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How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

A robot vacuum can save you lots of time and hassle in the case of regular touch-ups. The top models do a great job at removing dust and other small particles and allow you to set no-go zones for pets or power cords.

The ones that are more expensive will even sweep your floor but they aren't able to climb stairs. Find models with smart mapping, real time safety features, and large self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The best robot vacuums robots that we have tested are effective, easy to use, and able to cope with everyday debris. You'll need a robot that has decent carpet-picking capability and the capability to climb stairs. If you're looking for a robot with extra features, consider an option that incorporates smart mapping technology or an app that allows you to control it remotely.

Camryn Rabideau is a contributing shopping writer and product reviewer at PEOPLE who has tried numerous robotic vacuums. She's a fan of the robovacs that offer the most convenience, including self-emptying dustbins and charging docks that automatically empty and fill the water tanks used by mopping robots. She also likes the robots that can recognize landmarks like furniture legs and power cords, so they don't get tripped up when climbing stairs.

This Black and Decker robot has a lower score for navigation and has less object-avoidance technology than the top 10 robot vacuum cleaner-rated models. However, it has an ample dust bin that doesn't need frequent emptying and a long battery life. It also has the ability to schedule cleaning sessions and then return to the place it was last. This makes it easier for you to cover larger homes. This model is also a good option for pet owners as it is able to spot and avoid tangled hair and fallen food particles.

In our tests, we discovered that the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combined a LIDAR (light) sensor that can identify rooms and obstacles by using a structured-light sensor to identify objects as well as detect edges. It can avoid the steps, liquid droplets and furniture legs easily using this combination. It is also able to save up to four floor plans for future use. It can also stop the cleaning process at any moment and resume where it left off and let you do chores while the robot does its work. The app includes an interactive 3D model of your home with room labels and advanced cleaning options.

Although this robot isn't able to clean as well as our top-rated models, it is superior in removing small particles such as baking soda and sand and heavier items, such as orzo pasta and screws made of metal. The only drawback is that it can't mop and has a less efficient navigation system.

The best for Carpet

If you have carpeting, choose one that has a high score for carpet and rug maneuverability and pickup. Many models do a good job of removing dust embedded in low-pile carpet and a few do a decent job at picking up heavier debris such as orzo pasta, metal screws, and pet hair. But they don't pick up fine particles like an upright or canister vacuum and may also miss ground-in dirt close to baseboards and thresholds.

For carpeted homes, a 2-in-1 robotic vacuum/mop is the best choice. You can exchange the cleaning bin for a damp mopping mat. The Roborock Q Revo, for example, is a vacuum cleaner and mops wet with circular pads that rotate at 200 rotations per minute. It recognizes and raises its pads when it comes into contact with carpet, which prevents the floor from getting wet. You don't need remove them or replace them every time. The Q Revo also performs better than other robot vacuum/mops in keeping away from obstacles and being close to carpets and thresholds.

The iRobot Roomba Combo i5 is another option worth considering. It was a great performer in our tests and you can program it to clean your home when you are away. It can be set up to mop only. We liked its navigation on floors with no flooring and rug. The Combo i5 has a long runtime and excellent path planning for a device of this size.

If you're looking for a more high-tech model, consider the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Self-Empty Robot Vacuum & Mop. It has a large dock that can last for weeks and not need to be emptied. It also has impressive navigation and auto-emptying capabilities on carpets and floors with no floor. It's also got an intelligent mapping system that can be programmed to only be operational during certain times of the day (a useful feature to keep children and pets who are prone to mischief from running it amuck). The Shark isn't as powerful as other mop/robot combinations, but it still picks up pet hair and hair extremely well. It's also the best value of our top choices.

Best for Hard Flooring

Robot vacuums are best auto vacuum inexpensive Robot vacuum [Championsleage.Review] for floors with hardwood floors because they can navigate around obstacles easily without damaging bare surfaces. They are great at picking up dust and crumbs, but struggle with pet hair or larger debris. They lack the suction of the top canister or upright vacuum, which makes them unsuitable for deep cleaning upholstery or carpeted areas.

The most effective robots are those that come with two-in-one features, combining a vacuum with a mop to complete the task in one move. Choose one that has an onboard sensor that detects any changes in the flooring and adjust suction to match. This feature is available on the ECOVACS Deebot T9+ and lets it move seamlessly from hard carpeting to soft carpeting.

If you have a lot of hardwood floors in your home, you might want to think about a robot mop and vacuum combination like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model is a powerful robotic vacuum with intelligent navigation that can clean hardwood and other surfaces. It can also mop. Its sensors let it avoid hazards such as stairs.

The Eufy S1 Pro mop is designed to clean hardwood floors using downward pressure, instead of simply swab them to remove dust and dirt. The mop pads are reusable, which reduce the amount of waste, and make it less likely to spread germs, and can be cleaned at the docking station to save your time. They are also able to be dried, washed and reused.

Both the robovac and the mop can be controlled from your smartphone to make it easier to manage the device. You can, for instance utilize the app to create no-go zones that the vacuum won't be allowed to enter, label different rooms or schedule specific cleaning sessions. The eufy S1 Pro has an auto-emptying port that collects debris through trapdoors and then puts it in a bagless or disposable bin. This means you don't have to empty the bin manually as often as you do with other models.

Best for Small Spaces

These robots are specifically designed to work in small spaces. They have smaller bins which hold less garbage. They are also more efficient in getting around corners better over larger models. They can also fit under furniture that larger robots have difficulty reaching. They are also less expensive than more expensive models, but you'll need to empty their dirt bins manually at the end of each cleaning session.

A few years back robotic vacuums experienced an important change. Manufacturers started adding sensors that could help them navigate and avoid household items that traditional sensors might get stuck on or run across. These advancements reduced the number of times that our testers had to clean up after a robotic snag whether it was a power cord, a toy, or piece of pet waste.

However, the latest sensors haven't resolved all of the problems these machines have. The cheapest models are still struggling with the same obstacles that the older ones did and, in addition, they need a certain amount of light to be able to see where they're going. Look into an option that incorporates a spinning LIDAR device that is mounted on top to map the space. Our top overall models and runners-up models use this. This allows them to work in the dark and avoid obstacles such as stairs.

In addition being able to work in the dark they can also be programmed to use their cliff sensors only when they're near or on the floor, not when they're above them. It is essential to cover mirrors in order to stop this from happening. The laser used by the LIDAR-based models could bounce off reflective surfaces, which makes the robot think it's in another room.

Some of the models we recommend let you create virtual no-go areas for areas you don't want the robot to visit. This is helpful for those with pets or small children. These features aren't offered on all the models we test and recommend that you go through our complete reviews of the models below before making your purchase.