Clarice Meyers

How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Robot vacuums can help you save time and effort when it comes to regular cleaning. Top performers do a good job of removing dust and other small particles and many allow you to designate no-go zones in pet areas or power cords.

The ones that are more expensive will even sweep your floor however they're not able to climb up stairs. Look for models that have smart mapping, real time safety features, and large self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The best robots we tried were reliable, user-friendly, and able keep up with the daily debris. You'll also need a robot vac capable of handling stairs and has good pick-up power on carpets. If you're looking for additional features, you may be interested in a robot with smart mapping technology or an application that allows you to control it remotely.

Camryn Rabideau is a contributing reviewer and writer for shopping at PEOPLE who has tried many robotic vacuums. She's a big fan of robot cleaner amazon vacuums that provide the greatest convenience, such as self-emptying bins and charging docks that automatically empty and refill water tanks for mopping robots. She's also a big fan of the robots that can recognize landmarks such as furniture legs and power cords to ensure they don't trip when climbing steps.

Compared to the top-rated models this Black and Decker vacuum has less object-avoidance technology and its score for navigation is lower. It does however have an ample dust bin that doesn't require frequent emptying and a long battery life. Additionally, it comes with the ability to schedule cleaning sessions and return to the spot where it last stopped which makes it easier to clean larger homes. This model is also a good option for pet owners as it is able to spot and eliminate hair tangled and fallen food particles.

In our tests, we found that the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combined the LIDAR (light) sensor that can identify rooms and obstacles with a structured-light sensor to identify objects and detect edges. The combination lets it avoid stairs, droplets of liquid and furniture legs easily and save up to four floor maps for future use. It can pause and resume cleaning at any time, meaning that you can continue with your chores while it works. The app includes a 3D view of your home with room labels and advanced cleaning options.

Although this model isn't able to clean as well as our top-rated models, it excels in removing small particles like baking soda and sand and heavier items, such as orzo pasta and screws made of metal. The only downside is that it's not able to mop, and has a slightly less efficient navigation system.

Best for Carpet

If you have carpeting in your home, look for a vacuum that has good pickup and a high score for maneuverability on carpets and rug. Many models are good at cleaning dust from low-pile carpets, and some are capable of cleaning up larger debris like orzo pasta and screws made of steel. They aren't able to pick up fine particles like an upright or canister, and may miss dirt close to baseboards or thresholds.

The best choice for most expensive robot vacuum carpeted homes is a two-in-one robot vacuum and mop that lets you swap in a cleaning bin and a damp mopping pad. The Roborock Q Revo is a 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop that can clean and mop at the same time with circular pads spinning at 200 rotations a minute. It detects and lifts the pads when it is in contact with carpet to prevent wetting the floor. Additionally, you don't have to take them off or replace them after every use. The Q Revo is also more efficient than other robot vacuums and mops in avoiding obstacles and getting close to rugs and thresholds.

The iRobot Roomba Combo i5 is another solid option. It did well in our tests, and you can schedule it to clean your home when you are away. It can be set to only mop. We loved its navigation on floors that are not bare as well as rugs. The Combo i5 also has a extremely long run time and great path planning for a device of this size.

If you're looking for a high-tech model, consider the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Self-Empty robot vacuum Cleaner best Vacuum & Mop. It comes with a huge dock that can last for weeks without needing to be cleaned. It also has amazing ability to navigate and auto-empty on carpets and floors that are not cleaned. It's also got a smart-mapping feature and can be programmed to only operate during certain hours of the day (a useful feature that can keep the sly kids and pets from causing chaos). The Shark has less powerful suction than other robot vacuum black friday vacuum/mop combos but it's effective in removing hair and pet hair and is the best value of our top picks.

Best for Hard Flooring

Robot vacuums are best for floors with hardwood floors because they can maneuver around obstacles easily without damaging floors that aren't. They are excellent at of picking up crumbs and dust, but they struggle with pet hair and other large debris. They don't have the suction power of an expensive upright or canister vacuum, meaning they're not an ideal choice for carpeted areas or upholstery that needs deep cleaning.

The most effective two-in-one robots incorporate a vacuum and a mop and take care of a more complete chore in one pass. If you have mixed flooring, look for a model equipped with an onboard sensor that detects changes in the floor's texture and adjusts suction to match. The ECOVACS DEEBOT T9+, for instance, has this feature and can go seamlessly from soft to hard carpeting.

If your home is mostly composed of hardwood floors, think about an automated vacuum and mop combination like the eufy S1 Pro. This model is a powerful robotic vacuum with smart navigation that can clean hardwood floors and other surfaces. It can also mop. Its sensors help it avoid staircases and other hazards, so you don't have to be worried about the bot plummeting down the stairs and damaging your hardwood.

The Eufy S1 Pro mop is designed to clean hardwood floors by applying downward pressure, instead of simply swab them to get rid of dirt and dust. Its reusable pads reduce waste and spread fewer germs. They can also be cleaned at the docking stations to save time. The mop pads can also be washed and dried to stop the spread of mold.

Both the robovac and the mop can be controlled by your smartphone to make it easier to manage the device. You can, for instance, use the app to designate areas that the vacuum won't be allowed to enter, label different rooms or schedule specific cleaning times. The eufy S1 Pro has an auto-emptying port that collects debris through a trapdoor, and stores it in a bagless or disposable bin. This means that you won't need to empty the bin manually as often as with other models.

Ideal for small Spaces

These robots are designed for small spaces. They have smaller bins that contain less garbage, and are more efficient than the larger models in navigating tight corners. They can also be tucked under furniture, where larger robots struggle to get in. These robots are also cheaper than more expensive models, but you will need to empty their dirt bins manually at the end each cleaning session.

A few years ago, robot vacuums went through a major change when manufacturers started adding sensors to help navigate around and avoid household objects that their conventional sensors would become stuck on or over. This improved the number of times our testers had to clean up after a robot accident.

However, the new sensors haven't solved all of these machines' problems. The cheapest models are still struggling with the same obstacles that the older ones faced, and many of them need a certain amount of illumination to be able to see where they're going. You should consider a model that uses an LIDAR spinning unit that is mounted on top to create maps of the area. Our top model and the runners-up have this feature. This allows them to work in darkness and avoid obstacles such as stairs.

The models can also be programmed to only utilize their cliff sensors when they are on or near the ground, but not when they are above it. It is still recommended to cover any mirrors that may hinder this function, though, as the laser used by a LIDAR-based model could bounce off reflective surfaces, causing the robot to believe it is in another room.

Some of the models we recommend allow you to set up virtual no-go zones in areas where you do not want the robot go, which can be useful if you have small pets or children. These features aren't present on all models we test. Read our full reviews before deciding.