The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Vacuuming is a major cause of many lives, but robot vacuums make it easier. Today's models also mop and can even climb (small) steps.
Some have a smaller bin that they empty by themselves. Others are controlled with apps for smartphones instead of the physical remote. Some models have mapping capabilities to help them navigate your home more efficiently.
1. Power
Our top pick for robot vacuums has a suction power of 8000Pa, which is strong enough to remove even the most stubborn hairs and dirt. The ultra-thin design of the square allows it to slide beneath furniture such as beds and sofas and its Dual-Laser LiDAR technology allows for intelligent navigation and accurate obstacle avoidance. It's also great for cleaning baking powder, pet hair and other messes around baseboards and corners.
Other high-powered robots in this list apart from the DEEBOT X2 OMNI, are the IRobot Roomba J7+ aswell as the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra. It comes with a sturdy docking station that automates maintenance and includes mopping capabilities as well. Its powerful suction and effective mopping made sure my floors were free of pet hair and muddy footprints and other debris during every floor type test we ran.
A model with 2,500Pa suction is sufficient for most homes in the lower price range. These models are quieter, and are therefore a better choice for those who have sensitive ears. They aren't silent, but they're not as loud as normal conversations at home.
To get the most effective mix of power and usability, consider your cleaning needs and budget. For frequent light-duty cleaning you will require a longer time-to-run and less suction is needed. Weekly heavy-duty cleaning requires the most power. Check your flooring, layout of your home and cleaning schedules prior to selecting the best model. Take a look at our comprehensive list of robot vacuum reviews and ratings for more details about the most recent models. Many customers report seeing their carpets and bare floors appear cleaner after introducing a robotic vacuum in their home.
2. best automatic vacuum can't do its job properly if it doesn't know how to navigate around your home. For this reason, the best robots rely on sophisticated navigation technology that reliably scans rooms and then creates maps to ensure thorough cleaning without being lost or hitting obstacles. There are three kinds of robot navigation: LiDAR-based camera-based and sensor-based.
The most expensive models use LiDAR to create a virtual map of the room, delivering the highest level of accuracy and efficiency. Cheaper models depend on bump sensors, which are less accurate and are more likely to miss a lot of debris in dark areas. The majority of robots have cliff sensors to stop them from falling off stairs or other drops.
Several robots in my tests employed object recognition to skillfully navigate things like fake cords and dog turds but the most effective was the Eufy X10. It had superb mapping capabilities, powerful oscillating mops, an intuitive app and the ability to clean a area, room or the whole house.
Think about features like sensors that detect floors that automatically increase suction power when needed. Some robots, such as the Roborock mop utilize mopping pad that lifts to reach into corners and clean dry spills. Many hybrids can apply cleaning solution on staining that is difficult to remove.
A smaller dustbin will require less frequent emptying, while larger ones can save money on replacements. The majority of low-cost robotic cleaners utilize the smallest, disposable dust bag. However, the majority of middle-priced models have larger 3L dustbins that last for a long time. Certain premium robots such as the EcoVACS DEEBOT OMNI Station can self-empty and fill up their water tanks for hands-free convenience.
3. App control
The top robot vacuums have an app that allows you to monitor cleaning progress and schedule your sessions and can connect to smart home devices for hands-free control. Most also sync with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for control via voice. Certain models come with a remote control that allows you to start, pause, and return to dock. Find a model with a bigger dustbin that can self-empty, rather than one that requires manual emptying.
Some robovacs have mapping technology that helps them avoid obstacles like stairs and furniture. Others allow you to create no-go zones or specific rooms, ensuring that they only clean the areas that need it most. They also have a cliff detector to keep them from falling, which is useful in multi-level homes.
If you intend to make use of your robot vacuum for cleaning carpets, select one that can be used both for dry and wet mopping. You'll get better results from a robot vac that can remove its own mop pad, too, which you can then rinse and reattach when it's time for another cleaning cycle. Look for a robot with the rubber roller. This is less likely to become tangled from pet hair or other debris. It's a good idea check the robot's brushroll and side brushes for debris stuck on once or twice a week as well. If you notice that they're starting to get blocked, it could be time to purchase replacement parts.
4. Collection of debris
As the name suggests robot vacuums are made to remove dust and other debris from your floors. The most effective robot vacuums are able to take tiny particles like sand and baking soda, and larger ones such as metal screws orzo, pet hair. They also provide better results on carpets with low pile than manual vacuums.
Across all flooring types, the top robots had pickup scores of more than 95 percent. The ECOVACS DEEBOT X2 OMNI and the Roborock Q Revo were our two best-performing bots in this category. Both are highly automated, with robust docking stations that perform maintenance on their own and app features that make them incredibly user-friendly.
Both have self-emptying bins which automatically empty the wastebasket. They can also clean the washboard as they mow. They also come with an 8,000Pa vacuum cleaner, smart mapping technology and advanced obstacle avoidance that helps them navigate through the most difficult areas. The ECOVACS robot is one of the few that can vacuum carpet and take away mop pads. This makes it a perfect choice for users who have to switch between mopping and vacuuming often.
If you're looking for a more affordable option, we suggest the iRobot Roomba Combo J7+, our budget-friendly pick. It comes with LIDAR navigation for a reasonable price and a decent debris collection performance. It is slow when it comes to mapping rooms and has a tendency of hitting obstacles, but the cost is less than our other picks.
5. Battery life
The most effective robot vacuums let you go about your day while keeping your floors in perfect state. You'll still have to manually vacuum your home from time to time, but robovacs will help you maintain a basic level of cleanliness and even clean when you are away.
To maximize the amount of time you can get out of your robovac, make sure you choose an advancé with a long battery life. A good rule of thumb is to anticipate a model to last for around two complete cleaning sessions if you run it at the maximum 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 want to wait while your robovac recharges, you can choose one that will automatically return to the base station to charge.
If you are looking for a robovac that does a bit of everything, think about an all-in-one robot that can mop too. Eufy's X10 is the most effective model in this category. It offers self-emptying, self-draining and self-refilling of the dust bin and mop pad. It can also be programmed to automatically refill and wash its own mop pads when they're empty.
Its respectable carpet and hard floor pickup, great hair pickup and tangle avoidance, and near-perfect auto empty score make it the clear winner of our test scores. It's not cheap and, unless you live in a a small house with no pets, it may be too expensive for certain. The Dreametech D10+ is the second choice and has the same performance, but is priced around 25% less.