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How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

A robot vacuum can save you lots of time and effort in the case of regular touch-ups. Top performers do a good job picking up dust and lightweight debris and allow you to designate no-go zones in pet areas or power cords.

The ones that are more expensive can even sweep your floors but they aren't able to climb stairs. Make sure you choose models with smart mapping, real time safety features, and large self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The top robots that we have tested are effective, easy to use, and able to cope with the everyday messes. You'll also want a robot capable of handling stairs and has adequate pick-up power on carpets. If you're looking for extra features, you might be interested in a model with smart mapping technology or an app that lets you control the robot remotely.

Camryn Rabideau, a contributing shopping writer at PEOPLE and a product reviewer who has tried numerous robotic floor scrubber vacuums, is acknowledged for her work in testing numerous robot vacuums. She prefers robovacs that have the most conveniences such as ones that have self-emptying bins and charging stations that automatically empty and fill the water tanks used to mop robotic vacuums. She also likes the robots that are able to recognize landmarks such as furniture legs and power cords to ensure they don't get caught when climbing stairs.

When compared with the top-highest rated robot vacuum models this Black and Decker remote vacuum cleaner isn't as advanced in its object-avoidance capabilities and its navigation score is lower. It comes with a huge dust bin that is non-refillable and an extended battery. In addition, it has a feature that allows you to plan cleaning times and return to the place where it last stopped, making it easier to clean larger areas. This model is an excellent choice for pet owners, since it is able to avoid tangled fur and food particles.

In our tests, we discovered that the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combined the LIDAR (light) sensor that can map rooms and detect obstacles by using a structured-light sensor to identify objects and detect edges. This combination lets it avoid steps, drops of liquid, and furniture legs easily and save up to four floor maps for future use. It is able to stop and restart cleaning at any point, so that you can continue with your chores while it works. The included app offers the 3D image of your home, room labels and advanced cleaning options.

The robot isn't as effective at cleaning like our top models, however it excels at picking up heavier items like orzo pasta, metal screws, and fine debris such as sand. Its only downsides are that it cannot mop and its navigation system is less impressive.

Best for Carpet

If you have carpeting, select a robot vacuum that scores high for carpet and rug maneuverability and pickup. Many models do a good job of picking up dust embedded in low-pile carpet and a few do a decent job at picking up heavier debris such as orzo pasta, metal screws and pet hair. They aren't able to pick up small particles like an upright or canister, and could miss dirt that is close to thresholds or baseboards.

The best option for carpeted areas is a 2-in-1 robot vacuum cleaner ebay vacuum and mop that lets you swap in an empty bin for cleaning and mopping pad with damp. The Roborock Q Revo is a 2-in-1 robot vacuum cleaner best buy vacuum/mop that can clean and mop simultaneously with circular pads that spin at 200 rotations a minute. It detects and lifts the pads when it comes into contact with carpet to prevent wetting the floor, and you don't have to take them off or replace them after each use. The Q Revo is also more efficient than other robot vacuums and mops in avoiding obstacles and being close to carpets and thresholds.

The iRobot Roomba Combo i5 is another good option. It was a great performer in our tests, and you can schedule it to sweep your home even when you're away. It can also be set to only mop and we loved its impressive navigation on both bare floors and rugs, as well as its ability to get up and over furniture. The Combo i5 also has a extremely long run time and excellent path planning for such a small device.

If you're looking for a top-of-the-line vacuum that is high-tech, the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum & Mop is a fantastic option. It comes with a huge dock that can last for weeks without having to be empty. It also has impressive ability to navigate and auto-empty on carpets and bare floors. It's also got an intelligent mapping system that can be programmed to only operate during certain hours of the day (a handy feature for keeping mischievous kids and dextrous pets from causing chaos). The Shark has less suction power than some other mop/robot combos but it's good at picking up hair and pet hair. It is the most affordable of our top picks.

Best for Hard Floors

Robot vacuums are best for floors made of hardwood, since they can navigate through obstacles with ease without causing damage bare surfaces. They are excellent at of removing dust and crumbs, however they struggle with pet hair and other large debris. They also lack the suction power of a top-of-the-line upright or canister vacuum, meaning they're not the best choice for carpeted rooms or upholstery that needs deep cleaning.

The best two-in-one robots combine a vacuum and a mop and take care of a more complete chore in one go. Choose one that has an onboard sensor that detects changes in the floor texture and adjust suction to match. This feature is available on the ECOVACS Deebot T9+ and lets it move seamlessly from hard carpeting to soft carpeting.

If your home is primarily made up of hardwood floors, you should consider a robotic vacuum and mop combo like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model comes with an impressive robotic vacuum that has intelligent navigation that can clean hardwood and other surfaces. It can also mop. The sensors in it allow it to avoid hazards such as stairs.

The eufy S1 Pro mop is designed to wash hardwood floors using downward pressure, not simply swab them to remove dirt and dust. Its reusable pads reduce waste and spread fewer germs. They can also be cleaned in the docking stations to save time. The mop pads can also be cleaned and dried to stop the spread of mold.

The robovac is controlled by your smartphone, making it easier to use. For instance, you can use the app to create an area that the vacuum cannot enter or label rooms separately, or schedule cleaning times for specific areas. The eufy S1 Pro has an auto-emptying port that collects the debris via trapdoors and then puts it in a bag-less or disposable bin. This means you don't need to empty the bin manually as often as with other models.

Ideal for small Spaces

These robots are designed to work in small spaces. They have smaller bins that hold less waste, and they're more efficient than larger models when it comes to maneuvering tight corners. They can also fit under furniture, where the larger robots are unable to reach. They are also less expensive than the more expensive models, however you will have to empty their dirt bins manually at the end each cleaning session.

A few years ago, robot vacuums went through a major change when manufacturers began adding sensors to help them navigate and avoid household objects that their conventional sensors would be stuck on or over. These improvements reduced the number times our testers were required to clean up after a robot vacuum cleaner best snag.

The new sensors don't solve all issues that these devices have, however. The cheaper models are still not able to tackle the same obstacles as the older models, and they need some level of illumination to be able to know where they are going. If you reside in a dark area or have lots of furniture with low-profiles, consider getting one that uses a top-mounted spinning LIDAR unit to map your space like our best overall and runner-up picks do. This lets them stay clear of stairs and other obstacles when working in darkness.

They can be programmed to only use their cliff sensors when they are near or on the ground, and not when they are above it. You'll still need to shield any mirrors that might hinder this function, though, as the laser used by a LIDAR-based model could bounce off reflective surfaces, causing the robot to think it is in another room.

Some of the models we recommend also allow you to set up virtual no-go zones to protect areas where you do not want the robot go, which can be beneficial if you have small pets or children. These features aren't offered on all of the models we test so make sure to go through our complete reviews of the models below prior to making a purchase.