How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Robot vacuums can save you time and effort when it comes to cleaning. The best ones are adept at cleaning up dust as well as light debris and cords.

The more expensive ones can even mop your floor however they're not able to climb stairs. Choose models that have smart mapping, real-time hazard avoidance, and large self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The best robots we tried were reliable, user-friendly, and able keep up with the daily debris. You'll need a model with decent carpet-picking capability and the capability to climb stairs. If you're looking for a robot that has additional features, you should consider a model that has smart mapping technology or an app that allows you to control it remotely.

Camryn Rabideau is a contributing shopping writer and product reviewer at PEOPLE who has tried dozens of robotic vacuums. She's a huge fan of robot vacuums that provide the greatest convenience, such as self-emptying dustbins and charging docks that automatically empty and fill water tanks for mopping robots. She's also a big fan of the robots that are able to recognize landmarks such as furniture legs and power cords, so they don't get caught when climbing the stairs.

This Black and Decker robot has a lower score on navigation and has less technology for avoiding objects than the top-rated models. However, it does have an enormous dust bin that doesn't require frequent emptying and a long battery life. It also comes with a feature which allows you to schedule cleaning sessions, and then return to the place it stopped at the last point, making it easier for you to cover larger homes. This model is a good option for pet owners, Robot Vacuum Cleaner Best as it can avoid hair tangles and food particles.

In our tests, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combines an LIDAR sensor that is able to map rooms and detect obstacles, with a structured light sensor to identify objects and detect edges. The combination lets it avoid stairs, droplets of liquid, and furniture legs with ease and save up to four floor maps for future use. It is also able to stop the cleaning process at any point and pick up where it left off and let you do chores while the robot does its work. The app provides an interactive 3D model of your home with room labels as well as advanced cleaning options.

Although this model isn't able to clean as well as our top-rated models, it excels in picking up fine debris such as baking soda and sand as well as larger items, such as orzo pasta and metal screws. The only drawbacks are that it isn't able to mop and that its navigation system is a little less impressive.

The best for Carpet

If you have carpeting, pick an automatic vacuum that has a high score for rug and carpet ability to maneuver and pick up. Many models do a decent job of picking up dust that is embedded in carpets with low pile, and several do a good job of picking up heavier debris such as orzo pasta, metal screws, and pet hair. However, they aren't able to pick up fine particles like canister or upright vacuums and may also not pick up dirt that is ground-in close to thresholds and baseboards.

For most carpeted homes, a 2-in-1 robot vacuum cleaners 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 and mop that can clean and mop at the same time with circular pads spinning at 200 rpm. It automatically detects and lifts the pads when it is in contact with carpet, preventing it from soaking the floor, and you don't need to remove or replace them after every use. The Q Revo is also more efficient than other robot vacuum/mops in avoiding obstacles and getting close to rugs and thresholds.

Another solid option is the iRobot Roomba Combo i5, which performed very well in our tests and can be scheduled through the app to clean when you're away from home. It can be set to only mop. We loved its navigation on floors that are not bare and carpets. The Combo i5 has a long time to run and excellent path planning for the size of the device.

If you're looking for a top-of-the-line vacuum Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 robot vacuum cleaner Best Vacuum & Mop is a fantastic option. It comes with a large dock that can last for weeks without needing to be empty. It also has impressive navigation and auto-emptying capabilities on carpets and floors that are not cleaned. It also has a smart mapping system and can be programmed to only run during certain times (a useful feature for keeping the sly children and animals from running amok). The Shark isn't as powerful as other mop/robot combinations however it does pick hair and pet hair very well. It's also the best affordable robot vacuum price of our top picks.

Ideal for Hard Floors

Robot vacuums are the ideal pick for hardwood floors because they can easily navigate around obstacles without damaging surfaces that are not bare. They are excellent in removing dust and crumbs, but struggle with pet hair and larger debris. They don't have the suction of the top canister or upright vacuum, making them a poor choice for robot Vacuum cleaner best deep cleaning upholstery or carpeted areas.

The best rated robot vacuum robots are two-in-one, which combine the power of a mop with a vacuum to do a complete job in one go. Choose a model that has an onboard sensor that detects changes in the floor's texture and adjust suction in line with the changes. The ECOVACS DEEBOT T9+, for instance, comes with this feature and can go effortlessly from hard to soft carpeting.

If your home is comprised of hardwood floors, you should consider an automated vacuum and mop combination like the eufy S1 Pro. This model comes with a powerful robotic vacuum equipped with smart navigation that can clean hardwood and other surfaces. It also mop. Its sensors assist it in avoiding staircases and other hazards, so you don't have to worry about the bot plummeting down the stairs and damaging your hardwood.

The eufy S1 Pro mop is designed to clean hardwood floors by applying downward pressure, instead of simply swab them to remove dust and dirt. Its reusable pads reduce waste and spread fewer germs. They can also be cleaned in the docking stations to save time. The mop pads are also able to be washed, dried and reused.

Both the robovac and mop can be controlled from your smartphone, making it easier to manage the device. For instance you can use the app to create a no-go zone where the vacuum can't go or label rooms separately, or schedule cleaning sessions 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 suited for small Spaces

As the name implies the robots are best designed for smaller areas. They have smaller bins that contain less waste, and they're more efficient than the larger models in navigating tight corners. They can also fit under furniture, where the larger robots are unable to reach. These robots are also cheaper than the more expensive models, but you'll have to empty their dirt compartments manually at the end each cleaning session.

A few years ago robotic vacuums experienced significant changes. Manufacturers started adding sensors that allowed them to navigate around and avoid household items that their traditional sensors might be stuck on or across. These advances have reduced the number of times that our testers had to clean up after a robotic snag whether it was an electrical cord, toy or pet waste.

However, the latest sensors haven't solved all of the problems these machines have. The cheaper models are still not able to tackle the same obstacles as older models, and they need a certain level of light to be able to see where they're going. If you live in a dark house or have lots of low-profile furniture, consider getting one that uses a top-mounted spinning LIDAR unit to map your area, like our top overall and runner-up picks do. This will allow them to avoid obstacles like stairs and other ones when working in darkness.

In addition being capable of working in the dark they can also be configured to use their cliff sensors only near or on the floor, not when they're above them. It is essential to cover mirrors in order to stop this from occurring. The lasers used by the LIDAR-based models could bounce off reflective surfaces, which makes the robot think it's in a different space.

A few of the models we recommend let you set up virtual no-go zones in areas where you don't want the robot to go, which is useful if you have children or pets. These features aren't available on all models we test. Read our full reviews before making your choice.