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How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner
A robot vacuum will save you lots of time and effort in the case of regular cleaning. The best ones are adept at getting rid of dust light debris, cords and dust.
The ones that are more expensive can even sweep your floors however they're not able to climb stairs. Find models with smart mapping, real-time hazards avoidance, and large self-emptying bins.
Best Overall
The best robots we tested were reliable, user-friendly and able to cope with the daily messes. It is also important to choose a model capable of handling stairs and that has decent ability to pick up carpets. And, if you're looking to add more features, you might be interested in a model equipped with smart mapping technology or an application that allows you to control it remotely.
Camryn Rabideau, a contributing shopping writer for PEOPLE and a product reviewer who has tried numerous robotic vacuums, is credited with testing numerous robot vacuum price vacuums. She prefers the robovacs with the most conveniences such as those with self-emptying bins and charging stations that automatically empty and fill water tanks for mopping robotic vacuums. She's also a fan of the robots that can recognize landmarks such as furniture legs and power cords, so they don't get tripped up when climbing the stairs.
This robot from Black and Decker has a lower score for navigation and has less object-avoidance technology than the best-rated models. It has a large non-refillable dustbin as well as an extended battery. It also comes with an option that allows you to schedule cleaning sessions and return to where it was last. This makes it easier to cover larger spaces. This model is also a good choice for pet owners because it is able to spot and prevent tangled hair as well as fallen food particles.
In our tests in our tests, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combines a LIDAR sensor that can map rooms and identify obstacles using an organized light sensor to identify objects and detect edges. It can stay clear of the steps, liquid droplets and furniture legs easily using this combination. It also has the ability to save up to four floor plans to be used in the future. It can pause and resume the cleaning process at any time, meaning that you can continue with your chores while it does. The app includes the 3D image of your home, with room labels as well as advanced cleaning options.
Although this model isn't able to clean as well as our top-rated models, it is superior in picking up fine debris such as baking soda and sand and heavier objects, like orzo pasta and metal screws. The only drawback is that it isn't able to mop and has a less effective navigation system.
The best budget robot vacuum for Carpet
If you have carpeting in your home, look for a vacuum that has good pickup and a high score for maneuverability on carpet and rugs. A lot of models do a great job of picking up dust that is embedded in carpets with low pile and some are capable of picking up heavier debris such as orzo pasta, metal screws and pet hair. However, they aren't able to pick up small particles like canister or upright vacuums, and they may miss ground-in dirt close to baseboards and thresholds.
For most carpeted homes, a 2-in-1 robot mop/vacuum is the best choice. You can exchange the cleaning bin for a damp mopping mat. The Roborock Q Revo, for example, vacuums and mops wet with circular pads that rotate at a rate of 200 rotations per minute. It detects and lifts the pads when it encounters carpet to avoid wetting the floor, and you don't need to remove or replace them after every use. The Q Revo is also more efficient than other robot vacuums/mops when it comes to keeping away from obstacles and being close to carpets and thresholds.
The iRobot Roomba Combo i5 is another option worth considering. It performed well in our tests and you can set it up to schedule it to clean your home while you are away. It can be set up to only mop. We were impressed by its ability to navigate on floors with no flooring as well as rug. The Combo i5 has a long time to run and excellent path planning for an item of this size.
If you're looking for a high-tech vacuum that is high-tech, the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum & Mop is a great alternative. It comes with a large dock that can last for weeks and not need to be emptied. It also features impressive navigation and auto-emptying capabilities on carpets and floors with no floor. It's also got a smart-mapping feature and can be programmed to only operate during certain hours of the day (a useful feature to keep mischievous kids and dextrous pets from causing havoc). The Shark has less suction power than other robot vacuums and mops however it's still good at picking up hair and pet hair. It is the best value of our top choices.
best value robot vacuum for Hard Floors
Robot vacuums are the best choice for floors made of hardwood, since they can maneuver around obstacles easily without damaging floors that aren't. They do an excellent job of picking up crumbs and dust, but they aren't able to handle pet hair and larger debris. They lack the suction power of a high-end upright or canister vacuum, which is why they're not an ideal option for rooms with carpets or deep cleaning upholstery.
The most effective robots are those that come with two-in-one features, combining the power of a mop with a vacuum to complete the task in one go. If you have floors that are mixed you should look for a model with an onboard sensor which detects changes in the floor's texture and adjusts suction to match. This feature is available on the ECOVACS Deebot T9+ and lets it effortlessly transition 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 like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model is a powerful robotic vacuum with intelligent navigation that can clean hardwood floors and other surfaces. It also mop. The sensors help it avoid staircases and other hazards, so you don't have to be worried about the bot plummeting down the stairs and breaking your hardwood.
The Eufy S1 Pro mop is designed to clean hardwood floors using downward pressure, not simply swab them in order to remove dirt and dust. The mop pads are reusable, which reduce the amount of waste and make it less likely to spread germs, and can be cleaned in the docking station to save you time. The mop pads can also be dried, washed and reused.
Both the robovac and mop can be controlled from your smartphone to make it easier to manage the device. For instance, you can use the app to set up a no-go zone where the vacuum can't go or mark rooms as separate or schedule cleaning times for specific areas. The eufy S1 Pro also has an auto-emptying dock that sucks debris through a trapdoor and is then stored in a bagless or disposable bin, so you don't have to empty the bin manually every time as you would with other models.
Best for Small Spaces
As the name suggests the robots are best to be used in small spaces. They have smaller bins that contain less waste, and they're more efficient than larger models when it comes to maneuvering tight corners. They can also fit under furniture, where the larger robots struggle to get in. They tend to be cheaper than the higher-end models however, you'll need to manually empty their dirt storage compartments at the end of each cleaning session.
A few years ago, robot vacuums went through a major change when manufacturers began adding sensors to help navigate and avoid household objects that their traditional sensors would be stuck on or over. These advancements have reduced the number of times that our testers had to clean up after a robotic snag, whether it was an electrical cord, toy, or piece of pet waste.
The new sensors don't solve all the issues that these devices have, however. The cheapest models still struggle with the same issues that the older ones faced and, in addition, they require a certain amount of light to see where they're going. If you are living in a dark space or have lots of furniture with low-profiles, consider purchasing top-mounted spinning laser units to map your area, like our best overall and runner-up picks do. This lets them work in the dark and avoid obstacles like stairs.
In addition to being capable of working in the dark and in the dark, these models can be programmed to use their cliff sensors only on or near the floor, not when they're above them. You'll still need to cover any mirrors that could hinder this function, though, as the lasers used by a LIDAR-based model could bounce off reflective surfaces and cause the robot to believe it's in another room cleaning robot.
Some of the models we recommend allow you to create virtual no-go zones to protect areas you don't want the robot to go, which can be useful if you have children or pets. These features aren't present on all models we test. Read our full reviews before deciding.