The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Robot vacuums can make the task of vacuuming a little less painful. Modern models mop and climb (small) steps.

Some have a smaller bin that they empty on their own. Others can be controlled via an app on your smartphone instead of the physical remote. Some have mapping features that assist in navigation.

1. Power

With an impressive 8,000Pa of suction Our top choice for robot vacuums is powerful enough to take on the toughest dirt patches and hairs. The ultra-thin shape of the square allows it to slide under furniture like beds and robot vacuum reviews sofas. Dual-Laser LIDAR technology offers accurate obstacle avoidance and intelligent navigation. It also does an excellent job at cleaning up pet hair, baking soda, and other debris that can be found near baseboards and in corners.

Other high-powered robots that are listed besides the DEEBOT X2 OMNI, are the iRobot Roomba J7+ aswell as the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra. The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra comes with a docking station which automatically performs maintenance. It also comes with mopping capabilities. Its powerful suction and effective mopping helped keep my floors clear of pet hair as well as muddy paw prints and other debris in every floor type test that we conducted.

In the lower price range, a model with around 2,500Pa of suction is sufficient for most homes. These units are quieter and are therefore a better choice for those who have sensitive ears. These units are not silent but they are only as loud as normal conversations at home.

Take into consideration your budget and cleaning needs to determine the best combination of power and usability. Regular light-duty cleaning requires a longer time to run and lower suction, while weekly high-volume cleaning requires a lot of power. Consider your flooring, layout of your home, and cleaning schedules to choose the right model for your requirements. We recommend looking through our full list of robot vacuum reviews and ratings to get more details on the most recent models available. Many users have reported that their carpets and bare floor look cleaner after using a robotic vacuum.

2. Navigation

A robot vacuum can't do its job properly without knowing how to navigate your home. For this reason, the most effective robots depend on advanced navigation technology that effectively scans rooms and builds maps to ensure thorough cleaning without getting lost or hitting obstacles. There are three types of robot vacuums with mop navigation: LiDAR, camera and sensor.

The most expensive models utilize LiDAR to build a virtual map of the room, offering the highest levels of precision and efficiency. Bump sensors are utilized in lower-end models, however they can be inaccurate and miss a lot of debris when working in dark places. Most robots come with cliff sensors to stop them from falling off steps or other drops.

Many of the robots I tried used object recognition to navigate around things such as cords and fake dog turds. However, the Eufy X10 was the best. It had powerful mop heads that oscillate as well as a user-friendly application, and superb mapping capabilities.

Other features worth looking into include floor type sensors that recognize carpets with soft and hard floors, automatically boosting suction power when necessary. Some robots like the Roborock mop utilize mopping pad that lifts to reach into corners and clean dried spills. Some hybrids even apply cleaning solutions to stubborn stains.

A smaller dustbin will require less frequent emptying, however, a larger one can save you money on replacements. Most low-cost robotic cleaners use the smallest disposable dust bag. However, the majority of mid-range models have larger 3L dustbins that last for a long period of time. Certain high-end robots, such as the ECOVACS DEEBOT OMNI station, can self-empty their dustbin and refill their water tanks, allowing hands-free convenience.

3. App control

The best robot vacuums come with an app that lets you monitor the progress of cleaning and schedule sessions and can connect to your smart home devices for hands-free control. Many also can sync with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for control via voice. Certain models come with a remote control that allows you to begin or pause and then return to dock. Select a model with an extra large dustbin and is able to self-empty rather than one that needs manual emptying.

Some robovacs come with mapping technology that can help them remember obstacles, like stairs, and avoid running into furniture. Some allow you to designate no-go zones and targeted rooms, so they only clean the areas that require it the most. They also have cliff sensors to stop them from falling down the stairs, which is especially helpful in multi-level homes.

If you want to make use of your robot vacuum to clean rugs, choose one that can be used for wet and dry mopping. You'll get better results with a robot vac that can remove its own mop pad, and then rinse and reconnect when it's time to do another cleaning cycle. Also, look for a machine that has a rubber roll, which is less prone to knots caused by pet hair and other debris than a bristle roll, as found on some smaller models. Check the robot's side brush and brushroll for any debris that might have been stuck to them. Do this once or twice per week. If you notice that they're getting clogged it could be time to replace parts.

4. Debris collection

As the name implies robot vacuums are created to remove dust and other debris from your floors. The best ones are able to pick up fine particles like baking soda and sand as well larger pieces such as metal screws, orzo pasta and pet hair. They also have better results on carpets with low pile than manual vacuums.

The top-performing robots across all flooring types had scores over 95 percent. The ECOVACS DEEBOT X2 OMNI and the Roborock Q Revo were our two most efficient bots in this class. Both are highly automated and feature robust docking stations that can perform maintenance on their own. They also have app features that make them extremely user-friendly.

They both have self-emptying bins that automatically take the contents of the wastebasket and clean the washboard while you mow. They also feature 8,000Pa suction, smart mapping technology, and advanced obstacle avoidance technology that helps them find their way around even the most difficult of spaces. The ECOVACS robot is among the few that can clean carpet and take away mop pads. This makes it an ideal option for people who need to switch between mopping and vacuuming often.

If you're looking for a less expensive option, we recommend the iRobot Roomba Combo J7+, our budget choice. It comes with LIDAR navigation for a reasonable price and a decent debris collection performance. It is slow in mapping rooms and is susceptible to hitting obstacles, but the cost is lower than the other choices.

5. Battery life

The best robot vacuums are designed to let you move to work while keeping your floors clean and spick and span. You'll still need to manually vacuum your home from time to time but robovacs can assist you in maintaining a minimum level of cleanliness, and will even keep your home clean when you're away.

Look for a robovac with long-lasting batteries to get the most out of it. If you use the highest power setting, the model should last about two cleaning sessions. This is not as long as a full-sized autonomous vacuum cleaner, but it should be enough to be sufficient for most homes. If you don't want to sit for your robovac to recharge, you can choose a model that will automatically return to the base station to charge.

If you're looking to buy a robovac that has a little bit of everything in it, you should consider a robot that can also mop. Eufy's X10 is the most effective model of this category comes with self-emptying and self refilling for the dust bin and the water tank and mop pad. It can be programmed to refill and wash its mop pads when they run out.

The clear winner in our tests is the Dyson V810 due to its outstanding carpet and hard floor pickup, excellent hair pickup, tangle-free performance, and nearly perfect auto empty score. It's not cheap and unless you have an apartment that is small and has no pets, it might be too costly for certain. The Dreametech D10+ is the second choice and has the same performance, but it costs 25 percent less.