofas and beds. Dual-Laser LIDAR technology offers precise obstacle avoidance as well as intelligent navigation. It also does an excellent job at cleaning pet hair baking soda, sand, and other debris near baseboards and in corners.

Other powerful robots in this list in addition to the DEEBOT X2 OMNI, are the iRobot Roomba j7+ as well as the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra. The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra includes a docking station which automatically handles maintenance. It also comes with mopping capabilities. Its powerful suction and effective mopping helped keep my floors clear of pet hair and muddy footprints and other debris during every floor type test that we conducted.

In the lower price range, a model with around 2,500Pa of suction is more than enough for the majority of homes. These units are quieter, making them an ideal choice for people with sensitive hearing. They aren't silent, however they are not the same volume as conversations at home.

For the best mix of power and usability take into consideration your cleaning needs and budget. A regular light-duty cleaning schedule requires longer runtime and a lower suction, whereas weekly heavy-duty cleaning requires a lot of power. Examine your flooring, layout of your home and cleaning schedule prior to selecting the best model. We recommend looking through our complete list of robot vacuum reviews, Read More Listed here, and ratings to get more details about the latest models available. Many users report that their carpets and floors look cleaner after using a robotic vacuum.

2. Navigation

A robot vacuum can't do its job well without knowing how to get around your home. The best robots employ sophisticated navigation technology to scan rooms and make a map, ensuring thorough cleaning without getting stuck or hitting obstacles. There are three main kinds of robot navigation: LiDAR-based camera-based and sensor-based.

LiDAR is utilized by the most expensive models to create a virtual room map, which offers the highest levels of precision and efficiency. The less expensive models rely on bump sensors, which are less accurate and can miss the majority of debris in dark areas. Many robots also have cliff sensors to keep them from falling down stairs or other drops.

Many of the robots I tried used object recognition to navigate things like cords and fake dog turds. However, the Eufy X10 was the best automatic vacuum and mop. It had powerful oscillating mop heads as well as a user-friendly application, and superb mapping capabilities.

Other features worth considering include floor type sensors that recognize carpets with soft and hard floors and automatically boost suction power when needed. Some robots, such as the Roborock mop, utilize mopping pad lifts to reach corners and eliminate dried spills. Many hybrids can apply cleaning solution on the most difficult stains.

A smaller dustbin will mean less frequent emptying however, a larger one can save you money on replacements. The majority of robotic cleaner and mop cleaners that are low-cost use an inexpensive disposable dust bag. However, most mid-range models have larger 3L dustbins which last a long time. Certain high-end robots, such as the EcoVACS DEEBOT OMNI station, can self-empty their bins and fill their water tanks, allowing convenience without hands.

3. App control

The majority of robot vacuums come with an app that monitors cleaning progress and schedule cleaning sessions. They also connect to smart home devices. Many robot vacuums can be controlled by voice using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Certain models come with a remote control that allows you to begin, pause, and return to dock. Pick a model that comes with a larger dustbin and can self-empty, rather than one that needs manual emptying.

Some robovacs come with mapping technology that helps them remember obstacles, such as the stairs, and also avoid running into furniture. Others let you designate no-go zones and targeted rooms, so that they only clean areas that require it the most. They also have cliff sensor to stop them from falling, which is particularly useful in multi-level homes.

If you intend to make use of your robot vacuum to clean your rugs pick one that is capable of dry mopping as well as wet. You'll get better results from a robot vac that can remove its own mop pad as well, which you can then wash and reattach when it's time for another cleaning cycle. Look for robots with the rubber roller. It will be less likely to get caught from pet hair or other debris. It's a good idea examine the robot's brushroll and side brushes for stuck-on debris once or twice a week, too. If you notice that they are beginning to get clogged up, it may be time to purchase replacement parts.

4. Debris collection

Robot vacuums are created to, as the name suggests, to remove dust and other debris from your floors. The best ones pick up fine particles like baking soda and sand, as well as larger pieces like orzo pasta, screws made of metal and pet hair. They also provide better pick-up results on carpets with low pile than the majority of manual vacuums.

The top-performing robots across all flooring types had scores higher than 95 percent. The ECOVACS DEEBOT X2 OMNI and the Roborock Q Revo were two of our best-performing bots in this category. Both are highly automated, with robust docking stations that do maintenance on their own, and features in the app that make them extremely user-friendly.

Both have self-emptying bins that automatically take the contents of the wastebasket and can clean the washboard while mowing. They also have an 8,000Pa vacuum, smart mapping technology, and advanced obstacle avoidance to help them navigate even the most difficult areas. The ECOVACS model is also one of the few robots that we tested that can remove its mop pads and vacuum carpet making it the ideal option for those who need to change between mopping and vacuuming regularly.

If you're looking for a cheaper alternative, take a look at the Roomba Combo J7 by iRobot Plus, our budget-friendly pick. It comes with LIDAR navigation and decent debris pickup capabilities for the price. It can be a bit slow in mapping rooms and has a tendency of hitting obstacles, but the price is less than the other choices.

5. Battery life

The most effective robot vacuums let you go about your day while keeping your floors in perfect state. It is still necessary to manually clean your home every so often however, robovacs can help you maintain a basic level of cleanliness, and will even keep your home clean when you're away.

To maximize the time you can use your robovac, make sure you choose an advancé with a long battery life. If you use the highest power setting, a model should last two cleaning sessions. This is not as long as a large vacuum cleaner, but it is enough to be sufficient for most homes. If you don't want to sit for your robovac to recharge you can select one that will automatically return to the base station for charging.

If you're looking for a robot that can do a bit of everything, think about an all-in-one machine that can mop as well. Eufy's X10 is the most effective model in this class and includes self-emptying, self-draining and self-refilling of the dust container as well as the mop pad. It can even be programmed to automatically re-fill and wash its own mops when they're low.

Its dependable carpet and hard floor pickup, great hair pickup and tangle avoidance, and an almost perfect auto empty score makes it the clear winner of our test scores. However, it's not cheap and unless you live in a the smallest of homes without pets, it may be too expensive for some. The second-placed model one, the Dreametech D10+, has very similar performance but is priced 25% less.