10 Top Robot Vacuum Tricks All Experts Recommend

Top Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos

Robots aren't quite as adept at picking up debris like screws made of metal or pasta pieces. But they're great at brushing away pet hair, dust and crumbs. The best auto vacuum models feature smart navigation technology and object avoidance features that allow them to maneuver around toys, cords and other household obstacles.

1. iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO

The iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO is a great robot vacuum that has a variety of innovative features that make it much easier to maintain than many competing models. The automatic floor cleaner bin emptying feature is one of the most impressive features we've encountered in a robotic vacuum. It is a great choice for carpets as well as hard floors. The app will guide you through the entire process. It's also simple to use and set up. Another feature that is impressive is the ability to go back to the spot where it was when we tested it. It did this for 77 minutes in one cleaning, before running out of battery.

Contrary to other robovacs that we evaluated, the i3+ EVO has a self-emptying bin that dumps debris into an external dirt compartment on the base of its charging when it's full. This reduces hands-on maintenance and also helps prevent the i3+ EVO from overfilling, however it still requires manually emptied after every cleaning session. The i3+ EVO dust bin can hold 2.4L, which will last for four to five cleaning sessions.

This model, like the i7, utilizes state-of-the-art floor-tracking sensors to create maps. It also lets you navigate through neat rows. The i3+ EVO can only keep one map, whereas the i7 is able to store multiple. The i7's map is used to create virtual barriers and no-go zones but not for the i3+ EVO.

Although the i3+ EVO is superior in picking up surface debris than some of the other robovacs we reviewed, it's not the best automatic vacuum when it comes to cleaning edges and corners. It's also less gentle on furniture despite being relatively quiet. It was quite rough on furniture as it moved chairs away. It also caused collisions against the sides of the test bed.

2. Black & Decker Pro Q5

The Q5 Pro is an excellent choice, whether you are expanding your robot vacuum collection or are just beginning to get started. It packs a lot of power, a smart navigation system and a user-friendly automation into a slick design at a price that is affordable. It's the best robot vacuum model for the money on the market at the moment, and it even matches some Roborock models that are more expensive in a variety of ways.

This robot is excellent in cleaning floors that are dirty and its avoidance technology helps it steer away from furniture legs and other obstacles. It also does well on carpets and scores the highest score on our navigation tests. The only issue is that it's more noisy than other models and doesn't do as well in our owner-satisfaction and predicted reliability tests.

The Q5 Pro comes with a large dust bin that is 770ml, meaning that you won't need to empty it as frequently as other 2-in-1 robots. Its 240-minute runtime is quite generous in comparison to other robots we've tried. If the battery is low, it returns automatically to its dock where it recharges and resumes cleaning where it left off. You can control the Q5 Pro using the app or voice commands with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

This is the first robot we've seen that incorporates 3D mapping. That, combined with some other innovations, makes it excel during our mopping and vacuuming tests. You can schedule cleanings and set up no-go zones. You can also see the battery status. The app is simple to use, but it does not support Apple HomeKit. This feature is scheduled to be added in 2025. As of the beginning of November, Apple has updated a footnote on its website to note that this feature will be delayed until 2025. A few other robots aren't compatible with HomeKit however, a lot of them are compatible with Siri Shortcuts.

3. TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus

The Tapo RV30 Plus TP-Link robot vacuum cleaner is a great option if you're searching for a vacuum that is able to mop and is priced reasonably. It has a stylish design and impressive features for its price. You can control the device using different buttons on the device or through the app, and even use voice commands. The device has long battery life, and the vacuum container is automatically empty.

The TP-Link RV30 Plus does a very good job at cleaning up messes of all kinds and is suitable for light mopping on hard floors. It comes with mopping cloths that can be replaced and a the sweeping brush as well as a HEPA filter. It can be combined with a smart home hub, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant for convenient voice control. The TP-Link RV30 Plus can be easily set up, and connected to a variety of floor surfaces by using the Automatic Floor Cleaners (Fewpal.Com) mode. This guarantees that the optimal results are achieved in each room and type of floor.

Three cleaning modes are available to suit your needs. The vacuuming mode utilizes the smart sensor for detection of obstacles such as furniture, stairs, and edges. The mopping feature can be utilized to automatically clean your floor or remove stubborn stains and liquid spills. A third option allows you to combine both functions for a deep and thorough cleaning.

The TP-Link RV30 Plus comes with a powerful suction, 3 settings for dry mopping, and is able to quickly remove dust pet hairs, crumbs and other debris from floors of any kind. It can clean carpets without damaging it thanks to special mopping tools.

During the first mapping run, the TP-Link RV30 Plus scans and records the layout of your home using its LiDAR and Gyro dual navigation system. You can modify the map using the app and combine or split rooms according to your preferences. You can also set up virtual walls and no-go zones to prevent the RV30 Plus from entering areas that you don't want to be in.

4. Eufy iMop

The Eufy iMop is one of the most powerful fully-featured mop and robot vacuum combos for hard floors. It comes with a cutting-edge mapping system that can map your home across several floors. The base station is well-designed and automates cleaning to a great extent. It also offers amazing obstacles-avoiding and navigation.

This model uses an internal dToF LiDAR sensor to map your home and design efficient cleaning routes. The iMop awed us with its navigation efficiency and coverage evaluations and was efficient in getting around obstacles, such as furniture. It also has the ability to return to the base station, which is a great benefit in the event that it's running out of battery during cleaning.

The spot cleaning mode lets you to clean a specific space on your floor. And it can be manually programmed to follow a specific path, which is beneficial for narrow hallways or stairs. It did a good job of cleaning carpets during our carpet cleaning review however, it had trouble with higher pile carpets and rug. It is also able to automatically lift the mop pad once it comes in contact with carpet. This is a fantastic option if you wish to not mop your carpets.

The iMop has an onboard dustbin as well as a water tank, which it emptys at the end of every cleaning session. The dust bin that is onboard can hold up to 2.5 Liters of debris and is only required to be emptying it every few cleaning cycles. The water tank is able to handle about a dozen mopping sessions before it is empty. The iMop requires less maintenance and cleaning than the typical robot vacuum, which could be a major selling point for busy families.

The iMop smartphone app is simple to use and comes with a variety of configuration options. It offers multiple suction modes, mopping settings and scheduling. It also lets you create virtual walls and no-go zones so that the robot isn't able to wander into areas that aren't safe for it. In addition, the application provides access to your iMop's status as well as errors messages.