The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Robot vacuums can make the task of vacuuming a bit less painful. Modern models can also mop, and climb (small) steps.

They have a tiny dustbin which they empty themselves and some can be operated by a smartphone app instead of the physical remote. Some come with mapping features to help them navigate more efficiently.

1. Power

With an impressive 8,000Pa of suction, our top pick for robot vacuums is powerful enough to take on the toughest hairs and dirt. Its ultra-thin square design allows it to slide under furniture such as beds and sofas, and its Dual-Laser LiDAR technology provides precise navigation and obstacle avoidance. It is also great at cleaning pet hair, baking powder, and other debris near corners and baseboards.

Other powerful robots in this list besides the DEEBOT X2 OMNI include the IRobot Roomba j7+ as well as the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra. The latter comes with a powerful docking station that automates maintenance and includes mopping capabilities as well. Its powerful suction, combined with its effective mopping, kept my floors clean of pet hair, muddy prints and other messes on every floor we tested.

A model that has 2,500Pa suction will suffice for most homes in the lower price range. These models are quieter, and are therefore a better choice for those with sensitive ears. They aren't silent, however they are not about the same as normal conversations at home.

For the best mix of power and usability Consider your cleaning requirements and budget. Frequent light-duty tidying requires a longer time to run and lower suction, whereas weekly heavy-duty cleaning requires the most power. Assess your flooring, layout of your home and cleaning schedules prior to selecting the best model. We recommend checking out our full list of robot vacuum reviews and ratings for more information on the latest models available. Many customers report that their carpets and bare floor look cleaner after using a robot vacuum.

2. Navigation

A robot vacuum isn't able to perform its job properly if it doesn't know how to get around your home. The best robots use sophisticated navigation technologies to scan rooms and make an outline map, which allows for thorough cleaning without getting stuck or hitting obstacles. There are three major types of robot navigation: LiDAR-based, sensor-based, and camera-based.

The most expensive models employ LiDAR to create a virtual map of the room, offering the highest levels of accuracy and efficiency. Cheaper models depend on bump sensors which are less accurate and can miss the majority of debris in dark areas. Many robots also have cliff sensors to prevent them from falling down stairs or other falls.

A variety of robots I tested used object recognition to deftly navigate things like fake cords and dog turds however, the best was the Eufy X10. It was a fantastic mapping device with powerful oscillating mops, an intuitive app and the ability to clean by area, room or the all of the house.

Other features worth considering include floor type sensors that recognize carpets with soft and hard floors, automatically boosting suction power when required. Some robots, such as the Roborock mop, make use of a mopping pad lift to reach corners and tackle dried spills. Many hybrids are able to apply cleaning solution to staining that is difficult to remove.

A smaller dustbin will require less frequent emptying, while bigger ones will cost less to replace. The cheapest robotic cleaner and mop cleaners typically utilize a small disposable dust bag, while the mid-range models typically have larger dust bins of 3L that last for decades. Certain high-end robots, such as the ECOVACS DEEBOT OMNI station, will automatically empty their dustbin and refill their water tanks to provide hands-free convenience.

3. App control

The top robot vacuums have an app that allows you to monitor cleaning progress and schedule sessions and connect to your smart home devices to allow hands-free control. Many robot vacuums can be controlled using voice commands, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Some have a dedicated remote control that allows you to 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.

Some robots are equipped with mapping technology that allows them to remember obstacles, like staircases, and prevents them from running into furniture. Some robovacs allow you to designate no-go zones and specific rooms to ensure that they only clean the areas that require it the most. They also have a cliff detector to prevent them from falling, which is useful in multi-level homes.

If you intend to make use of your robot vacuum for cleaning rug carpets, you should choose one that can be used both for wet and dry mopping. You'll get better cleaning results when your vacuum can also remove its mop pad. Rinse it, and then attach it again when you are ready to run another cleaning cycle. Find robots that vacuum and mop that have an elastomer roller. This is less likely to tangle from pet hair or other particles. Check the robot's side brush and brushroll for any debris that may have gotten stuck on. Do this at least twice a week. If you notice that they're starting to clog up, it may be time to purchase replacement parts.

4. Collection of debris

robot vacuum and mop vacuums are created, as the name suggests to collect dust and debris from your floors. The best robot vacuums will collect tiny particles like baking soda and sand and larger ones like screws made of metal orzo, pet hair. They also provide better results on low pile carpets than many manual vacuums.

The top-performing robots across all flooring types had scores greater than 95%. Our two best-performing robots in this category were the ECOVACS DEEBOT X2 OMNI, and the Roborock Q Revo. Both are highly automated, with docking stations that do maintenance on their own and features in the app that make them extremely user-friendly.

They both have self-emptying bins that automatically empty the wastebasket. They also have the ability to clean the washboards as they mow. They also have an 8,000Pa vacuum, intelligent mapping technology, and advanced obstacle avoidance technology to help them navigate through the most difficult spaces. The ECOVACS model is also the few robots that we tested that can take its mop pads and vacuum carpet making it the ideal choice for those who have to change between mopping and vacuuming frequently.

If you're looking for a cheaper option, look into the iRobot Roomba Combo J7 Plus, our budget-friendly pick. It offers LIDAR navigation at a reasonable price and a decent performance in the collection of debris. It is slow when it comes to mapping rooms and is prone to bumping against obstacles, but it is less than the other choices.

5. Battery life

The most effective robot vacuums let you go about your day while keeping your floors in top condition. You'll still have to manually vacuum your home every so often, but robovacs will aid in maintaining a certain standard of cleanliness, and even clean when you are away.

Find a robovac equipped with long-lasting batteries to get the most out of it. A good guideline is to anticipate a model to last for around two cleaning sessions if you use it at the highest power setting. This is less than a full-sized vacuum cleaner, but it will be sufficient to cover most homes. If you don't want to wait while your robovac charges, you can choose a model that will automatically return to the base station to charge.

If you want a robovac that does a little bit of everything, think about an all-in-one model that can mop as well. Eufy's X10 is the best model in this category and provides self-emptying, auto-draining and self-refilling of your dust bin and mop pad. It can even be programmed to automatically re-fill and wash mops when they're low.

The clear winner of our tests is the Dyson V810 due to its outstanding carpet and hard floor pickup, superb hair pickup, tangle-free performance and a near perfect auto empty score. It's not cheap, however and unless you have a a small home without pets, it may be too pricey for some. The second choice, the Dreametech D10+, has identical performance, but is priced 25 percent less.