5 Qualities That People Are Looking For In Every Robot Vacuum Cleaner Best

How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

A robot vacuum can save you a lot of time and hassle in the case of regular cleaning. The best robot vacuum deals models do a great job of removing dust and light debris, and most allow you to create no-go zones for pet areas or power cords.

The more expensive ones can even mop your floor, but they can't climb stairs. Find models with intelligent mapping, real-time safety features, and large self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The best robots that we have tested are effective and user-friendly, and able to keep up with the everyday messes. You'll also need a robot that can take on stairs and has good cleaning power for carpets. If you want a robot with additional features, think about a model that has smart mapping technology, or an app to control it remotely.

Camryn Rabideau is a contributing shopping writer and product reviewer at PEOPLE who has tried dozens of robotic vacuums. She prefers the robovacs with the most conveniences like ones that have self vacuum-emptying bins and charging stations that automatically empty and refill water tanks for mopping robotic vacuums. She also enjoys robots that can recognize landmarks such as furniture legs and power cables so they won't get tripped up when climbing steps.

This robot from Black and Decker has a lower score for navigation and has less object-avoidance technology than the best-rated models. It has a large, non-refillable dustbin and an extended battery. Additionally, it has the ability to plan cleaning times and return to the place where it last stopped which makes it easier to cover larger homes. This model is a great choice for pet owners, as it can avoid the tangles of fur and food particles.

In our tests in our tests, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combines a LIDAR sensor that maps rooms and detect obstacles, with a structured light sensor that can identify objects and detect edges. The combination lets it avoid stairs, droplets of liquid, and furniture legs easily and save up to four floor maps to be used in the future for reference. It can pause and resume the cleaning process at any point, so that you can continue doing chores while it is working. The app includes a 3D view of your home with room labels as well as advanced cleaning options.

This model isn't as effective at cleaning as our top models, but it is a pro in picking up larger items like orzo pasta, metal screws, and fine debris such as sand. The only downside is that it can't mop and has a less effective navigation system.

Best for Carpet

If you have carpeting, pick a robot vacuum that scores high for rug and carpet mobility and pickup. Many models are good at picking up dust in low-pile rugs, and some do a decently job of sweeping up heavier debris such as orzo pasta and screws made of metal. They can't take in small particles like an upright canister, and they may miss dirt that is close to thresholds or baseboards.

For carpeted homes, a 2-in-1 robotic vacuum/mop is the best choice. You can swap out a cleaning bin for a damp mopping mat. The Roborock Q Revo is a 2-in-1 robotic vacuum/mop that is able to clean and mop at the same time with circular pads spinning at 200 rpm. It detects and lifts its pads when they come into contact with carpets, preventing the floor from becoming wet. You don't have to remove them or replace them each time. The Q Revo also performs better than other robot vacuums and mops in the absence of obstacles and in being close to carpets and thresholds.

The iRobot Roomba Combo i5 is another solid option. It did well in our tests and you can program it to sweep your home even when you're away. It can be set up to mop only. We were impressed by its ability to navigate on bare floors and rugs. The Combo i5 has a long runtime and excellent path-planning for the size of the device.

If you're looking for a more modern model, you can look at the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Self-Empty Robot Vacuum & Mop. It comes with a huge dock that can last for weeks without needing to be emptied. It also features impressive navigation and auto-emptying capabilities on carpets and floors that are not cleaned. It also has a clever mapping system and can be programmed to only run for certain hours (a beneficial feature to keep pets and children who are prone to mischief from running wild). The Shark has less suction power than other robot vacuums and mops, but its still very effective in removing hair and pet hair. It is the most affordable of our top choices.

Best for Hard Flooring

Robot vacuums are best for floors with hardwood floors because they can maneuver around obstacles without causing damage to floors that aren't. They are excellent for removing dust and crumbs, but they struggle with pet hair or larger debris. They lack the suction power of an upright or a top-quality canister vacuum, making them unsuitable for deep cleaning carpeted or upholstery areas.

The most effective robots are those that are two-in-one, combining mop and vacuum to complete the job in one go. If you have mixed flooring choose one equipped with an onboard sensor that detects changes in floor texture and adjusts suction accordingly. This feature is available on the ECOVACS Deebot T9+ and lets it effortlessly transition from hard carpeting to soft carpeting.

If your home is mostly made up of hardwood floors, you should consider an automated vacuum and mop combination like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model is an impressive robotic vacuum that has intelligent navigation that can clean hardwood and other surfaces. It can also mop. Its sensors assist it in avoiding stairs and other hazards so you don't have to worry about the bot plummeting down the stairs and damaging your hardwood.

The eufy S1 Pro mop is designed to clean hardwood floors using downward pressure, instead of simply swab them in order to remove dust and dirt. The pads that are reusable reduce waste and help to spread less germs. They can also be cleaned in docking stations to help save time. The mop pads can also be dried, washed, and reused.

Both the robovac and mop can be controlled from your smartphone to make it easier to manage the device. You can, for example, use the app to create zones where the vacuum cannot enter, or to label rooms, or schedule specific cleaning sessions. The Eufy S1 Pro also has an auto-emptying dock that collects debris through a trapdoor and is then stored in a disposable or bagless bin, which means you don't have to empty the bin manually every time as you would with other models.

Ideal for small Spaces

As the name suggests the robots are best robot vacuum for large house suited for small spaces. They have smaller bins that contain less garbage, and are more efficient than larger models when it comes to navigating tight corners. They can also be tucked under furniture, where larger robots are unable to reach. These robots are also cheaper than more expensive models, however you will need to empty their dirt compartments manually at the end of each cleaning session.

A couple of years ago, robotic vacuums underwent a significant change when manufacturers started adding sensors to help them navigate and avoid household objects that their traditional sensors would become stuck on or over. These advancements decreased the amount of times that our testers had to clean up after a robotic vacuum cleaner comparison snag whether it was a power cord, a toy, or piece of pet waste.

However, the new sensors haven't resolved all of these machines' problems. The cheapest models are still struggling with the same obstacles that the older models faced, and many of them need a certain amount of light to be able to see where they're going. Look into one that has a spinning LIDAR device mounted on top to create maps of the space. Our top overall pick and runner-up models use this. This lets them work in darkness and avoid obstacles like stairs.

These models can also be programmed to only use their cliff sensors when they are near or on the ground, and not when they are above it. It is still recommended to cover any mirrors that may interfere with this function however, since the laser used by a laser-based model can bounce off reflective surfaces, causing the robot to think it is in another room.

Some of the models that we recommend will allow you to create virtual no-go zones for areas you don't want the robot to enter. This can be helpful when you have pets or small children. These features aren't offered on all of the models we test, so be sure to review our full reviews of the models below prior to making a purchase.