This Is The Ultimate Guide To Robot Vacuum

The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

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

They have a tiny dustbin that they empty themselves and some of them can be operated by a smartphone app instead of an actual remote. Some models have mapping features that assist in navigation.

1. Power

With the suction power of 8,000Pa Our top pick for robot cleaner vacuums is durable enough to take care of the most difficult dirt patches and hairs. Its ultra-thin square shape allows it to slide underneath furniture such as couches and beds. Dual-Laser LIDAR technology provides accurate obstacle avoidance and intelligent navigation. It's also great at cleaning baking powder, pet hair and other messes around corners and baseboards.

Other powerful robots on this list, besides the DEEBOT X2 OMNI, are the IRobot Roomba j7+ as well as the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra. The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra includes a docking station which automatically handles maintenance. It also has mopping capabilities. Its powerful suction, coupled with its effective mopping feature, made sure my floors were free of pet hair, muddy prints and other debris on every floor we test.

A model that has 2,500Pa suction is sufficient for homes that are in the lower price range. These models are quieter, making them an ideal option for those who have sensitive hearing. They're not quiet, but they're not the same volume as a normal conversation at home.

Take into consideration your budget and cleaning needs to find the perfect combination of power and efficiency. For regular light-duty cleaning, a longer runtime with less suction is recommended. Weekly heavy-duty cleaning requires the maximum power. Check your flooring, layout of your home and cleaning schedules prior to selecting the best model. We recommend looking through our complete list of robot vacuum reviews and ratings to get more information on the latest models available. Many users have reported that their carpets and floors looking much cleaner after introducing a robotic vacuum to their home.

2. Navigation

A robot vacuum isn't able to perform its job well if it doesn't know how to navigate around your home. Because of this, the most effective robots depend on advanced navigation technology that effectively scans rooms and creates maps to ensure thorough cleaning without being lost or hitting obstacles. There are three kinds of robot navigation including LiDAR, camera, and sensor.

LiDAR is employed by the most expensive models to create a virtual space map, offering the highest levels of precision and efficiency. Cheaper models depend on bump sensors, which are less accurate and can miss the majority of debris in dark spaces. The majority of robots have cliff sensors to prevent them from falling down stairs or other drops.

A number of the robots I tested utilized object recognition to navigate around things like cords and fake dog turds. However, the Eufy X10 was the best. It had excellent mapping capabilities, powerful oscillating mops, an intuitive app and the ability to clean a zones, rooms or even the entire house.

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

A smaller bin will require less frequent emptying, while a bigger one can save you money on replacements. The cheapest robotic cleaners typically utilize a small disposable dust bag, while the mid-range models typically have larger dust bins of 3L that last for many years. Certain high-end robots, such as the EcoVACS DEEBOT OMNI station, can self-empty their dustbin and refill their water tanks to provide hands-free convenience.

3. App control

The top robot vacuum and mop vacuums have an app that allows you to monitor the progress of cleaning and schedule sessions, and most can connect to smart home devices for hands-free control. A lot of robot vacuums can be controlled using voice commands, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Some models have a remote control that allows you to begin the process, pause it, and return to dock. Look for a model with larger dustbins that self-empty, rather than one that requires manual emptying.

Certain robovacs come with technology for mapping to help them avoid obstacles like stairs and furniture. Some allow you to designate no-go zones and targeted rooms, so that they only clean the areas that need it most. They also have cliff sensors to prevent them from falling down staircase, which is particularly beneficial in multi-level homes.

If you want to utilize your robot vacuum to clean carpets, select a model which can be used both for wet and dry mopping. You'll get better cleaning results when your automatic vacuum cleaner and mop can remove its mop pad. Rinse it, and then reconnect it when you want to conduct a clean-up cycle. Also look for a robot that has a rubber roll that is less susceptible to knots caused by pet hair and other debris than bristle rollers like those found on cheaper models. It's recommended to inspect the robot's brushroll as well as side brushes for debris that has gotten stuck every once or twice per week as well. If you notice they are beginning to get clogged up it could be time to buy replacement parts.

4. Debris collection

As the name suggests robot vacuums are made to remove dust and other debris from your floors. The best robot vacuums can pick up tiny particles like sand and baking soda, as well as larger ones such as metal screws orzo, pet hair. They also have better results on carpets with low pile than many manual vacuums.

All flooring types are covered, and the top robots had pickup scores of more 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 robust docking stations that can perform maintenance on their own, and apps that make them extremely user-friendly.

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

If you're looking for a less expensive option, check out the Roomba Combo J7 from iRobot Plus, our budget choice. It has LIDAR navigation and decent debris pickup performance for the price. It is slow at mapping out rooms and has a tendency of bumping against obstacles, but it is lower than the other choices.

5. Battery life

The best robot vacuums let you get on with your day while they keep your floors in pristine condition. You'll still need to manually vacuum your home every so often but robovacs can help you maintain a basic level of cleanliness, and will even clean while you're away.

Find a robovac equipped with an extended-lasting battery to get the most use of it. A good guideline is to anticipate a model to last about two full cleaning sessions if you run it at the maximum power setting. This is smaller than a larger vacuum however, it should be enough to keep most homes clean. If you don't want to wait around while your robovac charges you could opt for one that will automatically make its way back to the base station to recharge.

If you're looking for a robovac with a variety of features in it, then consider one that is able to mop. Eufy's X10 is the top model in this category. It provides self-emptying, auto-draining and self-refilling of the dust bin as well as the mop pad. It can even be programmed to automatically refill and wash mops when they're empty.

Its high-quality carpet and hard floor pick-up, great hair pickup and tangle-free, and a an almost perfect auto empty score make it the clear winner of our test scores. It's not cheap and unless you have a small house with no pets, it may be too expensive for some. The Dreametech D10+ is the second choice and has the same performance, but is priced around 25% less.