Best Rated Robot Vacuum and Mop

Eufy's robot mop and vacuum is the highest-rated of its kind. It takes a lot of the work out of cleaning your floors. It has the ability to refill its own water tank and empty its tower bin. It also has the capability to change the dust bag it uses.

Advanced models can map your home and take note of furniture arrangement. They can also identify hazards and avoid them, such as loose charging cables or unintentional socks.

Object Avoidance

Object avoidance functions allow your robot to avoid running into things like toys, power cords and clothes that can get caught up in the vacuum. These features are especially crucial if you have pets or children who may leave objects on the floor for your robot to search.

Based on the model you choose, you might have a variety of sensors that can aid your robot in navigating through obstacles. Some of the most popular include crossed IR sensor beams that are a focused infrared light that scan the room looking for things like furniture legs or door frames. This technology has been widely adopted by a variety of robots available, and you can also find it in flagship models that are priced higher than other models.

Other technologies for avoiding objects that can be found in more expensive robots are 3D Structured Light, which uses cameras and crossed IR sensors to map the surrounding area and detect obstacles. Also, Time of Flight (ToF) sensors that emit light 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 can be an excellent addition to your robot, should you want to have more peace of mind.

Most of the top-rated robots can also clean your floors. Some robots have their very own water tanks that allow them to clean up messes and spills. You'll have to empty the robot's onboard dust bin and clean its sensors and cameras between cleaning sessions, but these chores will not take a lot of your time.

Mapping

Mapping capabilities are essential in robot vacuums as they allow them to keep track of your home's layout and prevent them from bumping into objects like walls. Without mapping, they could be tripped by furniture, cords, or pet toys and end up cleaning less of your space. Most robots employ sensors to map your home and navigate around obstacles. This way, they're able to sweep your floors with fewer passes, saving your time. Many of the top-rated robot hoover and mop vacuums also have this feature to create no-go zones which allows you to designate rooms that you don't want the robot to enter.

Robots with a built-in LIDAR utilize this technology to map your home efficiently and quickly. During our tests, the Eufy Clean robot used this feature to divide my home into different areas and clean each one independently it was a major improvement over the cheaper models we tested, which used an in-front bump sensor. This was a more precise way to navigate my home and was simple to control via the app on the device.

While no robot vacuum is able to climb stairs, the majority of the top-rated models come with good robot vacuum obstacle avoidance and mapping features. These tools allow them to remove dirt from carpets and hard floors, and to avoid falling down the steps. Some have cliff sensors to stop them from going over the edge of stairs and others have boundary strips that can prevent them from certain areas.

Some robots come with an enormous base tower that collects dirt. This reduces the amount of dust or allergens released in your home. The bases can be left for weeks or months without being emptied which is particularly beneficial when you suffer from allergies. Alternatively, some models 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 make use of Wi-Fi to connect with their apps and allow you to control them with your smartphone rather than (or in addition to) an actual remote. They are more expensive, but they save you time by allowing you to schedule cleaning times on a weekly, daily or even monthly basis. They can also allow you to edit and save floor maps as well as offer different cleaning patterns.

The most advanced robot vacuums use dual sensors, combining with a LIDAR system to map your space using a structured light sensor that can detect objects and avoid them, even if they're hidden under furniture or power cords. These features let your robot reach tight spaces, such as the space under your kitchen cabinets or under sofas. Other robots struggle to reach these spaces. They also are faster to get around obstacles, and have longer runtimes and larger dust bins. This makes them ideal for large homes compared to entry-level robots.

The top-rated best robot vacuum cleaner and mop vacuums tend to be swift, intelligent and powerful, picking up most kinds of floor debris, such as pet hair, kitty litter, and other mess. They can also be quiet making them a good option for homes with young kids and pets. Many of the robot vacuum owners we've interviewed have reported that they appreciate the convenience of keeping their floors clean without much effort, particularly when they are used frequently. Robots can last as long as traditional vacuum cleaners if they are given the right maintenance (cleaning rotating brushes and keeping an eye on replacement parts). PCWorld offers a guide that offers some useful suggestions to ensure your machine is running smoothly.

Dust Bags Larger

While a robotic vacuum may not be as efficient as a canister or upright model, it is great in picking up dust and debris that regular vacuuming leaves behind. It can be used to perform quick retouching of floors and can also navigate around cords or other obstacles in your home. If you don't want to do the deep cleaning yourself, a robot vacuum can be set to send it out to scour your floors on a regular basis.

A few of the top-rated robotic vacuums come with big, easy to empty dust bags which can hold more dirt than a room. This can help save time and money in the form of bags that can be replaced. Several of the models we've listed feature this feature, including our top choice one, the Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo. This robovac all-in-one has an excellent performance rating and includes a self-emptying bin. It also has a mopping feature and a streamlined navigation. This is a close race between the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ and this one, which uses the latest technology for avoidance and smart mapping. This model is more expensive but has a larger capacity.

Another significant difference between these two models is how they deal with hair that is long and human that can get caught in the rollers of some robots. The top-performing models are the Roborock Q5 Max+ and SwitchBot K10S Plus, both have superb hair pickup and tangle avoidance scores, along with fantastic path planning and near perfect auto empty results. The Shark Matrix Plus and eufy are also excellent options, with respectable hair pick-up and tangle avoidance but not as much path planning or auto empty.

The latest robots are equipped with sensors that detect dirt and debris on carpets and they're better at removing pet hair. Some robots come with mopping mode, where they can use the water reservoir in order to get rid of stuck-on messes and spills. This feature is crucial for families with children and pets.

Maintenance

A robot vacuum will help you keep up with your home. While no robot is able to replace an upright or a canister vacuum for deep cleaning, the top models that are rated highly pick up pet hair, lint and other dirt that accumulates on hard floors and low-pile carpets which can pick up more than you could using the vacuum. They also have navigation features which prevent them from getting caught in rug fringe or power cords and can glide easily under furniture.

Depending on the model, a highly rated robot vacuum can be scheduled to run several times per day, or permit you to view 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 some cases) as well as checking the brushes for hair that has become tangled and then periodically washing and allowing the filters to dry as suggested by the manufacturer.

Emily Rairdin is a vacuum expert and store owner apprentice at University Vacuum + Sewing. She claims that a robot vacuum can last up to five years with proper maintenance. She recommends emptying the bin and the brush roll regularly, cutting free any hair tangled in the brushes, and regularly cleaning and drying the filter if your robot is a mop as well. It is a good idea to wipe the sensors and charging contacts of the dock or robot with an easy clean cloth every now and again. You can then refill and recharge your robot prior to the next cleaning session.