How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

A robot vacuum can help you save time and effort in the case of regular cleaning. The best ones are adept at getting rid of dust light debris, cords and dust.

The pricier ones even mop your floors--though they still can't climb stairs. Choose models that have intelligent mapping, real-time hazards avoidance, and spacious self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The top robots in our testing are efficient and easy to use and are able to cope with everyday debris. You'll also need a robot that can take on stairs and has adequate ability to pick up carpets. If you're looking for a robot with extra features, consider a model that has smart mapping technology or an app to remote control vacuum cleaner it remotely.

Camryn Rabideau is a contributing shopping writer and product reviewer at PEOPLE who has tested numerous robotic vacuum cleaner sale vacuums. She's a big fan of robotic floor scrubber vacuums that offer the greatest convenience, including self-emptying dustbins and charging docks that automatically empty and refill water tanks for mopping robots. She's also a fan of robots that recognize landmarks such as furniture legs and power cords so they don't get caught when climbing steps.

This robot from Black and Decker has a lower score on navigation and has less object-avoidance technology than the best-rated models. However, it does have an enormous dust bin that doesn't need frequent emptying, and has a long battery life. It also comes with an option that allows you to schedule cleaning times and then return to the place it stopped last, making it easier for you to clean larger areas. This model is also a good option for pet owners as it can spot and eliminate hair tangled and fallen food particles.

In our tests, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combines with a LIDAR sensor that is able to map rooms and see obstacles with an organized 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 to be used in the future for reference. It is also able to stop the cleaning process at any moment and pick up where it left off and let you do chores while the robot does its work. The app offers a 3D view of your home, with room labels as well as advanced cleaning options.

The robot isn't as good at cleaning as our top models, however it excels in picking up larger items like orzo pasta, metal screws, and fine debris such as sand. Its only downsides are that it cannot mop, and its navigation system is less impressive.

The best for Carpet

If you have carpeting in your home, you should look for a robot vacuum with excellent pickup and good maneuverability scores on carpet and rug. Many models are good at collecting dust from low-pile rugs. Some are capable of cleaning up larger debris, such as orzo pasta and screws made of steel. But they don't pick up small particles as well as canister or upright vacuums, and they may not pick up dirt that is ground-in close to thresholds and baseboards.

The best cheap robot vacuum [please click the following article] option for carpeted homes is a 2-in-1 robot vacuum near me vacuum and mop that allows you to swap between the cleaning bin as well as a damp mopping pad. The Roborock Q Revo, for example, is a vacuum cleaner and wet mop with circular pads that rotate at a rate of 200 rotations per minute. It detects and lifts its pads when they come into contact with carpet, preventing the flooring from getting wet. You don't have to remove them or replace them every time. The Q Revo also performs better than other robot vacuum/mops in keeping away from obstacles and being close to carpets and thresholds.

The iRobot Roomba Combo i5 is another good option. It performed well in our tests, and you can schedule it to clean your home when you are away. It can be set up to mop only. We loved its navigation on floors that are not bare and carpets. The Combo i5 has a long runtime and excellent path planning for a device of this size.

If you're looking for a advanced model, look into the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Self-Empty Robot Vacuum & Mop. It has a large charging dock that can last for weeks without needing to be emptying, and it has amazing navigation capabilities and auto-emptying on both bare floors and carpets. It also has a smart mapping system that can be set to only run for certain times (a useful feature to stop mischievous children and dextrous animals from running wild). The Shark is less powerful than other mop/robot combinations however, it does pick up pet hair and hair very well. It's also the most affordable value of our top choices.

Best for Hard Flooring

Robot vacuums are the best choice for floors with hardwood floors because they can navigate around obstacles without causing damage to floors that aren't. They are great at picking up dust and crumbs, but they struggle with pet hair or larger debris. They don't have the suction power of a top-of-the-line upright or canister vacuum, meaning they're not an ideal choice for carpeted areas or upholstery that needs deep cleaning.

The most effective robots are those that are two-in-one, which combine a vacuum with a mop to do a complete job in one move. If you have mixed flooring you should look for a model with an onboard sensor which detects changes in the floor's texture and adjusts suction to match. This feature is available on the ECOVACS Deebot T9+ and lets it effortlessly switch from hard carpeting to soft carpeting.

If you have lots of hardwood flooring in your home, you may want to consider a robot mop and vacuum like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model uses a powerful robotic vacuum that has intelligent navigation to clean hardwood floors and other hard surfaces, and it can mop as well. Its sensors assist it in avoiding staircases and other hazards, so you don't have to worry about the robot falling down the stairs and breaking your hardwood.

The eufy S1 Pro mop is designed to clean hardwood floors using downward pressure, rather than simply swab them to get rid of dirt and dust. The mop pads that are reusable reduce waste, spread germs less, and can be cleaned in the docking station, saving you time. The mop pads can also be dried, washed, and reused.

Both the robovac and the mop can be controlled from your smartphone to make it easier to manage the device. For instance, you can use the app to set up an area that the vacuum cannot enter, label separate rooms, or schedule cleaning sessions for specific areas. The eufy S1 Pro also has an auto-emptying dock that collects debris through a trapdoor and is then stored in a bagless or disposable bin, meaning you don't need to manually empty the bin like you do with other models.

Ideal for small Spaces

These robots are designed for small spaces. They have smaller bins that can hold less debris, and they're more efficient than larger models when it comes to navigating tight corners. They can also be placed under furniture where larger robots can't reach. They are usually less expensive than the more expensive models, as well, but you'll have to empty their dirt compartments at the end of each cleaning session.

A couple of years ago, robotic vacuums underwent a significant change as manufacturers began adding sensors to help them navigate and avoid household objects that traditional sensors would be stuck on or over. This improved the number of times our testers were required to clean up after a robot accident.

The new sensors don't solve all issues with these machines however. The cheaper models are still not able to tackle the same obstacles as the older models, and they need some level of illumination to be able to know where they are going. If you reside in a dark area or have lots of low-profile furniture, consider buying a model that utilizes a top-mounted spinning LIDAR unit to map your area, as our top overall and runner-up choices do. This will allow them to avoid obstacles like stairs and other ones while working in the dark.

In addition being capable of working in dark, these models can be configured to use their cliff sensors only when they're close to or on the floor, not when they're above them. It is still recommended to cover any mirrors that could interfere with this function however, since the laser used by a LIDAR-based model could bounce off reflective surfaces and cause the robot to believe it's in another room.

A few of the models we recommend also let you set up virtual no-go zones for areas you do not want the robot go, which is beneficial if you have small pets or children. These features aren't offered on all of the models we test, so be sure to go through our complete reviews of the choices below before you make a purchase.