You'll Never Be Able To Figure Out This Robot Vacuum Cleaner Best's Benefits

How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

A robot vacuum can help you save time and hassle in the case of regular cleaning. The top models do a great job at removing dust and other small particles and many allow you to create no-go zones for pets or power cords.

The ones that are more expensive can even sweep your floors but they aren't able to climb up the stairs. Choose models that have intelligent mapping, real-time hazard avoidance, and roomy self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The best robots we tried were reliable, user-friendly and able to keep up with the daily debris. You'll also need a robot that can take on stairs and has adequate pick-up power on carpets. If you're looking to add more features, you may be interested in a model with smart mapping technology or an application that allows you to control the robot remotely.

Camryn Rabideau, a contributing shopping writer for PEOPLE and a product reviewer who has tested dozens robotic vacuums, is credited with testing numerous robot vacuums. She prefers robovacs that have the most conveniences such as those that have self-emptying bins and charging stations that automatically empty and refill water tanks for mopping robotic vacuums. She also loves robots that can recognize landmarks such as furniture legs and power cables, so they don't fall when climbing steps.

This robot from Black and Decker has a lower navigation score and less object-avoidance tech than the most popular models. However, it has an ample dust bin that doesn't need frequent emptying, and has a long battery life. It also has a feature which allows you to schedule cleaning sessions, and return to where it stopped last, making it easier to clean larger homes. This model is also a good option for pet owners since it can spot and avoid tangled hair and fallen food particles.

In our tests, we observed that the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combined a LIDAR (light) sensor that can identify obstacles and map rooms by using a structured-light sensor to identify objects and detect edges. It can avoid liquid droplets, stairs, and furniture legs easily with this combination. It is also able to save up to four floor plans for later use. It is also able to stop the cleaning process at any point and return to where it stopped, so you can do chores while the robot does its work. The included app offers a 3D representation of your home, room labels, and more advanced cleaning options.

This robot is not as effective at cleaning as our top models, however it excels in picking up larger items like orzo pasta, metal screws and fine particles such as sand. Its only downsides are that it isn't able to mop and that its navigation system is a little less impressive.

Best for Carpet

If you have carpeting, pick an automatic vacuum that scores high for carpet and rug mobility and pickup. A lot of models are adept at picking up dust in low-pile rugs. Some are capable of picking up heavier debris, such as orzo pasta and screws made of steel. They don't pick-up fine particles like an upright canister, and may miss dirt that is close to thresholds or baseboards.

The best choice for most carpeted areas is a 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop that lets you swap in the cleaning bin as well as mopping pad with damp. The Roborock Q Revo, for example, vacuums and mops with circular pads that spin at a rate of 200 rotations per minute. It detects and raises the pads when it is in contact with carpet to avoid wetting the floor. You don't have to take them off or replace them after each use. The Q Revo is also better than other robot vacuum cleaner best vacuums/mops in staying clear of obstacles, getting close to rugs and thresholds and eliminating obstacles.

Another good option is the iRobot Roomba Combo i5, which performed very well in our tests and can be scheduled via 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 as well as carpets. The Combo i5 also has a extremely long run time and excellent path planning for a device of this size.

If you're looking to buy a high-tech vacuum, the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum & Mop is a great option. It has a huge charging dock that can last for months without needing to be emptying and boasts impressive navigation skills and automatic emptying on bare floors and carpets. It's also got a smart-mapping feature and can be programmed to operate during certain hours of the day (a useful feature to keep mischievous kids and dextrous pets from causing havoc). The Shark isn't as powerful as other mop/robot cleaner commercial combination models however it still picks up pet hair and hair with a high degree of accuracy. It's also the best price of our top picks.

Ideal for Hard Floors

Robot vacuums are the ideal choice for hardwood floors as they can easily maneuver around obstacles and not damage the floor's surface. They are great in removing dust and crumbs, but they struggle with pet hair or other 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 best robots are two-in-one, combining a vacuum with a mop to complete the task in one step. If you have flooring that is mixed choose a model with an onboard sensor which detects changes in floor texture and adjusts suction to match. The ECOVACS DEEBOT T9+, for instance, comes with this feature and can go seamlessly from soft to hard carpeting.

If your home is mostly comprised of hardwood floors, think about a robotic vacuum and mop combination like the eufy S1 Pro. This model features a powerful robot vacuum with intelligent navigation to clean smart robot hardwood floors and other hard surfaces. Additionally, it has the ability to mop as well. The sensors help it avoid stairs and other hazards so you don't have to worry about the bot plummeting down the stairs and breaking your hardwood.

The eufy S1 Pro mop is designed to wash hardwood floors using downward pressure, rather than simply swab them to remove dirt and dust. The pads that are reusable reduce waste and help to spread less germs. They can also be cleaned at the docking stations to save time. They can also be dried, washed, and used again.

Both the robovac as well as the mop can be controlled by your smartphone to make it easier to manage the device. You can, for instance utilize the app to create zones that the vacuum won't be allowed to enter, label different rooms and schedule specific cleaning sessions. The Eufy S1 Pro also has an auto-emptying dock, which collects debris through a trapdoor and stores it in a disposable or bagless 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 designed for small spaces. They have smaller bins that contain less waste, and they're more efficient than the larger models when it comes to maneuvering 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 will need to empty their dirt bins manually at the end each cleaning session.

A few years back robot vacuums underwent significant changes. Manufacturers began to add sensors that helped them avoid household items that traditional sensors might become stuck on or run across. This has decreased the amount of times our testers had to clean smart robot up after a robotic snag, whether it was an electrical cord, toy or pet waste.

The new sensors aren't completely eliminating all the problems with these machines however. The cheaper models are still not able to traverse the same obstacles as the older models, and they require some level of illumination to be able to see where they are moving. If you reside in a dark area or have a lot of furniture that is low-profile, think about buying a model that utilizes top-mounted spinning laser units to map your space like our top overall and runner-up choices do. This lets them work in darkness and avoid obstacles like stairs.

They can also be programmed to only use their cliff sensors only when they are on or near the ground, and not when they are above it. It's important to cover mirrors to prevent this from occurring. The lasers used by LIDAR-based models can bounce off reflective surfaces, making the robot think it's in a different space.

A few of the models we recommend will allow you to create virtual no-go areas for areas you don't wish the robot to enter. This is helpful for those with small children or pets. These features aren't offered on all the models we test and recommend that you go through our complete reviews of the models below before making your purchase.