Best Rated Robot Vacuum and Mop

Eufy's top-rated robot mop and vacuum takes a lot of the work of keeping your floors tidy. It can refill its own water tank as well as empty its tower bin. It can also change its dust bag.

Advanced models can map your home and record furniture positioning. They can also detect obstacles and navigate around hazards like loose charging cables and stray socks.

Object Avoidance

Object avoidance features enable your robot to avoid hitting things like toys, power cords and clothes that can get caught up in the vacuum. These are especially important if you have children or pets who may be inclined to leave objects on the floor, where your robot could find them.

Based on the model you select, you might have a variety of sensor options available to aid your robot in navigating around obstacles. Some of the most sought-after include crossed IR sensor beams that are infrared-focused lights that scan the room to look for furniture legs or door frames. Many robots have embraced this technology, and you can find it in the most expensive models that cost more.

Other technologies for avoiding objects that you might find in more expensive robots are 3D Structured Light, which utilizes cameras and crossed IR sensors to map the environment and detect obstacles; and Time of Flight (ToF) sensors which emit and measure the time it takes for light to reflect off of objects, to determine the distance to them. They aren't as common, but could be a great option for your robot in case you're looking to add security.

Besides cleaning up dust and other debris from hard floors The majority of the top-rated robots can sweep your floors as well. Some even come with their own water tanks, allowing them to remove the stains and spills that are wet. You'll need to empty your robot's dust bin and clean its sensors and cameras between cleaning sessions, but these chores shouldn't take much of your time.

Mapping

Robot vacuums should include mapping capabilities. This lets them navigate your home without bumping against things like walls. Without mapping, they might be tripped over by cords, furniture or pet toys and end up removing less of your space. The majority of robots utilize sensors to map your home and navigate around obstacles. They can sweep the floor in fewer steps and help you save time. Many of the top-rated robot vacuums also have this feature to create no-go zones, which allows you to designate rooms that you don't want the robot hoover and mop to enter.

Robots with a built-in LIDAR make use of this technology to map your home quickly and efficiently. During our tests, the Eufy Clean robot made use of this feature to divide my room into different areas and clean each one independently it was a major improvement over the lesser models we tested that just utilized a front bump sensor. This was a more precise way to navigate my home, and it was easy for me to control via the app on the device.

While there aren't any robotic vacuums that can climb stairs, top models do come with obstacles avoidance and mapping features. These tools assist to remove debris from hard floors and low-pile carpets, and to avoid falling down the stairs. Some have cliff sensors that prevent them from crossing over the edge of the stairs and some also have boundary strips that can prevent them from certain areas.

Some robots come with a massive tower base that houses the dirt they collect, minimizing the amount of dust and allergens released into your home. These bases can go weeks or even months between emptying, which is especially beneficial for those with allergies. Some models have self-emptying dust bins which you can empty without opening or closing them manually.

Wi-Fi enabled

Some robot vacuums connect via Wi-Fi with their apps. This allows you to control them using your smartphone instead of (or in addition) to a physical remote. They are more expensive but can help you save time by letting you plan cleaning time on a weekly, daily or even monthly basis. They also often allow you to edit and save floor maps as well as offer alternative cleaning schedules.

The most advanced robot vacuums employ dual sensors, combining a LIDAR system to map your space using a structured light sensor that can detect objects and avoid them, even if they're under furniture or power cords. These features allow your robot to get into tight spaces like the nook beneath the kitchen cabinets or beneath sofas, where other robots have trouble. They are also faster to get around obstacles, have longer runtimes and larger dust bins. This makes them ideal for large homes than the smallest robots.

The top-rated robot vacuums are swift, intelligent and powerful and can clean up all kinds of floor debris, including pet hair, kitty litter, and other dirt. They can also be quiet which makes them a great choice for homes with young kids and pets. The majority of robot vacuum users we've spoken to report that they appreciate the ease of having their floors cleaned with little effort. This is especially true if they are used frequently. Robots can last as long as traditional vacuum cleaners, provided they have the proper maintenance (cleaning rotating brushes and keeping the track of spare parts). PCWorld offers a helpful guide that outlines some essential techniques to keep your robot running in good shape for the long time to come.

Dust Bags Larger

A robotic vacuum is not as good at cleaning as an upright or canister vacuum, but it is excellent at removing dust and other debris that regular vacuuming has left behind. It is a great tool for quick repairs to floors that are not clean and can also maneuver around cords and other obstacles in your home. You can use robotics to sweep your floors according to a schedule when you don't have the time to do it yourself.

The top rated robot vacuums have large dust bags that are easy to empty. They hold more than a single room's worth of dirt. This will save you time and money on bags that need to be replaced. Several of the models we've listed feature this feature, including our top pick model, the Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo. This all-in-one robovac is a high-performance robovac that includes a self-emptying bin. It has a mopping feature and efficient navigation. It's a close match between this and the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+, that has intelligent mapping and avoidance technology. This model has a greater capacity, but is slightly more expensive.

Another significant difference between these two models is how they deal with hair that is long and human which can get caught in the rollers of certain robots. The Roborock Q5 Max+, SwitchBot K10S Plus and Roborock Q5 Max+ are the best automatic vacuum performing models. They all have outstanding hair pickup and tangle avoidance scores, along with great auto empty results and great path planning. The Eufy and Shark Matrix Plus are also good choices with good hair pickup and tangle avoidance, but not as much planning for paths or auto empty.

The latest robots are fitted with sensors that can detect dirt and debris on carpets and they are more adept in removing pet hair. Some robots feature a mopping mode where they can use the water reservoir in order to get rid of stuck-on messes and spills. This feature is essential for families with pets as well as children.

Maintenance

Having a robot vacuum is a great aid in keeping a close eye on your home. While no robot can substitute an upright or canister vacuum for deep cleaning, the best automatic vacuum and mop models are rated to remove pet hair, lint and other surface dirt on hard floors and low-pile carpets, picking up much more than you would find with a Broom. They also have navigational features to keep them from getting stuck on power cords, rug fringe, or furniture.

Based on the model, a highly rated robot vacuum is also able to run multiple times a day, or permit you to watch it in action via an app. However, these useful vacuums are also prone to clogging and require regular maintenance such as emptying the bin onboard (or the base's bigger dust bin in certain cases), checking brushes for hair that is tangled, and regularly rinsing and allowing the filters to dry as suggested by the manufacturer.

Emily Rairdin is a vacuum expert and store owner apprentice from University automatic vacuum and mop robot + Sewing. She says that a robot vacuum can last from three to five years if it is properly care. She recommends regularly emptying the bin and brush roll and cutting out any hair that has gotten caught up in the brushes and frequently washing and drying the filter, if your robot also acts as mop. It's also recommended to wipe down the charging contacts and sensors on the dock or the robot often with a soft, clean cloth. You can then refill and recharge your robot for the next cleaning session.