The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Vacuuming is a major cause of many people's existence, but robot vacuums make it a little more enjoyable. Today's models also mop and climb (small) steps.
Some have a smaller bin that they empty on their own. Others can be controlled by an app on your smartphone instead of the physical remote. Some of them have mapping capabilities that help them navigate your home more effectively.
1. Power
Our top choice for robot vacuums has suction power of 8,000Pa, which is enough to eliminate even the most stubborn dirt patches and hairs. The ultra-thin design of the square allows it to slide beneath furniture like sofas and beds, and its Dual-Laser LiDAR technology provides precise navigation and accurate obstacle avoidance. It's also great for cleaning pet hair, baking powder, and other debris near baseboards and corners.
Aside from the DEEBOT X2 OMNI, other top-of-the-line bots on this list include the iRobot Roomba J7+ and the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra. The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra has docking stations that automates maintenance. It also comes with mopping capabilities. Its powerful suction and effective mopping helped keep my floors clear of pet hair, muddy paw prints, and other debris during every flooring type test we conducted.
In the lower price range, a unit with around 2,500Pa of suction is more than enough for the majority of homes. These units are quieter and, therefore, a better choice for those with sensitive ears. They're still not quiet, but they're not about the same as a normal conversation at home.
For the best mix of usability and power take into consideration your cleaning needs and budget. For frequent light-duty cleaning it is recommended to have a longer runtime and less suction is needed. For heavy-duty cleaning, weekly runs require maximum power. Examine your flooring, layout of your home, and cleaning schedules before selecting the best model. We recommend looking through our entire list of robot vacuum reviews and ratings for more details about the latest models available. Many users report that their carpets and floors looking much cleaner after introducing a robotic vacuum in their home.
2. Navigation
A robot vacuum can't do its job well if it doesn't know how to navigate around your home. The most advanced robots utilize sophisticated navigation technology to scan rooms and build a map, ensuring thorough cleaning without getting stuck or hitting obstacles. There are three types of robot vacuum cleaner best navigation that include LiDAR, camera and sensor.
The most expensive models use LiDAR to build a virtual map of the room, offering the highest levels of accuracy and efficiency. Cheaper models depend on bump sensors, which are more prone to error and can miss a lot of debris in dark areas. Most robots also feature cliff sensors to prevent them from falling down stairs or other drops.
Many of the 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 had superb mapping capabilities with powerful oscillating mops, an intuitive app and the ability to clean a area, room or the all of the house.
Other features worth a look include sensors for floors that can recognize hard floors and soft carpet and automatically boost suction power when needed. Some robots, such as the Roborock mop, make use of a mopping pad lift to reach corners and clean up dried spills. Many hybrids can apply cleaning solution on stubborn stains.
A smaller bin will require less frequent emptying while bigger ones can save money on replacements. The cheapest robotic cleaners usually use a small disposable dust bag, but the majority of mid-range models come with larger dust bins of 3L that last for decades. Some premium robots like the EcoVACS DEEBOT OMNI Station are able to self-empty and refill their water tank for hands-free convenience.
3. App control
Most robot vacuums come with an app that monitors the progress of cleaning and schedule cleaning sessions. They also connect to smart home devices. Many also can sync with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for voice-based control. Certain models come with an on-screen remote that lets you start or pause and then return to dock. Look for a model with a bigger dustbin that can self-empty instead of one that requires manual emptying.
Certain robovacs have mapping technology that helps them remember obstacles, such as the stairs, and also avoid getting into furniture. Certain robovacs permit you to designate no-go zones and specific rooms so that they only clean areas that require it the most. They also have a cliff sensor to stop them from falling, which is especially helpful in multi-leveled homes.
If you intend to make use of your robot vacuums that mop vacuum to clean your rugs choose one that is capable of both dry mopping as well as wet. You'll have better results cleaning when your vacuum can remove its mop pad. Rinse it and then attach it again when you are ready to run another cleaning cycle. Find robots that have the rubber roller. It is less likely to become tangled from pet hair or other debris. Check the robot's side brushes and brushroll for any debris that might have gotten stuck on. Do this once or twice a week. If you notice that they're beginning to clog, it might be time to buy replacement parts.
4. Debris collection
Robot vacuums are made, as the name suggests to remove dust and other debris on your floors. The most effective ones can pick up fine particles like baking soda and sand as larger pieces such as metal screws, orzo pasta, and pet hair. They also have better pickup results on carpets with low pile than manual vacuums.
The top-performing robots across all flooring types had pickup scores higher than 95%. The two top-performing robots in this category were the ECOVACS DEEBOT X2 OMNI and the Roborock Q Revo. Both are highly automated with robust docking stations that perform maintenance on their own, and features in the app that make them incredibly user-friendly.
Both have self-emptying bins which eliminate the contents of the wastebasket. They can also clean the washboards as they mow. They also feature 8,000Pa suction, smart mapping technology, and advanced obstacle avoidance technology that helps them find their way around even the most challenging areas. The ECOVACS model is also among the few robots that we tested that can remove its mop pads and vacuum carpet which makes it the best choice for users who need to switch between mopping and vacuuming regularly.
If you want a cheaper option, we suggest the iRobot Roomba Combo J7+, our budget-friendly pick. It offers LIDAR navigation at a reasonable price and a decent debris collection performance. It's slow to map rooms and may be susceptible to bumping into obstacles, however it's much less expensive than our other best-buy picks.
5. Battery life
The top robot vacuums are made to let you go on with your life while keeping your floors in tip-top clean. While you'll still need to give your home a manual hoover every now and then, robovacs can help you maintain a baseline level of cleanliness and even keep your home clean even when you're away.
To maximize the amount of time you can use your robovac, look for a model with excellent battery life. A good robot vacuum guideline is to expect a robovac to last for around two full cleaning sessions when you run it at the highest power setting. This is not as long as a size vacuum cleaner, however it should be enough to provide for the majority of homes. If you don't want to be waiting around while your robovac charges you could choose one that will automatically make its return to the base station to recharge.
If you want a robovac that does a bit of everything, consider an all-in-one machine that is able to mop as well. Eufy's X10 is the top model in this class 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 mops when they're low.
Its high-quality carpet and hard floor pickup excellent hair pickup, tangle avoidance, and near-perfect auto empty score make it the clear winner of our test scores. It's expensive and, unless you live in a a small house with no pets, it might be too expensive for certain. The Dreametech D10+ is the runner-up and has a similar performance, but is priced around 25% less.