The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Robot vacuums can make the task of vacuuming less painful. Modern models mop and can even climb (small) steps.
They have a small dustbin that they empty themselves, and some can be operated by a smartphone app instead of the physical remote. Some of them have mapping capabilities that help them navigate your home more effectively.
1. Power
Our top pick for robotic vacuums comes with a suction force of 8000Pa, which is strong enough to remove even the most difficult hairs and dirt. The ultra-thin shape of the square allows it to slide beneath furniture like sofas and beds. Dual-Laser LIDAR technology allows for accurate obstacle avoidance and intelligent navigation. It is also great at cleaning pet hair, baking powder, and other debris near corners and baseboards.
Other powerful robots on this list, in addition to the DEEBOT X2 OMNI, include the iRobot Roomba J7+ aswell as the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra. It comes with a sturdy docking station that is able to perform maintenance and has mopping functionality as well. Its powerful suction, combined with its effective mopping, ensured my floors were free of pet hair, muddy prints and other messes on every type of floor we test.
In the lower cost range, a model with a suction capacity of around 2,500Pa is more than adequate for most homes. These units are quieter, which makes them an ideal choice for people with sensitive hearing. They're still not quiet, but they're not the same volume as normal conversations at home.
For the best mix of usability and power, consider your cleaning needs and budget. For regular light-duty cleaning, a longer runtime with less suction is needed. Cleaning that is heavy-duty every week requires the most power. Check your flooring, home layout, and cleaning schedules before selecting the right model. We recommend looking through our full list of robot vacuum reviews and ratings to get more details on the most recent models available. Many users have reported seeing their carpets and bare floors looking much cleaner after introducing a robotic vacuum to their home.
2. Navigation
A robot vacuum isn't able to perform its job properly when it doesn't know how to get around your home. Because of this, the best robots use sophisticated navigation systems that consistently scans rooms and creates maps to ensure thorough cleaning without getting lost or hitting obstacles. There are three kinds of robot navigation: LiDAR, camera and sensor.
The most expensive models employ LiDAR to create a virtual map of the room. This model offers the highest levels of accuracy and efficiency. Cheaper models rely on bump sensors, which are more prone to error and can miss a lot of debris in dark areas. The majority of robots have cliff sensors to prevent them from falling down stairs or other falls.
A number of the robots I tested utilized objects recognition to navigate through things like cords and fake dog turds. However, the Eufy X10 was the best. It had superb mapping capabilities, powerful oscillating mops, a user-friendly app and the ability to clean a specific zones, rooms or even the entire house.
Take into consideration features such as sensors for floors that automatically boost suction power when required. Certain robots, like the Roborock mops, use a mopping pad lift to reach corners and eliminate dried spills. Many hybrids can apply cleaning solutions to stubborn stains.
A smaller bin will require less frequent emptying, whereas bigger ones can save money on replacements. The majority of low-cost robotic cleaners utilize an inexpensive disposable dust bag. However, most mid-range models have larger 3L dustbins that last for a long time. Certain premium robots such as the EcoVACS DEEBOT OMNI Station will self-empty and fill up their water tanks for hands-free convenience.
3. App control
The best robot vacs have an app that lets you monitor cleaning progress and schedule your sessions, and most can connect to smart home devices for hands-free control. Many robot vacuums can be controlled by voice using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Some models have an on-screen remote that allows you to begin, pause, and return to dock. Look for a model with larger dustbins that self-empty, rather than one that requires manual emptying.
Some robovacs have mapping technology to help them avoid obstacles such as furniture and stairs. Certain robovacs let you designate no-go zones and specific rooms so that they only clean those areas which need it the most. They also have cliff sensor to prevent them from falling, which is helpful in multi-leveled homes.
If you want to make use of your robot vacuum to clean carpets, select a model which can be used both for dry and wet mopping. You'll be able to get better cleaning results when your vacuum can also remove its mop pad. Clean it and reconnect it when you want to run a new cleaning cycle. Also look for a robot with a rubber roller, which is less prone to tangles from pet hair and other debris than bristle rollers like those found on cheaper models. It's a good idea to examine the robot's brushroll and side brushes for stuck-on debris every week or once as well. If you notice that they're getting clogged it could be time to purchase replacement parts.
4. Debris collection
Like the name suggests, robot vacuums are designed to collect dust and debris from your floors. The best robot vacuums can pick up tiny particles like sand and baking soda, in addition to larger ones like screws made of metal orzo, as well as pet hair. They also have better results on carpets with low pile than manual vacuums.
In all flooring types, the top robots had pickup scores of over 95 percent. The two top-performing robots in this category were the ECOVACS DEEBOT X2 OMNI and the Roborock Q Revo. Both are highly automated with docking stations that perform maintenance on their own, and app features which make them extremely user-friendly.
They both come with self-emptying bins which automatically suck up the contents of the wastebasket and clean the washboard while you mow. They also come with an 8,000Pa vacuum cleaner, smart mapping technology, and advanced obstacle avoidance to help them navigate even the most difficult spaces. The ECOVACS robot is one of the few that can clean carpet and remove mop pads. This makes it an ideal option for those who need to switch between mopping and vacuuming often.
If you're seeking a lower-cost alternative, take a look at the Roomba Combo J7 from iRobot Plus, our budget pick. It comes with LIDAR navigation and decent debris pickup capabilities for the price. It's a bit slow to map out rooms and is susceptible to crashing into obstacles, but it's less expensive than our other top-rated selections.
5. Battery life
The best robot vacuums let you move about your day while keeping your floors in pristine condition. While you'll still have to give your home a manual sweeping every now and again robot vacuums can help you maintain a baseline level of cleanliness, and even wash when you're away.
To maximize auto vacuum cleaner of time you can get out of your robovac, make sure you choose the model that has a high battery life. A good guideline is to expect a model to last for around two complete cleaning sessions if you run it on the highest power setting. This is less than a large vacuum however, it should be enough to clean most homes. If you don't want to wait while your robovac charges you can select an option that automatically returns to the base station for charging.
If you're looking to buy a robovac with a variety of features in it, you should consider an option that also mop. Eufy's X10, the best model in this category, offers self-emptying and self-refilling for the dust bin as well as the water tank and the mop pad. It is also programmable to automatically refill and wash its own mop pads when they're running low.
Its dependable carpet and hard floor pickup, great hair pickup and tangle-free, and a near-perfect auto empty score makes it the clear winner of our test scores. However, it's not cheap and unless you live in a a small home without pets, it may be too expensive for some. The second-placed model, the Dreametech D10+, has very similar performance but is priced 25 percent less.
