Best Rated Robot Vacuum and Mop
Eufy's top-rated robotic cleaner and mop mop and vacuum takes a lot of the work of keeping your floors clean. It can re-fill its own water tank, and self-empty its larger tower bin and change out the dust bag.
The most advanced models are smart enough to map your home and note the furniture's position. They can also detect obstacles and avoid hazards such as loose charging cables and loose socks.
Object Avoidance
Object avoidance functions allow your robot to avoid hitting things like toys, power cords and clothes that be caught in the vacuum. These are especially important if you have kids or pets that are prone to leaving objects on the floor, which your robot can find them.
Based on the model you pick, you might have a variety of sensors to assist your robot in its journey through obstacles. Some of the most popular include crossed IR sensors that beam focused beams of infrared lights across the room to identify things like furniture legs and door frames. This technology is widely used by a variety of robots that are available, and you can also find it in flagship models that cost more than others.
Another object avoidance technology you may find in higher-end robotics is 3D Structured Light which uses cameras and a crossed IR sensor to map the surroundings and identify obstacles. Time of Flight (ToF) sensors that measure and emit the duration it takes for the light to reflect off an object to determine its distance, are also available. Although they aren't as common, they can be an excellent addition to your robot if it needs peace of mind knowing that it will avoid getting caught up in power cords or socks when cleaning.
Besides picking up dust and debris from hard floors Most of the top-rated robots can sweep your floors as well. Some robots have their own water tanks which let them clean up messes and spills. You'll have to empty your robot vacuum that vacuums and mops's onboard dust bin and wipe down its sensors and cameras between cleaning sessions, but these chores should not take a lot of time.
Mapping
Mapping capabilities are crucial in robot vacuums since they help them recognize your home's layout, and prevent them from bumping into objects like walls. They may be tripped by pet toys, cords or furniture that are not marked. This can result in them cleaning less space. Using sensors, most robots map your home to identify any obstacles and help them navigate around them. They can clean the floor in fewer passes and help you save time. Many of the top-rated robot vacuums also have this feature to create no-go zones, allowing you to set specific areas that you do not want the robot to enter.
Robots with a built-in LIDAR utilize this technology to map your home efficiently and quickly. During our tests, the Eufy Clean robot made use of this feature to divide my room into different areas and clean each one independently, which was a huge improvement over the lesser models we tested, which had a front bump sensor. This was a much more accurate way of navigating my home and was also easy to control with the app on the device.
Although there aren't any robot vacuums that can climb stairs, top models do come with obstacles avoidance and mapping features. These tools allow them to remove dirt from hard floors and low-pile carpets, and to avoid falling down the steps. Some have cliff sensors that stop them from crossing over the edge of the stairs and others have boundary strips that can keep them away from certain areas.
Certain robots have a huge tower base that holds the dirt they collect, minimizing the amount of dust and allergens that are released into your home. They can last for several weeks or even months without emptying, and are particularly beneficial if you have allergies. Some models come with self-emptying dust bins which you can empty without opening or closing them manually.
Wi-Fi enabled
Some robot vacuums connect via Wi-Fi with their applications. This allows you to operate them with your smartphone instead (or in addition) to an actual remote. Those models are more expensive, but they can save you time by letting you schedule cleaning sessions on a daily, weekly or even a monthly basis. They also often allow users to edit and save floor maps, and offer different cleaning routines.
The most advanced robot vacuums use dual sensors, combining the LIDAR system to map your space with a structured light sensor that can detect objects and avoid them, even if they're buried under furniture or power cords. These features allow your robot to reach tight areas, such as the kitchen's nook under cabinets or under sofas. Other robots struggle with these spaces. They're also faster to get around obstacles and have longer running times thanks to bigger dust bins, making them ideal for larger homes than entry-level robots.
The best robot vacuum rated robot vacuums tend to be swift, intelligent and powerful, picking up most kinds of floor debris such as pet hair, kitty litter and other dirt. They're also quiet, which makes them a great choice for homes with pets as well as young children. The majority of robot vacuum users we've spoken to report that they appreciate the ease of having their floors cleaned with minimal effort. This is especially true when used regularly. And with proper maintenance (cleaning the rotating brushes and keeping an eye on the replacement parts) robots can last longer than a traditional full-size vacuum cleaner. PCWorld offers a helpful guide that provides tips to help you keep your machine running smoothly for long time to come.
Larger Dust Bags
While a robotic vacuum might not be as effective as an upright or canister model, it is great in picking up dust and debris that regular vacuuming leaves behind. It can also be used to provide quick touch-ups on floors and can maneuver around cords and other obstacles in the home. If you don't want to perform the deep cleaning yourself, a robot cleaner can be sent out to sweep your floors on a regular basis.
A few of the top-rated robotic vacuums come with large, easy to empty dust bags that can store more dirt than one room. This will save time and money through replacement bags. This feature is available on a variety of models including our top pick which is the Ecovacs T30S Combo. This all-in-one robovac boasts an excellent performance rating and includes an auto-emptying bin. It also has mopping capabilities and efficient navigation. It's a close match between this and the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+, which comes with smart mapping and avoidance technology. This model has a greater capacity but is slightly more expensive.
The two models also differ in the way they handle long hair, which could become tangled in the rollers of some robots. The most efficient models include the Roborock Q5 Max+ and SwitchBot K10S Plus, both have superb hair pickup and tangle avoidance scores along with fantastic path planning and near perfect auto empty results. The Eufy and Shark Matrix Plus are also good choices with decent hair pickup and tangle avoidance, but not as much path planning or auto empty.
The latest robots are fitted with sensors that can detect dirt and debris on carpets and they are better at removing pet hair. Some have a mopping mode that makes use of the water reservoir to remove the stains and spills. This feature is crucial for families with children as well as pets.
Maintenance
Having a robot vacuum is a great aid in keeping up with your home. The top models can pick up more dirt from the surface, pet hair and lint than a broom on low-pile or hard floors. They have navigational features that keep them from getting stuck on power cords, rug fringes or furniture.
Depending on the model, a top-rated robotic vacuum can also be scheduled to run several times per day or may allow you to watch it in action via an app. However, these convenient machines are also susceptible to clogging and require regular maintenance like emptying the onboard bin (or the base's bigger dust bin in some cases) as well as checking the brushes for hair that is tangled, and then periodically washing and letting the filters dry according to the manufacturer.
Emily Rairdin is a vacuum expert and store owner apprentice from University Vacuum + Sewing. She believes that a robotic vacuum can last from three to five years with proper maintenance. She suggests emptying the bin and brush roll often cutting out any hair tangled in the brushes, and regularly cleaning and drying the filter if your robot is a mop as well. It is a good idea to wipe the sensors and charging contacts of the robot or dock with a soft, clean cloth every now and again. Then simply refill and recharge the robot when needed for the next time you clean.