Best Rated Robot Vacuum and Mop
Eufy's top-rated robot vacuum and mop takes some of the hands-off work out of keeping your floors spotless. It is able to replenish its own water tank and empty its tower bin. It can also change the dust bag it uses.
More advanced models are able to trace your home's layout and note furniture placement. They also can detect dangers and help you avoid them, such as loose charging cables or stray socks.
Object Avoidance
Object avoidance features enable your robot to avoid hitting things like toys, power cords and clothes that can be caught in the vacuum. This is especially important if you have kids or pets who may be likely to leave items on the floor, where your robot will discover them.
Based on the model you choose depending on the model you choose, you may have an array of different sensors to aid your robot vacuum with mop in navigating around obstacles. Some of the most well-known include crossed IR sensor beams that are infrared-focused lights that scan across the room for things like furniture legs or door frames. This technology is widely used by a variety of robots on the market, and you can also get it in top models that are priced higher than other models.
Another object avoidance technology you may find in more expensive robots is 3D Structured Light which uses cameras and crossed IR sensors to map the environment, and detect obstacles. Time of Flight (ToF), sensors that measure and emit the time it takes for the light to reflect off an object to determine its distance, are also available. While they are not as popular, they can be an excellent addition to your robot if you need extra peace of mind that it won't get caught up in cables or socks while cleaning.
Most of the top-rated robots are also able to mop your floors. Some robots have their very own water tanks that let them clean up spills and messes. You will need to empty the dust bin and clean its sensors and cameras between cleaning sessions.
Mapping
robot vacuum cleaners best vacuums must be able to map. This allows them to navigate around your home and avoid getting caught up against walls. Without mapping, they could be tripped by cords, furniture or pet toys, and end up cleaning less of your space. Most robots use sensors to map your home and navigate around obstacles. This allows them to sweep the entire floor with fewer passes, saving you time. Many of the top rated robot vacuums also have this feature to create no-go zones allowing you to set specific rooms that you don't want the robot to get into.
Robots with a built-in LIDAR make use of this technology to map your home efficiently and quickly. In our tests of the Eufy Clean robot made use of this feature to divide my room into various areas and clean each one independently, which was a huge improvement over the cheaper models we tested that just utilized a front bump sensor. This was a more precise method to navigate my home and it was simple for me to control with the app that came with the device.
Although no robot vacuum has the ability to climb stairs yet, the majority of the best rated models have good obstacles avoidance and mapping features. These tools let them collect debris from low-pile and hard floors, and avoid falling down stairs. Some have cliff sensors to stop them from going over the edge of stairs and some also have boundary strips that can keep them away from certain areas.
Some robots have a large tower base that holds their dirt and debris, reducing the amount of dust and allergens that are released into your home. These bases can last for several weeks or even months without emptying, and are particularly beneficial for those with allergies. Some models come with self-emptying dust bins that can empty without opening or closing them manually.
Wi-Fi enabled
Some robot vacuums use Wi-Fi to communicate with their apps, allowing users to control them with your smartphone instead of (or in addition to) a physical remote. These models are more expensive, however, they can save time since they can schedule cleaning times every day, weekly, or even monthly. They also often allow you to modify and save floor maps as well as offer different cleaning patterns.
The most advanced robot vacuums employ dual sensors, which combine with a LIDAR system to map your area with a structured light sensor that can see objects and avoid them even if they're under furniture or power cords. These features allow your robot to reach into tight spaces, such as the space under your kitchen cabinets or under sofas. Other robots struggle to reach these kinds of spaces. They also are faster to get around obstacles, have longer run times and larger dust bins. This makes them ideal for large homes compared to the smallest robots.
The best rated robot vacuums are quick, efficient and effective cleaning up all kinds of floor debris, including pet hair, cat litter and other messes. They also are quiet, which makes them an ideal choice for homes with pets or young children. Many of the robot vacuum owners we've spoken to say they appreciate the ease of keeping their floors clean without much effort, particularly when they are used frequently. With proper maintenance (cleaning the rotating brushes and keeping tabs on the parts that need replacement) robots can last as long as a conventional full-size vacuum robotic cleaner and mop. PCWorld offers a guide with helpful tips to ensure that your robot is running smoothly.
Dust Bags Larger
A robotic hoovers vacuum isn't as good in cleaning as an upright or canister vacuum, but it is great at picking up the dust and dirt that regular vacuuming has left behind. It can be used to perform quick touch-ups of bare floors and is able to traverse around cords or other obstacles in your home. If you don't wish to do the deep cleaning yourself, a robot vacuum will let you send it out to scour your floors on a regular basis.
Some of the top-rated robot vacuums come with large, easy to empty dust bags which can hold more dirt than a room. This will save you time and money on new bags. Many of the models on our list include this feature, including the most popular, the Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo. This all-in-one robovac boasts an excellent performance score and includes an auto-emptying bin. It has a mopping feature and efficient navigation. It is a close call between this and the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+, which has the ability to avoidance and smart mapping. This robovac is more expensive, however it has a bigger capacity.
Another big difference between these two models is the way they handle hair that is long that can get caught in the rollers of some robots. The most efficient models include the Roborock Q5 Max+ and SwitchBot K10S Plus, both have excellent hair pickup and tangle avoidance scores with great path planning and near perfect auto empty results. The Shark Matrix Plus and eufy are also excellent options, with respectable hair pick-up and tangle avoidance, but they don't have as much path planning or auto empty.
The latest robots come with sensors that detect dirt and debris in the carpet, and are better at removing loose pet hair. Some robots come with mopping modes which allows them to use the reservoir of water to clean up stuck-on debris and spills. This feature is a must for families with pets and children.
Maintenance
Having a robot vacuum can be a great aid in keeping a close eye on your home. The most effective models remove more surface dirt, pet hair and lint than the broom that is used on low-pile or hard flooring. They also have navigation features that ensure they don't get stuck on power cords or rug fringe and can glide easily under furniture.
Based on the model, a top-rated robot vacuum can be scheduled to run several times per day or may allow you to view it in action using an app. These devices are convenient however they can get clogged and require regular maintenance. This includes emptying the onboard dust bin (or in some cases, the base's bigger bin) as well as checking the brushes for tangled fur and periodically rinsing the filters and drying them according to the manufacturer.
Vacuum expert Emily Rairdin, a store owner apprentice at University Vacuum + Sewing, says a high-quality robot vacuum can last from three to five years or more with regular care and attention. She recommends emptying the bin and the brush roll regularly cutting out hairs that get caught in the brushes, and frequently rinsing and drying the filter, especially if it is a mop as well. It's a good idea to clean the sensors and charging contacts of the dock or the robot with an easy, clean cloth every now and again. Then, refill and recharge your robot before the next cleaning session.