The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Vacuuming is a major cause of many lives, but robot vacuums make it a little more enjoyable. Modern models mop and can even climb (small) steps.

Some have a small trash bin that they empty by themselves. Others can be controlled by apps for smartphones instead of the physical remote. Some have mapping capabilities that assist in navigating your home more efficiently.

1. Power

With the suction power of 8,000Pa Our top choice for robot vacuums is powerful enough to handle the worst dirt patches and hairs. Its ultra-thin square shape allows it to slide under furniture, such as couches and beds. Dual-Laser LIDAR technology provides precise obstacle avoidance as well as intelligent navigation. It also does a fantastic job of cleaning pet hair baking soda, sand, and other debris close to the baseboards as well as in corners.

Apart from the DEEBOT X2 OMNI, other high-powered bots on this list include the Robot Roomba J7+ as well as the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra. It comes with a powerful docking station that automates maintenance and has mopping functionality as well. Its powerful suction and effective mopping kept my floors free of pet hair, muddy paw prints, and other debris in every floor type test that we conducted.

In the lower cost range, a model that has 2,500Pa of suction is sufficient for the majority of homes. They are also quieter, making them the ideal option for people who have sensitive hearing. They aren't silent, but they are only about the same as normal conversations at home.

To find the ideal balance of usability and power Consider your cleaning requirements and budget. Frequent light-duty tidying requires a longer runtime and a lower suction, while weekly heavy-duty cleaning requires a lot of power. Take a look at your flooring, layout of your home and cleaning schedules in order to select the best model for your requirements. We suggest looking through our full list of robot vacuum reviews (pop over here) and ratings for more details about the latest models available. Many customers report having their carpets and floors looking much cleaner after introducing a robotic vacuum into their home.

2. Navigation

A robot vacuum won't be able to do its job well when it doesn't know how to get around your home. The best robots employ sophisticated navigation technologies to scan rooms and create a map, ensuring thorough cleaning without getting stuck or hitting obstacles. There are three main types of robot vacuums that mop navigation: LiDAR-based sensor-based, and camera-based.

The most expensive models use LiDAR to build a virtual map of the room, offering the highest level of accuracy and efficiency. Bump sensors are employed in less expensive models, but they aren't always accurate and miss a lot debris when working in dark environments. Many robots also have cliff sensors to stop them from falling down stairs or other drops.

Many of the robots I tried used object recognition to navigate things like cords and fake dog turds. However, the Eufy X10 was the best. It had excellent mapping capabilities with powerful oscillating mops, an intuitive app and the ability to clean a area, room or the entire home.

Think about features like floor type sensors that automatically increase suction power when needed. Some robots, such as the Roborock mop, utilize a mopping pad lift to get into corners and clean up dried spills. Many hybrids can apply cleaning solution to stubborn stains.

A smaller size of the bin will require less frequent emptying, whereas larger ones can save money on replacements. The most affordable robotic cleaners generally employ a tiny disposable dust bag, while most mid-range models have larger 3L dustbins that last for decades. Some premium robots, like the ECOVACS DEEBOT OMNI station, will automatically empty their dustbin and refill their water tanks for hands-free convenience.

3. App control

The best robot mop vacs have an application that lets you track cleaning progress and schedule sessions and can connect to your smart home devices to allow hands-free control. Many robot vacuums can be controlled using voice commands, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Some models have a separate remote control that lets you start or pause, and then return to dock. Choose a model that has a larger trash bin and can self-empty, rather than one that needs manual emptying.

Some robovacs come with mapping technology that can help them recognize obstacles, such as stairs, and avoid getting into furniture. Some allow you to create no-go zones or specific rooms, ensuring that they only clean areas that require it the most. They also have cliff sensors to prevent them from falling down the stairs, which is especially useful in multi-level homes.

If you plan to use your robot vacuum to clean rug carpets, you should choose one that can be used both for wet and dry mopping. You'll have better results cleaning by having your robot vacuum remove its mop pad. Clean it and attach it again when you are ready to run another cleaning cycle. Also, look for a model with a rubber roller that is less susceptible to tangles due to pet hair and other debris than a bristle roller, as found on some cheaper models. Check the robot's side brush and brushroll for any debris that might have been stuck to them. Make sure to do this at least twice per week. If you notice that they are starting to clog up it could be time to buy replacement parts.

4. Debris collection

As the name implies robot vacuums are made to remove dust and other debris from your floors. The best robot vacuums will pick up tiny particles like baking soda and sand as well as larger ones like screws made of metal orzo, as well as pet hair. They also have better results on carpets with a low pile than many manual vacuums.

In all flooring types, the top-performing robots had pickup scores of over 95%. The ECOVACS DEEBOT X2 OMNI and the Roborock Q Revo were the two best robot vacuum that mops-performing bots in this category. Both are highly automated and feature robust docking stations that perform maintenance on their own. They also have app features that make them incredibly user-friendly.

Both come with self-emptying bins which automatically collect the waste from the wastebasket, and clean the washboard while you mow. They also have suction of 8,000Pa, smart mapping technology, and advanced obstacle avoidance that can help them navigate even the most challenging spaces. The ECOVACS model is also among the few robots that we tested that could remove its mop pads and vacuum carpet which makes it the ideal choice for users who need to switch between mopping and vacuuming frequently.

If you're looking for a less expensive alternative, we suggest the Roomba Combo J7 from iRobot+, our budget pick. It offers LIDAR navigation for reasonable prices and decent performance in the collection of debris. It can be a bit slow in mapping rooms and has a tendency of bumping into obstacles, but the price is lower than our other picks.

5. Battery life

The most effective robot vacuums are made to let you move on with your life while keeping your floors in tip-top span. You'll still need to manually vacuum your home on a regular basis but robovacs can aid in maintaining a certain level of cleanliness and even keep your home clean when you're away.

Choose a robovac that has long-lasting batteries to get the most of it. A good guideline is to anticipate a model to last for about two cleaning sessions if you use it at the highest power setting. This is less than a full-sized vacuum, but should be sufficient to clean most homes. If you don't wish to wait while your robovac recharges, you can choose one that will automatically return to the base station for charging.

If you're looking to buy a robovac with a bit of everything in it, then think about an option that also mop. Eufy's X10 is the most effective model of this category comes with self-emptying and self refilling for the dust bin, the water tank, and mop pad. It is also programmable to automatically refill and wash its own mop pads when they're running low.

The clear winner in our tests is the Dyson V810, robot vacuum reviews due to its outstanding carpet and hard floor pickup, outstanding hair pickup, tangle-free performance and a near perfect auto empty score. It's not cheap and unless you have the space of a small home with no pets, it might be too costly for some. The runner-up, the Dreametech D10+, has the same performance, but costs about 25 percent less.