The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Robot vacuums can make the chore of vacuuming less painful. Today's models also mop and climb (small) stairs.
Some have a small trash bin that they empty by themselves. Others are controlled with an app on your smartphone instead of a physical remote. Some have mapping capabilities that aid in navigating your home more efficiently.
1. Power
With 8,000Pa of suction power Our top pick for robot vacuums is strong enough to take care of the most difficult hairs and dirt. Its slim square shape enables it to slide beneath furniture, such as sofas and beds. Dual-Laser LIDAR technology offers precise obstacle avoidance as well as intelligent navigation. It also does a fantastic job at cleaning pet hair, baking soda, and other debris that can be found near the baseboards as well as in corners.
Other powerful robots on 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 powerful docking station that automatically performs maintenance and has mopping functionality as well. Its powerful suction, coupled with its effective mopping feature, made sure my floors were free of pet hair, muddy prints, and other debris on every floor we tested.
A model that has 2500Pa suction should be sufficient for homes that are in the lower price range. These models are quieter, making them a better option for those who have sensitive hearing. They're still not quiet, but they're just the same volume as a normal conversation at home.
To find the ideal balance of power and usability take into consideration your cleaning needs and budget. For light-duty cleaning that is frequent it is recommended to have a longer runtime and a lower suction is required. For heavy-duty cleaning, weekly runs require the maximum power. Then assess your flooring, home layouts and cleaning schedules in order to determine the best model to meet your needs. We recommend looking through our entire list of robot vacuum reviews and ratings to get more details about the latest models available. Many customers report that their carpets and bare floors appear cleaner after using a robotic vacuum.
2. Navigation
A robot vacuum isn't able to perform its job well without knowing how to get around your home. The most advanced robots utilize sophisticated navigation technologies to scan rooms and make an outline map, which allows for thorough cleaning without getting stuck or hitting obstacles. There are three kinds of robot navigation: LiDAR-based, sensor-based and camera-based.
LiDAR is used by the most expensive models to create a virtual space map, which provides the highest levels in precision and efficiency. The less expensive models rely on bump sensors, which are less accurate and are more likely to miss the majority of debris in dark areas. Many robots also have cliff sensors to keep them from falling down stairs or other drops.
Several robots I tested used object recognition to navigate around things like cords and fake dog turds. However, the Eufy X10 was the best. It had excellent mapping capabilities, powerful oscillating mops, an easy-to-use app, and the ability to clean a specific area, room or the entire home.
Take into consideration features such as sensors for floors, which automatically boost suction power when needed. Some robots, like the Roborock mop, utilize a mopping pad lift to get into corners and tackle dried spills. Many hybrids can even apply cleaning solution to stubborn stains.
A smaller size of the bin will require less frequent emptying, while larger ones can save money on replacements. Most low-cost robotic cleaners use a small, disposable dust bag. However, most mid-range models have larger 3L dustbins which last for a long time. Some premium robots, like the EcoVACS DEEBOT OMNI station, will self-empty their dustbin and refill 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 most can connect to your smart home devices for hands-free control. Many robot vacuums can also be controlled using voice commands, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Certain models come with an on-screen remote that allows you to start, pause, and return to dock. Find a model with larger dustbins that self-empty, as opposed to one that requires manual emptying.
Some robots are equipped with mapping technology that helps them remember obstacles, such as stairs, and avoid hitting furniture. Certain robovacs let you designate no-go zones and specific rooms to ensure that they only clean areas that require the most. They also have cliff sensors to stop them from falling down stairs, which is especially beneficial in multi-level homes.
If you plan to use your robot vacuum to clean your rugs, opt for one that is capable of dry and wet mopping. You'll have better results cleaning when your vacuum can remove its mop pad. Clean it and reattach it when you need to run another cleaning cycle. Look for a robot with an elastomer roller. It is less likely to tangle 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 week or once, too. If you notice they are beginning to get clogged up, it may be time to buy replacement parts.
4. Collection of debris
Robot vacuums are designed according to the name to collect dust and debris on your floors. The best ones are able to pick fine particles such as baking soda and sand, as well in larger pieces of metal screws, orzo pasta, and pet hair. They also get better pickup results on low-pile carpets than manual vacuums.
Across all flooring types, the top performing robots had pick-up scores of over 95 percent. The ECOVACS DEEBOT X2 OMNI and the Roborock Q Revo were our two top-performing robots in this category. 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 that automatically remove the contents of the wastebasket. They also have the ability to clean the washboards as they mow. They also have suction of 8,000Pa and smart mapping technology and advanced obstacle avoidance that can help them find their way around even the most challenging spaces. The ECOVACS model is also among the few robots that we tested that could remove its mop pads and vacuum carpet, which makes it the ideal choice for those who have to change between mopping and vacuuming regularly.
If you're looking for a cheaper alternative, take a look at the Roomba Combo J7 by iRobot Plus, our budget pick. It comes with LIDAR navigation at a reasonable price and a decent performance in the collection of debris. It can be a bit slow when it comes to mapping rooms and is prone to hitting obstacles, but it is less than the other choices.
5. Battery life
The best robot vacuums let you go about your day while they keep your floors in pristine in good condition. Although you'll need to give your home a manual vacuum every now and again, robovacs can help you maintain a baseline level of tidiness and even clean while you're away from home.
To maximize the amount of time you can get out of your robovac, look for a model with excellent battery life. If you use the highest power setting, a model should last two cleaning sessions. This is less than a larger vacuum but it should be sufficient to get the job done in most homes. If you don't like to sit around waiting for your robovac recharges you, you can select an automatic model that makes its return to the base station to recharge.
If you're looking to buy a robovac with a bit of everything in it, then consider a robot that can also mop. Eufy's X10 is the top model in this class comes with self-emptying and self refilling for the dust bin, the water tank, and the mop pad. autonomous vacuum can be programmed to automatically refill and wash mops once they are out.
Its high-quality carpet and hard floor pick-up excellent hair pickup, tangle-free, and a close to perfect auto empty scores makes it the clear winner of our test scores. It's expensive and, unless you live in a a small house with no pets, it could be too costly for some. The Dreametech D10+ is the second-placed model and offers the same performance, but is priced around 25 percent less.