The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Robot vacuums can make the chore of vacuuming less painful. Modern models mop and can even climb (small) stairs.
They have a tiny dustbin that they empty themselves, and some are operated by a smartphone app instead of the physical remote. Some have mapping features that help them navigate more efficiently.
1. Power
With an impressive 8,000Pa of suction, our top pick for robot vacuums is powerful enough to handle the worst dirt patches and hairs. The ultra-thin shape of the square allows it to slide beneath furniture such as sofas and beds. Dual-Laser LIDAR technology offers accurate obstacle avoidance and intelligent navigation. It also does a fantastic job at cleaning up pet hair, baking soda, and other debris close to the baseboards as well as in corners.
Aside from the DEEBOT X2 OMNI bot, other powerful bots in this list include the IRobot Roomba J7+ and the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra. The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra includes a docking station which automatically performs maintenance. It also has mopping capabilities. Its powerful suction and efficient mopping made sure my floors were free of pet hair and muddy footprints and other debris during every floor type test that we conducted.
A model that has 2,500Pa suction is sufficient for the majority of homes in the lower price range. These models are quieter, and are therefore a better choice for those with sensitive ears. They're not quiet, but they're not the same volume as a normal conversation at home.
Consider your budget and cleaning requirements to determine the best combination of power and efficiency. For frequent light-duty cleaning, a longer runtime with less suction is needed. Cleaning that is heavy-duty every week requires the most power. Then assess your flooring, layout of your home, and cleaning schedules to determine the best model for your requirements. Look through our entire list of robot vacuum reviews and ratings for more details about the most current models. Many customers report that their carpets and floors appear cleaner after introducing a robot vacuum into their home.
2. Navigation
A robot vacuum won't be able to do its job well when it doesn't know how to get around your home. The best robots employ sophisticated navigation technology to scan rooms and build an outline map, which allows for thorough cleaning without getting stuck or hitting obstacles. There are three main types of robot navigation: LiDAR-based, sensor-based, and camera-based.
The most expensive models utilize LiDAR to create a digital map of the room, delivering the highest levels of accuracy and efficiency. Bump sensors are utilized in lower-end models, however they aren't always accurate and miss a lot debris when working in dark areas. Most robots come with cliff sensors, which stop them from falling off steps or other drops.
Many of the robots I tested used object recognition to deftly navigate around things such as fake cords and dog turds, but the best was the Eufy X10. It was a fantastic mapping device with powerful oscillating mops, an easy-to-use app, and the ability to clean by area, room or the all of the house.
Take into consideration features such as floor type sensors, which automatically boost suction power when required. Some robots, like the Roborock mop, make use of a mopping pad lift to reach corners and clean up dried spills. Some hybrids even apply cleaning solutions to stubborn stains.
A smaller bin will require less frequent emptying while a larger one will save money on replacements. The cheapest robotic cleaners typically utilize a small disposable dust bag, while most mid-range models have larger 3L dustbins that can last for decades. Certain high-end robots, such as the EcoVACS DEEBOT OMNI station, will self-empty their bins and fill their water tanks to provide hands-free convenience.
3. App control
The majority of robot vacuums come with an app to monitor the progress of cleaning, schedule sessions and connect to smart home devices. Most also sync with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for voice-based control. best budget robot vacuum have a remote control that lets you start, pause, and return to dock. Choose a model that has larger dustbins that self-empty, as opposed to one that requires manual emptying.
Certain robovacs come with mapping technology that helps them avoid obstacles such as stairs and furniture. Certain robovacs permit you to create no-go zones as well as specific rooms so that they only clean the areas that require the most. They also have cliff sensors to prevent them from falling down staircase, which is particularly useful in multi-level homes.
If you want to utilize your robot vacuum for cleaning rugs, choose one that can be used both for dry and wet mopping. You'll be able to get better results from an vac that is able to remove its own mop pad, and then rinse and reattach when it's time to do another cleaning cycle. Find robots that have an elastomer roller. This is less likely to become tangled from pet hair or other particles. Check the robot's side brushes and brushroll for any debris that may have gotten stuck on. Do this once or twice per week. If you notice that they're getting clogged it might be time to buy replacement parts.
4. Debris collection
Robot vacuums are created, as the name suggests to remove dust and other debris from your floors. The most effective ones can pick small particles such as baking soda and sand as well larger pieces such as orzo pasta, screws made of metal, and pet hair. They also deliver better results on low pile carpets than many manual vacuums.
The top-performing robots across all flooring types had a pickup score higher than 95%. The two top-performing robots in this category were the ECOVACS DEEBOT X2 OMNI, and the Roborock Q Revo. Both are highly automated with docking stations that can do maintenance on their own and apps that make them extremely user-friendly.
Both have self-emptying bins which eliminate the contents of the wastebasket. They can also clean the washboards as they mowing. They also feature 8,000Pa suction, smart mapping technology, and advanced obstacle avoidance that can help them find their way around even the most difficult of areas. The ECOVACS model is also among the few robots we tested that can remove its mop pads and vacuum carpet making it the ideal option for those who need to change between mopping and vacuuming frequently.
If you want a cheaper option, we recommend the Roomba Combo J7 from iRobot+, our budget choice. It comes with LIDAR navigation for an affordable price and decent performance in the collection of debris. It's a bit slow to map rooms and may be susceptible to bumping into obstacles, but it's less expensive than our other top-rated choices.
5. Battery life
The best robot vacuums are designed to let you move to work while keeping your floors looking spick and clean. You'll still have to manually clean your home on a regular basis, but robovacs will help you maintain a basic standard of cleanliness, and even clean when you are away.
To maximize the amount of time you get from your robovac, make sure you choose a model with excellent battery life. A good rule of thumb is to expect a model to last for around two full cleaning sessions if you use it at the maximum power setting. This is less than a typical full-sized vacuum cleaner, but it is enough to be sufficient for most homes. If you don't want to sit while your robovac recharges, you can choose one that automatically returns to the base station for charging.
If you're looking for a robovac that has a little bit of everything in it, then consider an option that also mop. Eufy's X10 is the top model in this class, offers self-emptying and self-refilling for the dust bin as well as the water tank and the mop pad. It can be programmed to automatically refill and wash its mop pads when they run out.
Its dependable carpet and hard floor pick up excellent hair pickup, tangle avoidance, and close to perfect auto empty scores makes it the clear winner of our test scores. However, it's not cheap and unless you have a the smallest of homes with no pets it might be too expensive for some. The Dreametech D10+ is the second choice and has the same performance, but costs around 25 percent less.