The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Robot vacuums can make the task of vacuuming less painful. Today's models also mop and even climb (small) steps.

Some have a smaller bin that they empty on their own. Others can be controlled by a smartphone app rather than an actual remote. Some have mapping capabilities that assist in navigating your home more efficiently.

1. Power

With the suction power of 8,000Pa Our top pick for robot vacuums is powerful enough to handle the worst hairs and dirt. The ultra-thin shape of the square allows it to slide underneath furniture such as sofas and beds. Dual-Laser LIDAR technology provides accurate obstacle avoidance and intelligent navigation. It is also great at cleaning pet hair, baking powder and other messes around corners and baseboards.

Aside from the DEEBOT X2 OMNI, other high-powered bots on this list include the IRobot Roomba j7+ and the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra. The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra comes with a docking station which automatically handles maintenance. It also has mopping capabilities. Its powerful suction, combined with its efficient mopping, ensured my floors were free of pet hair, muddy prints, and other debris on all floors we tested.

A model that has 2500Pa suction should be sufficient for the majority of homes in the lower price range. These units are quieter, making them the ideal option for people who have sensitive hearing. They're not quiet, but they're not the same volume as normal conversations at home.

Think about your budget and cleaning requirements to find the perfect combination of power and convenience. For light-duty cleaning that is frequent, a longer runtime with less suction is recommended. Cleaning that is heavy-duty every week requires the most power. Examine your flooring, home layout and cleaning schedule prior to selecting the best model. We suggest looking through our entire list of robot vacuum reviews and ratings to get more details about the latest models available. Many customers report that their carpets and bare floors appear cleaner after using a robotic vacuum.

2. Navigation

A robot vacuum won't be able to do its job effectively when it doesn't know how to navigate your home. The most advanced robots utilize sophisticated navigation technologies to scan rooms and create a map, ensuring thorough cleaning without getting stuck or hitting obstacles. There are three types of robot navigation including LiDAR, camera, and sensor.

LiDAR is employed by the most expensive models to create a virtual room map, which provides the highest levels in precision and efficiency. Bump sensors are used in lower-end models, however they aren't always accurate and miss a lot debris when working in dark places. Most robots come with cliff sensors to stop them from falling off steps or other drops.

A variety of robots I tested utilized object recognition to efficiently navigate objects such as fake dog turds and cords, however, the best was the Eufy X10. It was a fantastic mapping device and powerful oscillating mops that could be used as an intuitive app and the ability to clean a zones, rooms or even the all of the house.

Other features worth considering include sensors for floors that can recognize hard floors and soft carpet automatically increasing suction power when necessary. Some robots, such as the Roborock mop use a mopping pad lift that allows you to get into corners and clean up dried spills. Many hybrids can even apply cleaning solutions to tough staining.

A smaller bin will require less frequent emptying, however, a larger one can save you money on replacements. The most affordable robotic cleaners generally employ a tiny disposable dust bag, whereas the mid-range models typically have larger 3L dustbins that last for decades. Certain high-end robots, such as the EcoVACS DEEBOT OMNI Station are able to self-empty and refill their water tanks, allowing hands-free convenience.

3. App control

Most robot vacuums come with an app that can monitor the progress of cleaning, schedule sessions and connect to smart home devices. They also connect to Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to allow voice-controlled control. Some have a dedicated remote control that lets you start or pause, and then return to dock. Choose a model that has an extra large dustbin and is able to self-empty rather than one that needs manual emptying.

Some robovacs come with mapping technology that can help them remember obstacles, such as stairs, and avoid running into furniture. Some robovacs allow you to designate no-go zones and specific rooms to clean the areas that require it the most. They also have cliff sensors to stop them from falling down the stairs, which is particularly useful in multi-level homes.

If you intend to utilize your robot vacuum to clean rugs pick one that is capable of both dry mopping as well as wet. You'll be able to get better cleaning results if your robot vacuum can remove its mop pad. Clean it and reconnect it when you want to conduct a clean-up cycle. Also look for a robot with a rubber roller, which is less prone to knots caused by pet hair and other debris than a bristle roll, as found on some smaller models. It's a good idea to examine the robot's brushroll and side brushes for debris stuck on every week or once, too. If you notice that they're beginning to clog, it may be time to replace parts.

4. Debris collection

Like the name suggests robot vacuums are made to collect dust and debris from your floors. The most effective robot vacuums are able to take tiny particles, such as baking soda and sand and larger ones like metal screws, orzo, and pet hair. They also deliver better results on low pile carpets than manual vacuums.

The top-performing robots across all flooring types had pickup scores greater than 95%. 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 can perform maintenance on their own. They also have app features that make them incredibly user-friendly.

They both have self-emptying bins that automatically remove the contents of the wastebasket. They also have the ability to clean the washboard as they mow. They also feature 8,000Pa suction and smart mapping technology and advanced obstacle avoidance that helps them find their way around even the most difficult of areas. The ECOVACS robot vacuums best is one of the few that can mop carpet and take away mop pads. This makes it an ideal option for those who need to switch between mopping and vacuuming regularly.

If you're looking for a more affordable option, we suggest the iRobot Roomba Combo J7+, our budget pick. It has LIDAR navigation and decent performance in the field of debris pickup for the price. It's a bit slow to map rooms and may be susceptible to hitting obstacles however, it's cheaper than our other top selections.

5. Battery life

The best robot vacuums are designed to let you go to work while they keep your floors in tip-top span. Although you'll need to give your home a manual vacuum every now and again, robovacs can help you maintain a baseline level of cleanliness and even keep your home clean when you're away.

To maximize the time you can get out of your robovac, make sure you choose a model with excellent battery life. A good rule of thumb is to expect a model to last for Robot Vacuum Reviews about two full cleaning sessions if you run it on the highest power setting. This is less than a typical large vacuum cleaner, but it is enough to cover most homes. If you don't wish to wait while your robovac recharges you can select one that will automatically return to the base station for charging.

If you're looking for a robot that can do a amount of everything, you should consider an all-in-one machine that can mop as well. Eufy's X10 is the top model in this class and includes self-emptying, self-draining and self-refilling of your dust bin as well as the mop pad. It can be programmed to automatically refill and wash mops once they are out.

Its respectable carpet and hard floor pick-up excellent hair pickup, tangle prevention, and its near-perfect auto empty score make it the clear winner of our test scores. It's not cheap, and unless you have an apartment that is small and has no pets, it may be too expensive for certain. The runner-up one, the Dreametech D10+, has the same performance, but costs about 25% less.