How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner
A robot vacuum will help you save time and hassle when it comes to regular cleaning. Top performers do a good job picking up dust and light debris, and most allow you to create no-go zones for pet areas or power cords.
The pricier ones even mop your floors, but they can't climb the stairs. Look for models that have intelligent mapping, real-time hazard avoidance and large self-emptying bins.
Best Overall
The best robots we tested were user-friendly, efficient, and able keep up with the daily debris. You'll want a robot with adequate carpet-picking capabilities and the capability to climb stairs. If you're looking to add more features, you may be interested in a model that uses smart mapping technology, or an application that allows you to control it remotely.
Camryn Rabideau is a contributing shopping writer and product reviewer at PEOPLE who has tested many robotic vacuums. She's a fan of the robotic vacuums that offer the greatest convenience, including self-emptying dustbins and charging docks that automatically empty and fill water tanks for mopping robots. She also loves robots that recognize landmarks, such as furniture legs and power cables so they don't fall when climbing the stairs.
In comparison with the top-rated models this Black and Decker vacuum has less object-avoidance technology and its score for navigation is lower. However, it does have an enormous dust bin that doesn't require frequent emptying and a long battery life. It also comes with the ability to schedule cleaning sessions and return to where it was last. This makes it easier for you to cover larger homes. This model is a good option for pet owners, since it is able to avoid the tangles of fur and food particles.
In our tests, we observed that the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combined with a LIDAR (light) sensor that can map rooms and detect obstacles with 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 references. It can also pause the cleaning process at any time and pick up where it left off, so you can do chores while the robot works. The included app offers the 3D image of your home, room labels, and advanced cleaning options.
This robot is not as good at cleaning as our top models, but it is great at picking up heavier items like orzo pasta, metal screws and even fine particles like sand. The only downside is that it's not able to mop, and has a slightly less effective navigation system.
The best option for Carpet
If you have carpeting in your home, you should look for a vacuum that has strong pickup and maneuverability scores on carpet and rug. A lot of models are adept at cleaning dust from low-pile rugs, and some can be quite effective in sweeping up heavier debris like orzo pasta and metal screws. They aren't able to pick up fine particles like an upright canister, and may be unable to pick up dirt close to baseboards or thresholds.
The best option for carpeted areas is a 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop that lets you swap in an empty bin for cleaning and a damp mopping pad. The Roborock Q Revo, for example, vacuums and mops with circular pads that rotate at 200 rotations per minute. It detects and lifts the pads when it encounters carpet, preventing it from soaking the floor, and you do not need to take them off or replace them after each use. The Q Revo also performs better than other robot vacuums/mops when it comes to avoiding obstacles and getting closer to carpets and thresholds.
The iRobot Roomba Combo i5 is another good option. It was a great performer in our tests and you can program it to sweep your home while you are away. It can also be set to only mop, and we liked its impressive navigation on both bare floors and rugs and its ability to climb over and up onto furniture. The Combo i5 also has a very long run time and great path planning for such a small device.
If you're looking to buy a high-tech vacuum Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum & Mop is a fantastic alternative. It has a huge charging dock that can last for months without needing to be empty and has impressive navigation skills and auto-emptying on both carpets and floors that are not cleaned. Click To See More comes with a smart mapping system that can be programmed to only run for certain times (a useful feature to stop the sly children and animals from running wild). The Shark isn't as powerful than other robot vacuums and mops however it's still effective in removing hair and pet hair. It is the most affordable of our top choices.
Best for Hard Flooring
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 great in removing dust and crumbs, but they struggle with pet hair or other debris. They don't have the suction power of a high-end upright or canister vacuum, meaning they're not the ideal choice for carpeted areas or deep cleaning upholstery.
The best two-in-1 robots combine a vacuum and a mop to complete an entire task in one pass. Look for a model that has an onboard sensor that detects 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 made up of hardwood floors, consider an automated vacuum and mop combo like the eufy S1 Pro. This model is a powerful robotic vacuum that has smart navigation to clean hardwood floors and other hard surfaces, and it can mop too. Its sensors allow it to avoid hazards such as stairs.
The eufy S1 Pro mop is designed to wash hardwood floors using downward pressure, not simply swab them to remove dirt and dust. Its pads that can be reused reduce waste and help to spread less germs. They can also be cleaned in docking stations to help save time. The mops are also able to be dried, washed, and used again.
The robovac is operated by your smartphone, making it simpler to use. For instance you can make use of the app to designate a no-go zone that the vacuum cannot enter or mark rooms as separate or schedule cleaning times for certain areas. 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 with other models.
Best for Small Spaces
Like the name suggests, these robots are best designed for smaller spaces. They have smaller bins which hold less debris. They are also more efficient in getting around corners better over larger models. They can also be tucked under furniture, where larger robots struggle to get in. They tend to be cheaper than the higher-end models too, although you'll need to empty their dirt 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 around and avoid household objects that their traditional sensors would get stuck on or run over. The improvements in technology reduced the number of times our testers were required to clean up after a robot incident.
The new sensors aren't completely eliminating all the issues with these devices, however. The cheapest models are still struggling with the same obstacles that the older ones faced, and many of them require a certain amount light to be able see where they're headed. If Click To See More live in a dark house or have a lot of low-profile furniture, consider buying a model that utilizes top-mounted spinning laser units to map your space as our top overall and runner-up picks do. This allows them to work in darkness and avoid obstacles like stairs.
They can also be programmed to use their cliff sensors when they are in or near the ground, but not when they are above it. It is still recommended to shield any mirrors that might interfere with this function, however, because the laser used by a laser-based model can bounce off reflective surfaces and cause the robot to think it's in another room.
Some of the models we recommend also allow you to set up virtual no-go zones for areas where you don't want the robot to go, which is beneficial if you have small children or pets. These features aren't present on all models we test. Read our full reviews before deciding.