The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Vacuuming is the bane of many lives, but robot vacuums make it easier. Today's models also mop and even climb (small) stairs.
They have a small dustbin that they empty themselves and some are operated by a smartphone app instead of the physical remote. Some of them have mapping capabilities that aid in navigating your home with greater efficiency.
1. Power
With an impressive 8,000Pa of suction, our top pick for robot vacuums is powerful enough to handle the worst dirt patches and hairs. Its ultra-thin square design allows it to slide beneath furniture, such as beds and sofas and its Dual-Laser LIDAR technology supports intelligent navigation and accurate obstacle avoidance. It also does an excellent job at cleaning up pet hair baking soda, other debris that can be found near the baseboards and in corners.
best cheap robot vacuum 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 performs maintenance. It also comes with mopping capabilities. Its powerful suction system, along with its effective mopping, kept my floors clean of pet hair, muddy prints, and other messes on every floor we tested.
A model with 2,500Pa suction is sufficient for homes that are in the lower price range. They are also quieter and, therefore, a better choice for those with sensitive ears. They're not quiet, but they're not about the same as a normal conversation at home.
To get the most effective mix of power and usability, consider your cleaning needs and budget. A regular light-duty cleaning schedule requires longer runtime and lower suction, while weekly heavy-duty cleaning demands maximum power. Examine your flooring, home layout, and cleaning schedules before selecting the right model. Take a look at our comprehensive list of robot vacuum ratings and reviews for more information about the latest models. Many users have reported that their carpets and floor look cleaner after using a robotic vacuum.
2. Navigation
A robot vacuum won't be able to do its job properly without knowing how to navigate around your home. This is why the best robots rely on sophisticated navigation technology that reliably scans rooms and creates an outline map 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 build a virtual map of the room, offering the highest level of accuracy and efficiency. Less expensive models depend on bump sensors, which are less accurate and are more likely to miss many debris in dark spaces. Most robots come with cliff sensors to keep them from falling down stairs or other drops.
A variety of robots I tested used object recognition to deftly navigate around things such as fake cords and dog turds but the most effective was the Eufy X10. It had superb mapping capabilities with powerful oscillating mops, an intuitive app and the ability to clean a zone, room or entire home.
Other features worth looking into include floor type sensors that can detect carpets with soft and hard floors automatically increasing suction power when required. Some robots, like the Roborock mop, utilize mopping pad lifts to get into corners and clean up dried spills. Many hybrids can even apply cleaning solution to stubborn stains.
A smaller bin will mean less frequent emptying while a bigger one can save you money on replacements. The majority of low-cost robotic cleaners utilize an inexpensive, disposable dust bag. However, most mid-range models come with larger 3L dustbins which last for a long period of time. Some premium robots, like the ECOVACS DEEBOT OMNI station, can self-empty their trash bins and refill their water tanks to provide convenience without hands.
3. App control
The majority of robot vacuums have an app that monitors the progress of cleaning, schedule sessions and connect to smart home devices. They also can sync with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to allow voice-controlled control. Some have a dedicated remote control that lets you start, pause and return to dock. Look for a model with a bigger dustbin that can self-empty, rather than one that requires manual emptying.
Some robots are equipped with mapping technology that helps them avoid obstacles like stairs and furniture. Others allow you to designate no-go zones and targeted rooms, ensuring that they only clean areas that require the most. They also come with cliff sensors to keep them from falling down the stairs, which is particularly useful in multi-level homes.
If you intend to make use of your robot vacuum for cleaning rugs, choose 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 and then rinse and reattach when it's time for another cleaning cycle. Also look for a robot with a rubber roller, which is less prone to knots caused by pet hair and other debris than a bristle roll, as found on some less expensive models. It's recommended to examine the robot's brushroll and side brushes for debris stuck on once or twice a week, too. If you notice that they're beginning to clog, it may be time to purchase replacement parts.
4. Debris collection
Robot vacuums are made to, as the name suggests, to remove dust and other debris from your floors. The most effective ones can pick up fine particles like baking soda and sand as well in larger pieces of orzo pasta, screws made of metal, and pet hair. They also have better results on carpets with a low pile than many manual vacuums.
The top-performing robots across all flooring types had pickup scores higher than 95%. The ECOVACS DEEBOT X2 OMNI and the Roborock Q Revo were two of our best-performing bots in this category. Both are highly automated and feature robust docking stations that perform maintenance on their own, and features in the app that make them extremely user-friendly.
They both have self-emptying bins that eliminate the contents of the wastebasket. They can also clean the washboard as they mow. They also have suction of 8,000Pa, smart mapping technology, and advanced obstacle avoidance that can help them navigate even the most difficult spaces. The ECOVACS robot is among the few that can mop carpet and take away mop pads. This makes it a perfect choice for users who have to switch between mopping and vacuuming frequently.
If you're looking for a less expensive alternative, we suggest the iRobot Roomba Kombo J7+, our budget-friendly pick. It features LIDAR navigation and decent debris pickup performance for the price. It is slow at mapping out rooms and is susceptible to hitting obstacles, but the price is less than our other picks.
5. Battery life
The most effective robot vacuums let you move about your day while keeping your floors in top condition. While you'll still have to give your home a manual vacuum every now and then robot vacuums can help you maintain a baseline level of tidiness and even clean when you're away.
To maximize the amount of time you get from your robovac, choose the model that has a high battery life. If you choose to use the most powerful power setting, a model should last about two cleaning sessions. This is less than a large vacuum but it should be sufficient to clean most homes. If you don't want to wait while your robovac recharges you can select an option that will automatically return to the base station for charging.
If you're looking to buy a robovac that has a little bit of everything in it, you should consider one that is able to mop. Eufy's X10 is the most effective model in this class has self-emptying and self-refilling for the dust bin as well as the water tank and mop pad. It can be programmed to automatically refill and wash its mop pads once they are 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 expensive and unless you have a small house with no pets, it may be too costly for some. The second-placed model one, the Dreametech D10+, has very similar performance but costs about 25% less.