best rated robot vacuum (find out here) and Mop

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

Advanced models can map your house and note furniture arrangement. They can also identify hazards and navigate around them, like loose charging cables or stray socks.

Object Avoidance

Object avoidance helps your robot to avoid hitting things like cords, toys, and clothing that could be caught in the vacuum. These are especially important if you have children or pets who are likely to leave items on the floor, which your robot can find them.

Depending on the model you select, you might have a variety of sensors that can assist your robot in its journey through obstacles. Some of the most popular include crossed IR sensors that send focused beams of infrared light throughout the room to detect things like doors and furniture legs. This technology is used by numerous robots that are available and you can see it in the top models that cost more than others.

Another object avoidance technology you may find in more expensive robots is 3D Structured Light which uses cameras and crossed IR sensor to map the surroundings and identify obstacles. Time of Flight (ToF) sensors that measure and emit the time that it takes the light to reflect off of an object, to determine its distance, are available. They aren't as common, but could be a great addition to your robot, in case you're looking to add security.

Most of the top-rated robots are also able to mop your floors. Some robots come with very own water tanks that enable them to clean up messes and spills. You'll need to clean the robot's dust bin onboard and clean its cameras and sensors between cleaning sessions.

Mapping

Mapping capabilities are crucial in robot vacuums as they help them remember your home's layout and avoid bumping into things like walls. They can be tripped up by cords, pet toys, or furniture without mapping. This results in them cleaning less space. By using sensors, many robots map out your space to keep track of any obstacles and assist them to navigate around them. This way, they're able to clean the entire floor with fewer passes, saving your time. Many of the top-rated robot vacuums also have this feature to create no-go zones, which allows you to designate areas that you do not want the robot to enter.

Robots with built-in LIDAR system make use of this technology to create a map of your home quickly and efficiently. The Eufy Clean robot separated my room into different areas and cleaned each separately during our tests. This was a huge improvement over the cheaper models that only used sensors on the front of the vehicle. This was a more accurate method of navigating my home and it was easy to control with the app that came with the device.

While no robot vacuum can climb stairs yet, most of the top-rated models have good obstacles avoidance and mapping features. These tools allow to remove debris from carpets and hard floors and also to prevent falling down the steps. Some tools have sensors that make sure they don't fall over the edge of the stairs. Others have boundary strips to keep them out.

Some robots have a large tower base which holds their dirt and debris, reducing the amount of dust and allergens emitted into your home. These bases can last for several months or even weeks between emptying, which is especially beneficial if you have allergies. Some models also have self-emptying systems that allow you to empty their dust bins without having to manually open and close them.

Wi-Fi enabled

Some robot vacuums connect via Wi-Fi with their apps. This allows you to control them with your smartphone instead of (or in addition) to an actual remote. These models are more expensive, but they can save you time because you can schedule cleaning sessions every day, weekly, or even monthly. These models also let you modify floor maps, save them and offer alternate cleaning patterns.

The most advanced robot vacuums employ dual sensors, which combine a LIDAR system to map your space using a structured light sensor that can see objects and avoid them, even if they're buried under furniture or power cords. These features allow your robot to enter tight spaces such as the nook underneath the kitchen cabinets or beneath sofas, where other robots struggle. They're also faster to get around obstacles and have longer run times due to larger dust bins, making them more suitable for large homes than entry-level robotics.

The top rated robot vacuum that vacuums and mops vacuums tend to be fast, smart and powerful cleaning up all kinds of floor debris such as pet hair, cat litter and other dirt. They are also quiet, making them an ideal choice for homes with children and pets. Most robot vacuum owners we've spoken to have reported that they appreciate the convenience of having their floors spotless with minimal effort, particularly when they are used frequently. And with proper maintenance (cleaning the rotating brushes and keeping track on the parts that need replacement) robots can last as long as a traditional full-size vacuum cleaner. PCWorld has a helpful guide that provides tips to help you keep your machine running efficiently for many years to come.

Dust Bags Larger

A robotic vacuum is not as efficient in cleaning like an upright or canister vacuum, but it is great at picking up the dust and other debris that regular vacuuming leaves behind. It can also be used for quick touch-ups on bare floors, and it can also navigate around cords and other obstacles in the home. If you don't wish to do the deep cleaning yourself, a robotic cleaner can be set to send it out to sweep your floors on a regular schedule.

The top-rated robot vacuums come with big dust bags that can store more dirt than one room. This can save you time and money on new bags. Several of the models we've listed include this feature, including our top choice, the Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo. This all-in-one robovac has an excellent performance rating and has a self-emptying bin. It has a mopping feature and efficient navigation. It's a close contest between the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ and this model, which utilizes smart mapping and avoidance technologies. This robovac has a larger capacity but is slightly more expensive.

Another significant difference between these two models is how they handle hair that is long which can get caught in the rollers on some robots. The best-performing models, the Roborock Q5 Max+ and SwitchBot K10S Plus, both have superb hair pickup and tangle avoidance scores, along with great path planning and near perfect auto empty results. The Eufy and Shark Matrix Plus are also good choices with good robot vacuum hair pickup and tangle avoiding, but not as much path planning or auto empty.

The most recent robots are outfitted with sensors that detect dirt and debris on carpets, and they're better at removing pet hair. Some robots come with a mopping mode where they can use the water reservoir in order to clean up stuck-on debris and spills. This feature is a must for families with pets as well as children.

Maintenance

A robot vacuum can be a huge aid in keeping a close eye on your home. The most effective models pick up more surface dirt pet hair and lint than a broom on low-pile or hard floors. They also come with navigation features that prevent them from getting caught in cords for power or rug fringe and are able to glide effortlessly under furniture.

According to the model, you can schedule a robot autonomous vacuum to run multiple times per day or even watch it in action using an app. These devices are convenient however they can be clogged and require regular maintenance. This means emptying the dust bin that is onboard (or in some cases, the base's bigger bin), checking brushes for fur that is tangled, and periodically rinsing the filters and allowing them to dry according to the specifications of the manufacturer.

Emily Rairdin is a vacuum expert and store owner apprentice from University Vacuum + Sewing. She believes that a robotic vacuum can last for three to five years with proper care. She recommends regularly emptying the bin and brush roll and cutting out any hair that has gotten caught in the brushes, and regularly cleaning and drying the filter, when your robot is also used as mop. It's a good idea to clean the charging contacts and sensors on the dock or the robot cleaner with mop with a soft, clean cloth every now and again. Then, recharge and refill the robot as needed for your next cleaning session.