The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Robot vacuums can make the task of vacuuming a bit less painful. Today's models also mop and even climb (small) steps.

They have a small trash bin that they empty themselves, and some can be controlled by smartphone apps instead of the physical remote. Some come with mapping features to aid in navigation.

1. Power

Our top choice for robot vacuums has a suction power of 8000Pa, which is strong enough to get rid of even the most difficult dirt patches and hairs. Its ultra-thin square shape allows it to slide underneath furniture such as beds and sofas. Dual-Laser LIDAR technology allows for accurate obstacle avoidance and intelligent navigation. It's also great at cleaning pet hair, baking powder and other messes around baseboards and corners.

Other high-powered robots in this list apart from the DEEBOT X2 OMNI include the IRobot Roomba J7+ as well as the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra. It comes with a sturdy docking station that is able to perform maintenance and has mopping functionality as well. Its powerful suction and effective mopping made sure my floors were free of pet hair, muddy paw prints, and other debris throughout every floor type test that we conducted.

In the lower price range, a unit with a suction capacity of around 2,500Pa is more than adequate for most homes. These units are quieter, making them the ideal option for people who have sensitive hearing. These units are not silent but they are only as loud as normal conversations at home.

To find the ideal balance of performance and convenience, consider your cleaning needs and budget. For light-duty cleaning that is frequent, a longer runtime with a lower suction is required. Weekly heavy-duty cleaning requires the most power. Take a look at your flooring, home layouts and cleaning schedules in order to determine the best model for your requirements. We recommend checking out our complete list of robot vacuum reviews and ratings to get more information on the latest models available. Many users report that their carpets and bare floor look cleaner after using a robotic vacuum.

1. Navigation

A robot vacuum cannot accomplish its task if it does not know how to navigate your home. The most advanced robots utilize sophisticated navigation technology to scan rooms and create a map, ensuring thorough cleaning without getting stuck or hitting obstacles. There are three kinds of robot navigation: LiDAR, camera and sensor.

The most expensive models utilize LiDAR to create a digital map of the room, delivering the highest levels of precision and efficiency. The less expensive models rely on bump sensors, which are less accurate and tend to miss many debris in dark spaces. The majority of robots have cliff sensors to keep them from falling down stairs or other falls.

Several robots I tested used object recognition to navigate things like fake dog turds. However, the Eufy X10 was the best. It was equipped with powerful oscillating mop heads and a user-friendly app with excellent mapping capabilities.

Other features worth looking into include floor type sensors that recognize carpets that are hard and soft and automatically boost suction power when necessary. Certain robots such as the Roborock mop utilize mopping pad lift that allows you to get into corners and clean dry spills. Many hybrids can even apply cleaning solutions to tough staining.

A smaller bin will require less frequent emptying while a larger one will cost less to replace. The most affordable robotic cleaners generally utilize a small disposable dust bag, but most mid-range models have larger dust bins of 3L that last for ages. Certain premium robots such as the EcoVACS DEEBOT OMNI Station are able to self-empty and refill their water tanks for hands-free convenience.

1. App control

The best robot vacuums come with an application that lets you track cleaning progress and schedule your sessions, and most can connect to smart home devices for hands-free control. They also sync with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to allow voice-controlled control. Some have a remote control that allows you to start, pause and return to dock. Pick a model that comes with a larger dustbin and can self-empty instead of one that requires manual emptying.

Certain robovacs come with technology for mapping to help them avoid obstacles like stairs and furniture. Some robovacs allow you to designate no-go zones and specific rooms so that they only clean those areas which need the most. They also have a cliff detector to keep them from falling, which is beneficial in multi-level homes.

If you intend to make use of your robot vacuum for cleaning rugs, choose a model which can be used for wet and dry mopping. You'll get better cleaning results by having your robot vacuum also remove its mop pad. Rinse it and then attach it again when you are ready to conduct a clean-up cycle. Find robots that have an elastomer roller. It is less likely to become tangled from pet hair or other debris. It's a good idea examine the robot's brushroll and side brushes for stuck-on debris every week or once as well. If you notice that they are beginning to get clogged up it could be time to buy replacement parts.

1. Collection of debris

Robot vacuums are made according to the name to collect dust and debris on your floors. The best robot vacuums can pick up tiny particles, such as baking soda and sand as well as larger ones such as metal screws orzo, pet hair. They also get better pickup results on carpets with low piles than the majority of manual vacuums.

The top-performing robots across all flooring types had scores over 95 percent. The two top-performing robots in this category were the ECOVACS DEEBOT X2 OMNI, and the Roborock Q Revo. Both are highly automated equipped with docking stations that perform maintenance by themselves and app features which make them extremely user-friendly.

They both have self-emptying bins that eliminate the contents of the wastebasket. They can also clean the washboards as they mowing. They also come with an 8,000Pa vacuum, smart mapping technology, and advanced obstacle avoidance technology to help them navigate even the most difficult spaces. The ECOVACS model is also among the few robots we tested that can remove its mop pads and vacuum carpet, which makes it the best choice for those who have to switch between vacuuming and mopping frequently.

If you're looking for a less expensive option, check out the Roomba Combo J7 by iRobot Plus, our budget pick. It features LIDAR navigation and decent debris pickup capabilities for the price. It is slow at mapping out rooms and is susceptible to hitting obstacles, but it is less than our other picks.

1. Battery life

The most effective robot vacuums let you go about your day while keeping your floors in pristine condition. You'll still need to manually vacuum your home from time to time however, robovacs can assist you in maintaining a minimum level of cleanliness and even clean when you are away.

To maximize the time you get from your robovac, look for an advancé with a long battery life. A good guideline is to expect a model to last for around two cleaning sessions if you run it at the highest power setting. This is not as long as a size vacuum cleaner, however it should be enough to be sufficient for most homes. If you don't like to wait around while your robovac is charging you could select one that will automatically make its way back to its base station to recharge.

If you're looking for a robot with a variety of features in it, then consider an option that also mop. Eufy's X10 is the top model of this category comes with self-emptying and self refilling for the dust bin, the water tank, and mop pad. It can be programmed to automatically refill and wash its mops as soon as they run out.

Its dependable carpet and hard floor pick-up as well as its excellent hair pickup and tangle-free, and a near-perfect auto empty score make it the clear winner of our test scores. However, it's not cheap and unless you live in a small home without pets, it may be too pricey for some. The Dreametech D10+ is the second-placed model and offers the same performance, but it costs 25 percent less.