Why Robot Vacuum Cleaner Best Is A Must At A Minimum, Once In Your Lifetime

How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

A robot vacuum can save you lots of time and hassle when it comes to regular touch-ups. The best ones are adept at cleaning up dust, light debris and cords.

The most expensive models will even sweep your floor but they aren't able to climb stairs. Look for models with intelligent mapping, real-time hazards avoidance, and roomy self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The top robots that we tested are efficient, easy to use, and able to keep up with the everyday messes. It is also important to choose a model that can take on stairs and that has decent cleaning power for carpets. And, if you're looking to add more features, you might be interested in a robot that uses smart mapping technology, or an app that lets you control the buy robot vacuum cleaner remotely.

Camryn Rabideau is a contributing reviewer and writer for shopping at PEOPLE who has tried numerous robotic vacuums. She's a big fan of robot vacuums that provide the greatest convenience, such as self-emptying bins and charging docks that automatically empty and refill the water tanks used by mopping robots. She also likes robots that detect landmarks such as furniture legs and power cords to ensure they don't get caught when climbing steps.

The Black and Decker model has a lower score for navigation and has less object-avoidance technology than the top-rated models. It has a large non-refillable dustbin as well as an extended battery. It also has a feature which allows you to schedule cleaning times and then return to where it was last. This makes it easier for you to clean larger areas. This model is an excellent choice for pet owners, as it can avoid tangled fur and food particles.

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

Although this model isn't able to clean as well as our top-rated models, it excels in removing small particles like baking soda and sand and heavier objects, like orzo pasta and screws made of metal. The only downsides are that it isn't able to mop and its navigation system is a little less impressive.

The best for Carpet

If you have carpeting, pick an automatic floor cleaning machine vacuum that has a high score for carpet and rug ability to maneuver and pick up. Many models are good at picking up dust in low-pile rugs, and some are capable of cleaning up larger debris such as orzo pasta and screws made of steel. However, they can't handle fine particles like canister or upright vacuums and may also miss ground-in dirt close to baseboards and thresholds.

The best choice for most carpeted homes is a two-in-one robot vacuum and mop that allows you to swap between an empty bin for cleaning and mopping pad that is damp. The Roborock Q Revo, for example, vacuums and mops wet with circular pads that rotate at 200 rotations per minute. It detects and lifts its pads when it comes in contact with carpet, which prevents the flooring from getting wet. You don't have to remove them or replace them every time. The Q Revo also performs better than other robot vacuum robot/mops in avoiding obstacles and getting closer 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 using the app to clean when you're away from home. It can be set to only mop. We liked its navigation on floors that are not bare and rug. The Combo i5 has a long runtime and excellent path planning for a device of this size.

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 dock that can last for weeks without needing to be emptied. It also has impressive ability to navigate and auto-empty on carpets and bare floors. It also comes with a smart mapping system, and can be set to run only during specific hours (a useful feature to stop mischievous children and dextrous animals from running wild). The Shark isn't as powerful as other mop/robot combinations however, it still picks up pet hair and hair very well. It's also the best value of our top choices.

Best for Hard Flooring

Robot vacuums are the ideal pick for hardwood floors because they are able to easily maneuver around obstacles without damaging bare surfaces. They are excellent at of removing dust and crumbs, however they struggle with pet hair and larger debris. They don't have the suction power of an expensive upright or canister vacuum, so they're not an ideal option for rooms with carpets or upholstery that requires deep cleaning.

The best two-in-one robots combine mopping and vacuum and take care of a more complete chore in one go. If you have flooring that is mixed, look for one with an onboard sensor which detects changes in the floor's texture and adjusts suction accordingly. This feature is available on the ECOVACS Deebot T9+ and allows it to move seamlessly from hard carpeting to soft carpeting.

If you have lots of hardwood flooring in your home, you might want to consider a budget robot vacuum mop and vacuum like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model uses an efficient Cheap Robot Vacuum Cleaner vacuum with intelligent navigation to clean hardwood floors and other hard surfaces, plus it can mop as well. The sensors help it avoid the stairs and other hazards, so you don't have to be worried about the robot falling down the stairs and damaging your hardwood.

The Eufy S1 Pro mop is designed to clean hardwood floors using downward pressure, rather than simply swab them to remove dust and dirt. Its pads that can be reused reduce waste and spread fewer germs. They can also be cleaned at docking stations to reduce time. The mops are also able to be dried, washed, and reused.

The robovac is operated by your smartphone, making it simpler to use. For instance, you can, use the app to create no-go zones that the vacuum will not be allowed to enter, label different rooms or schedule specific cleaning times. The Eufy S1 Pro also has an auto-emptying dock that sucks debris through a trapdoor, and stores it in a disposable or bagless bin, which means you don't have to manually empty the bin as often as you do with other models.

Best for Small Spaces

These robots are specifically designed to work in small spaces. They have smaller bins that contain less debris, and they're more efficient than larger models in navigating tight corners. They can also be tucked under furniture, where larger robots are unable to reach. They are also less expensive than higher-end models, but you'll 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 began adding sensors to help them navigate and avoid household objects that their conventional sensors would become stuck on or over. These advances have reduced the number of times our testers had to clean up after a robotic snag, whether it was a power cord, toy or pet waste.

However, the latest sensors haven't solved all of the problems these machines have. The less expensive models are not able to tackle the same obstacles as the older models, and they need an adequate amount of light to be able to be able to see where they're going. Consider getting an option that incorporates a spinning LIDAR device that is mounted on top to map the space. Our best overall models and runners-up models have this feature. This allows them to avoid obstacles like stairs and other ones while working in the dark.

In addition to being capable of working in the dark, these models can be configured to use their cliff sensors only on or near the floor, not above them. It is still recommended to shield any mirrors that may interfere with this function, though, as the laser used by a LIDAR-based model could bounce off reflective surfaces and cause the robot to believe it's in a different room.

A few of the models we recommend also allow you to set up virtual no-go zones to protect areas you do not want the robot to go, which is useful if you have small pets or children. These features aren't present on all models we test. Check out our complete reviews before deciding.