A Step-By'-Step Guide For Robot Vacuum

The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

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

Some have a small bin that they empty by themselves. Others are controlled with an app on your smartphone instead of an actual remote. Some models have mapping capabilities to help them navigate your home more efficiently.

1. Power

Our top pick for robotic vacuums has suction power of 8000Pa, which is strong enough to remove even the most difficult dirt patches and hairs. Its ultra-thin square shape allows it to slide beneath furniture like sofas and beds. Dual-Laser LIDAR technology offers precise obstacle avoidance and intelligent navigation. It's also great for cleaning pet hair, baking powder, and other debris near baseboards and corners.

In addition to the DEEBOT X2 OMNI, other powerful bots in this list include the iRobot Roomba J7+ and the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra. The latter comes with a powerful docking station that is able to perform maintenance and has mopping functionality as well. Its powerful suction and effective mopping helped keep my floors clear of pet hair as well as muddy paw prints and other debris in every floor type test that we conducted.

A model that has 2500Pa suction should be sufficient for most homes in the lower price range. These units are quieter, making them an ideal option for people with sensitive hearing. They're still not silent, but they're only about the same as a normal conversation at home.

Take into consideration your budget and cleaning needs to determine the best combination of power and efficiency. For light-duty cleaning that is frequent, a longer runtime with less suction is recommended. Cleaning that is heavy-duty every week requires the most power. Examine your flooring, layout of your home, and cleaning schedules before choosing the right model. We recommend looking through our complete list of robot vacuum reviews and ratings for more information on the latest models available. Many customers report seeing their carpets and bare floors appear cleaner after introducing a robot vacuum to their home.

2. Navigation

A robot vacuum won't be able to do its job well when it doesn't know how to navigate your home. The best robots employ sophisticated navigation technologies to scan rooms and create maps, ensuring thorough cleaning without getting stuck or hitting obstacles. There are three types of robot navigation including LiDAR, camera, and sensor.

The most expensive models use LiDAR to create a virtual map of the room. This model offers the highest levels of accuracy and efficiency. The less expensive models depend on bump sensors which are more prone to error and are more likely to miss many debris in dark areas. Most robots come with cliff sensors that prevent them from falling off stairs or other drops.

Several robots I tested used object recognition to navigate around things such as cords and fake dog turds. But the Eufy X10 was the best. It had superb mapping capabilities with powerful oscillating mops, an easy-to-use app, and the ability to clean a zone, room or entire house.

Other features worth considering include floor type sensors that can detect hard floors and soft carpet, automatically boosting suction power when needed. Some robots, such as the Roborock mops, use mopping pad lifts to get into corners and eliminate dried spills. Many hybrids can even apply cleaning solution to stubborn staining.

A smaller dustbin will require less frequent emptying, however, a larger one can save you money on replacements. The cheapest robotic cleaners typically use a small disposable dust bag, while the mid-range models typically have larger dust bins of 3L that last for many years. Some of the top models, like the ECOVACS DEEBOT OMNI station, will self-empty their trash bins and refill their water tanks, allowing hands-free convenience.

3. App control

The best robot vacuum with mop vacs have an app that lets you monitor cleaning progress and schedule sessions and connect to smart home devices for hands-free control. Many robot vacuums can also be controlled using voice commands, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Some models have a remote control that allows you to start, pause, and return to dock. Find a model with larger dustbins that self-empty instead of one that requires manual emptying.

Some robovacs have technology for mapping to help them avoid obstacles such as stairs and furniture. Certain robovacs let you define no-go zones and rooms so that they only clean the areas that require it the most. They also have a cliff sensor to prevent them from falling, which is useful in multi-level homes.

If you plan to use your robot vacuums with mop vacuum to clean carpets, select a model which can be used for wet and dry mopping. You'll get better cleaning results when your vacuum can also take off its mop pad. Clean it and attach it again when you are ready to run another cleaning cycle. Look for a robot with the rubber roller. It will be less likely to get caught from pet hair or other debris. It's recommended to inspect the robot cleaner's brushroll as well as side brushes for debris that has gotten stuck every once or twice per week, too. If you notice that they're starting to get blocked, it could be time to purchase replacement parts.

4. Collection of debris

Robot vacuums are created, as the name suggests to collect dust and debris from your floors. The most effective ones can pick up fine particles like baking soda and sand, as well in larger pieces of metal screws, orzo pasta and pet hair. They also have better results on carpets with a low pile than manual vacuums.

The top-performing robots across all flooring types had a pickup score higher than 95 percent. The ECOVACS DEEBOT X2 OMNI and the Roborock Q Revo were our two best-performing bots in this category. Both are highly automated, with robust docking stations that can perform maintenance on their own, and app features that make them incredibly user-friendly.

Both have self-emptying bins that automatically empty the wastebasket. They can also clean the washboard while they mow. They also feature 8,000Pa suction and smart mapping technology and advanced obstacle avoidance that helps them find their way around even the most difficult of spaces. The ECOVACS model is also one of the only robots we tested that can remove its mop pads and vacuum carpet making it the ideal choice for those who have to change between mopping and vacuuming frequently.

If you want a cheaper alternative, we suggest the iRobot Roomba Kombo J7+, our budget pick. It features LIDAR navigation and decent debris pickup performance for the price. It's a bit slow to map rooms and may be susceptible to bumping into obstacles, however it's much less expensive than our other top-rated picks.

5. Battery life

The best robot vacuums let you get on with your day while they keep your floors in pristine state. While you'll still need to give your home a manual vacuum every now and then, robovacs can help you keep a certain level of cleanliness, and even wash when you're away.

Look for a robovac with long-lasting batteries to get the most use of it. A good rule of thumb is to expect a robovac to last for about two full cleaning sessions if you run it at the maximum power setting. This is less than a size vacuum cleaner, however it is enough to provide for the majority of homes. If you don't want to wait while your robovac recharges you can select a model that will automatically return to the base station for charging.

If you're looking for a robot with a variety of features in it, you should consider an option that also mop. Eufy's X10 is the best robot vacuum and mop model in this class and offers self-emptying, self-draining and self-refilling of the dust container as well as the mop pad. It can even be programmed to automatically re-fill and wash its own mop pads when they're running low.

Its respectable carpet and hard floor pickup, great hair pickup and tangle avoidance, and an almost perfect auto empty score make it the clear winner of our test scores. It's expensive and unless you have the space of a small home with no pets, it could be too costly for certain. The runner-up one, the Dreametech D10+, has identical performance, however it costs 25% less.