The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Robot vacuums can make the chore of vacuuming less painful. Modern models can also mop and even climb (small) steps.

They have a tiny dustbin which they empty themselves and some are controlled from a smartphone app instead of an actual remote. Some models have mapping capabilities to help them navigate your home more efficiently.

1. Power

Our top pick for robot vacuums comes with a suction force of 8,000Pa, which is enough to remove even the most stubborn dirt patches and hairs. Its slim square shape enables it to slide underneath furniture like sofas and beds. Dual-Laser LIDAR technology offers precise obstacle avoidance and intelligent navigation. It's also great for cleaning baking powder, pet hair, and other debris near corners and baseboards.

Other powerful robots in this list apart from the DEEBOT X2 OMNI include the IRobot Roomba J7+ aswell 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, coupled with its effective mopping feature, made sure my floors were free of pet hair, muddy prints, and other messes on all floors we test.

In the lower cost range, a model with a suction capacity of around 2,500Pa is more than enough for most homes. They are also quieter, making them the ideal option for people with hearing issues. They're not silent but they're not the same volume as conversations at home.

To get the most effective mix of usability and power, consider your cleaning needs and budget. Frequent light-duty tidying requires a longer time to run and lower suction, whereas weekly heavy-duty cleaning demands maximum power. Consider your flooring, home layouts, and cleaning schedules to select the best robot vacuum and mop model for your needs. We recommend checking out our full list of robot vacuum reviews and ratings to get more information on the latest models available. Many customers report seeing their carpets and bare floors looking much cleaner after introducing a robotic vacuum into their home.

2. Navigation

A robot vacuum won't be able to do its job effectively when it doesn't know how to navigate around your home. Because of this, the best robots rely on advanced navigation technology that effectively scans rooms and creates maps to ensure thorough cleaning without being lost or hitting obstacles. There are three major kinds of robot navigation: LiDAR-based, camera-based and sensor-based.

LiDAR is used by the most expensive models to create a virtual space map, which provides the highest levels in precision and efficiency. Cheaper models depend on bump sensors, which are more prone to error and can miss a lot of debris in dark areas. Most robots come with cliff sensors, which keep them from falling down stairs or other drops.

A variety of robots I tested utilized object recognition to efficiently navigate objects such as fake cords and dog turds but the best was the Eufy X10. It had powerful mop heads that oscillate as well as a user-friendly application with excellent mapping capabilities.

Other features worth a look include floor type sensors that recognize carpets with soft and hard floors and automatically boost suction power when necessary. Certain robots such as the Roborock mop utilize mopping pads lift to reach into corners and clean dried spills. Many hybrids are able to apply cleaning solution to stubborn stains.

A smaller size of the bin means less frequent emptying, and a larger one will save you money on replacements. The majority of low-cost robotic cleaners utilize an inexpensive, disposable dust bag. However, the majority of mid-range models have larger 3L dustbins which last for a long period of time. Certain high-end robots, such as the ECOVACS DEEBOT OMNI Station are able to self-empty and refill their water tanks, allowing hands-free convenience.

3. App control

The top robot vacuums have an app that lets you monitor the progress of cleaning and schedule sessions, and most can connect to your smart home devices for hands-free control. Most also sync with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for voice-based control. Some models have a separate remote control that allows you to start, pause and return to dock. Find a model with a bigger dustbin that can self-empty, as opposed to one that requires manual emptying.

Some robovacs have mapping technology that helps them avoid obstacles such as stairs and furniture. Others allow you to designate no-go zones and targeted rooms, ensuring that they only clean the areas that need it most. They also have a cliff detector to stop them from falling, which is particularly helpful in multi-leveled homes.

If you intend to utilize your robot vacuum for cleaning rugs, choose one that can be used for wet and dry mopping. You'll be able to get better cleaning results when your vacuum can also take off its mop pad. Rinse it and then reattach it when you need to conduct a clean-up cycle. Also, look for a model with a rubber roller, which is less prone to tangles from pet hair and other debris than a bristle roller, as found on some less expensive models. Check the robot vacuums best's side brush and brushroll for any debris that might have gotten stuck on. Do this at least every week. If you notice that they're starting to clog, it may be time to buy replacement parts.

4. Debris collection

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

In all flooring types, the top performing robots had pick-up scores of over 95 95%. The ECOVACS DEEBOT X2 OMNI and the Roborock Q Revo were the two most efficient bots in this class. Both are highly automated, with robust 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 suck up the contents of the wastebasket and can clean the washboard while you mow. They also have an 8,000Pa automatic vacuum cleaner cleaner, smart mapping technology and advanced obstacle avoidance technology to help them navigate through the most difficult areas. The ECOVACS model is also one of the few robots that we tested that can remove its mop pads and vacuum carpet, which makes it the best choice for those who have to change between mopping and vacuuming regularly.

If you're looking for a less expensive option, check out the iRobot Roomba Combo J7 Plus, our budget choice. It features LIDAR navigation at an affordable price and decent debris collection performance. It's not the fastest to map rooms and may be susceptible to crashing into obstacles, however, it's cheaper than our other best-buy picks.

5. Battery life

The best robot vacuums are made to let you get to work while keeping your floors in tip-top clean. It is still necessary to manually clean your home on a regular basis, but robovacs will aid in maintaining a certain level of cleanliness, and will even keep your home clean when you're away.

Look for a robovac with an extended-lasting battery to get the most of it. A good guideline is to anticipate a model to last about two full cleaning sessions if you run it on the highest power setting. This is smaller than a full-sized vacuum, but should be sufficient to clean 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 the base station to recharge.

If you're looking for a robovac with a bit of everything in it, then consider a robot that can also mop. Eufy's X10, the best model of this category comes with self-emptying and self refilling for the dust bin and the water tank and the mop pad. It can even be programmed to automatically refill and wash mops when they're empty.

The clear winner of our tests is the Dyson V810 because of its impressive carpet and hard floor pickup, superb hair pickup, tangle-free performance, and an almost perfect auto empty score. It's not cheap, however and unless you live in a a small home with no pets, it could be too expensive for some. The second choice is the Dreametech D10+, has the same performance, but is priced 25% less.