The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Vacuuming is a major cause of a lot of people's lives, but robot vacuums make it a little less tedious. Modern models mop and climb (small) stairs.

Some have a small trash bin which they empty themselves. Others are controlled with a smartphone app rather than an actual remote. Some models have mapping features that help them navigate more efficiently.

1. Power

Our top choice for robot vacuums comes with a suction force of 8,000Pa, which is enough to eliminate even the most stubborn dirt patches and hairs. Its ultra-thin square shape allows it to slide beneath furniture such as sofas and beds. Dual-Laser LIDAR technology provides accurate obstacle avoidance and intelligent navigation. It's also great at cleaning baking powder, pet hair and other debris that can be found near corners and baseboards.

Aside from the DEEBOT X2 OMNI bot, other top-of-the-line bots on this list include the IRobot Roomba J7+ as well as the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra. The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra has a docking station which automatically performs maintenance. It also comes with mopping capabilities. Its powerful suction and efficient mopping made sure my floors were free of pet hair, muddy paw prints, and other debris throughout every flooring type test we conducted.

In the lower price range, a unit that has 2,500Pa of suction is more than adequate for the majority of homes. They are also quieter, making them an ideal option for people with hearing issues. These units are not silent but they are only as loud as normal conversations at home.

For the best mix of power and usability Consider your cleaning requirements and budget. For frequent light-duty cleaning it is recommended to have a longer runtime and less suction is needed. For heavy-duty cleaning, weekly runs require the maximum power. Assess your flooring, home layout, and cleaning schedules before selecting the right model. We suggest looking through our complete list of robot vacuum reviews (check out this one from elearnportal.science) and ratings for more information on the latest models available. Many users have reported seeing their carpets and bare floors looking much cleaner after introducing a good robot vacuum vacuum into their home.

2. Navigation

A robot vacuum won't be able to do its job well if it doesn't know how to get around your home. This is why the most effective robots depend on sophisticated navigation technology that reliably scans rooms and builds maps to ensure thorough cleaning without getting lost or hitting obstacles. There are three types of robot vacuum that mops navigation: LiDAR, camera and sensor.

The most expensive models employ LiDAR to create a digital map of the room, offering the highest levels of precision and efficiency. Bump sensors are employed in less expensive models, but they aren't always accurate and miss a lot debris when working in dark environments. Most robots are equipped with cliff sensors, which keep them from falling down stairs or other drops.

Many of the robots I tested utilized object recognition to efficiently navigate objects such as fake dog turds and cords, but the best was the Eufy X10. It had powerful oscillating mop heads and a user-friendly app and a superb mapping capability.

Other features worth looking into include floor type sensors that can detect hard floors and soft carpet, automatically boosting suction power when necessary. Certain robots such as the Roborock mop use a mopping pad that lifts to reach into corners and clean up dried spills. Some hybrids even apply cleaning solutions to stubborn staining.

A smaller size of the bin will require less frequent emptying while a larger one can save money on replacements. The cheapest robotic cleaners typically employ a tiny disposable dust bag, whereas the majority of mid-range models come with larger dust bins of 3L that last for decades. Certain high-end robots, such as the ECOVACS DEEBOT OMNI Station can self-empty and refill their water tanks for hands-free convenience.

3. App control

The best robot vacs have an app that lets you monitor cleaning progress and schedule your sessions and connect to your smart home devices for hands-free control. Many robot vacuums can also be controlled via voice using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Some models have a separate remote control that allows you to start the process, pause it and then return to dock. Select a model with an extra large dustbin and is able to self-empty instead of one that needs manual emptying.

Some robots are equipped with technology for mapping to help them avoid obstacles like stairs and furniture. Others let you set no-go zones or targeted rooms, so they only clean the areas that require the most. They also have a cliff sensor to keep them from falling, which is beneficial in multi-level homes.

If you plan to utilize your robot vacuum to clean your rugs, opt for one that is capable of dry mopping and wet. You'll have better results cleaning if your robot vacuum can also remove its mop pad. Rinse it, and then reconnect it when you want to conduct a clean-up cycle. Look for a robot with an elastomer roller. This is less likely to become tangled from pet hair or other particles. It's recommended to inspect the robot's brushroll as well as side brushes for stuck-on debris every once or twice per week as well. If you notice that they're starting to clog up it might be time to buy replacement parts.

4. Debris collection

Like the name suggests robot vacuums are created to collect dust and other debris from your floors. The best robot vacuums will pick up small particles such as sand and baking soda, and larger ones such as metal screws orzo, pet hair. They also get better pickup results on carpets with low pile than manual vacuums.

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

Both have self-emptying bins that take the contents of the wastebasket, and clean the washboard while mowing. They also feature 8,000Pa suction, smart mapping technology, and advanced obstacle avoidance technology that helps them navigate even the most difficult spaces. The ECOVACS robot vacuum that vacuums and mops is one of the few that can clean carpet and remove the mop pads. This makes it an ideal option for people who need to switch between mopping and vacuuming often.

If you want a cheaper option, we suggest the Roomba Combo J7 from iRobot+, our budget choice. It offers LIDAR navigation for an affordable price and decent debris collection performance. It's not the fastest to map out rooms and may be susceptible to hitting obstacles however, it's cheaper than our other top-rated choices.

5. Battery life

The best robot vacuums are designed to let you get moving with your day while they keep your floors looking spick and span. Although you'll need to give your home a manual hoover every now and then Robotic vacuums can help keep a certain level of tidiness and even clean when you're away.

To maximize the amount of time you get from your robovac, choose a model with excellent battery life. If you use the highest power setting, a model should last about two cleaning sessions. This is not as long as a size vacuum cleaner, however it will be sufficient to be sufficient for most homes. If you don't like to wait around while your robovac is charging you could opt for one that will automatically make its way back to its base station to recharge.

If you want a robovac that does a little bit of everything, consider an all-in-one machine that can mop too. Eufy's X10 is the best automatic vacuum and mop model in this class and provides self-emptying, auto-draining and self-refilling of the dust container, water tank and mop pad. It is also programmable to automatically refill and wash its own mop pads when they're empty.

The clear winner of our tests is the Dyson V810, because of its impressive carpet and hard floor pickup, excellent hair pickup, tangle-free performance and an almost perfect auto empty score. It's not cheap and, unless you live in a a small house with no pets, it might be too costly for some. The Dreametech D10+ is the runner-up and has a similar performance, but is priced around 25% less.