The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Robot vacuums can make the chore of vacuuming less painful. Modern models mop and climb (small) steps.
They have a small trash bin that they empty themselves, and some can be controlled from a smartphone app instead of an actual remote. Some come with mapping features to help them navigate more efficiently.
1. Power
Our top pick for robot vacuums has suction power of 8,000Pa, which is enough to get rid of even the most difficult dirt patches and hairs. The ultra-thin design of the square allows it to slide beneath furniture such as beds and sofas and its Dual-Laser LIDAR technology supports intelligent navigation and accurate obstacle avoidance. It also does a great job of cleaning pet hair baking soda, sand, and other debris near baseboards and in corners.
Other powerful robots on this list, besides the DEEBOT X2 OMNI include the iRobot Roomba j7+ as well as the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra. The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra comes with docking station that automatically handles maintenance. It also has mopping capabilities. Its powerful suction and effective mopping helped keep my floors clear of pet hair, muddy paw prints, and other debris during every floor type test we ran.
A model with 2500Pa suction should be sufficient for the majority of homes in the lower price range. These models are quieter, and therefore a better option for those who have sensitive ears. These units are not silent however they are not about the same as normal conversations at home.
Consider your budget and cleaning requirements to determine the best combination of power and usability. Frequent light-duty tidying requires a longer runtime and a lower suction, whereas weekly heavy-duty cleaning requires the most power. Consider your flooring, layout of your home and cleaning schedules to choose the right model to meet your needs. We recommend looking through our complete list of robot vacuum reviews and ratings for more information on the latest models available. Many users have reported that their carpets and bare floors appear cleaner after using a robotic vacuum.
2. Navigation
A robot vacuum won't be able to do its job effectively without knowing how to navigate your home. For this reason, the best robots use 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: LiDAR, camera and sensor.
The most expensive models employ LiDAR to create a digital map of the room, delivering the highest levels of accuracy and efficiency. Bump sensors are employed in less expensive models, but they aren't always accurate and miss a lot debris when working in dark places. Many robots also have cliff sensors to stop them from falling down stairs or other falls.
Many of the robots I tried used object recognition to navigate things such as cords and fake dog turds. But the Eufy X10 was the best. It was a fantastic mapping device, powerful oscillating mops, a user-friendly app and the ability to clean by area, room or the whole house.
Other features worth considering include sensors for floors that can recognize carpets with soft and hard floors, automatically boosting suction power when necessary. Some robots, such as the Roborock mops, use a mopping pad lift to get into corners and clean up dried spills. Many hybrids can even apply cleaning solution to stubborn stains.
A smaller dustbin will require less frequent emptying, while a bigger one can save you money on replacements. The majority of robotic cleaners that are low-cost use the smallest disposable dust bag. However, the majority of mid-range models have larger dustbins of 3L that last for a long time. Some of the top models, like the ECOVACS DEEBOT OMNI station, will self-empty their bins and fill their water tanks to provide convenience without hands.
3. App control
The majority of robot vacuums have an app that monitors cleaning progress and schedule cleaning sessions. They also connect to smart home devices. Many also sync with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for control via voice. Some have a remote control that lets you start or pause, and then return to dock. Pick a model that comes with an extra large dustbin and is able to self-empty instead of one that needs manual emptying.
Some robovacs come with mapping technology that helps them remember obstacles, like stairs, and avoid getting into furniture. Others let you create no-go zones or specific rooms, so that they only clean the areas that need it most. They also have cliff sensor to stop them from falling, which is particularly useful in multi-level homes.
If you are planning to make use of your robot vacuum to clean your rugs, opt for one that can perform both dry mopping and wet. You'll be able to get better cleaning results when your vacuum can remove its mop pad. Clean it and reconnect it when you want to run a new cleaning cycle. Look for robots with the rubber roller. It is less likely to tangle from pet hair or other particles. Check the robot's side brushes and brushroll for any debris that may have been stuck to them. Do this at least every week. If you notice that they're starting to clog up it might be time to purchase replacement parts.
4. Collection of debris
Robot vacuums are made according to the name to remove dust and other debris from your floors. The best ones pick up fine particles like baking soda and sand as in larger pieces of orzo pasta, screws made of metal, and pet hair. They also get better pickup results on carpets with low pile than the majority of manual vacuums.
robot vacuums reviews -performing robots across all flooring types had a pickup score greater than 95 percent. Our two best-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 can perform maintenance on their own and features in the app that make them incredibly user-friendly.
They both have self-emptying bins that automatically collect the waste from the wastebasket and can clean the washboard while you mow. They also feature 8,000Pa suction and smart mapping technology and advanced obstacle avoidance technology that helps them find their way around even the most challenging spaces. The ECOVACS robot is one of the few that can clean carpet and remove mop pads. This makes it a great choice for users who have to switch between mopping and vacuuming regularly.
If you're looking for a less expensive option, we suggest the iRobot Roomba Kombo J7+, our budget pick. It comes with LIDAR navigation at an affordable price and decent debris collection performance. It is slow at mapping out rooms and is prone to bumping against obstacles, but it is lower than our other picks.
5. Battery life
The best robot vacuums let you get on with your day while they keep your floors in perfect in good condition. Although you'll need to give your home a manual hoover every now and then Robotic vacuums can help maintain a standard of cleanliness and even keep your home clean while you're away from home.
Find a robovac equipped with an extended-lasting battery to get the most use of it. A good guideline is to expect a model to last about two full cleaning sessions when you run it on the highest power setting. This is smaller than a full-sized vacuum, however, it should be enough to clean most homes. If you don't like to be waiting around while your robovac charges you, you can choose one that will automatically make its way back to its base station to recharge.
If you're looking for a robot with a variety of features in it, you should consider an option that also mop. Eufy's X10, the best model of this category, offers self-emptying and self-refilling for the dust bin and the water tank and mop pad. It can be programmed to refill and wash its mops once they are out.
Its high-quality carpet and hard floor pick up, great hair pickup and tangle-free, and a close to perfect auto empty scores makes it the clear winner of our test scores. However, it's not cheap and unless you live in a small home with no pets it might be too expensive for some. The runner-up one, the Dreametech D10+, has the same performance, but is priced 25% less.