Best Robot Vacuums
The best robot vacuums excel at picking up pet hair, dust and other messes from carpet and hard floors. They leave a lot of dust on baseboards and furniture.
Many models can be controlled with an app for smartphones, but others require the use of a physical remote to operate. Some include advanced features such as LiDAR navigation and floor maps that can be edited.
Object Avoidance
The top robot vacuums come with sophisticated navigation systems that enable them to avoid obstacles such as walls, cords and furniture. They also have object-avoidance technology to detect toys, pet food and other items that could get in the way or be sucked into the suction blades. These features can help you save time in cleaning by preventing your robot from being stuck in the couch or behind the bed and which allows it to complete its room cleaning more efficiently.
Some of the most advanced robots such as the Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra or Samsung Jet Bot AI+ make use of cameras and lasers to create maps. This allows them to navigate more precisely and accurately. They can also spot changes in your living space, such as when you move furniture. This isn't something that every robot is equipped with, but it can be a significant improvement in the performance and ease of your new gadget.
automated vacuum cleaner of the less expensive models rely on simple bump sensors to guide them around your home. They can be useful in many situations however, they can become entangled with objects that are too close like lamp cords and shoes. The cheaper robots lack the capability to learn from an obstacle that was missed, so you might have to set up electronic keep-out zones around your home to keep out certain objects.
Even the most powerful robot vacuums will get caught up in larger objects, like large dog poop splatters or even chairs legs. If the object is too large the robot cleaner might not be able to lift it and will likely be forced to push it over or around the edges of the room, leaving ugly skid marks on your floors. If you have pets or cats, you might have to block its path with an object, such as a box or piece of furniture, or a virtual barrier (which some robots allow to configure in the application).
The more advanced robotic vacuums listed here utilize object detection under low and optimal lighting conditions to determine what's right in front of them. The DEEBOT OMNI and the X1 OMNI robots, for example are equipped with TrueDetect 3D obstacle avoidance that can sense up to 30 different kinds of obstacles with optimal lighting.
Self-Emptying Basses
Self-emptying bases can be beneficial, especially if you have allergies or simply do not have the time to manually empty the dustbin of your robot vacuum at the end of each cleaning session. They can hold between 45 to 60 days of trash, which means they should be emptied far less often than the bin on the robot's own.
A number of top-rated robotic vacuums come with this feature such as the iRobot Roomba i3+ and i7+ models Shark's AI robotics, the Roborock S8, and several others. You'll need purchase the self-emptying base separately unless it is included in your robot.
Self-emptying bases will not only save you time, but also cost on dust bags. It also keeps your home spotless. Based on the model, some bases have separate filters that can be used to capture allergens, but they might need to be cleaned out regularly. It is recommended to follow the manufacturer's recommendations for filters and accessories to ensure optimal performance.
Another thing to take into consideration is the amount of suction power a robot has. There isn't a standard power scale that is used by all companies, but some provide Pascal (Pa) which gives you a sense of the performance of the device. In general the higher the Pa rating the more powerful the vacuum.
Also, a quality robot should have easy-to-use features and a user's manual that is easy to comprehend. A well-written manual can assist you in learning the basics and troubleshoot common issues, which is important as these machines aren't expensive. You should look for the manual that provides guidelines for maintenance and setup as well as troubleshooting. You should be able when using an app on your mobile, to control the robot, to see a list of available settings. You can then set them up by rooms, zones, or individual floors. Certain apps let you schedule specific cleaning sessions and even allow you to voice-command the robot. A number of popular brands allow you to create customized cleaning plans and create virtual no-go zones. The most effective robots allow you to save your cleaning schedule and return to it whenever you like. Then, if you forget to complete the task the robot will start where it started.
Long-Lasting Batteries
Although robot vacuums don't have the same power as full-sized corded uprights and cordless stick models, their specially-designed motors are designed to be energy efficient. This is why the top robot vacuums last for hours on a single charge. They also recharge themselves and resume cleaning when they reach their home base, without needing to join them. In our tests, a battery's lifespan of 90-100 minutes is sufficient for the majority of households, and will allow you to clean your entire house in one move.
The dust bin of a robot vacuum needs to be emptied after every few cleanings. This can be a daunting task, particularly if you have a large house or a lot of pet hair on your floors. This is why self-emptying robot vacuums could help you avoid a lot of frustration. This feature lets the vacuum empty its own dust bin and clean and dry its filter after each use so it is ready for the next vacuuming sessions.
The majority of robot vacuums come with a removable or built-in water tank that allows them to mop hard surfaces. This is especially useful when your floors are tiled heavily or have hardwoods that need more attention between vacuuming sessions. These mopping machines don't typically have the same suction power as traditional vacuums and are unable to get rid of liquid spills.
If you're looking for a machine that can mop and vacuum, think about a one-stop combo robot such as the Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo or the Shark IQ XL. Both of these top choices have excellent performance and offer excellent value. Both robots have a high level of suction, and they come with a huge, self-emptying station. They don't have the sophisticated navigation of our two top-rated robots, though, so they might not be able to complete your entire house on one charge.
Eufy 11S is another option for a hands-free mopping robot. The cheapest model doesn't have a removable or built-in water reservoir. It does however have an excellent suction level (2,500 Pa) and can be used to mop, sweep and spot clean your floor. The 11S is not a vacuum designed for furniture or stairs, but it can be used to keep your floors looking clean between manual vacuuming and mopping.
Easy Maintenance
While robot vacuums can save you time and effort, they require regular maintenance. There are some models that require less effort than others. Select a model with an automatic bottom that can be empty to cut down on the amount of times you have to manually empty the bin during cleaning sessions. This feature is particularly helpful if you have pets that shed a lot or if you tend to forget to mop or sweep.
The majority of our top picks have additional features that help reduce the time needed to clean. They include rotating brushes and suction. Consider a multi-surface cleaner with mopping pads that can be removed, which are easy to attach and remains on well or a vacuum that has LiDAR navigation that can recognize dirt spots around your home, and slows down to clean them thoroughly.
Certain models let you create a cleaning schedule, designate the rooms to be cleaned, and also use voice assistants for smart homes to control the vacuum with your voice. Certain models feature advanced software that can understand the layout of your home and help you get around obstacles. However, you will have to pay a premium for these features.
Robot vacuums are offered in a range of costs, from $100 for the ILife V3s Pro that can only be used on hardwood floors, up to $1600 for the Roborock Q5 maximum+ that can vacuum and mop both hardwood floors and carpets. As with most things, the more features you require, the higher the price but there are reliable options for every price level.
If you're looking for a basic bump-and-roll vac or a smart-mapping model that can clean your washing machine while you're on vacation, we've got the ideal robot vacuum for you. This Black and Decker X40 has an excellent technology for avoiding objects, and can maneuver around furniture and toys without getting stuck. It's also equipped with WiFi and is compatible with Alexa or Google Assistant so you can program cleaning times and remotely control the vacuum.
Check out our guide to robotic vacuums as well as our guide to robotic mops to learn more tips. Make sure to look over our suggested shipping dates to ensure that your delivery for the holidays is on time.