Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Robot Vacuum Cleaner Best
How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Robot vacuums can help you save time and effort when it comes to regular cleaning. The best models do a great job picking up dust and lightweight debris, and most allow you to designate no-go zones in pet areas or power cords.
The pricier ones even mop your floors, but they can't climb the stairs. Choose models that have intelligent mapping, real-time hazards avoidance, and roomy self-emptying bins.
Best Overall
The best robots we tested were efficient, easy-to-use, and able keep up with daily debris. You'll also want a robot that can take on stairs and has good cleaning power for carpets. If you're looking for a robot with extra features, consider one that comes with smart mapping technology or an app that allows you to control it remotely.
Camryn Rabideau is a contributing shopping writer and product reviewer at PEOPLE who has tried numerous robotic vacuums. She prefers the ones with the most features such as those with self-emptying bins and charging stations that automatically empty and refill water tanks to mop robotic vacuums. 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.
The Black and Decker model has a lower navigation score and has less object-avoidance technology than the best-rated models. It does however have an enormous dust bin that doesn't need frequent emptying, and has a long battery life. It also comes with an option that allows you to schedule cleaning times and then return to the place it stopped last, making it easier to cover larger areas. This model is a great choice for pet owners, because it will prevent tangled fur and food particles.
In our tests in our tests, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combines a LIDAR sensor that is able to map rooms and identify obstacles using a structured light sensor to identify objects and detect edges. The combination lets it avoid steps, drops of liquid, and furniture legs easily and save up to four floor maps to be used in the future for references. It can pause and resume the cleaning process at any point, so that you can continue doing chores while it does. The app comes with a 3D representation of your home, room labels and advanced cleaning options.
This robot is not as good at cleaning like our top models, but it is great at picking up heavier items like orzo pasta, metal screws, and fine debris such as sand. Its only downsides are that it cannot mop and its navigation system is a little less impressive.
The best for Carpet
If you have carpeting, select an Automatic vacuum (Https://opencbc.Com/) with a high rating for carpet and rug mobility and pickup. Many models do a good job of removing dust that is embedded in carpets with low pile and some do a good job of cleaning up larger debris such as orzo pasta, metal screws and pet hair. However, they can't handle small particles like canister or upright vacuums and may also be unable to pick up dirt in the vicinity of baseboards and thresholds.
For most carpeted homes, a 2-in-1 robot mop/vacuum is the best choice. You can swap out a cleaning bin to a damp mopping mat. The Roborock Q Revo, for example, is a vacuum cleaner and mops wet with circular pads that rotate at 200 rotations per minute. It detects and raises the pads when it is in contact with carpet to avoid wetting the floor. You do not need to take them off or replace them after every use. The Q Revo is also superior to other robot vacuums/mops in staying clear of obstacles such as rugs and thresholds, and avoiding obstacles.
The iRobot Roomba Combo i5 is another option worth considering. It performed well in our tests and you can program it to clean your home even when you're away. It can be set up to only mop. We liked its navigation on floors with no flooring as well as rugs. The Combo i5 has a long runtime and excellent path planning for the size of the device.
If you want a more high-tech model, consider the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Self-Empty Robot Vacuum & Mop. It has a large charging dock that can go weeks without needing to be empty and boasts amazing navigation capabilities and auto-emptying on bare floors and carpets. It also comes with a smart robot vacuums mapping system, and can be set to run only during specific hours (a useful feature for keeping the sly children and animals from running wild). The Shark has less powerful suction than some other mop/robot combos however it's still effective in removing hair and pet hair and is the best value among our top picks.
The best choice for hardwood floors
Robot vacuums are a great choice for hardwood floors as they can easily maneuver around obstacles without damaging surfaces that are not bare. They are great at picking up dust and crumbs but struggle with pet hair or other debris. They also lack the suction power of a high-end upright or canister vacuum, so they're not the ideal choice for carpeted rooms or upholstery that needs deep cleaning.
The best two-in-1 robots combine a vacuum and a mop and take care of a more complete chore in one go. Look for models that have an onboard sensor that detects any changes in the flooring and adjust suction to match. This feature is available on the ECOVACS Deebot T9+ and allows it to move seamlessly from hard carpeting to soft carpeting.
If your home is comprised of hardwood floors, you should consider a robotic vacuum and mop combo like the eufy S1 Pro. This model features a powerful robotic floor vacuums vacuum that has intelligent navigation to clean hardwood and other hard surfaces, plus it can mop as well. Its sensors help it avoid the stairs and other hazards, so you don't have to worry about the robot vacuum cleaner best falling down the stairs and damaging your hardwood.
The eufy S1 Pro mop is designed to clean hardwood floors by applying downward pressure, rather than simply swab them to remove dirt and dust. The mop pads are reusable, which reduce waste, spread germs less, and can be cleaned at the docking station to save your time. They can also be dried, washed, and used again.
Both the robovac and the mop can be controlled by your smartphone to make it easier to manage the device. You can, for instance utilize the app to designate areas that the vacuum will not enter, or to label rooms, or plan specific cleaning times. The eufy S1 Pro has an auto-emptying port that collects the debris via trapdoors and then puts it into a bagless or disposable bin. This means you don't have to empty the bin manually as often as with other models.
Best suited for small Spaces
These robots are designed for smaller spaces. They have smaller bins which can hold less debris. They are also more efficient in maneuvering around tight corners as opposed to larger models. They can also fit under furniture, where bigger robots struggle to reach. They are generally less expensive than the pricier picks, too, although you'll need to manually empty their dirt compartments at the end of each cleaning session.
A couple of years ago, robotic vacuums went through a major change when manufacturers started adding sensors to help them navigate around and automatic vacuum avoid household objects that traditional sensors would get stuck on or run over. This improved the number of times our testers had to clean up after a robot accident.
However, the latest sensors haven't resolved all of these machines' problems. The most affordable models struggle with the same issues that the older models faced and most require a certain amount light to see where they're going. If you are living in a dark space or have lots of furniture with low-profiles, consider buying a model that utilizes top-mounted spinning laser units to map your area, as our top overall and runner-up choices do. This lets them work in darkness and avoid obstacles like stairs.
These models can be programmed to only utilize their cliff sensors when they are in or near the ground, and not when they are above it. It is still recommended to shield any mirrors that may interfere with this function however, because the laser used by a laser-based model can bounce off reflective surfaces, causing the robot to believe it's in a different room.
Some of the models that we recommend let you create virtual no-go zones for areas that you don't want the robot to go to. This is helpful for those with pets or children who are small. These features aren't included on all the models we've tested and recommend that you go through our complete reviews of each model below before making your purchase.
