Jade Ketner

Best Rated Robot Vacuum and Mop

Eufy's top-rated robot mop and vacuum takes a lot of the hands-off work out of keeping your floors tidy. It can replenish its own water tank as well as empty its tower bin. It also has the capability to change its dust bag.

Advanced models can map your house and take note of furniture arrangement. They can also identify hazards and navigate around them, like loose charging cables or unintentional socks.

Object Avoidance

Object avoidance allows your robot to avoid hitting things such as cords, toys and clothes that could get caught in the vacuum. This is especially important if you have kids or pets that are likely to leave items on the floor, which your robot will find them.

Depending on the model you choose, you might have a variety of sensors that can assist your robot in its journey through obstacles. A few popular ones include crossed IR sensors that focus beams of infrared lights across the room to detect things like doors and furniture legs. This technology is used by many robots available and you can get it in top models that cost more than other models.

Other technology for avoiding objects are typically found in more expensive robots are 3D Structured Light, which uses cameras and crossed IR sensors to map the surroundings and identify obstacles; and Time of Flight (ToF) sensors that emit and measure the time it takes for light to reflect off objects, to determine the distance between them. They aren't as common, but can be an excellent option to add to your robot in case you're looking to add security.

Most of the top-rated robots are also able to mop your floors. Some even have their own water tanks, allowing them to clean up wet spills and messes. You will need to empty the dust bin and clean its cameras and sensors in between cleaning sessions.

Mapping

robot vacuums best vacuums must have mapping capabilities. This lets them navigate your home and avoid bumping against things like walls. They could be tripped by cords, pet toys, or furniture without mapping. This can result in them removing less space. Using sensors, most robots map out your home to identify 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 vacuums also have this feature, which enables you to designate areas that are not accessible.

Robots that have built-in LIDAR utilize this technology to map your home quickly and effectively. The Eufy Clean robot separated my room into different areas and cleaned each independently during our tests. This was a huge improvement over other models that only used a front-bumper sensor. This was a more accurate method of navigating my home and it was easy to control with the app on the device.

Although there aren't any robot vacuums that can climb stairs, top models do come with mapping and obstacle avoidance features. These tools let them remove debris from low-pile and hard floors, and avoid falling down stairs. Some have cliff sensors that prevent them from going over the edge of the stairs, and some have boundary strips that can prevent them from certain areas.

Certain robots have a huge tower base which holds their dirt and debris, reducing the amount of dust and allergens that are released into your home. These bases can be left for weeks or even months without being emptied, which is especially helpful for those who suffer from allergies. Some models come with self-emptying dust bins that you can empty without opening or closing them manually.

Wi-Fi enabled

Some robot vacuums connect via Wi-Fi with their applications. This lets you control them with your smartphone instead (or in addition) to the physical remote. They are more expensive, but they help you save time by letting you schedule cleaning times on a weekly, daily or even monthly basis. They also permit you to modify and save floor maps and offer alternative cleaning schedules.

The most advanced robot vacuums utilize dual sensors, combining the LIDAR system to map your space with a structured light sensor that is able to see objects and avoid them, even if they're hidden under furniture or power cords. Those features make it easier for your robot to enter tight spaces such as the nook underneath your kitchen cabinets and under sofas, areas where other robots have trouble. They're also faster to get around obstacles and have longer running times thanks to larger dust bins, making them ideal for larger homes than entry-level robots.

The best rated robot vacuums tend to be quick, efficient and effective, picking up most kinds of floor debris, including pet hair, cat litter, and other messes. They also are quiet, which makes them an excellent choice for homes that have pets and young children. Most robot vacuum owners we've spoken to report that they enjoy the convenience of having their floors cleaned with little effort, particularly if they use it regularly. With proper maintenance (cleaning the rotating brushes and keeping an eye on the parts that need replacement) robots can last longer than a traditional full-size vacuum cleaner. PCWorld offers a helpful guide that covers some important techniques to keep your machine running in good shape for the years to come.

Larger Dust Bags

A robotic vacuum is not as efficient at cleaning as a canister or upright vacuum, but it's great at picking up the dust and dirt that regular vacuuming leaves behind. It can also be used for quick repairs to floors and can maneuver around cords and other obstacles that are common to household use. You can employ robots to clean your floors on a schedule in case you don't have the time to do it yourself.

Some of the top-rated robot vacuums have large dust bags which can hold more dirt than a room. This will help you save time and money on bags that need to be replaced. This feature is available on many models which includes our top model, the Ecovacs T30S Combo. This all-in one robovac is a high-performance robovac and comes with a self emptying bin. It also comes with a mopping function and efficient navigation. This 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. The robovac is more expensive, however it has a bigger capacity.

Another significant difference between these two models is how they handle hair that is long that can get caught in the rollers of some robots. The best-performing models, the Roborock Q5 Max+ and SwitchBot K10S Plus, both have superb hair pickup and tangle avoidance scores, along with great path planning and near perfect auto empty results. The Eufy and Shark Matrix Plus are also great options, with good hair pickup and tangle avoidance but not as much planning for paths or auto empty.

The latest robots come with sensors that detect dirt and other debris in the carpet, and they're better at picking up hairs that have fallen off of pets. Some even have a dedicated mopping mode that makes use of the reservoir of water to wash away spills and messes that have gotten stuck. This feature is crucial for families with children and pets.

Maintenance

Having a robot vacuum is a great aid in keeping up with your home. The top models can remove more dirt pet hair and lint, than the broom that is used on low-pile or hard flooring. They also have navigation capabilities that ensure they don't get stuck on rug fringe or power cords and can glide easily under furniture.

Depending on the model, a top-rated robotic hoovers vacuum can also be scheduled to run multiple times a day or allow you to view it in action via an app. These machines are useful but they also get clogged and require regular maintenance. This includes emptying the dust bin onboard (or in some cases, the base's larger bin) as well as checking the brushes for tangled fur and a regular cleaning of the filters and allowing them to dry in accordance with the manufacturer.

Emily Rairdin is a vacuum expert and store owner apprentice from University Vacuum + Sewing. She says that a robot vacuum can last from three to five years if it is properly maintenance. She recommends regularly emptying the bin and brush roll and cutting off hair that's tangled up in the brushes and regularly cleaning and drying the filter when your robot is also used as mop. It's also a good idea to clean the sensors and charging contacts on the dock or the robot every now and then with a soft cloth. You can then refill and recharge your robot vacuum reviews prior to the next cleaning session.