How to Choose the best vacuums Robot remote vacuum Cleaner

Robot vacuums will save you time and effort when it comes to cleaning. Top performers do a good job at removing dust and light debris, and most allow you to designate no-go zones in pet areas or power cords.

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

Best Overall

The top robots in our testing are efficient and user-friendly, and able to keep up with everyday debris. You'll need a robot that has decent carpet-picking capability and the ability to take on stairs. If you want a robot with additional features, think about one that comes with smart mapping technology or an app to control it remotely.

Camryn Rabideau is a contributing reviewer and writer for shopping at PEOPLE who has tried many robotic vacuums. She prefers the robovacs with the most features like ones that have self-emptying bins and charging stations that automatically empty and refill water tanks for mopping robotic vacuums. She also likes robots that recognize landmarks, such as furniture legs and power cables, so they won't trip up when climbing steps.

In comparison to the top-rated models, this Black and Decker vacuum is less equipped with object-avoidance technology and its navigation score is lower. It comes with a large, non-refillable dustbin and a long battery. In addition, it has a feature that allows you to schedule cleaning sessions and return to the spot where it stopped last and makes it much easier to cover larger homes. This model is a great option for pet owners, since it is able to avoid hair tangles and food particles.

In our tests, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combines with a LIDAR sensor that maps rooms and detect obstacles, with a structured light sensor that can identify objects and detect edges. The combination lets it stay clear of stairs, drops of liquid and furniture legs with ease and save up to four floor maps for future use. It can also pause the cleaning process at any time and pick up where it left off and let you do chores while the Robot vacuum Cleaner best is working. The app provides an interactive 3D model of your home, complete with room labels and advanced cleaning options.

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

The best roborock vacuum option for Carpet

If you have carpeting, pick one with a high rating for rug and carpet ability to maneuver and pick up. A lot of models do a great job of picking up dust embedded in low-pile carpet and some are capable of sweeping up heavier debris like orzo pasta, metal screws and pet hair. However, they can't handle small particles like canister or upright vacuums and can be unable to pick up dirt in the vicinity of baseboards and thresholds.

For homes with carpets, a 2-in-1 robotic vacuum/mop is the best option. You can exchange an empty bin to a damp mopping mat. The Roborock Q Revo, for example, is a vacuum cleaner and wet mop with circular pads that spin at a speed of 200 rotations per minute. It recognizes and raises its pads when it comes into contact with carpet, which prevents the floor from becoming wet. It is not necessary remove them or replace them each time. The Q Revo is also superior to other robot vacuums and mops in avoiding obstacles, getting close to rugs and thresholds, and avoiding obstacles.

The iRobot Roomba Combo i5 is another option worth considering. It did well in our tests and you can set it up to schedule it to tidy your home even when you're away. It can also be set to mop only and we were impressed by its remarkable navigation on carpets and floors, as well as its ability to go over and up onto furniture. 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 high-tech vacuum that is high-tech, the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum & Mop is a fantastic alternative. It comes with a large charging dock that can go weeks without needing to be empty, and it has amazing navigation capabilities and automatic emptying on carpets and floors that are not cleaned. It also has an intelligent mapping system that can be programmed to only operate at certain times of the day (a useful feature to keep the sly kids and pets from causing havoc). The Shark is less powerful than other mop/robot combination models, but it still picks up pet hair and hair extremely well. It's also the best price of our top picks.

Ideal for Hard Floors

Robot vacuums are ideal for hardwood floors, as they can navigate around obstacles easily without damaging the surfaces that are not. They are excellent at picking up dust and crumbs but struggle with pet hair or other debris. They lack the suction power of a high-end upright or canister vacuum, so they're not an ideal choice for carpeted areas or deep cleaning upholstery.

The most effective two-in-one robots incorporate mopping and vacuum and take care of the entire chore in one go. Look for models that have an onboard sensor that detects changes in the floor texture and adjust suction to match. This feature is available on the ECOVACS Deebot T9+ and lets it effortlessly transition from hard carpeting to soft carpeting.

If you have lots of hardwood flooring in your home you may want to consider a robotic floor scrubber mop and vacuum combo like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model uses a powerful robotic vacuum that has intelligent navigation to clean hardwood floors and other hard surfaces, plus it can mop as well. Its sensors assist it in avoiding the stairs and other hazards, so you don't have to be worried about the robot falling down the stairs and damaging your hardwood.

The eufy S1 Pro mop is designed to clean hardwood floors using downward pressure, not simply swab them in order to remove dirt and dust. Its reusable pads reduce waste and spread less germs. They can also be cleaned in docking stations to help save time. The mops can also be dried, washed and used again.

Both the robovac and the mop can be controlled from your smartphone to make it easier to manage the device. You can, for example make use of the app to create no-go zones that the vacuum will not enter, or to label rooms and schedule specific cleaning times. The eufy S1 Pro has an auto-emptying port that collects the debris via trapdoors, and then stores it in a bag-less 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

As the name suggests, these robots are best cheap robot vacuum suited for Robot vacuum cleaner best small areas. They have smaller bins that can hold less debris, and they're more efficient than larger models when it comes to navigating tight corners. They can also fit under furniture, where larger robots are unable to reach. These robots are also cheaper than more expensive models, but you will need to empty their dirt compartments manually at the end of each cleaning session.

A few years ago, robot vacuums underwent a major transformation when manufacturers started adding sensors to help navigate and avoid household objects that traditional sensors would be stuck on or over. This improved the number of times that our testers were required to clean up after a robot incident.

However, the latest sensors aren't solving all of these machines' problems. The cheaper models are still not able to tackle the same obstacles as the older models, and require some level of illumination to be able to see where they are moving. If you are living in a dark space or have lots of furniture that is low-profile, think about purchasing top-mounted spinning laser units to map your area, like our top overall and runner-up choices do. This allows them to avoid stairs and other barriers while working in the dark.

These models can also be programmed to only use their cliff sensors only when they are in or near the ground, but not when they are above it. You'll still want to cover any mirrors that might interfere with this function, however, since the laser used by a laser-based model could bounce off reflective surfaces and cause the robot to think it's in a different room.

Some of the models we recommend also allow you to set up virtual no-go zones in areas where you do not want the robot move, which is useful if you have pets or children. These features aren't offered on all of the models we test, so be sure to review our full reviews of the models below before you make a purchase.