This Story Behind Robot Vacuum Cleaner Best Will Haunt You Forever

How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Robot vacuums will save you time and effort when it comes to regular cleaning. Top performers do a good job picking up dust and other small particles and allow you to set no-go zones for pets or power cords.

The more expensive models even clean your floors, but they can't climb stairs. Find models that feature intelligent mapping, real-time hazard avoidance, and roomy self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The top robots we've tested that we have tested are effective and easy to use and are able to cope with everyday debris. You'll also want a robot that can take on stairs and has good ability to pick up carpets. And, if you're looking for extra features, you might be interested in a model equipped with smart mapping technology or an app that lets you control the robot remotely.

Camryn Rabideau is a contributing reviewer and writer for shopping at PEOPLE who has tested many robotic vacuums. She's a huge fan of robotic vacuums that offer the greatest convenience, including self-emptying dustbins and charging docks that automatically empty and fill water tanks for mopping robots. She also likes robots that detect landmarks such as furniture legs and power cords, so they don't get tripped up when climbing steps.

In comparison with the top-rated models this Black and Decker robot vacuum is less equipped with object-avoidance technology and its navigation score is lower. It has a large, non-refillable dustbin and a long battery. In addition, it has a feature that allows you to schedule cleaning sessions and return to the location the last time it was used, making it easier to tackle larger areas. This model is a good choice for pet owners since it is able to avoid the tangles of fur and food particles.

In our tests, we observed that the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combined a LIDAR (light) sensor which can identify obstacles and map rooms with a structured-light sensor to identify objects and detect edges. The combination lets it avoid stairs, droplets of liquid, and furniture legs easily and save up to four floor maps to be used in the future for references. It can also stop the cleaning process at any moment and resume where it left off, so you can do chores while the robot works. The app includes the 3D image of your home, complete with room labels and advanced cleaning options.

This model isn't as efficient in cleaning as our top models, but it excels at picking up heavier items like orzo pasta, metal screws and fine particles such as sand. The only drawbacks are that it cannot mop and that its navigation system is a little less impressive.

best automatic floor cleaner (site) for Carpet

If you have carpeting, select a robot vacuum that has a high score for rug and carpet ability to maneuver and pick up. Many models are good at picking up dust in low-pile rugs, and some do a decently job of cleaning up larger debris, such as orzo pasta and metal screws. However, they can't handle small particles like canister or upright vacuums and may also miss ground-in dirt close to thresholds and baseboards.

The best choice for most carpeted homes is a two-in-one robot vacuum and mop that allows you to swap between a cleaning bin and mopping pad with damp. The Roborock Q Revo, for example, is a vacuum cleaner and mops with circular pads that spin at a speed of 200 rotations per minute. It detects and lifts its pads when it comes into contact with carpet, which prevents the flooring from becoming wet. You don't need to remove them or replace them every time. The Q Revo also performs better than other robot vacuum/mops in the absence of obstacles and in getting close to rugs and thresholds.

The iRobot Roomba Combo i5 is another solid option. 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 were impressed by its ability to navigate on bare floors and rug. The Combo i5 has a long runtime and excellent path-planning for an item of this size.

If you're looking for a top-of-the-line vacuum Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum & Mop is a great option. It comes with a huge dock that can last for weeks without having to be emptied. It also has amazing ability to navigate and auto-empty on carpets and bare floors. It's also got an intelligent vacuum cleaner mapping system that can be programmed to only operate at certain times of the day (a useful feature that can keep children and pets who are prone to mischief from running it amuck). The Shark is less powerful than other robot vacuum/mop combinations however, it does pick hair and pet hair extremely well. It's also the highest price of our top picks.

Best for Hard Floors

Robot vacuums are the best pick for hardwood floors because they are able to easily maneuver around obstacles without damaging bare surfaces. They are capable of picking up dust and crumbs, but they are unable to deal with pet hair and larger debris. They also lack the suction power of a top-of-the-line upright or canister vacuum, meaning they're not the ideal choice for carpeted areas or upholstery that needs deep cleaning.

The best robots are two-in-one, combining the power of a mop with a vacuum to do a complete job in one step. If you have flooring that is mixed, look for a model equipped with an onboard sensor that detects changes in the floor's texture and adjusts suction accordingly. This feature is available on the ECOVACS Deebot T9+ and allows it to effortlessly transition from hard carpeting to soft carpeting.

If you have a lot of hardwood flooring in your home you might want to consider a robotic mop and vacuum combo like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model is a powerful robotic vacuum that has smart navigation to clean hardwood floors and other hard surfaces, and it can mop too. Its sensors help it avoid staircases and other hazards, so you don't need to worry about the bot plummeting down the stairs and damaging your hardwood.

When it comes to mops, the Eufy S1 Pro is designed to actually wash hardwood floors with downward pressure, rather than wipe them to get rid of light dust and dirt. Its reusable mop pads reduce the amount of waste, and make it less likely to spread germs and can be cleaned in the docking station to save your time. The mop pads are also able to be dried, washed, and reused.

Both the robovac and the mop can be controlled by your smartphone, making it easier to manage the device. You can, for example, use the app to designate areas where the vacuum cannot enter, or to label rooms or schedule specific cleaning times. The eufy S1 Pro also has an auto-emptying dock, which collects debris through a trapdoor and is then stored in a disposable or bagless bin, meaning you don't have to empty the bin manually as often as you do with other models.

Ideal for small Spaces

These robots are specifically designed to work in small spaces. They have smaller bins that can hold less waste, and they're more efficient than the larger models when it comes to navigating tight corners. They can also fit underneath furniture that larger robots have difficulty reaching. They tend to be cheaper than the more expensive models, too, although you'll need to manually empty their dirt compartments at the end of each cleaning session.

A few years ago, robot vacuums went through significant changes. Manufacturers began adding sensors that allowed them to avoid household items that conventional sensors might get stuck on or run across. These advancements have reduced the number of times that our testers had to clean up after a robotic snag whether it was a power cord, toy or pet waste.

However, the new sensors aren't solving all of the problems these machines have. The most affordable models struggle with the same issues that the older ones did and most require a certain amount light to see where they're going. Consider getting a model that uses a spinning LIDAR unit mounted on top to trace the space. Our best robot vacuum under 200 overall models and runners-up models have this feature. This lets them work in darkness and avoid obstacles such as stairs.

These models can be programmed to only use their cliff sensors when they are near or on the ground, but not when they are above it. It's essential to cover mirrors in order to stop this from happening. The lasers used by the LIDAR-based models may bounce off reflective surfaces, causing the robot to think it's in a different space.

Some of the models we recommend also let you set up virtual no-go zones to protect areas where you don't want the robot cleaner amazon to go, which can be beneficial if you have small children or pets. These features aren't present on all models we test. Read our full reviews before making your choice.