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How to Choose the best robovac robot vacuum cleaner best Vacuum Cleaner

Robot vacuums can help you save time and effort when it comes to regular cleaning. The best ones are adept at cleaning up dust light debris, cords and dust.

The most expensive models can even sweep your floors however they're not able to climb up stairs. Look for models that have intelligent mapping, real-time hazard avoidance and large self-emptying bins.

best floor vacuum robot Overall

The best robots we tried were user-friendly, efficient, and able keep up with the daily debris. It is also important to choose a model capable of handling stairs and that has decent ability to pick up carpets. If you're looking to add more features, you might be interested in a model that uses smart mapping technology, or an app that lets you control it remotely.

Camryn Rabideau is a contributing reviewer and writer for shopping at PEOPLE who has tried many robotic vacuums. She prefers robovacs that have the most conveniences like those with self-emptying bins and charging stations that automatically empty and fill water tanks for mopping robotic vacuums. She also loves robots that recognize landmarks such as furniture legs and power cables, so they won't trip up when climbing steps.

This robot from Black and Decker has a lower score for navigation and has less technology for avoiding objects than the best-rated models. It does however have an enormous dust bin that doesn't need frequent emptying, and has a long battery life. Additionally, it has an option that allows you to schedule cleaning sessions and then return to the location where it last stopped which makes it easier to clean larger homes. This model is a great choice for pet owners since it is able to avoid tangled fur and food particles.

In our tests, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combines with a LIDAR sensor that can map rooms and detect obstacles, with an organized 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 references. It is able to pause and resume cleaning at any point, so that you can continue doing chores while it does. The included app provides an interactive 3D model of your home, room labels and more advanced cleaning options.

Although this robot isn't able to clean as well as our top-rated models, it excels in picking up fine debris such as baking soda and sand and heavier objects, like orzo pasta and metal screws. The only downside is that it can't mop and has a slightly less effective navigation system.

The best for Carpet

If you have carpeting, select a robot vacuum that has a high score for rug and carpet ability to maneuver and pick up. A lot of models are adept at cleaning dust from low-pile rugs. Some can be quite effective in picking up heavier debris like orzo pasta and metal screws. But they don't pick up fine particles as well as an upright or canister vacuum and may also be unable to pick up dirt in the vicinity of thresholds and baseboards.

For carpeted homes, a 2-in-1 robot mop/vacuum is the best choice. You can exchange a cleaning bin for a moist mopping mat. The Roborock Q Revo, for example, is a vacuum cleaner and mops with circular pads that rotate at a rate of 200 rotations per minute. It automatically detects and lifts the pads when it comes into contact with carpet to avoid wetting the floor, and you don't have to take them off or replace them after every use. The Q Revo also performs better than other robot vacuum/mops in the absence of obstacles and in being close to carpets and thresholds.

Another solid option is the iRobot Roomba Combo i5, which was a great performer in our tests and can be scheduled through the app to clean when you're away from home. It can be set to mop only. We liked its navigation on floors that are not bare and rug. The Combo i5 also has a very long runtime and great path planning for such a small device.

If you want a more advanced model, look into the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Self-Empty Robot Vacuum & Mop. It has a large charging dock that can go months without needing to be empty, and it has amazing navigation capabilities and auto-emptying on both carpets and floors that are not cleaned. It's also got a smart-mapping feature and can be programmed to only operate at certain times of the day (a useful feature to keep the sly kids and pets from causing havoc). The Shark is less powerful than other mop/robot combination models however, it still picks hair and pet hair with a high degree of accuracy. It's also the most affordable price of our top robot vacuum picks.

The best choice for hardwood floors

Robot vacuums are a great pick for hardwood floors because they are able to maneuver around obstacles and not damage the floor's surface. They do an excellent job of removing dust and crumbs, but they struggle with pet hair and other large debris. They don't have the suction power of an expensive upright or canister vacuum, meaning they're not the ideal choice for carpeted rooms or upholstery that requires deep cleaning.

The most effective robots come with two-in-one features, combining mop and vacuum to complete the task in one step. If you have floors that are mixed, look for a model with an onboard sensor which detects changes in floor texture and adjusts suction accordingly. The ECOVACS DEEBOT T9+, for example, has this feature and can transition effortlessly from hard to soft carpeting.

If you have lots of hardwood flooring in your home, you might want to consider a robotic mop and vacuum combo like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model comes with a powerful robotic vacuum with intelligent navigation that can clean hardwood and other surfaces. It also mop. Its sensors allow it to avoid hazards such as stairs.

When you need mops the eufy S1 Pro is designed to actually clean hardwood floors using downward pressure rather than just wipe them to remove dust and dirt. The mop pads are reusable, which reduce the best robot vacuum cleaner amount of waste, and reduce the spread of germs, and can be cleaned in the docking station to save you time. They are also able to be washed, dried and reused.

The robovac can be operated by your smartphone, making it simpler to use. For instance you can make use of the app to designate an area that the vacuum cannot enter, label separate rooms, or schedule cleaning times for specific areas. The eufy S1 Pro also has an auto-emptying dock, which collects debris through a trapdoor, and puts it in a bagless or disposable bin, which means you don't need to manually empty the bin like you do with other models.

Ideal for small Spaces

These robots are specifically designed for smaller spaces. They have smaller bins that can hold less debris, and they're more efficient than the 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 generally less expensive than the more expensive models, too, although you'll need to empty their dirt compartments at the end of each cleaning session.

A few years ago, robot vacuums went through significant changes. Manufacturers started adding sensors that could help them avoid household items that their traditional sensors could be stuck on or across. These advancements decreased the amount of times our testers had to clean up after a robotic snag whether it was a power cord, toy or pet waste.

However, the new sensors haven't solved all of these machines' problems. The lower-end models are not able to traverse the same obstacles as the older models, and they need a certain level of light to know where they are moving. If you reside in a dark area or have lots of low-profile furniture, consider getting one that uses top-mounted spinning laser units to map your space as our top overall and runner-up choices do. This lets them avoid obstacles like stairs and other ones while working in the dark.

These models can be programmed to only use their cliff sensors only when they are near or on the ground, but not when they are above it. You'll still want to cover any mirrors that may interfere with this function, though, as the laser used by a laser-based model can bounce off reflective surfaces and cause the amazon robot vacuum to believe it's in a different room.

Some of the models we recommend allow you to set up virtual no-go zones for areas where you do not want the robot to go, which is useful if you have small children or pets. Those features aren't available on all the models we've tested and recommend that you read our full reviews of the choices below before you make a purchase.