Ten Myths About Robot Vacuum Cleaner Best That Aren't Always True

How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Robot vacuums can save you time and effort when it comes to cleaning. Top performers do a good job of removing dust and other small particles, and most allow you to designate no-go zones in pets or power cords.

The more expensive ones can even mop your floor however they're not able to climb stairs. Look for models with intelligent mapping, real-time hazards avoidance, and spacious self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The top robots that we have tested are effective, easy to use, and able to cope with everyday debris. You'll also need a Robot vacuum cleaner best buy capable of handling stairs and that has decent pick-up power on carpets. If you're looking for extra features, you may be interested in a robot that uses smart mapping technology, or an application that allows you to remote control vacuum cleaner it remotely.

Camryn Rabideau is a contributing reviewer and writer for shopping at PEOPLE who has tried many robotic vacuum cleaner on sale vacuums. She's a huge fan of robot vacuums that provide the greatest convenience, such as self-emptying dustbins and charging docks that automatically empty and refill the water tanks used by mopping robots. She also enjoys robots that can recognize landmarks such as furniture legs and power cables so they won't get tripped up when climbing stairs.

This Black and Decker robot has a lower score on navigation and has less technology for avoiding objects than the top-rated models. It has a large dust bin that is non-refillable and a long battery. It also comes with an option that allows you to schedule cleaning times and then return to where it stopped last, making it easier for you to take care of larger spaces. This model is also a great option for pet owners as it is able to identify and prevent tangled hair as well as fallen food particles.

In our tests, we discovered that the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combined a LIDAR (light) sensor that can identify rooms and obstacles by using a structured-light sensor to detect objects and detect edges. This combination lets it avoid stairs, droplets of liquid and furniture legs easily and save up to four floor maps for future use. It is able to pause and resume the cleaning process at any time, so you can continue to do chores while it does. The app includes a 3D view of your home with room labels and advanced cleaning options.

While this robot can't clean as well as our top-rated models, it excels in picking up fine debris like baking soda and sand and heavier items, such as orzo pasta and screws made of metal. The only downside is that it's not able to mop, and has a less impressive navigation system.

The best for Carpet

If you have carpeting, choose an automatic 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. Some are capable of sweeping up heavier debris like orzo pasta and screws made of metal. They don't pick-up fine particles like an upright or canister, and could miss dirt that is close to baseboards or thresholds.

For carpeted homes, a 2-in-1 robot mop/vacuum is the best choice. You can swap out the cleaning bin to a damp mopping mat. The Roborock Q Revo, for instance, vacuums and a wet mop with circular pads that rotate at 200 rotations per minute. It detects and lifts the pads when it encounters carpet to avoid wetting the floor. You do not need to take them off or replace them after each use. The Q Revo is also better than other robot vacuums and mops in keeping away from obstacles such as rugs and thresholds, and avoiding obstacles.

The iRobot Roomba Combo i5 is another option worth considering. It was a great performer in our tests and you can set it up to schedule it to clean your home when you are away. It can be set to mop only and we were impressed by its remarkable navigation on bare floors and rugs as well as its ability to get up and over furniture. The Combo i5 also has a very long run time and a great path-planning feature for a device of this size.

If you want a more modern model, you can look at the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Self-Empty Robot Vacuum & Mop. It comes with a large dock that can last for weeks without having to be cleaned. It also has impressive ability to navigate and auto-empty on carpets and floors with no floor. It also has a clever mapping system and can be set to run only during specific times (a beneficial feature to keep pets and children who are prone to mischief from running amok). The Shark isn't as powerful as other robot vacuum/mop combinations, but it does pick hair and pet hair with a high degree of accuracy. It's also the best value of our top choices.

The best affordable robot vacuum choice for hardwood floors

robot vacuum price vacuums are the best choice for hardwood floors as they are able to navigate around obstacles without damaging the floor's surface. They are excellent at of picking up crumbs and dust, but they aren't able to handle pet hair and other large debris. They lack the suction of a high-end canister or upright vacuum, making them unsuitable for deep cleaning carpeted or upholstery areas.

The best two-in-1 robots combine a vacuum and a mop to complete an entire task in one sweep. If you have floors that are mixed choose one equipped with an onboard sensor that detects changes in floor texture and adjusts suction to match. This feature is available on the ECOVACS Deebot T9+ and lets it effortlessly transition from hard carpeting to soft carpeting.

If you have a lot of hardwood floors in your home, you may want to consider a robot mop and vacuum combination like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model comes with an impressive robotic vacuum cleaner vacuum that has intelligent navigation that can clean hardwood and other surfaces. It can also mop. Its sensors allow it to stay clear of hazards like stairs.

When it comes to mops the Eufy S1 Pro is designed to actually clean hardwood floors using downward pressure rather than wipe them clean to get rid of light dust and dirt. The pads that are reusable reduce waste and help to spread less germs. They can also be cleaned at docking stations to reduce time. The mop pads can also be washed and dried to prevent the spread of mold.

Both the robovac as well as the mop can be controlled from your smartphone to make it easier to manage the device. You can, for example utilize the app to designate areas that the vacuum won't enter, or to label rooms or schedule specific cleaning sessions. The eufy S1 Pro has an auto-emptying port that collects the debris via trapdoors, and then stores it in a bagless or disposable bin. This means that you don't need to empty the bin manually as often as you do with other models.

Best suited for small Spaces

Like the name suggests, these robots are best designed for smaller 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 that larger robots aren't able to reach. These robots are also cheaper than the more expensive models, but you'll have to empty their dirt bins manually at the end each cleaning session.

A few years ago, robot vacuums went through a major change as manufacturers began adding sensors to help them navigate and avoid household objects that their conventional sensors would become stuck on or over. The improvements in technology reduced the number of times our testers were required to clean up after a robotic snag.

However, the new sensors aren't solving all of the issues these machines face. The most affordable models struggle with the same issues that the older ones faced and most need a certain amount of illumination to see where they're going. If you are living in a dark space or have a lot of furniture that is low-profile, think about getting one that uses a top-mounted spinning LIDAR unit to map your area, as our top overall and runner-up picks do. This allows them to work in darkness and avoid obstacles like stairs.

In addition to being able to work in the dark and in the dark, these models can be programmed to use their cliff sensors only on or near the floor, not when they're above them. It is still recommended to cover any mirrors that may interfere with this function, though, as the lasers used by a LIDAR-based model could bounce off reflective surfaces and cause the robot to believe it is in another room.

Some of the models we recommend will allow you to create virtual no-go zones for areas you don't wish the robot to go to. This is a great option if you have small children or pets. These features aren't offered on all of the models we test and recommend that you review our full reviews of the choices below before you make a purchase.