The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Robot vacuums can make the task of vacuuming a bit less painful. Modern models can mop, and climb (small) steps.
Some have a small trash bin that they empty on their own. Others can be controlled via an app on your smartphone instead of a physical remote. Some of them have mapping capabilities that aid in navigating your home more efficiently.
1. Power
With an impressive 8,000Pa of suction, our top pick for robot vacuums is durable enough to take on the toughest hairs and dirt. Its super-thin square design allows it to slide under furniture, such as beds and sofas and its Dual-Laser LIDAR technology provides precise navigation and accurate obstacle avoidance. It's also great for cleaning pet hair, baking powder and other messes around baseboards and corners.
Other powerful robots that are listed in addition to the DEEBOT X2 OMNI, include the iRobot Roomba j7+ as well as the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra. The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra includes a docking station which automatically handles maintenance. It also has mopping capabilities. Its powerful suction, combined with its effective mopping, ensured my floors were free of pet hair, muddy prints, and other debris on every type of floor we tested.
In the lower price range, a unit with a suction capacity of around 2,500Pa is more than adequate for most homes. They are also quieter, which makes them an ideal choice for people with hearing issues. They're not silent but they are only the same volume as conversations at home.
To get the most effective mix of performance and convenience take into consideration your cleaning needs and budget. For light-duty cleaning that is frequent, a longer runtime with less suction is recommended. Cleaning that is heavy-duty every week requires the most power. Take a look at your flooring, home layouts, and cleaning schedules to determine the best model to meet your requirements. We suggest looking through our complete list of robot vacuum reviews and ratings for more information on the latest models available. Many users have reported seeing their carpets and bare floors looking significantly cleaner after introducing a robotic vacuum in their home.
2. Navigation
A robot vacuum won't be able to do its job well without knowing how to navigate your home. The best robots employ sophisticated navigation technologies to scan rooms and build a map, ensuring thorough cleaning without getting stuck or hitting obstacles. There are three kinds of robot navigation including LiDAR, camera, and sensor.
LiDAR is employed by the most expensive models to create a virtual space map, which offers the highest levels of precision and efficiency. Less expensive models depend on bump sensors, which are more prone to error and can miss a lot of debris in dark spaces. Most robots come with cliff sensors to stop them from falling down stairs or other drops.
Several robots I tested used object recognition to navigate things like fake dog turds. But the Eufy X10 was the best. It had powerful oscillating mop heads, a user friendly app, and superb mapping capabilities.
Other features worth considering include floor type sensors that recognize hard floors and soft carpet, automatically boosting suction power when required. Some robots, such as the Roborock mop use a mopping pad lift that allows you to get into corners and clean dried spills. Many hybrids can even apply cleaning solution to stubborn stains.
A smaller dustbin will require less frequent emptying, while a larger one will save money on replacements. The most affordable robotic cleaners generally utilize a small disposable dust bag, while most mid-range models have larger dust bins of 3L that last for many years. Some of the top models, like the ECOVACS DEEBOT OMNI station, can self-empty their bins and fill their water tanks to provide convenience without hands.
3. best robot vacuum cleaner control
The top robot vacuums have an app that lets you monitor cleaning progress and schedule your sessions, and most can connect to smart home devices for hands-free control. Many also connect to Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to allow voice-controlled control. Some models have a remote control that allows you to begin, pause, and return to dock. Look for a model with larger dustbins that self-empty, rather than one that requires manual emptying.
Some robots are equipped with mapping technology that helps them recognize obstacles, such as stairs, and avoid running into furniture. Some robovacs allow you to designate no-go zones and specific rooms to ensure that they only clean those areas which need it the most. They also have a cliff sensor to stop them from falling, which is particularly useful in multi-level homes.
If you are planning to utilize your robot vacuum to clean rugs, opt for one that can perform dry and wet mopping. You'll be able to get better results from the robot vacuum that can remove its own mop pad, too, which you can then rinse and reattach when it's time to do another cleaning cycle. Also, look for a machine that has a rubber roller, which is less prone to knots caused by pet hair and other debris than a bristle roller that is found on less expensive models. It's a good idea check the robot's brushroll and side brushes for stuck-on debris every week or once, too. If you notice that they're starting to clog, it may be time to buy replacement parts.
4. Collection of debris
Robot vacuums are created, as the name suggests to remove dust and other debris from your floors. The most effective robot vacuums are able to pick up tiny particles, such as sand and baking soda, in addition to larger ones such as metal screws, orzo, and pet hair. They also provide better results on carpets with a low pile than many manual vacuums.
The top-performing robots across all flooring types had scores higher than 95 percent. The ECOVACS DEEBOT X2 OMNI and the Roborock Q Revo were the two most efficient bots in this class. Both are highly automated equipped with docking stations that do maintenance on their own and features in the app that make them extremely user-friendly.
Both have self-emptying bins which automatically remove the contents of the wastebasket. They also have the ability to clean the washboards as they mowing. They also have suction of 8,000Pa and smart mapping technology and advanced obstacle avoidance that helps them find their way around even the most difficult spaces. The ECOVACS robot is among the few that can clean carpet and remove the mop pads. This makes it a great choice for users who have to switch between mopping and vacuuming often.
If you want a cheaper option, we suggest the iRobot Roomba Kombo J7+, our budget pick. It has LIDAR navigation and decent debris pickup performance for the price. It's slow to map rooms and can be prone to crashing into obstacles, but it's less expensive than our other best-buy choices.
5. Battery life
The most effective robot vacuums let you move about your day while they keep your floors in pristine state. While you'll still need to give your home a manual hoover every now and then Robotic vacuums can help maintain a baseline level of tidiness and even clean even when you're away.
To maximize the time you get from your robovac, choose the model that has a high battery life. If you select the highest power setting, a model should last two cleaning sessions. This is smaller than a large vacuum but it should be sufficient to clean most homes. If you don't like to wait around while your robovac is charging, you can also opt for a model that automatically makes its way back to the base station to recharge.
If you want a robovac that does a amount of everything, you should consider an all-in-one model that can mop too. Eufy's X10 is the most effective model in this category and offers self-emptying, self-draining and self-refilling of your dust bin and mop pad. It can be programmed to automatically refill and wash mops when they run out.
The clear winner of our tests is the Dyson V810 due to its outstanding carpet and hard floor pickup, superb hair pickup, tangle-free performance, and an almost perfect auto empty score. It's not cheap and, unless you live in a an apartment that is small and has no pets, it could be too expensive for certain. The Dreametech D10+ is the second choice and has the same performance, but is priced around 25% less.