The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

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

They have a tiny dustbin that they empty themselves and some can be operated by a smartphone app instead of a physical remote. Some of them have mapping capabilities that help them navigate your home more effectively.

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 beneath furniture such as beds and sofas and its Dual-Laser LiDAR technology allows for precise navigation and accurate obstacle avoidance. It also does an excellent job of cleaning pet hair baking soda, sand, and other debris that can be found near baseboards and in corners.

Apart from the DEEBOT X2 OMNI bot, 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 comes with docking stations that automates maintenance. It also comes with mopping capabilities. Its powerful suction, combined with its efficient mopping, ensured my floors were free of pet hair, muddy prints, and other debris on every type of floor we tested.

In the lower cost range, a model with around 2,500Pa of suction is more than enough for the majority of homes. These units are quieter and are therefore a better choice for those with sensitive ears. They're not quiet, but they're just as loud as a normal conversation at home.

Think about your budget and cleaning needs to determine the best combination of power and efficiency. For frequent light-duty cleaning, a longer runtime with less suction is needed. For heavy-duty cleaning, weekly runs require the most power. Assess your flooring, layout of your home, and cleaning schedules before choosing the right model. We recommend looking through our full list of robot vacuum reviews and ratings to get more information on the latest models available. Many users report seeing their carpets and bare floors looking significantly cleaner after introducing a robotic hoovers vacuum to their home.

2. Navigation

A robot vacuum cannot perform its task if it does not know how to navigate around your home. This is why the most effective robots depend on sophisticated navigation systems that consistently scans rooms and creates maps to ensure thorough cleaning without getting lost or hitting obstacles. There are three kinds of robot navigation that include LiDAR, camera and sensor.

LiDAR is employed by the most expensive models to create a virtual room map, which offers the highest levels of accuracy and efficiency. The less expensive models rely on bump sensors, which are more prone to error and tend to miss many debris in dark spaces. The majority of robots have cliff sensors to prevent them from falling down stairs or other falls.

Several robots I tested used object recognition to navigate things like cords and fake dog turds. But the Eufy X10 was the best. It had powerful oscillating mop heads as well as a user-friendly application and a superb mapping capability.

Other features worth considering include sensors for floors that can recognize carpets that are hard and soft and automatically boost suction power when needed. Certain robots such as the Roborock mop make use of mopping pad that lifts to reach into corners and clean up dried spills. Many hybrids can apply cleaning solution to staining that is difficult to remove.

A smaller dustbin will require less frequent emptying while larger ones will save money on replacements. The cheapest robotic cleaners usually use a small disposable dust bag, whereas the majority of mid-range models come with larger dust bins of 3L that last for decades. Certain high-end robots, such as the ECOVACS DEEBOT OMNI station, can self-empty their bins and fill their water tanks, allowing hands-free convenience.

3. App control

The best robot vacuums come with an application that lets you track the progress of cleaning and schedule sessions, and most can connect to smart home devices to allow hands-free control. Many robot vacuums can be controlled by voice using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Certain models come with an on-screen remote that allows you to start or pause and then return to dock. Choose a model that has larger dustbins that self-empty, as opposed to one that requires manual emptying.

Some robots are equipped with mapping technology to help them avoid obstacles like furniture and stairs. Some allow you to designate no-go zones and targeted rooms, so that they only clean areas that need it most. They also have cliff sensor to keep them from falling, which is especially helpful in multi-leveled homes.

If you plan to use your robot vacuum to clean rugs pick one that is capable of dry mopping as well as wet. You'll be able to get better results from the robot vacuum that can remove its own mop pad, and then rinse and reattach when it's time to do another cleaning cycle. Also, look for a machine that has a rubber roll, which is less prone to knots caused by pet hair and other debris than a bristle roller, as found on some less expensive models. It's a good idea examine the robot's brushroll and side brushes for debris stuck on every week or once as well. If you notice that they're starting to clog, it may be time to purchase replacement parts.

4. Collection of debris

Like the name suggests, robot vacuums are designed to remove dust and other debris from your floors. The most effective robot vacuums are able to pick up tiny particles like sand and baking soda, in addition to larger ones such as metal screws orzo, as well as pet hair. They also have better pickup results on carpets with low piles than the majority of manual vacuums.

The top-performing robots across all flooring types had a pickup score over 95%. The ECOVACS DEEBOT X2 OMNI and the Roborock Q Revo were the two most efficient bots in this class. Both are highly automated, with docking stations that can perform maintenance on their own, and app features which make them extremely user-friendly.

They both have self-emptying bins that automatically suck up the contents of the wastebasket and can clean the washboard while you mow. They also feature 8,000Pa suction and smart mapping technology and advanced obstacle avoidance that can help them find their way around even the most difficult of areas. The ECOVACS robot is one of the few that can mop carpet and remove the mop pads. This makes it a great option for people who need to switch between mopping and vacuuming often.

If you're seeking a lower-cost option, check out the iRobot Roomba Combo J7 Plus, our budget pick. It comes with LIDAR navigation for a reasonable price and a decent debris collection performance. It's slow to map rooms and may be susceptible to crashing into obstacles, but it's less expensive than our other best robot vacuum that mops-buy picks.

5. Battery life

The best robot vacuums let you move about your day while keeping your floors in pristine state. You'll still need to manually autonomous vacuum your home from time to time, but robovacs will aid in maintaining a certain level of cleanliness, and will even clean while you're away.

To maximize the time you can use your robovac, look for a model with excellent battery life. A good guideline is to anticipate a model to last for about two complete cleaning sessions when you run it at the maximum power setting. This is less than a larger vacuum but it should be sufficient to keep most homes clean. If you don't want to sit around waiting for your robovac recharges you, you can opt for a model that automatically makes its return to the base station to recharge.

If you're looking for a robot that does a bit of everything, consider an all-in-one machine that can mop as well. Eufy's X10 is the top model of this category comes with self-emptying and self refilling for the dust bin and the water tank and mop pad. It can be programmed to automatically refill and wash mops when they run out.

The clear winner of our tests is the Dyson V810, because of its impressive carpet and hard floor pickup, excellent hair pickup, tangle-free performance, and nearly perfect auto empty score. However, it's not cheap and unless you live in an apartment with no pets, it could be too expensive for some. The Dreametech D10+ is the second-placed model and offers the same performance, but is priced around 25 percent less.