10 Life Lessons We Can Learn From Robot Vacuum Cleaner Best
How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner
A robot vacuum can save you a lot of time and hassle when it comes to regular cleaning. The top models do a great job at removing dust and lightweight debris and many allow you to set no-go zones for pets or power cords.
The most expensive models can even sweep your floors, but they can't climb up stairs. Find models that feature intelligent mapping, real-time hazards avoidance, and large self vacuum-emptying bins.
Best Overall
The best robots we tried were efficient, easy-to-use and able to cope with daily debris. It is also important to choose a model that can take on stairs and has good pick-up power on carpets. If you're looking for a robot with additional features, think about one that comes with smart mapping technology or an app to control it remotely.
Camryn Rabideau is a contributing reviewer and writer for shopping at PEOPLE who has tested dozens of robotic vacuums. She's a fan of the robot vacuums that provide the greatest convenience, such as self cleaning vacuum-emptying dustbins and charging docks that automatically empty and refill water tanks for mopping robots. She's also a fan of the robots that can recognize landmarks such as furniture legs and power cords to ensure they don't get tripped up when climbing the stairs.
Compared to the top-rated models, this Black and Decker robot vacuum isn't as advanced in its object-avoidance capabilities, and its navigation score is lower. It comes with a large, non-refillable dustbin and a long battery. Additionally, it comes with the ability to schedule cleaning sessions and return to the spot where it stopped last and makes it much easier to cover larger areas. This model is also a good option for pet owners as it is able to spot and eliminate hair tangled and fallen food particles.
In our tests, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combines a LIDAR sensor that maps rooms and detect obstacles, with an organized light sensor to identify objects and detect edges. It can avoid stairs, liquid droplets, and furniture legs with this combination. It is also able to save up to four floor plans for later use. It can also pause the cleaning process at any moment and resume where it left off, so you can do chores while the robot is working. The included app offers an interactive 3D model of your home, room labels and more advanced cleaning options.
The robot isn't as effective at cleaning as our top models, but it is great in removing heavier objects like orzo pasta, metal screws, and even fine particles like sand. Its only downsides are that it cannot mop, and its navigation system is a little less impressive.
The best option for Carpet
If you have carpeting in your home, look for a robot vacuum with excellent pickup and good maneuverability scores on carpet and rugs. A lot of models do a great job of picking up dust that has been embedded in carpets with a low pile and some do a good job of cleaning up larger debris such as orzo pasta, metal screws, and pet hair. They don't pick-up fine particles like an upright or canister, and they may miss dirt close to thresholds or baseboards.
The best option for carpeted homes is a 2-in-1 robot vacuum/mop. It allows you to swap out an empty bin for cleaning and mopping pad with damp. The Roborock Q Revo, for instance, vacuums and a wet mop with circular pads that spin at a rate of 200 rotations per minute. It recognizes and raises its pads when it comes in contact with carpet, which prevents the floor from becoming wet. It is not necessary to take them off or replace them every time. The Q Revo is also better than other robot vacuums and mops in staying clear of obstacles, getting close to rugs and thresholds, and avoiding obstacles.
The iRobot Roomba Combo i5 is another solid option. It did well in our tests and you can program it to clean your home even when you're away. It can be set to mop only. We loved its navigation on floors that are not bare and carpets. The Combo i5 has a long runtime and excellent path-planning for the size of the device.
If you're looking for a more advanced model, look into the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Self-Empty Robot Vacuum & Mop. It comes with a large charging dock that can run for several weeks without having to be emptying and has amazing navigation capabilities and auto-emptying on both bare floors and carpets. It also has a clever mapping system and can be programmed to run only during specific hours (a useful feature to stop the sly children and animals from running wild). The Shark isn't as powerful as other robot vacuum/mop combinations however it still manages to pick hair and pet hair very well. It's also the most affordable price of our top picks.
Best for Hard Flooring
Robot vacuums robot are best for floors with hardwood floors because they can maneuver through obstacles with ease without causing damage the surfaces that are not. They are excellent at picking up dust and crumbs but struggle with pet hair and larger debris. They also lack the suction power of a high-end upright or canister vacuum, meaning they're not the best option for rooms with carpets or upholstery that requires deep cleaning.
The most effective robots are those that come with two-in-one features, combining the power of a mop with a vacuum to complete the job in one go. If you have mixed flooring choose a model with an onboard sensor that detects any changes in floor texture and adjusts suction to match. The ECOVACS DEEBOT T9+, for instance, comes with this feature and can go effortlessly from hard to soft carpeting.
If your home is mostly composed of hardwood floors, consider a robotic mop and vacuum combination like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model has a powerful robotic vacuum with intelligent navigation that can clean hardwood floors and other surfaces. It also mop. Its sensors allow it to avoid dangers like stairs.
When you need mops the eufy S1 Pro is designed to actually wash hardwood floors using downward pressure, rather than wipe them over to remove light dust and dirt. The mop pads are reusable, which reduce the amount of waste and make it less likely to spread germs and can be cleaned in the docking station, saving you time. The mop pads can also be dried, washed and used again.
The robovac can be operated by your smartphone, making it much easier to use. For instance you can use the app to set up a zone that the vacuum won't enter, label separate rooms, or schedule cleaning times for certain areas. The eufy S1 Pro has an auto-emptying port that collects debris via trapdoors and then puts it in a bag-less or disposable bin. This means that you don't need to empty the bin manually as often as with other models.
Ideal for small Spaces
As the name implies the robots are best designed for smaller areas. They have smaller bins that hold less garbage, and are more efficient than the larger models when it comes to navigating tight corners. They can also be placed under furniture where larger robots have difficulty reaching. These robots are also cheaper than higher-end models, but you will have to empty their dirt bins manually at the end of each cleaning session.
A few years back, robot vacuums went through significant changes. Manufacturers began adding sensors that could help them navigate around and avoid household items that their conventional sensors might become stuck on or run across. This improved the number of times our testers had to clean up after a robotic accident.
The new sensors aren't completely eliminating all the issues with these machines however. The cheaper models are still not able to traverse the same obstacles as the older models, and they need some level of illumination in order to be able to see where they're moving. Look into one that has an LIDAR spinning unit that is that is mounted on top to map the area. Our top pick and runner-up models have this feature. This allows them to work in darkness and avoid obstacles like stairs.
They can also be programmed to only utilize their cliff sensors when they are near or on the ground, and not when they are above it. It is essential to cover mirrors to prevent this from occurring. The lasers used by the LIDAR-based models can bounce off reflective surfaces, causing the robot cleaning machine to think it's in a different space.
Some of the models that we recommend allow you to create virtual no-go areas for areas that you don't want the robot vacuum cleaner industrial (pop over to this website) to visit. This is helpful if you have pets or small children. These features aren't present on all models we test. Read our full reviews before deciding.
