How to Choose the best robot vacuum black friday Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Robot vacuums can help you save time and effort when it comes to regular cleaning. The best models are capable of getting rid of dust as well as light debris and cords.

The more expensive ones can even sweep your floors but they aren't able to climb up stairs. Look for models with intelligent mapping, real-time hazard avoidance, and spacious self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The best robots we tried were user-friendly, efficient and able to keep up with the daily messes. You'll also want a robot that can handle stairs and has adequate ability to pick up carpets. If you're looking for additional features, you may be interested in a model with smart mapping technology or an application that allows you to control it remotely.

Camryn Rabideau, a contributing shopping writer at PEOPLE and a reviewer of products who has tested dozens robotic vacuums, is acknowledged for her work in testing numerous robot vacuums. She's a big fan of robotic vacuums that offer 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 like furniture legs and power cords, so they don't get tripped up when climbing stairs.

This Black and Decker robot has a lower navigation score and has less object-avoidance technology than the top rated robot vacuum-rated models. It does however have a large dustbin that doesn't need frequent emptying, and has a long battery life. Additionally, it has an option that allows you to plan cleaning times and return to the spot where it last stopped, making it easier to clean larger spaces. This model is also a great choice for pet owners because it can spot and eliminate hair tangled and fallen food particles.

In our tests we tested the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combines a LIDAR sensor that maps rooms and identify obstacles using an organized light sensor to identify objects and detect edges. The combination allows it to stay clear of stairs, drops of liquid and furniture legs with ease and save up to four floor maps for future references. It can also pause the cleaning process at any moment and resume where it left off and let you do chores while the robot is working. The app provides a 3D view of your home, with room labels and advanced cleaning options.

This model isn't as effective at cleaning as our top models, however it excels at picking up heavier items like orzo pasta, metal screws and even fine particles like sand. Its only downsides are that it cannot mop, and its navigation system is less impressive.

The best option for Carpet

If you have carpeting, pick an automatic vacuum that has a high score for carpet and rug mobility and pickup. Many models do a good job of picking up dust that is embedded in carpets with low pile and some are capable of cleaning up larger debris such as orzo pasta, metal screws, and pet hair. But they don't pick up small particles like an upright or canister vacuum and can miss ground-in dirt close to thresholds and baseboards.

For carpeted homes, a 2-in-1 robot mop/vacuum is the best choice. You can swap out a cleaning bin for a damp mopping mat. The Roborock Q Revo is a 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum Cleaner Best vacuum and mop that can clean and mop simultaneously with circular pads that spin at 200 rotations a minute. It detects and lifts its pads when they come into contact with carpet, preventing the floor from becoming wet. You don't need remove them or replace them every time. The Q Revo is also superior to other robot vacuum/mops at keeping away from obstacles and rugs, while also getting close to them and thresholds, and staying clear of obstacles.

The iRobot Roomba Combo i5 is another good option. It did well in our tests and you can set it up to schedule it to sweep your home while you are away. It can be set up to mop only. We were impressed by its ability to navigate on floors with no flooring as well as carpets. The Combo i5 has a long runtime and excellent path planning for the size of the device.

If you're looking for a top-of-the-line vacuum that is high-tech, the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum & Mop is a great alternative. It comes with a huge dock that can last for weeks and not need to be emptied. It also features impressive capability to auto-empty carpets and floors with no floor vacuum robot. It also comes with a smart mapping system and can be programmed to run only during specific hours (a beneficial feature to keep the sly children and animals from running wild). The Shark is less powerful than other mop/robot combination models however it does pick hair and pet hair extremely well. It's also the highest price of our top picks.

Best for Hard Flooring

robot vacuum cleaner price vacuums are best for floors with hardwood floors because they can navigate around obstacles easily without damaging floors that aren't. They are capable of removing dust and crumbs, however they are unable to deal with pet hair and other larger particles. They also lack the suction power of an expensive upright or canister vacuum, which is why they're not the ideal choice for carpeted areas or upholstery that requires deep cleaning.

The best robots come with two-in-one features, combining the power of a mop with a vacuum to do a complete job in one go. If you have flooring that is mixed you should look for one with an onboard sensor which detects any changes in floor texture and adjusts suction accordingly. The ECOVACS DEEBOT T9+ for instance, has this feature and can go effortlessly from hard to soft carpeting.

If your home is composed of hardwood floors, you should consider a robotic vacuum and mop combination like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model is an efficient robot vacuum with smart navigation to clean hardwood floors and other hard surfaces. Additionally, it can mop as well. Its sensors help it avoid the stairs and other hazards, so you don't have to be worried about the bot plummeting down the stairs and breaking your hardwood.

The Eufy S1 Pro mop is designed to clean hardwood floors by applying downward pressure, not simply swab them in order to remove dust and dirt. The mop pads are reusable, which reduce waste, spread germs less and can be cleaned in the docking station to save you time. The mop pads can also be cleaned and dried to stop the spread of mold.

The robovac can be operated by your smartphone, making it easier to use. For instance, you can use the app to set up an area that the vacuum cannot enter or label rooms separately, or schedule cleaning times for specific areas. The eufy S1 Pro has an auto-emptying port that collects debris via trapdoors, and then stores it in a bagless or disposable bin. This means that you don't need to empty the bin manually as often as with other models.

Best for Small Spaces

These robots are designed for small spaces. They have smaller bins that hold less waste, and they're more efficient than the larger models when it comes to maneuvering tight corners. They can also fit underneath furniture where larger robots can't reach. They are also less expensive than the more expensive models, but you will need to empty their dirt compartments manually at the end each cleaning session.

A few years ago, robot vacuums underwent a major transformation when manufacturers started adding sensors to help them navigate around and avoid household objects that their traditional sensors would get stuck on or run over. This has have reduced the number of times our testers needed to clean up after a robotic snag whether it was a power cord, toy or pet waste.

The new sensors don't solve all issues with these machines however. The cheapest models are still struggling with the same issues that the older ones did and, in addition, they require a certain amount of illumination to see where they're going. Look into one that has a spinning LIDAR unit mounted on top to create maps of the area. Our top pick and runner-up models use this. This lets them work in darkness and avoid obstacles like stairs.

They can also be programmed to only use their cliff sensors when they are in or near the ground, and not when they are above it. It is still recommended to cover any mirrors that may hinder this function, however, since the laser used by a laser-based model can bounce off reflective surfaces and cause the robot to believe it's in another room.

Some of the models we recommend allow you to create virtual no-go areas for areas you don't want the robot to go to. This can be helpful if you have pets or small children. These features aren't on all models we test. Read our full reviews before making your choice.