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How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Robot vacuums will save you time and effort when it comes to cleaning. The best models do a great job at removing dust and other small particles and allow you to designate no-go zones in pets or power cords.
The more expensive models even clean your floors, though they aren't able to climb the stairs. Find models with smart mapping, real time safety features, and large self-emptying bins.
best robot vacuum for large house Overall
The top robots we tested were user-friendly, efficient, and able keep up with the daily debris. It is also important to choose a model that can handle stairs and has good robot vacuum pick-up power on carpets. If you want a robot that has additional features, you should consider a model that has smart mapping technology, or an app to control it remotely.
Camryn Rabideau is a contributing shopping writer and product reviewer at PEOPLE who has tried dozens of robotic vacuums. She's a fan of the robot vacuums that provide the greatest convenience, such as self-emptying dustbins and charging docks that automatically empty and refill the water tanks used by mopping robots. She's also a fan of the robots that can detect landmarks such as furniture legs and power cords to ensure they don't get caught when climbing stairs.
Compared with the top-rated models this Black and Decker vacuum is less equipped with object-avoidance technology and its navigation score is lower. However, it does have an enormous dust bin that doesn't need frequent emptying, and has a long battery life. Additionally, it comes with an option that allows you to plan cleaning times and return to the location the last time it was used and makes it much easier to clean larger homes. This model is also a great option for pet owners since it can spot and eliminate hair tangled and fallen food particles.
In our tests we tested the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combines an LIDAR sensor that maps rooms and detect obstacles, with a structured light sensor to identify objects and detect edges. It can avoid stairs, liquid droplets, and furniture legs easily with this combination. It can also save up to four floor plans for future use. It can also stop the cleaning process at any time and return to where it stopped so that you can complete chores while the robot is working. The app offers an interactive 3D model of your home, with room labels and advanced cleaning options.
While this cheap robot vacuum can't clean as well as our top-rated models, it excels in removing fine debris such as baking soda and sand and heavier items, such as orzo pasta and screws made of metal. Its only drawbacks are that it can't mop and has a less efficient navigation system.
The best for Carpet
If you have carpeting in your home, look for a robot vacuum with strong pickup and maneuverability scores on carpets and rug. A lot of models do a great job of removing dust embedded in low-pile carpet and some are capable of cleaning up larger 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 be unable to pick up dirt in the vicinity of thresholds and baseboards.
For homes with carpets, a 2-in-1 robot mop/vacuum is the best choice. You can exchange a cleaning bin to a damp mopping mat. The Roborock Q Revo is a 2-in-1 robot hoover vacuum/mop that can clean and mop at the same time with circular pads spinning at 200 revolutions per minute. It is able to detect and lift its pads when it comes into contact with carpet, preventing the floor from getting wet. You don't need to take them off or replace them every time. The Q Revo is also more efficient 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 performed well in our tests and you can set it up to schedule it to clean your home when you are away. It can be set to only mop. We liked its navigation on floors that are not bare and carpets. The Combo i5 has a long runtime and excellent path planning for a device of this size.
If you're looking to buy a high-tech vacuum, the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum & Mop is a fantastic option. It has a huge charging dock that can last for weeks without needing to be emptying and boasts impressive navigation skills and auto-emptying on carpets and floors. It also has a clever mapping system that can be programmed to only run during certain hours (a beneficial feature to keep pets and children who are prone to mischief from running amok). The Shark is less powerful than other robot vacuum/mop combinations, but it still picks up pet hair and hair very well. It's also the most affordable price of our top picks.
The best choice for hardwood floors
Robot vacuums are ideal for floors with hardwood floors because they can navigate through obstacles with ease without causing damage the surfaces that are not. They are capable of picking up dust and crumbs, but they struggle with pet hair and other larger particles. They don't have the suction of a high-end canister or upright vacuum, making them unsuitable for deep cleaning carpeted or upholstery areas.
The best two-in-1 robots combine mopping and vacuum to complete an entire task in one go. Look for one that has an onboard sensor to detect any changes in the flooring and adjust suction to match. This feature is available on the ECOVACS Deebot T9+ and allows it to effortlessly switch from hard carpeting to soft carpeting.
If you have lots of hardwood flooring in your home, you might want to think about a robot mop and vacuum combination like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model uses an efficient robot vacuum with smart navigation to clean hardwood and other hard surfaces. Additionally, it can mop too. Its sensors allow it to avoid dangers like stairs.
When you need mops the eufy S1 Pro is designed to actually clean hardwood floors using downward pressure rather than wipe them to remove dust and dirt. The mop pads that are reusable reduce the amount of waste, and spread germs less 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 mop can be controlled from your smartphone, making it easier to manage the device. For instance you can use the app to set up a zone where the vacuum can't go or mark rooms as separate or schedule cleaning sessions for specific areas. The eufy S1 Pro has an auto-emptying port that collects debris through trapdoors and then puts it into a bagless or disposable bin. This means you don't have to empty the bin manually as often as with other models.
Best suited for small Spaces
These robots are specifically designed for small spaces. They have smaller bins that can hold less garbage, and are more efficient than the larger models when it comes to maneuvering tight corners. They can also be tucked under furniture, whereas bigger robots struggle to reach. They are also less expensive than the more expensive models, however you will have to empty their dirt compartments manually at the end each cleaning session.
A couple of years ago, robotic vacuums underwent a major transformation when manufacturers started adding sensors to help them navigate around and avoid household objects that their conventional sensors would be stuck on or over. These advancements have reduced the number of times our testers had to clean up after a robotic snag whether it was a power cord, toy or pet waste.
The new sensors haven't eliminated all issues with these devices however. The less expensive models are not able to tackle the same obstacles as the older models, and they require some level of illumination to be able to be able to see where they're moving. If you live in a dark house or have a lot of furniture with low-profiles, consider getting one that uses top-mounted spinning LIDAR units to map your space, like our top overall and runner-up choices do. This lets them work in darkness and avoid obstacles like stairs.
In addition to being capable of working in the dark they can also be set to use their cliff sensors only when they're close to or on the floor, not above them. It's important to cover mirrors to prevent this from happening. The lasers used by the LIDAR-based models can bounce off reflective surfaces, causing the robot to think it's in another room cleaning Robot.
A few of the models we recommend also allow you to set up virtual no-go zones in areas where you do not want the robot go, which can be beneficial if you have small children or pets. Those features aren't available on all the models we've tested so make sure to read our full reviews of each model below prior to making a purchase.