Best Rated Robot Vacuum and Mop

Eufy's top-rated robot mop and vacuum takes a lot of the hands-off work out of keeping your floors spotless. It is able to refill its own water tank, self-empty its larger tower bin and then change out the dust bag.

Advanced models can map your house and record furniture positioning. They can also detect hazards and avoid them, like loose charging cables or loose socks.

Object Avoidance

Object avoidance features allow your robot to avoid running into things like toys, power cords and even clothes that could get caught up in the vacuum. This is especially important if you have children or pets who may be inclined to leave objects on the floor, which your robot could be able to locate them.

Depending on the model you select depending on the model you choose, you may have an array of different sensors that can aid your robot in navigating through obstacles. Some of the most popular include crossed IR sensors that send focused beams of infrared light throughout the room to identify things like doors and furniture legs. A lot of robots have adopted this technology, and you can find it in the most expensive models that cost more.

Other technologies for avoiding objects that are typically found in more expensive robots are 3D Structured Light, which uses cameras and crossed IR sensors to map the surrounding area and identify obstacles; and Time of Flight (ToF) sensors that emit and measure the time it takes for light to reflect off of objects to determine the distance to them. These aren't very common but are a great addition to your Robot vacuum cleaners Best, should you want to have more security.

In addition to collecting dust and debris from hard floors, most of the best-rated robots can mop your floor as well. Some even come with their own water tanks that allow them to wash away the stains and spills that are wet. You'll have to empty the robot's onboard dust bin and wipe down its cameras and sensors between cleaning sessions, but these chores should not take a lot of time.

Mapping

Robot vacuums should have mapping capabilities. This lets them navigate around your home and avoid bumping against things like walls. Without mapping, they may be tripped by furniture, cords, or pet toys and end up removing less of your space. By using sensors, many robots map your home to identify any obstacles and help navigate around them. This way, they're able to sweep your floors with fewer passes, saving your time. Many of the top rated robot vacuums can also use this feature to create no-go zones allowing you to set specific areas that you do not want the robot to get into.

Robots that have built-in LIDAR utilize this technology to map your home quickly and effectively. The Eufy Clean robot divided my room into distinct areas and cleaned each in a separate manner during our tests. This was a huge improvement over other models that rely on sensors on the front of the vehicle. This was a more precise way to navigate my home and was simple to control with the app on the device.

While there are no robot vacuums that can climb stairs, the top models do come with obstacles avoidance and mapping features. These tools let them remove debris from low-pile and hard floors, and prevent falling down the stairs. Some tools are equipped with sensors to stop them from falling over the edge of stairs. Others come with boundary strips to keep them out.

Certain robots have large towers on the base that collects dirt. This reduces the amount of dust or allergens that are released in your home. These bases can go several weeks or even months without emptying and are especially beneficial if you have allergies. Some models have self-emptying dust bins which you can empty without opening and closing them manually.

Wi-Fi enabled

Some robot vacuums connect via Wi-Fi to their apps. This allows you to control them with your smartphone instead (or in addition) to an actual remote. These models are more expensive but can save you time by letting you schedule cleaning times on a weekly, daily or even a monthly basis. These models also let you modify floor maps, save them and offer alternative cleaning schedules.

The most advanced robot vacuums use dual sensors, combining with a LIDAR system to map your space using a structured light sensor that can detect objects and avoid them even if they're hidden under furniture or power cords. These features allow your robot to access tight areas, such as the space under your kitchen cabinets or under sofas. Other robots struggle with these kinds of spaces. They also have a faster speed to navigate around obstacles, and have longer runtimes and larger dust bins. This makes them more suitable for large homes than basic robots.

The best automatic vacuum rated robot vacuums are fast, smart and powerful, picking up most kinds of floor debris such as pet hair, cat litter, and other messes. They also are quiet, making them an ideal choice for homes with pets and young children. The majority of robot vacuum users we've spoken with say that they love the convenience of having their floor cleaned with minimal effort. This is particularly true when they are used regularly. If you take care of maintenance (cleaning the rotating brushes and keeping an eye on replacement parts) robots can last as long as a conventional full-size vacuum cleaner. PCWorld offers a manual with helpful tips to keep yours running smoothly.

Larger Dust Bags

A robotic vacuum is not as effective at cleaning as a canister or upright vacuum, but it is fantastic at picking up dust and dirt that regular vacuuming has left behind. It can be used to do quick retouching of floors and can also maneuver around cords and other household obstacles. If you don't want to do the deep cleaning yourself, a robot vacuum can be sent out to sweep your floors on a regular schedule.

Some of the best robot vacuum and mop rated robot vacuums have large dust bags that are easy to empty and hold more than a single room's worth of dirt. This can save time and money in the form of bags that are replaced. Several of the models we've listed include this feature, including our most popular, the Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo. This all-in one robovac is a high-performance robovac and includes a self-emptying bin. It also has a mopping feature and an efficient navigation. It's a close match between this and the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+, that has smart mapping and avoidance technology. This robovac has more capacity, but is slightly more expensive.

Another big difference between these two models is the way they handle long human hair that can get caught in the rollers of certain robots. The top-performing models include the Roborock Q5 Max+ and SwitchBot K10S Plus, both have excellent hair pickup and tangle avoidance scores, along with great path planning and near perfect auto empty results. The eufy and Shark Matrix Plus are also great options, with decent hair pickup and tangle avoidance, but not as much path-planning or auto empty.

The latest robots are equipped with sensors that can detect dirt and other debris on carpets and they're better in removing pet hair. Some robots feature mopping mode, that makes use of the water reservoir in order to clean up stuck-on debris and spills. This feature is a must-have for families with pets as well as children.

Maintenance

Having a robot vacuum can be a huge aid in keeping a close eye on your home. The most effective models collect more surface dirt, pet hair and lint than a broom on low-pile or hard floors. They come with navigational features that prevent them from getting stuck on power cords, rug fringe or furniture.

According to the model, you can set up the good robot vacuum vacuum to run several times per day, or watch it in action using an app. However, these convenient machines are also susceptible to clogging and require regular maintenance like emptying the onboard bin (or the base's larger dust bin in some instances), checking brushes for tangled hair, and then periodically washing and allowing the filters to dry as recommended by the manufacturer.

Emily Rairdin is a vacuum expert and store owner apprentice at University Vacuum + Sewing. She says that a robot vacuum can last from three to five years with proper maintenance. She suggests emptying the bin and brush roll frequently and cutting off hairs that get caught in the brushes, and regularly cleaning and drying the filter, especially if it is also a mop. It's also recommended to clean the charging contacts and sensors on the dock or robot occasionally with a soft cloth. Then, refill and recharge your robot for the next cleaning session.