Best Rated Robot Vacuum and Mop
Eufy's robotic mop and vacuum is among the top-rated product in its class. It takes a lot of the work out of cleaning your floors. It can re-fill its own water tank, self-empty its tower bin that is larger and change out the dust bag.
Advanced models can map your house and record furniture positioning. They also can detect dangers and help you avoid them, such as loose charging cables or unintentional socks.
Object Avoidance
Object avoidance features allow your robot to avoid running into things such as power cords, toys and even clothes that could be caught in the vacuum. These features are particularly crucial if you have children or pets that may leave things on the floor for your robot vacuums best to search.
Based on the model you select, your robot may have several sensor options to aid in navigating around obstacles. A few popular ones include crossed IR sensors that focus beams of infrared light across the room to identify things like doors and furniture legs. Many robots have adopted this technology, and you'll find it in the flagship models that are more expensive.
Other technologies for avoiding objects that you might find in more expensive robots are 3D Structured Light, which makes use of cameras and crossed IR sensors to map the surrounding area and detect obstacles. Also, Time of Flight (ToF) sensors that emit light and measure the time it takes for light to reflect off of objects, to determine the distance to them. While these are less common however, they are beneficial to your robot if you need extra peace of mind that it will avoid getting stuck on cables or socks while cleaning.
Most of the top-rated robots can also mop your floors. Some even have their own water tanks, which allow them to wash away the stains and spills that are wet. You'll need to empty the robot's onboard dust bin and wipe down its cameras and sensors between cleaning sessions, but these chores will not take a lot of your time.
Mapping
Robot vacuums should include mapping capabilities. This lets them navigate around your home and avoid getting caught up against walls. They can be tripped up by pet toys, cords or furniture that are not marked. This can result in them taking up less space. Using sensors, most robots map your home to track any obstacles and help them navigate around them. They can clean the floor in fewer passes, and make it easier for you to save time. A lot of the top-rated robot vacuums can also use this feature to create zones that are not allowed, permitting you to define rooms that you don't want the robot to get into.
Robots with built-in LIDAR system use this technology to map your home quickly and efficiently. During our tests of the Eufy Clean robot made use of this feature to divide my home into various areas and clean each one independently this was a significant improvement over the less expensive models we tested, which utilized a front bump sensor. This was a much more precise method of navigating my home and was simple to control using the app on the device.
While there are no robot vacuums that can climb stairs, the most effective models have obstacles avoidance and mapping features. These tools let them collect dirt from low-pile or hard floors, and to 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 stop them from entering certain areas.
Certain robots have a huge tower base that houses the dirt they collect, minimizing the amount of dust and allergens emitted into your home. The bases can be kept for weeks or months without emptying, which is especially helpful for those who suffer from allergies. Additionally, some models come with self-emptying systems that allow you to take out the dust bins without having to manually open and close them.
Wi-Fi enabled
Some robot vacuums communicate via Wi-Fi with their applications. This allows you to control them using your smartphone instead (or in addition) to the physical remote. These models are more expensive but can save you time by letting you plan cleaning time on a daily, weekly or even monthly basis. They also permit you to modify and save floor maps and provide alternative cleaning patterns.
Dual sensors are utilized by the most modern robot vacuums. They combine the LIDAR mapping system with a structured-light sensor that can detect and block out objects, even if they're hidden beneath furniture or power cables. These features let your robot reach into tight areas, such as the kitchen's nook under cabinets or under sofas. Other robots struggle with these areas. They're also faster to get over obstacles and have longer run times with bigger dust bins, making them better suited for large homes than entry-level robots.
The most effective robot vacuums with mop vacuums are quick and efficient. They are also intelligent and powerful. They can pick up an array of floor debris such as pet hair, kitty-litter and other messes. They can also be quite quiet which makes them a great option for homes with young kids and pets. Most robot vacuum owners we've spoken to have reported that they appreciate the ease of keeping their floors cleaned with little effort, particularly when they are used often. With proper maintenance (cleaning the rotating brushes and keeping tabs on replacement parts) robots can last as long as a traditional full-size vacuum cleaner. PCWorld offers a manual that includes some helpful tips to ensure that your robot is running smoothly.
Dust Bags Larger
Although a robot vacuum may not be as effective as a canister or upright model, it's great at picking up dust and other debris that regular vacuuming leaves behind. It can also be used to provide quick repairs to floors and can navigate through cords and other obstacles in the home. If you don't want to do the deep cleaning yourself, a robot vacuum will let you send it out to sweep your floors on a regular schedule.
The top rated robot vacuums have large, easy-to-empty dust bags that hold more than a single room's worth of dirt. This will save time and money by providing bags that can be replaced. Several of the models we've listed include this feature, including the top choice, the Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo. This all-in-one robovac has an excellent performance rating and includes an auto-emptying bin. It also comes with mopping functions and effective navigation. It's a close match between this and the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+, which has smart mapping and avoidance technology. This model has a greater capacity, but it is a bit more expensive.
The two models differ in the way they handle long hair, which may get tangled up in the rollers of certain robots. The best automatic vacuum and mop-performing models, the Roborock Q5 Max+ and SwitchBot K10S Plus, both have superb hair pickup and tangle avoidance scores, along with fantastic path planning and close to perfect auto empty results. The eufy and Shark Matrix Plus are also excellent options with decent hair pickup and tangle avoidance, but not as much path-planning or auto empty.
The latest robots are fitted with sensors that detect dirt and debris on carpets and they are more adept at picking up pet hair. Some models even have a mopping mode that makes use of the reservoir of water to eliminate spills and stuck-on mess. This feature is essential for families with pets as well as children.
Maintenance
A robot vacuum can be a huge aid in keeping a close eye on your home. The top models can collect more surface dirt pet hair, and lint than the broom that is used on low-pile or hard flooring. They also have navigation capabilities which prevent them from getting caught on cords for power or rug fringe and are able to slide easily under furniture.
According to the model, you can program the robot vacuum to run multiple times a day or observe it in action with an app. These machines are useful, but they can also be clogged and require regular maintenance. This means emptying the onboard dust bin (or in some cases, the base's larger bin) as well as checking the brushes for tangled fur, and regularly washing the filters and allowing them to dry according to the manufacturer.
Vacuum expert Emily Rairdin, a store owner apprentice at University Vacuum + Sewing, says that a quality robot vacuum should last three to five years or more if it receives regular care and attention. She recommends regularly emptying the bin and brush roll and cutting out any hair that has gotten caught up in the brushes and regularly cleaning and drying the filter, when your robot is also used as a mop. It's also a good idea to clean the charging contacts and sensors on the dock or the robot often with a soft, clean cloth. Then simply recharge and refill the robot when needed for your next cleaning session.