How to Choose the Best Robot Cleaner for Your Home

You'll need to put some effort into the home maintenance of your robot. This includes getting rid of debris, tangled rugs, and loose cords.

Choose a model that has self-emptying containers. This will make it easier for you to clean up spills. You may want an all-in-one vacuum and mop.

Features

Based on the needs of your home, you can choose the best robot cleaner with advanced features. Some models are built to map your home and create floor plans, while others have built-in cameras that provide live videos of your home. These cameras can also be used to spot issues and assist in problem-solving. Some robots even have an option to schedule cleaning sessions and adjust the frequency.

Look for a robot with an auto vacuum-emptying dustbin in case you'd like it to to mop and vacuum. Ecovacs' Deebot Pro is among our top picks because it comes with both features at a reasonable price. It has a tiny suction opening similar to those found on upright vacuums, allowing to collect debris more efficiently than other robots. It also comes with side brushes with three bristles to move dirt and hair into the robot's path. This model is among the best of its kind for a variety reasons, including its mopping ability, efficient navigation and affordable price.

The best robovacs are equipped with large dust bins, that can last for weeks without needing to be emptied. The Narwal Freo X Ultra is an excellent example of a high-end robot that has a self-emptying dust bin and clever features that allow for hands-free operation. It comes with a tiny mopping mat that removes dirt that is stuck to the floor. It can also glide over mats and rugs that are too light for other robots. Sensors help identify the areas that are prone to dirt, and it is able to mop and vacuum at the same time which makes it ideal to keep your home tidy.

The Eufy Clean X10 is another excellent choice, and its app has an easy-to-use interface which makes setting up customized options quick and simple. Its lidar mapping is quick and accurate. It also allows rooms to be divided easily for a thorough cleaning. It has a great device for avoiding objects that can eat Cheerios, and even dodge fake dog poop. However, it experienced some issues with stairs. Its square-front design helped it to maneuver around corners more efficiently than the majority of robots that we've tested. It can also edge-hug, which helps it to easily sweep across baseboards.

Cleaning performance

While robots can't get deep into carpets or clean up ground-in dirt as well as a vacuum cleaner, they are capable of picking up fine particles such as baking soda and dust as well as larger debris like pet hair and metal screws. They can also sweep up spills and crumbs. Maintaining your robot through routine maintenance such as emptying the dustbin and cleaning or changing the filter and cleaning the sensors and cameras will ensure it lasts for the longest time possible.

The best robots are capable of removing small particles from carpets with low pile and hard floors, and they're especially good in sweeping up orzo pasta, sand, and wood shavings. They can also pick up cat litter and screws made of metal, though they tend to struggle with more sluggish items such as coffee grounds or baked flour. They're not as impressive on stairs and don't always catch everything around the edges of furniture.

Some models are also fantastic in mopping. The iRoborock Roomba 900, for example, is a model that can do excellent job cleaning hardwood flooring. It is able to remove coffee spills and other liquids as well sticky or dried food messes. Its intelligent spot and zone cleaning modes let you define an area that the robot will focus on, so it doesn't take too long to vacuum areas that are already clean. The Dreame X40 also does a excellent job at mopping, but it has one advantage over the Roborock. It can auto vacuum cleaner first and afterwards mop to clean up spills and stains that are on high-pile rugs.

Another top-rated mopping robot is the Dyson V8 Absolute. It's a bit more expensive than the Roomba, but it has superior suction and can handle a wider range of flooring types and textures. It's also able to return to the charging dock when getting dry and pick up the point it began. Its app offers lots of other features as well with an option to automatically schedule recurring cleaning sessions. It's also quiet, which makes it a great choice for homes that have pets or children.

Cost

The best robot cleaners perform well at a low cost and many come with clever features that can help you save money in the end. You'll need to think about the price of mop and vacuum to get the most value for your money. Certain models have features you don't need but find useful. For instance, a self-emptying trash can or navigation that is efficient.

A model that is able to do both mops and vacuums is the most expensive robot vacuum economical choice. It's important to note that robot vacuums are only as effective as the dirt it picks up It's not advised to abandon regular manual vacuuming in favour of using a robot vacuum.

Spending $500 on a robot capable of both vacuuming as well as mopping is reasonable. One example is the iRobot Combo j9+. The robot scored high in the tests of CR and can clean both bare floors and carpets. It has an intuitive application that allows you to track its cleaning routes, and also set no-go zones. Jaclyn Turner found that the mopping function could be improved since it uses a dragging mechanism using light pressure instead of the actual scrubbing.

However, if you're on a budget it's possible to get a good deal on a top-rated robot vacuum that is able to do one job, such as the Eufy 11S. Its sleek and quiet design was great at cleaning tiles, hardwood floors, and low pile carpets. It also proved very efficient in removing pet hair, litter, and other particles.

Some budget-friendly robots feature rudimentary bump navigation systems that do not create a coverage map and are more likely to be stuck on furniture or miss spots. These robots are still able clean your floors but they're not as efficient or capable of navigate around obstacles in your home.

Shark IQ XL is another option. It's a budget-friendly device that has been praised for its cleaning capabilities as well as its price-to-value ratio. It's not as efficient as the Combo J9+, but is a breeze to use and works well on floors with carpets and even bare floors. It is also relatively light and can be pushed underneath furniture without getting stuck.

Maintenance

A robot cleaner is a great method of keeping your home spotless, particularly if you have pets or children. But, it will require some care to keep it in top shape. Maintaining a regular schedule of cleaning tasks like emptying the dust bin, washing or replacing the filter, and wiping off cameras and sensors can extend the lifespan of your robot.

Vacuums need more frequent maintenance than mopping robots. However, you can extend the life of your vacuum by following the guidelines from the manufacturer on cleaning and emptying the brush roll, dust bin and filter. You should also wipe down the robot vacuum cleaner on sale's sensors and charging contacts with a damp cloth in order to prevent them from getting clogged by dirt.

This model from Eufy is a great option to get a smart robust and durable robot that's simple to use. It has a sleek ultra-slim design that enables it to slide under low ottomans and couches to get rid of dirt. The app makes it simple to choose rooms and plan the cleaning schedule, as well as set areas that are not allowed to be cleaned and adjust the cleaning intensity.

This robot is a bit more costly than the other models in this list, but it has many features that can make up for the cost. Its mapping is fast, and it can store four maps of your home in 2D or 3D. It is also one of the quieter robotic devices that we tested. The battery lasts for about three hours.

The Romba 11s is an extremely versatile vacuum cleaner that can work well along walls. In our tests, it cleared up to 1.3 inch away from the best robot vacuum cleaner wall. This is higher than any other robots we tried. It has a number of clever features including a spot cleaning feature and an automatic boost mode. It employs random navigation to ensure that it doesn't clean the same spots on a regular basis.

The robot's drawback is it is that it cannot recognize bare flooring and is easily confused by thick carpets and rugs. However, it's a great option if you have a small apartment or a single-family house with narrow hallways and plenty of furniture.