10 Quick Tips To Robot Vacuum Cleaner Best

How to Choose the best robot vacuum cleaner (resources)

Robot vacuums will save you time and effort when it comes to regular cleaning. Top performers are good at picking up dust as well as light debris and cords.

The pricier ones even mop your floors, though they aren't able to climb the stairs. Make sure you choose models with smart mapping, real time safety features, and large self-emptying bins.

best value robot vacuum Overall

The top robots in our testing are efficient and user-friendly, and able to cope with the everyday messes. You'll want a robot with decent carpet-picking capability and the capability to climb stairs. If you want a robot with extra features, consider 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 tested many robotic vacuum cleaner amazon vacuums. She prefers robovacs that have the most conveniences such as those that have self-emptying bins and charging stations that automatically empty and fill water tanks to mop robotic vacuums. She also enjoys robots that can recognize landmarks such as furniture legs and power cables so that they won't trip 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. However, it has an ample dust bin that doesn't need frequent emptying, and has a long battery life. Additionally, it has an option that allows you to schedule cleaning sessions and return to the spot where it stopped last which makes it easier to clean larger homes. This model is an excellent choice for pet owners, since it is able to avoid the tangles of fur and food particles.

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

While this robot vacuum Cleaner review can't clean as well as our top-rated models, it excels in removing fine debris like baking soda and sand as well as larger objects, like orzo pasta and screws made of metal. Its only drawbacks are that it can't mop and has a slightly less efficient navigation system.

Best for Carpet

If you have carpeting, choose one that scores high for rug and carpet ability to maneuver and pick up. Many models are good at collecting dust from low-pile rugs. Some do a decently job of cleaning up larger debris, such as orzo pasta and metal screws. They don't pick-up small particles like an upright canister, and they may miss dirt that is close to baseboards or thresholds.

The best option for carpeted homes is a two-in-one robot vacuum and mop that allows you to swap between an empty bin for cleaning and a damp mopping pad. The Roborock Q Revo, for example, vacuums and mops wet with circular pads that rotate at a rate of 200 rotations per minute. It is able to detect and lift its pads when it comes into contact with carpet, which prevents the flooring from getting 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 keeping away from obstacles and 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 tidy your home while you are away. It can also be set to mop only, and we liked its remarkable navigation on rug and floor surfaces, as well as its ability to climb over and up onto furniture. The Combo i5 also has a very long runtime and great path planning for such a small device.

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 charging dock that can run for months without needing to be emptied and has impressive navigation skills and auto-emptying on carpets and floors that are not cleaned. It also has a smart-mapping feature and can be programmed to only operate during certain hours of the day (a useful feature that can keep mischievous kids and dextrous pets from causing chaos). The Shark is less powerful than other mop/robot combinations however it does pick hair and pet hair extremely well. It's also the most affordable price of our top picks.

The best choice for hardwood floors

Robot vacuums are the best choice for floors made of hardwood, since they can maneuver through obstacles with ease without causing damage the surfaces that are not. They are fantastic in removing dust and crumbs, but they struggle with pet hair and larger debris. They also lack the suction power of an expensive upright or canister vacuum, so they're not an ideal choice for carpeted areas or deep cleaning upholstery.

The most effective two-in-one robots incorporate mopping and vacuum and take care of an entire task in one pass. Find one that has an onboard sensor to detect changes in the floor texture and adjust suction to match. This feature is available on the ECOVACS Deebot T9+ and lets it effortlessly transition from hard carpeting to soft carpeting.

If your home is primarily composed of hardwood floors, you should consider an automated vacuum and mop combination like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model features an efficient robot vacuum with smart navigation to clean hardwood floors and other hard surfaces, plus it has the ability to mop as well. Its sensors assist it in avoiding stairs and other hazards so you don't have to be worried about the robot falling down the stairs and breaking your hardwood.

When it comes to mop pads, the eufy S1 Pro is designed to actually clean hardwood floors using downward pressure rather than wipe them over to remove light dirt and dust. The mop pads that are reusable reduce the amount of waste, and make it less likely to spread germs, and can be cleaned in the docking station to save you time. The mop pads can also be cleaned and dried to stop the spread of mold.

The robovac can be operated by your smartphone, making it much easier to use. You can, for instance, use the app to create no-go zones that the vacuum deals won't 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 is then stored in a bagless or disposable bin, which means you don't need to empty the bin manually every time as you would with other models.

Ideal for small Spaces

As the name implies the robots are best designed for smaller areas. They have smaller bins that contain less debris, and they're more efficient than larger models in navigating tight corners. They can also fit underneath furniture that larger robots have difficulty reaching. They tend to be cheaper than the more expensive models, too, although you'll need to empty them manually from their dirt storage compartments at the end of each cleaning session.

A few years ago, robot vacuums underwent a significant change as manufacturers began adding sensors to help them navigate and avoid household objects that their conventional sensors would become stuck on or over. This improved the number of times our testers had to clean up after a robotic incident.

However, the new sensors haven't solved all of these machines' problems. The most affordable models struggle with the same issues that the older models faced, and many of them need a certain amount of light to be able see where they're headed. If you reside in a dark area or have a lot of furniture with low-profiles, consider purchasing top-mounted spinning LIDAR units to map your area, like our top overall and runner-up picks do. This lets them work in the dark and avoid obstacles like stairs.

These models can also be programmed to use their cliff sensors only when they are near or on the ground, and not when they are above it. You'll still need to shield any mirrors that could hinder this function, though, as the laser used by a LIDAR-based model can bounce off reflective surfaces and cause the robot to think it is in another room.

Some of the models we recommend let you set up virtual no-go zones to protect areas where you don't want the robot to go, which is useful if you have pets or children. These features aren't offered on all the models we test so make sure to read our full reviews of the models below prior to making a purchase.