How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

A robot vacuum will help you save time and effort when it comes to regular touch-ups. The best ones are adept at getting rid of dust as well as light debris and cords.

The more expensive models even clean your floors, but they can't climb stairs. Find models with smart mapping, real-time hazard avoidance and large self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The top robots that we have tested are effective and user-friendly, and able to cope with the everyday messes. You'll also need a robot capable of handling stairs and has good pick-up power on carpets. If you're looking for a robot with additional features, think about an option that incorporates smart mapping technology, or an app to control it remotely.

Camryn Rabideau, a contributing shopping writer at PEOPLE and a product reviewer who has tested numerous robotic vacuums, is acknowledged for her work in testing hundreds of robot vacuums. She's a big fan of robot vacuums that provide the greatest convenience, including self-emptying dustbins and charging docks that automatically empty and refill the water tanks used by mopping robots. She also likes robots that recognize landmarks, such as furniture legs and power cables so that they won't get tripped up when climbing stairs.

Compared to the top-rated models this Black and Decker robot vacuum isn't as advanced in its object-avoidance capabilities and its score for navigation is lower. It has a large non-refillable dustbin as well as an extended battery. It also has a feature which allows you to schedule cleaning sessions, and then return to the place it stopped at the last point, making it easier to cover larger spaces. This model is also a great choice for pet owners because it is able to identify and prevent tangled hair as well as fallen food particles.

In our tests, we discovered that the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combined the LIDAR (light) sensor that can identify obstacles and map rooms with a structured-light sensor to detect objects and detect edges. It is able to avoid liquid droplets, stairs, and furniture legs easily with this combination. It is also able to save up to four floor plans for later use. It can also stop the cleaning process at any time and return to where it stopped and let you do chores while the robot works. The included app provides an interactive 3D model of your home, room labels and more advanced cleaning options.

The robot vacuum cleaner cheap isn't as effective at cleaning as our top models, but it is a pro in removing heavier objects like orzo pasta, metal screws, and fine debris such as sand. The only downsides are that it isn't able to mop and that its navigation system is a little less impressive.

Best for Carpet

If you have carpeting in your home, you should look for a vacuum that has strong pickup and maneuverability scores on carpets and rug. A lot of models are adept at picking up dust in low-pile rugs. Some are capable of sweeping up heavier debris, such as orzo pasta and screws made of steel. However, they aren't able to pick up fine particles like an upright or canister vacuum and may also be unable to pick up dirt in the vicinity of baseboards and thresholds.

The best choice for most carpeted areas is a 2-in-1 robot vacuum/mop, which allows you to swap out an empty bin for cleaning and mopping pad that is damp. The Roborock Q Revo, for example, is a vacuum cleaner and mops with circular pads that rotate at 200 rotations per minute. It detects and raises the pads when it is in contact with carpet, preventing it from soaking the floor, and you do not need to take them off or replace them after every use. The Q Revo is also more efficient than other robot vacuums and mops in the absence of obstacles and in being close to carpets and thresholds.

Another good option is the iRobot Roomba Combo i5, which performed very well in our tests and can be scheduled via the app to clean when you're away from home. It can be set to only mop, and we liked its remarkable navigation on rug and floor surfaces as well as its ability to go over and up onto furniture. The Combo i5 also has a very long runtime and a great path-planning feature for such a small device.

If you want a more advanced model, look into the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Self-Empty automatic hoover robot Vacuum & Mop. It comes with a large dock that can last for weeks without having to be empty. It also has impressive capability to auto-empty carpets and bare floors. It's also got an intelligent mapping system that can be programmed to be operational during certain times of the day (a useful feature to keep children and pets who are prone to mischief from causing havoc). The Shark isn't as powerful as other robot cleaner amazon vacuum/mop combinations however, it does pick hair and pet hair extremely well. It's also the most affordable price of our top picks.

The best choice for hardwood floors

Robot vacuums are ideal for floors made of hardwood, since they can navigate around obstacles easily without damaging the surfaces that are not. They are fantastic at picking up dust and crumbs but struggle with pet hair or other debris. They lack the suction power of an expensive upright or canister vacuum, meaning they're not an ideal choice for carpeted rooms or upholstery that needs deep cleaning.

The most effective robots are two-in-one, which combine mop and vacuum to complete the job in one step. Look for a model that has an onboard sensor to detect any changes in the flooring 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 mostly made up of hardwood floors, you should consider an automated vacuum and mop combination like the eufy S1 Pro. This model comes with a powerful robotic vacuum cleaners vacuum equipped with smart navigation that can clean hardwood and other surfaces. It can also mop. The sensors help it avoid staircases and other hazards, so you don't have to be worried about the bot plummeting down the stairs and damaging your hardwood.

When it comes to mops, the eufy S1 Pro is designed to actually wash hardwood floors with downward pressure, rather than wipe them clean to remove dirt and dust. Its pads that can be reused reduce waste and spread less germs. They can also be cleaned in docking stations to help save time. The mops can also be cleaned and dried to stop the spread of mold.

The robovac is controlled by your smartphone, making it much easier to use. For instance you can use the app to create a zone that the vacuum cannot enter or label rooms separately, or schedule cleaning sessions for certain areas. The eufy S1 Pro has an auto-emptying port that collects debris through a trapdoor, and stores it in a bag-less or disposable bin. This means that you don't have to empty the bin manually as often as other models.

Best for Small Spaces

As the name implies, these robots are best suited for small areas. They have smaller bins, which can hold less garbage. They are also more efficient in moving around corners more efficiently than larger models. They can also fit underneath furniture that larger robots have difficulty reaching. They are also less expensive than the more expensive models, but you will need to empty their dirt compartments manually at the end of each cleaning session.

A few years ago, robot vacuums went through a major change as manufacturers began adding sensors to help navigate and avoid household objects that their traditional sensors would be stuck on or over. This has have reduced the number of times our testers had to clean up after a robotic snag whether it was an electrical cord, toy, or piece of pet waste.

The new sensors don't solve all the issues that these devices have, however. The most affordable models struggle with the same issues that the older models faced, and many of them require a certain amount of illumination to be able see where they're headed. If you reside in a dark area or have lots of furniture with low-profiles, consider getting one that uses a top-mounted spinning LIDAR unit to map your space, as our top overall and runner-up picks do. This lets them stay clear of stairs and other obstacles when working in darkness.

In addition to being capable of working in dark, these models can be programmed to use their cliff sensors only on or near the floor, not when they're above them. It's important to cover mirrors in order to stop this from occurring. The lasers used by LIDAR-based models may bounce off reflective surfaces, which makes the robot think it's in another room.

A few of the models we recommend allow you to create virtual no-go areas for areas that you don't want the robot to visit. This is a great option when you have small children or pets. These features aren't included on all the models we've tested and recommend that you go through our complete reviews of each model below before you make a purchase.