How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

A robot vacuum will help you save time and hassle when it comes to regular cleaning. Top performers do a good job at removing dust and lightweight debris, and most allow you to create no-go zones for pet areas or power cords.

The more expensive models even clean your floors--though they still can't climb stairs. Choose models that have intelligent mapping, real-time hazards avoidance, and spacious self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The top robots we tested were reliable, user-friendly and able to cope with daily debris. You'll also need a robot that can handle stairs and that has decent cleaning power for carpets. And, if you're looking for extra features, you may be interested in a model that uses smart mapping technology, or an application that allows you to control the robot remotely.

Camryn Rabideau is a contributing shopping writer and product reviewer at PEOPLE who has tried many robotic vacuums. She prefers robovacs that have the most features like those that have self-emptying bins and charging stations that automatically empty and fill water tanks for mopping robotic vacuums. She also likes robots that can recognize landmarks such as furniture legs and power cables so they don't fall when climbing stairs.

This Black and Decker robot has a lower score on navigation and has less technology for avoiding objects than the best-rated models. It comes with a large dust bin that is non-refillable and a long battery. Additionally, it has a feature that allows you to plan cleaning times and return to the spot where it last stopped and makes it much easier to tackle larger areas. This model is also a great option for pet owners since it can spot and prevent tangled hair as well as fallen food particles.

In our tests in our tests, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combines an LIDAR sensor that maps rooms and detect obstacles, with a structured light sensor that can identify objects and detect edges. It is able to avoid the steps, liquid droplets and furniture legs with this combination. It also has the ability to save up to four floor plans for later use. It is also able to stop the cleaning process at any moment and return to where it stopped, so you can do chores while the robot does its work. The app includes an interactive 3D model of your home, with room labels as well as advanced cleaning options.

This model isn't as effective at cleaning as our top models, but it is great in removing heavier objects like orzo pasta, metal screws and fine debris such as sand. The only downside is that it's not able to mop, and has a slightly less effective navigation system.

The best vacuums for Carpet

If you have carpeting, pick a robot vacuum with a high rating for carpet and rug mobility and pickup. Many models are good at collecting dust from low-pile carpets, and some are capable of cleaning up larger debris such as orzo pasta and metal screws. They aren't able to pick up fine particles like an upright or canister, and may be unable to pick up dirt close to baseboards or thresholds.

The best cheap robot vacuum option for carpeted areas is a 2-in-1 robot vacuum/mop, which allows you to swap out an empty bin for cleaning and mopping pad that is damp. The Roborock Q Revo is a 2-in-1 robotic vacuum/mop that is able to clean and mop simultaneously with circular pads that spin at 200 rotations a minute. It recognizes and raises its pads when it comes into contact with carpet, preventing the floor from becoming wet. You don't have to remove them or replace them every time. The Q Revo is also superior to other robot vacuum cleaner review vacuums and mops in keeping away from obstacles, getting close to rugs and thresholds and staying clear of obstacles.

Another solid option is the iRobot Roomba Combo i5, which did exceptionally well in our tests and can be scheduled through the app to clean while you're away from home. It can be set to mop only and we were impressed by its excellent navigation on carpets and floors and its ability to go over and up onto furniture. The Combo i5 also has a extremely long run time and a great path-planning feature for a device of this size.

If you're looking for a high-tech vacuum, the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum & Mop is a great alternative. It comes with a large charging dock that can run for several weeks without having to be emptied, and it has impressive navigation skills and auto-emptying on both carpets and floors that are not cleaned. It's also got a smart-mapping system and can be programmed to only be operational during certain times of the day (a useful feature that can keep the sly kids and pets from causing havoc). The Shark is less powerful than other mop/robot combinations however, it still picks up pet hair and hair very well. It's also the highest price of our top picks.

Best for Hard Floors

Robot vacuums are a great option for hardwood floors since they are able to maneuver around obstacles and not damage surfaces that are not bare. They do an excellent job of removing dust and crumbs, but they are unable to deal with pet hair and other large debris. 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 needs deep cleaning.

The best two-in-1 robots combine a vacuum and a mop and take care of an entire task in one go. Find models that have an onboard sensor to detect changes in the floor's texture and adjust suction in line with the changes. The ECOVACS DEEBOT T9+ for instance, has this feature and can move seamlessly from hard to soft carpeting.

If you have a lot of hardwood flooring in your home, you may want to consider a robotic mop and vacuum combo like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model is a powerful robot vacuum with smart navigation to clean hardwood floors and other hard surfaces. Additionally, it can mop as well. Its sensors let it avoid dangers like stairs.

The Eufy S1 Pro mop is designed to wash hardwood floors using downward pressure, instead of simply swab them in order to remove dust and dirt. The mop pads that are reusable reduce waste, spread germs less and can be cleaned in the docking station, saving you time. They are also able to be washed, dried and used again.

The robovac can be controlled by your smartphone, making it much easier to use. For instance you can make use of the app to designate a no-go zone that the vacuum won't enter, label separate rooms, or schedule cleaning times for specific areas. The eufy S1 Pro also has an auto-emptying dock, which collects debris through a trapdoor and stores it in a disposable or bagless bin, which means you don't have to manually empty the bin every time as you would with other models.

Best for Small Spaces

As the name implies the robots are best suited for small areas. They have smaller bins that hold less waste, [Redirect-307] and they're more efficient than larger models when it comes to maneuvering tight corners. They can also fit under furniture where larger robots can't reach. They are also less expensive than higher-end models, however you will have to empty their dirt bins manually at the end of each cleaning session.

A few years ago, robot vacuums went through a major change when manufacturers began adding sensors to help navigate and avoid household objects that their conventional sensors would get stuck on or run over. These advances decreased the amount of times our testers had to clean up after a robotic snag, whether it was a power cord, a toy or pet waste.

However, the new sensors haven't solved all of the problems these machines have. The most affordable models struggle with the same challenges that the older ones faced and most need a certain amount of illumination to be able to see where they're going. Look into one that has an LIDAR spinning unit that is mounted on top to create maps of the space. Our best overall pick and runner-up models have this feature. This allows them to avoid obstacles like stairs and other ones when working in darkness.

In addition being capable of working in the dark and in the dark, these models can be set to use their cliff sensors only near or on the floor, not when they're above them. You'll still want to shield any mirrors that could interfere with this function however, because the lasers used by a LIDAR-based model could bounce off reflective surfaces and cause the robot to believe it's in a different room.

A few of the models we recommend also let you set up virtual no-go zones for areas where you do not want the robot to go, which is useful if you have small pets or children. Those features aren't available on all the models we test and recommend that you go through our complete reviews of the choices below before making your purchase.