Jai Bernhardt

Best Rated Robot Vacuum and Mop

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

The most advanced models are smart enough to trace your home's layout and note furniture placement. They can also identify hazards and avoid them, like loose charging cables or unintentional socks.

Object Avoidance

Object avoidance functions allow your robot to avoid hitting things like power cords, toys and clothes that get caught up in the vacuum. This is especially important if you have kids or pets who may be prone to leaving objects on the floor where your robot could discover them.

Based on the model you select, your robot may have a variety of sensor options to help it navigate around obstacles. Some of the most sought-after include crossed IR sensor beams, which are focused infrared lights that scan the room to look for furniture legs or door frames. A lot of robots have adopted this technology, and you can find it in the flagship models that cost more.

Other object avoidance technologies that are typically found in higher-end robots include 3D Structured Light, which makes use of cameras and crossed IR sensors to map the environment and identify obstacles; and Time of Flight (ToF) sensors which emit and measure the time it takes for light to reflect off of objects, to determine the distance to them. They aren't as common, but could be a great addition to your robot, in case you're looking to add peace of mind.

Besides cleaning up dust and other debris on hard floors Most of the top-rated robots can mop your floor as well. Some even have their own water tanks that allow them to wash away wet spills and messes. You will need to empty the robot's dust bin and clean its cameras and sensors between cleaning robot mop and vacuum sessions.

Mapping

Mapping capabilities are essential in robot vacuums because they enable them to remember your home's layout and prevent them from bumping into objects like walls. They can be tripped up by pet toys, cords or furniture without mapping. This will result in them cleaning less space. By using sensors, many robots map out your home to keep track of any obstacles and help them navigate around them. They can sweep the floor in fewer passes and help you save time. Many of the best robot cleaner robot vacuums also have this feature, which allows you to create areas of no-go.

Robots with built-in LIDAR system use this technology to map out your home quickly and efficiently. During our tests, the Eufy Clean robot made use of this feature to divide my room into various areas and clean each independently this was a significant improvement over the lesser models we tested, which used the front bump sensor. This was a far more precise way to navigate my home and was also easy to control using the on-device application.

While there are no robot vacuums that can climb stairs, the most effective models have mapping and obstacle avoidance features. These tools let them collect debris from low-pile and hard floors, and avoid falling down the stairs. Some have cliff sensors that prevent them from going over the edge of the stairs and some also have boundary strips that can keep them away from certain areas.

Certain robots have large towers on the base that collects dirt. This helps reduce the amount of dust or allergens released in your home. These bases can last for several months or even weeks between emptying, which is especially beneficial for those with allergies. Additionally, some models come with self-emptying systems that let you take out the dust bins without having to manually open and close them.

Wi-Fi enabled

Some robot vacuums utilize Wi-Fi to communicate with their apps which allows users to control them with your smartphone instead of (or in addition to) an actual remote. These models are more expensive however, they can save time since you can schedule cleaning time every day, weekly, or monthly. These models also allow you to edit floor maps, save them and offer alternate cleaning patterns.

The most advanced robot vacuums utilize dual sensors, which combine the LIDAR system to map your space using a structured light sensor that can detect objects and avoid them, even if they're buried under furniture or power cords. Those features make it easier for your robot to get into narrow spaces like the nook under the kitchen cabinets or beneath sofas, where many other robots have difficulty. They are also faster to maneuver around obstacles, have longer run times and larger dust bins. This makes them ideal for homes with large spaces compared to basic robots.

The most effective robot vacuums are quick and efficient. They are also intelligent and powerful. They can pick up a wide range of floor debris, including pet hair, cat litter and other dirt. They're also quiet, which makes them a great choice for homes that have pets or young children. The majority of 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. With proper maintenance (cleaning the rotating brushes and keeping tabs on the parts that need replacement) robots can last as long as a conventional full-size vacuum cleaner. PCWorld provides a guide that includes some helpful tips to ensure that your robot is running smoothly.

Larger Dust Bags

While a robotic vacuum may not be as efficient as an upright or canister model, it is great in removing dust and debris that regular vacuuming leaves behind. It is a great tool for quick repairs to floors that are not clean and is able to maneuver around cords and other obstacles in your home. You can employ robots to clean your floors according to a schedule when you don't have the time to do it yourself.

A few of the top-rated robotic vacuums come with big dust bags which can hold more dirt than a single room. This can save time and money by providing replacement bags. This feature is available on several models, including our top model which is the Ecovacs T30S Combo. This robovac all-in-one has an excellent performance score and comes with an auto-emptying bin. It comes with a mopping function and an efficient navigation. It is a close race between the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ and this one, which is equipped with the latest technology for avoidance and smart mapping. This model has a greater capacity but is slightly more expensive.

Another big difference between these two models is how they handle hair that is long which can get caught in the rollers on some robots. The top-performing models are the Roborock Q5 Max+ and SwitchBot K10S Plus, both have superb hair pickup and tangle avoidance scores along with fantastic path planning and near perfect auto empty results. The eufy and Shark Matrix Plus are also excellent options with decent hair pickup and tangle avoiding, but not as much path-planning or auto empty.

The most recent robots are outfitted with sensors that can detect dirt and other debris on carpets and they're better in removing pet hair. Some robots feature a mopping mode that makes use of the reservoir of water to get rid of stuck-on messes and spills. This feature is a must-have for families with pets as well as children.

Maintenance

A robot vacuum can help you keep up with your home. The best models can collect more dirt from the surface, pet hair and lint, than a broom on low pile or hard flooring. They also have navigation features that prevent them from getting caught on cords for power or rug fringe and are able to glide effortlessly under furniture.

Based on the model, a highly rated robot vacuum is also able to run multiple times per day or allow you to watch it in action using an app. However, these useful devices can also be prone to clogging and require regular maintenance, such as emptying the onboard bin (or the base's bigger dust bin in some instances), checking brushes for hair that has become tangled and regularly rinsing and letting the filters dry as suggested by the manufacturer.

Emily Rairdin is a vacuum expert and store owner apprentice at University Vacuum + Sewing. She believes that a robotic cleaner and mop vacuum can last for three to five years if it is properly care. She recommends emptying the bin and the brush roll regularly cutting out hair that gets caught in the brushes, and frequently washing and drying the filter, especially if it is a mop as well. It's a good idea clean the sensors and charging contacts on the dock or the robot with an easy clean cloth every now and again. Then, refill and recharge the robot whenever you need to for the next time you clean.