How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

A robot vacuum can save you lots of time and hassle when it comes to regular touch-ups. The best ones are adept at picking up dust, light debris and cords.

The pricier ones even mop your floors, but they can't climb stairs. Find models that feature intelligent mapping, real-time hazard avoidance, and roomy self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The best robots we tried were reliable, user-friendly, and able keep up with the daily messes. You'll want a robot with adequate carpet-picking capabilities and the ability to take on stairs. If you're looking for a model with extra features, consider a model that has smart vacuum cleaner mapping technology, or an app to control it remotely.

Camryn Rabideau, a contributing shopping writer at PEOPLE and a product reviewer who has tested several robotic vacuums, has been acknowledged for her work in testing hundreds of robot vacuums. She prefers the robovacs with the most expensive robot vacuum conveniences such as those that have self-emptying bins and charging stations that automatically empty and refill water tanks to mop robotic vacuums. She's also a big fan of the robots that can recognize landmarks like furniture legs and power cords to ensure they don't trip when climbing stairs.

When compared to the top-rated models this Black and Decker robot vacuum is less equipped with object-avoidance technology and its navigation score is lower. It does however have a large dustbin that doesn't need regular emptying and has a lengthy battery life. It also comes with a feature which allows you to schedule cleaning sessions, and return to where it was last. This makes it easier to cover larger areas. This model is also a good choice for pet owners because it can spot and eliminate hair tangled and fallen food particles.

In our tests, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combines with a LIDAR sensor that maps 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 for future reference. It is able to pause and resume the cleaning process at any time, so that you can continue with your chores while it is working. The included app provides an interactive 3D model of your home, room labels and more advanced cleaning options.

This model isn't as effective at cleaning like our top models, however it excels in removing heavier objects like orzo pasta, metal screws, and fine debris such as sand. The only drawbacks are that it cannot mop and that its navigation system is less impressive.

The best option for Carpet

If you have carpeting in your home, you should look for a robotic vacuum that has strong pickup and maneuverability scores on carpet and rug. A lot of models do a great job of removing dust that is embedded in carpets with low pile and some are capable of picking up heavier debris such as orzo pasta, metal screws, and pet hair. They don't pick-up fine particles like an upright canister, and they may miss dirt close to thresholds or baseboards.

For carpeted homes, a 2-in-1 robotic vacuum cleaner amazon vacuum/mop is the best option. You can swap out a cleaning bin to a damp mopping mat. The Roborock Q Revo, for example, vacuums and wet mop with circular pads that spin at 200 rotations per minute. It is able to detect and lift its pads when it comes into contact with carpet, which prevents the flooring from becoming wet. You don't need to take them off or replace them each time. The Q Revo also performs better than other robot vacuums and mops in keeping away from obstacles and being close to carpets and thresholds.

Another good option is the iRobot Roomba Combo i5, which did exceptionally well in our tests and can be scheduled via the app to clean your home when you're away from home. It can also be set to only mop and we were impressed by its impressive navigation on both carpets and floors, as well as its ability to climb up and over furniture. The Combo i5 has a long time to run and excellent path planning for the size of the device.

If you want a more advanced model, look into the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Self-Empty Robot Vacuum & Mop. It comes with a large dock that can last for weeks without needing to be cleaned. It also features impressive ability to navigate and auto-empty on carpets and floors that are not cleaned. It also has an intelligent mapping system that can be programmed to only be operational during certain times of the day (a useful feature that can keep mischievous kids and dextrous pets from running it amuck). The Shark has less powerful suction than some other robot vacuums and mops but it's efficient in removing hair and pet hair and is the best value among our top choices.

Best for Hard Flooring

Robot vacuums are ideal for floors made of hardwood, since they can navigate through obstacles with ease without causing damage the surfaces that are not. They are excellent at of picking up dust and crumbs, but they struggle with pet hair and other larger particles. They lack the suction power of a top-of-the-line upright or canister vacuum, meaning they're not the best choice for carpeted areas or deep cleaning upholstery.

The most effective robots come with two-in-one features, combining mop and vacuum to complete the task in one step. If you have flooring that is mixed choose a model equipped with an onboard sensor that detects changes in the floor's texture and adjusts suction to match. The ECOVACS DEEBOT T9+, for example, has this feature and can transition seamlessly from hard to soft carpeting.

If your home is composed of hardwood floors, consider a robotic vacuum and mop combo like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model comes with an impressive robotic vacuum that has smart navigation that can clean hardwood and other surfaces. It also mop. Its sensors help it avoid the stairs and other hazards, so you don't need to worry about the robot falling down the stairs and damaging your hardwood.

The eufy S1 Pro mop is designed to clean hardwood floors using downward pressure, not simply swab them in order to remove dirt and dust. Its reusable pads reduce waste and spread less germs. They can also be cleaned in docking stations to help save time. The mops can also be washed and dried to stop the spread of mold.

The robovac can be controlled via your smartphone, making it simpler to use. For instance you can make use of the app to designate a zone where the vacuum can't go or label rooms separately, or schedule cleaning sessions for specific areas. The eufy S1 Pro also has an auto-emptying dock that collects debris through a trapdoor and stores it in a bagless or disposable bin, so you don't have to empty the bin manually like you do with other models.

Best for Small Spaces

These robots are designed to work in small spaces. They have smaller bins that contain less waste, and they're more efficient than the larger models when it comes to maneuvering tight corners. They can also fit under furniture, where larger robots struggle to get in. They tend to be cheaper than the pricier picks, too, although you'll need to empty their dirt compartments at the end of each cleaning session.

A couple of years ago, robotic vacuum cleaner reviews vacuums underwent a major transformation when manufacturers began adding sensors to help navigate and avoid household objects that their conventional sensors would become stuck on or over. This improved the number of times our testers were required to clean up after a robot vacuum Cleaner best snag.

The new sensors don't solve all the problems with these machines, however. The less expensive models are unable to navigate the same obstacles as the older models, and require an adequate amount of light to be able to know where they are going. If you reside in a dark area or have a lot of furniture that is low-profile, think about purchasing top-mounted spinning laser units to map your area, as our top overall and runner-up choices do. This lets them avoid obstacles like stairs and other ones when working in darkness.

In addition to being capable of working in dark they can also be configured to use their cliff sensors only when they're near or on the floor, not when they're above them. It is still recommended to cover any mirrors that could interfere with this function, however, since the lasers used by a LIDAR-based model can bounce off reflective surfaces, causing the robot to think it's in a different room.

A few of the models we recommend let you set up virtual no-go zones to protect areas you do not want the robot to go, which can be beneficial if you have small pets or children. These features aren't on all models we test. Read our full reviews before deciding.