Best Rated Robot Vacuum and Mop

Eufy's robotic mop and vacuum is the highest-rated of its kind. It takes a lot of work out of cleaning your floors. It is able to refill its own water tank, self-empty its tower bin that is larger and swap the dust bag.

Advanced models can map your home and record furniture placement. They also can detect dangers and navigate around them, like loose charging cables or stray socks.

Object Avoidance

Object avoidance functions allow your robot vacuum best to avoid crashing into things like power cords, toys and even clothes that could get caught up in the vacuum. These features are especially crucial if you have pets or children that could leave things on the floor for your robot to discover.

Depending on which model you choose, your robot may have a variety of sensor options to aid in navigating around obstacles. Some of the most well-known include crossed IR sensor beams that are infrared-focused lights that scan the room looking for things like furniture legs or door frames. Many robots have adopted this technology, and you'll find it in the top models that cost more.

Other technology for avoiding objects can be found in more expensive robots are 3D Structured Light, which uses cameras and crossed IR sensors to map the environment and identify obstacles; and Time of Flight (ToF) sensors that emit and measure the time it takes for light to reflect off objects, to determine the distance between them. These are less common but could be a great addition to your robot, in case you're looking to add peace of mind.

Most of the top-rated robots are also able to mop your floors. Some robots have their own water tanks that let them clean up spills and messes. You'll have to empty your robot's onboard dust bin and clean the cameras and sensors in between cleaning sessions, but these tasks shouldn't take much of your time.

Mapping

The ability to map is essential in robot vacuums because they allow them to recognize your home's layout, and avoid bumping into things like walls. They could be tripped by cords, pet toys or furniture without mapping. This results in them cleaning less space. With sensors, the majority of robots map out your home to track any obstacles and help navigate around them. This allows them to clean the entire floor in fewer passes, thereby saving your time. A lot of the top robot vacuums also have this feature, which allows you to create areas of no-go.

Robots equipped with LIDAR make use of this technology to map your home quickly and effectively. In our tests of the Eufy Clean robot used this feature to divide my home into distinct areas and clean each independently this was a significant improvement over the cheaper models we tested that just used a front bump sensor. This was a far more precise method of navigating my home and was also easy to control via the on-device app.

Although there aren't any robot vacuums that can scale stairs, the best models do have obstacles avoidance and mapping features. These tools let them remove debris from low-pile and hard floors, and avoid falling down stairs. Certain tools come with sensors that make sure they don't fall over the edge of the stairs. Some have boundary strips to keep them out.

Certain robots have an enormous base tower that is able to collect dirt. This helps reduce the amount of dust or allergens released within your home. These bases can last for weeks or even months between emptying, and are particularly beneficial if you have allergies. Alternatively, some models have self-emptying systems that let you dump out their onboard dust bins without having to manually open or close them.

Wi-Fi enabled

Some robot vacuums make use of Wi-Fi to connect with their apps and allow you to control them with your smartphone instead of (or in addition to) a physical remote. These models are more expensive, but they can save you time since you can schedule cleaning time each week, daily or even monthly. They can also allow users to edit and save floor maps and offer alternative cleaning routines.

The most advanced robot vacuums utilize dual sensors, which combine a LIDAR system to map your space using a structured light sensor that can detect objects and avoid them even if they're hidden under furniture or power cords. These features allow your robot to access tight areas, such as the kitchen's nook under cabinets or under sofas. Some robots have difficulty in these kinds of spaces. They're also faster to get over obstacles and have longer run times with larger dust bins, making them better suited for large homes than the entry-level robots.

The best robot cleaner rated robot vacuums tend to be swift, intelligent and powerful cleaning up all kinds of floor debris, including pet hair, cat litter and other dirt. They can also be quiet which makes them a great option for homes with young kids and pets. Most robot vacuum owners we've spoken to say they appreciate the convenience of keeping their floors spotless with minimal effort, particularly if they use it regularly. And with proper maintenance (cleaning the rotating brushes and keeping tabs on the replacement parts) robots can last as long as a traditional full-size vacuum cleaner. PCWorld offers a manual that includes some helpful tips to keep yours running smoothly.

Dust Bags Larger

While a robotic vacuum may not be as effective as an upright or canister model, it's great in picking up dust and debris that regular vacuuming leaves behind. It can also be used to provide quick touch-ups on floors and can navigate through cords and other household obstacles. It is possible to use robots to clean your floors on a schedule if you don't have time to do it yourself.

Some of the top-rated robot vacuum that vacuums and mops vacuums come with large dust bags that can hold more dirt than one room. This can save time and money through bags that are replaced. This feature is available on many models which includes our top pick which is the Ecovacs T30S Combo. This all-in one robovac is a high-performance robovac that comes with a self emptying bin. It also has a mopping feature and a streamlined navigation. This is a close race between the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ and this model, which utilizes the latest technology for avoidance and smart mapping. This robovac has more capacity but is slightly more expensive.

Another big difference between these two models is the way they deal with long human hair that can get caught in the rollers on some robots. The Roborock Q5 Max+, SwitchBot K10S Plus and Roborock Q5 Max+ are the most efficient models. They both have excellent hair pickup and tangle avoidance scores, together with excellent auto vacuum and mop empty results and excellent path planning. The eufy and Shark Matrix Plus are also good choices with good hair pickup and tangle avoiding, but not as much planning for paths or auto empty.

The latest robots are equipped with sensors that detect dirt and debris on carpets and they are better at removing pet hair. Some have a mopping mode that can use the water reservoir to remove the stains and spills. This feature is essential for families with pets and children.

Maintenance

A robot vacuum can help you keep up with your home. While no robot can substitute an upright or canister vacuum for deep cleaning, the best models are rated to remove pet hair, lint, and other dirt on carpets and floors with low pile and pick up more than you can using the vacuum. They also have navigation features which prevent them from getting caught in power cords or rug fringe and are able to slide easily under furniture.

Depending on the model, a highly rated robot vacuum is also able to run multiple times a day or may allow you to view it in action using an app. These devices are convenient however they can get clogged and require regular maintenance. This involves emptying the dust bin onboard (or in certain cases, the base's bigger bin), checking brushes for tangled fur and regularly washing the filters and drying them according to the specifications of the manufacturer.

Emily Rairdin is a vacuum expert and store owner apprentice from University Vacuum + Sewing. She claims that a robot vacuum can last for three to five years with proper care. She suggests regularly emptying the bin and brush roll and cutting out hair that's tangled in the brushes, and regularly washing and drying the filter when your robot is also used as mop. It's also a good idea to wipe down the sensors and charging contacts on the robot or dock often with a soft, clean cloth. Then, refill and recharge your robot for the next cleaning session.