Best Rated Robot Vacuum and Mop

Eufy's top-rated robot vacuum and mop takes a bit of the hands-off work out of keeping your floors clean. It is able to refill its own water tank, and self-empty its tower bin, and then change out the dust bag.

Advanced models can map your house and take note of furniture placement. They can also detect hazards and navigate around them, such as loose charging cables or unintentional socks.

Object Avoidance

Object avoidance helps your robot to avoid hitting things such as cords, toys and even clothes that might get caught in the vacuum. These features are especially important if you have children or pets that may leave things on the floor for your robot to find.

Depending on which model you pick depending on the model you select, your robot could have several sensor options to help it navigate around obstacles. Some of the most popular are crossed IR sensors that send focused beams of infrared light throughout the room to identify things like doors and furniture legs. Many robots have embraced this technology, and you'll see it in the most expensive models that cost more.

Other technology for avoiding objects you might find in more expensive robots are 3D Structured Light, which uses cameras and crossed IR sensors to map the surroundings and identify obstacles; and Time of Flight (ToF) sensors which emit and measure the time it takes for light to reflect off objects, to determine the distance to them. While they are not as popular but they could be beneficial to your robot if you want peace of mind knowing that it won't get caught up in power cords or socks when cleaning.

Apart from picking up dust and debris from hard floors, most of the best robot vacuum that mops-rated robots can also mop your floors as well. Some even come with their own water tanks that allow them to clean up wet spills and messes. You'll have to empty the robot's onboard dust bin and clean its sensors and cameras between cleaning sessions, but these chores will not take a lot of your time.

Mapping

Mapping capabilities are essential in robot vacuums because they help them recognize your home's layout, and avoid bumping into things like walls. They can be tripped up by cords, pet toys or furniture without mapping. This results in them removing less space. With sensors, the majority of robots map out your home to keep track of any obstacles and assist them to navigate around them. This way, they're able to clean the entire floor using fewer passes, which saves your time. Many of the top-rated robot vacuums also have this feature to create no-go zones allowing you to set specific areas that you do not want the robot to enter.

Robots that have a built-in LIDAR system use this technology to map out your home quickly and efficiently. In our tests of the Eufy Clean robot used this feature to separate my room into different areas and clean each independently it was a major improvement over the less expensive models we tested, automatic vacuum cleaner and mop which used a front bump sensor. This was a much more precise method to navigate my home, and it was easy to control using the app that came with the device.

Although no robot vacuum has the ability to climb stairs yet, the majority of the top-rated models have good obstacle avoidance and mapping capabilities. These tools let them collect debris from low-pile and hard floors, and to avoid falling down stairs. Certain tools come with sensors that prevent them falling over the edge of stairs. Others have boundary strips to keep them away.

Some robots have an enormous base tower that can collect dirt. This reduces the amount of dust or allergens released within your home. These bases can go weeks or even months between emptying, which is especially beneficial for those with allergies. Additionally, some models come with self-emptying systems that allow you to take out the dust bins without having to manually open or close them.

Wi-Fi enabled

Some robot vacuums connect via Wi-Fi with their apps. This allows you to operate them with your smartphone instead of (or in addition) to an actual remote. These models are more expensive, however they can save you time as you can schedule cleaning time every day, weekly, or monthly. These models also allow you to modify floor maps, save them and offer alternate cleaning schedules.

The most advanced robot vacuums use dual sensors, combining with a LIDAR system to map your area with a structured light sensor that can detect objects and avoid them even if they're under furniture or power cords. These features allow your robot to access tight areas, such as the space under your kitchen cabinets or underneath sofas. Some robots have difficulty in these kinds of spaces. They also are faster to navigate around obstacles, and have longer runtimes and larger dust bins. This makes them ideal for homes with large spaces compared to basic robots.

The most effective robot vacuums are quick, intelligent and powerful. They are able to pick up an array of floor debris such as pet hair, kitty-litter and other messes. They are also quite quiet, making them a great choice for homes with pets or young children. Many of the robot vacuum owners we've spoken with say that they love the convenience of having their floors cleaned with little effort. This is especially true if they are used frequently. Robots can last as long as traditional vacuum cleaners with the right maintenance (cleaning rotating brushes and keeping an eye on replacement parts). PCWorld offers a manual with helpful tips to ensure that your robot is running smoothly.

Larger Dust Bags

A robotic vacuum isn't as efficient at cleaning as an upright or canister vacuum, but it is great at picking up the dust and other debris that regular vacuuming leaves behind. It can be used to do quick repairs to floors that are not clean and is able to navigate around cords or other household obstacles. If you don't want to perform the deep cleaning yourself, a robot cleaner can be sent out to sweep your floors on a regular basis.

Some of the best rated robot vacuum cleaner reviews vacuums come with large dust bags that are easy to empty. They hold more than a single room's worth of dirt. This can save you time and money on bags that need to be replaced. This feature is available on several models, including our top choice, the Ecovacs T30S Combo. This robovac all-in-one is a high-performance robovac that includes a self-emptying bin. It also comes with a mopping function and efficient navigation. It's a close match between this and the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+, which comes with the ability to avoidance and smart mapping. This robovac is more expensive but has a bigger capacity.

Another big difference between these two models is how they handle hair that is long and human, which can tangle in the rollers of some robots. The Roborock Q5 Max+, SwitchBot K10S Plus and Roborock Q5 Max+ are the best performing models. They both have excellent hair pickup and tangle avoidance scores, as well as excellent auto empty performance and great path planning. The eufy and Shark Matrix Plus are also great options, with good hair pickup and tangle avoidance, but not as much planning for paths or auto empty.

The newest robots have sensors that can detect dirt and other debris in the carpet, and they're better at removing loose pet hair. Some even have a dedicated mopping mode that uses the reservoir of water to eliminate spills and stuck-on mess. This feature is crucial for families with children as well as pets.

Maintenance

A robot vacuum will help you keep up with your home. While no robot can substitute an upright or canister vacuum for deep cleaning, the top rated models pick up pet hair, lint, and other dirt on carpets with low pile and hard floors which can pick up more than you can using the vacuum. They also have navigation features that ensure they don't get stuck on power cords or rug fringe and are able to glide effortlessly under furniture.

Based on the model, a top-rated robotic cleaner and mop vacuum can also be scheduled to run multiple times per day, or permit users to observe it in action using an app. These devices are convenient however they can clog and require regular maintenance. This includes emptying the dust bin that is onboard (or in some cases, the base's larger bin) as well as checking the brushes for tangled fur, and a regular cleaning of the filters and drying them in accordance with the manufacturer.

Vacuum expert Emily Rairdin, a store owner apprentice at University Vacuum + Sewing, says a high-quality robot vacuum can last from three to five years or more if it receives regular maintenance and care. She recommends regularly emptying the bin and brush roll, cutting out any hair that is tangled in the brushes, and frequently washing and drying the filter, if your robot also acts as a mop. It's a good idea wipe the charging contacts and sensors on the dock or robot with a soft, clean cloth every now and again. Then simply refill and recharge the robot as needed for your next cleaning session.