Michel Gritton

The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Robot vacuums can make the chore of vacuuming less painful. Modern models can also mop and even climb (small) steps.

They have a small trash bin that they empty themselves, and some are controlled from a smartphone app instead of a physical remote. Some come with mapping features to aid in navigation.

1. Power

Our top pick for robot vacuums comes with a suction force of 8000Pa, which is strong enough to remove even the most stubborn hairs and dirt. Its ultra-thin square shape allows it to slide beneath furniture, such as beds and sofas. Dual-Laser LIDAR technology offers precise obstacle avoidance as well as intelligent navigation. It's also great for cleaning pet hair, baking powder, and other debris near baseboards and corners.

Apart from the DEEBOT X2 OMNI, other top-of-the-line bots on this list include the iRobot Roomba J7+ and the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra. The latter comes bundled with a powerful docking station that is able to perform maintenance and mopping functions as well. Its powerful suction, combined with its effective mopping feature, made sure my floors were free of pet hair, muddy prints and other messes on all floors we test.

A model with 2,500Pa suction will suffice for homes that are in the lower price range. They are also quieter, making them a better choice for people with hearing issues. They aren't silent, but they're not about the same as normal conversations at home.

For the best mix of performance and convenience take into consideration your cleaning needs and budget. For frequent light-duty cleaning you will require a longer time-to-run and a lower suction is required. Cleaning that is heavy-duty every week requires maximum power. Examine your flooring, layout of your home and cleaning schedules prior to selecting the right model. We suggest looking through our full list of robot vacuum reviews and ratings to get more details about the latest models available. Many users report having their carpets and floors appear cleaner after introducing a robot vacuum mop cleaner robot to their home.

2. Navigation

A robot vacuum can't perform its task when it doesn't know how to navigate your home. The best robots use sophisticated navigation technologies to scan rooms and build maps, ensuring thorough cleaning without getting stuck or hitting obstacles. There are three main kinds of good robot vacuum navigation: LiDAR-based camera-based and sensor-based.

LiDAR is utilized by the most expensive models to create a virtual room map, offering the highest levels in precision and efficiency. The less expensive models rely on bump sensors, which are more prone to error and tend to miss the majority of debris in dark areas. Most robots also feature cliff sensors to prevent them from falling down stairs or other falls.

Several robots in my tests employed object recognition to skillfully navigate around things such as fake dog turds and cords, however, the best was the Eufy X10. It had powerful mop heads that oscillate as well as a user-friendly application with excellent mapping capabilities.

Other features worth considering include floor type sensors that recognize hard floors and soft carpet, automatically boosting suction power when required. Certain robots such as the Roborock mop utilize mopping pad that lifts to reach into corners and clean up dried spills. Many hybrids can even apply cleaning solutions to tough staining.

A smaller size of the bin will require less frequent emptying, whereas bigger ones will cost less to replace. The cheapest robotic cleaners usually employ a tiny disposable dust bag, whereas the majority of mid-range models come with larger dust bins of 3L that last for many years. Certain high-end robots, such as the EcoVACS DEEBOT OMNI Station are able to self-empty and fill up their water tanks for hands-free convenience.

3. App control

The best robot vacs have an application that lets you track cleaning progress and schedule sessions, and most can connect to smart home devices for hands-free control. Many robot vacuum that mops vacuums can be controlled by voice using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Some have a remote control that allows you to start the process, pause it and then return to dock. Find a model with a bigger dustbin that can self-empty instead of one that requires manual emptying.

Certain robovacs come with technology for mapping to help them avoid obstacles such as furniture and stairs. Certain robovacs permit you to define no-go zones and rooms so that they only clean those areas which need it the most. They also have a cliff sensor to prevent them from falling, which is particularly helpful in multi-leveled homes.

If you want to use your robot vacuum for cleaning carpets, select a model which can be used both for dry and wet mopping. You'll have better results cleaning by having your robot vacuum remove its mop pad. Rinse it, and then reattach it when you need to run another cleaning cycle. Find robots that have a rubber roller. It is less likely to become tangled from pet hair or other particles. It's recommended to examine the robot's brushroll and side brushes for debris that has gotten stuck once or twice a week Also. If you notice that they're beginning to clog, it may be time to purchase replacement parts.

4. Collection of debris

robot cleaner vacuums are designed to, as the name suggests, to collect dust and debris from your floors. The best ones are able to pick fine particles such as baking soda and sand as well larger pieces such as orzo pasta, metal screws, and pet hair. They also deliver better results on carpets with low pile than manual vacuums.

All flooring types are covered, and the top-performing robots had pickup scores of over 95 percent. The ECOVACS DEEBOT X2 OMNI and the Roborock Q Revo were our two most efficient bots in this class. Both are highly automated with robust docking stations that do maintenance on their own. They also have app features that make them incredibly user-friendly.

Both come with self-emptying bins which automatically suck up the contents of the wastebasket and can clean the washboard while you mow. They also have an 8,000Pa vacuum, smart mapping technology, and advanced obstacle avoidance to help them navigate through the most difficult of spaces. The ECOVACS robot is among the few that can mop carpet and take away mop pads. This makes it a great option for those who need to switch between mopping and vacuuming often.

If you want a cheaper alternative, we suggest the iRobot Roomba Combo J7+, our budget pick. It offers LIDAR navigation at reasonable prices and decent debris collection performance. It's not the fastest to map rooms and can be prone to bumping into obstacles, however, it's cheaper than our other best-buy selections.

5. Battery life

The best automatic vacuum cleaner robot vacuums are designed to let you get moving with your day while they keep your floors clean and spick and span. While you'll still need to give your home a manual sweeping every now and again Robotic vacuums can help maintain a baseline level of tidiness and even clean while you're away from home.

To maximize the amount of time you can use your robovac, choose an advancé with a long battery life. If you select the highest power setting, a model should last about two cleaning sessions. This is less than a typical size vacuum cleaner, however it will be sufficient to be sufficient for most homes. If you don't like to be waiting around while your robovac recharges, you can also opt for an automatic model that makes its return to the base station to recharge.

If you are looking for a robovac that does a little amount of everything, you should consider an all-in-one machine that can mop too. Eufy's X10 is the most effective model in this category and includes self-emptying, self-draining and self-refilling of your dust bin and mop pad. It can be programmed to automatically refill and wash its mop pads as soon as they run out.

Its high-quality 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. It's not cheap, however and unless you live in a an apartment with no pets, it could be too pricey for some. The Dreametech D10+ is the second choice and has the same performance, but costs around 25% less.