The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Robot vacuums can make the chore of vacuuming a bit less painful. Today's models also mop and even climb (small) steps.
Some have a smaller bin that they empty on their own. Others are controlled with apps for smartphones instead of a physical remote. Some of them have mapping capabilities that help them navigate your home with greater efficiency.
1. Power
With the suction power of 8,000Pa, our top pick for robot vacuums is strong enough to handle the worst dirt patches and hairs. Its slim square shape enables it to slide under furniture such as beds and sofas. Dual-Laser LIDAR technology offers accurate obstacle avoidance and intelligent navigation. It is also great at cleaning baking powder, pet hair, and other debris near corners and baseboards.
Other high-powered robots on this list, in addition to the DEEBOT X2 OMNI, are the iRobot Roomba J7+ as well as the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra. The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra has docking stations that automatically handles maintenance. It also comes with mopping capabilities. Its powerful suction, coupled with its efficient mopping, kept my floors clean of pet hair, muddy prints and other debris on every floor we test.
A model with 2,500Pa suction will suffice for the majority of homes in the lower price range. These units are quieter and are therefore a better choice for those with sensitive ears. They're still not silent, but they're only as loud as a normal conversation at home.
Think about your budget and cleaning needs to determine the best combination of power and convenience. Regular light-duty cleaning requires a longer runtime and lower suction, whereas weekly heavy-duty cleaning requires the most power. Take a look at your flooring, home layouts and cleaning schedules in order to select the best model to meet your requirements. We recommend checking out our complete list of robot vacuum reviews and ratings to get more details on the most recent models available. Many users have reported seeing their carpets and bare floors looking significantly cleaner after introducing a robot vacuum into their home.
2. Navigation
A robot vacuum won't be able to do its job effectively without knowing how to get around your home. Because of this, the most effective robots depend on advanced navigation technology that effectively scans rooms and then creates an outline map to ensure thorough cleaning without being lost or hitting obstacles. There are three types of robot navigation: LiDAR, camera and sensor.
The most expensive models use LiDAR to build a virtual map of the room, delivering the highest level of accuracy and efficiency. The less expensive models rely on bump sensors, which are less accurate and tend to miss many debris in dark areas. Many robots also have cliff sensors to prevent them from falling down stairs or other falls.
Several robots in my tests employed object recognition to skillfully navigate objects such as fake cords and dog turds but the most effective was the Eufy X10. It had superb mapping capabilities and powerful oscillating mops that could be used as an intuitive app and the ability to clean a specific zones, rooms or even the all of the house.
Take into consideration features such as sensors that detect floors, which automatically boost suction power when required. Some robots, like the Roborock mop, utilize a mopping pad lift to get into corners and tackle dried spills. Some hybrids even apply cleaning solution to stubborn stains.
A smaller size of the bin will require less frequent emptying while bigger ones will cost less to replace. The majority of robotic cleaners that are low-cost use a small disposable dust bag. However, the majority of middle-priced models have larger 3L dustbins that last for a long period of time. Certain high-end robots, such as the EcoVACS DEEBOT OMNI station, will self-empty their trash bins and refill their water tanks to provide hands-free convenience.
3. App control
The best robot vacuums come with an application that lets you track cleaning progress and schedule sessions, and most can connect to smart home devices for hands-free control. Many robot vacuums can also be controlled via voice using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Some models have a remote control that lets you start the process, pause it, and return to dock. Look for a model with larger dustbins that self-empty, as opposed to one that requires manual emptying.
Some robovacs have mapping technology that helps them avoid obstacles like stairs and furniture. Certain robovacs let you define no-go zones and rooms so that they only clean those areas which need the most. They also have a cliff sensor to prevent them from falling, which is particularly useful in multi-level homes.
If best cheap robot vacuum intend to utilize your robot vacuum to clean your rugs choose a model that can do both dry mopping as well as wet. You'll be able to get better results from a robot vac that can remove its own mop pad too, which you can then rinse and reconnect when it comes time for another cleaning cycle. Find robots that have a rubber roller. This will be less likely to get caught from pet hair or other debris. Check the robot's side brush and brushroll for any debris that has gotten stuck on. Make sure to do this at least twice a week. If you notice that they are starting to clog up it might be time to replace parts.
4. Debris collection
Robot vacuums are designed, as the name suggests to collect dust and debris on your floors. The best robot vacuums will pick up tiny particles, such as baking soda and sand and larger ones like screws made of metal orzo, pet hair. They also deliver better results on low pile carpets than manual vacuums.
The top-performing robots across all flooring types had a pickup score higher than 95 percent. The ECOVACS DEEBOT X2 OMNI and the Roborock Q Revo were two of our most efficient bots in this class. Both are highly automated, with docking stations that do maintenance on their own and app features which make them extremely user-friendly.
Both come with self-emptying bins which automatically collect the waste from the wastebasket and clean the washboard while you mow. They also come with an 8,000Pa vacuum cleaner, smart mapping technology, and advanced obstacle avoidance that helps them navigate even the most difficult spaces. The ECOVACS model is also one of the few robots that we tested that can take its mop pads and vacuum carpet, which makes it the ideal choice for users who need to change between mopping and vacuuming frequently.
If you're seeking a lower-cost alternative, take a look at the iRobot Roomba Combo J7 Plus, our budget pick. It offers LIDAR navigation for reasonable prices and decent debris collection performance. It can be a bit slow when it comes to mapping rooms and is susceptible to hitting obstacles, but it is less than our other picks.
5. Battery life
The best robot vacuums let you move about your day while they keep your floors in top condition. You'll still have to manually clean your home from time to time however, robovacs can help you maintain a basic standard of cleanliness, and even keep your home clean when you're away.
Look for a robovac with a long-lasting battery to get the most use of it. A good guideline is to expect a model to last about two cleaning sessions if you run it at the maximum power setting. This is not as long as a large vacuum cleaner, but it will be sufficient to be sufficient for most homes. If you don't like to sit around waiting for your robovac is charging you could choose one that will automatically make its return to the base station to recharge.
If you're looking to buy a robovac that has a little bit of everything in it, then consider one that is able to mop. Eufy's X10, the best model in this category has self-emptying and self-refilling for the dust bin as well as the water tank and mop pad. It can even be programmed to automatically refill and wash its own mops when they're running low.
Its respectable carpet and hard floor pickup excellent hair pickup, tangle prevention, and its near-perfect auto empty score make it the clear winner of our test scores. However, it's not cheap and unless you live in a a small home with no pets it might be too expensive for some. The Dreametech D10+ is the runner-up and has a similar performance, but costs around 25 percent less.