How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Robot vacuums will save you time and effort when it comes to cleaning. The best models are capable of picking up dust light debris, cords and dust.

The higher-end models even sweep your floors, but they can't climb the stairs. Make sure you choose models with smart robot mapping, real time hazard avoidance and large self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The top robots we've tested that we have tested are effective and easy to use and able to cope with everyday debris. It is also important to choose a model capable of handling stairs and has good pick-up power on carpets. If you're looking for a robot that has additional features, you should consider a model that has smart mapping technology, or an app to control it remotely.

Camryn Rabideau, a contributing shopping writer for PEOPLE and a reviewer of products who has tested numerous robotic vacuums, is credited with testing hundreds of 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 fill water tanks for mopping robots. She's also a fan of the robots that can recognize landmarks like furniture legs and power cords to ensure they don't get tripped up when climbing steps.

This Black and Decker robot has a lower navigation score and has less technology for avoiding objects than the best-rated models. It comes with a large non-refillable dustbin as well as a long battery. Additionally, it comes with a feature that allows you to plan cleaning times and return to the location where it last stopped, making it easier to clean larger homes. This model is an excellent option for pet owners, because it will prevent tangled fur and food particles.

In our tests we tested the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combines with a LIDAR sensor that can map rooms and see obstacles with a structured light sensor to identify objects and detect edges. It can stay clear of the steps, liquid droplets and furniture legs easily with this combination. It is also able to save up to four floor plans for later use. It is able to stop and restart cleaning at any time, so that you can continue doing chores while it works. The included app offers the 3D image of your home, room labels and more advanced cleaning options.

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

The best for Carpet

If you have carpeting in your home, search for a robot vacuum with excellent pickup and good maneuverability scores on carpets and rugs. Many models are capable of cleaning dust from low-pile rugs, and some can be quite effective in sweeping up heavier debris like orzo pasta and screws made of steel. They can't take in small particles like an upright canister, and may be unable to pick up dirt close to baseboards or thresholds.

The best choice for most carpeted homes is a two-in-one robot vacuum/mop. It lets you swap in an empty bin for cleaning and a damp mopping pad. The Roborock Q Revo, for example, is a vacuum cleaner and mops with circular pads that rotate at 200 rotations per minute. It detects and lifts its pads when it comes into contact with carpet, preventing the floor from getting wet. You don't have to take them off or replace them each time. The Q Revo is also more efficient than other robot vacuums and mops in keeping away from obstacles and getting close to rugs and thresholds.

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 clean your home even when you're away. It can also be set to only mop, and we liked its excellent navigation on carpets and floors, as well as its ability to climb over and up onto furniture. 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 Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum & Mop is a great alternative. It has a large dock that can last for weeks without having to be empty. It also has impressive navigation and auto-emptying capabilities on carpets and bare floors. It also has a clever mapping system, and can be set to only run for certain times (a beneficial feature to keep pets and children who are prone to mischief from running wild). The Shark isn't as powerful as other robot sweeper vacuum/mop combinations, but it still picks hair and pet hair extremely well. It's also the highest value of our top choices.

Best for Hard Flooring

robot vac vacuums are the best choice for floors with hardwood floors because they can maneuver through obstacles with ease without causing damage the surfaces that are not. They are excellent in removing dust and crumbs, but struggle with pet hair or larger debris. They lack the suction power of a high-end canister or upright vacuum, which makes them unsuitable for deep cleaning carpeted or upholstery areas.

The most effective robots come with two-in-one features, combining a vacuum with a mop to do a complete job in one go. If you have flooring that is mixed choose a model equipped with an onboard sensor that detects any changes in floor texture and adjusts suction to match. This feature is available on the ECOVACS Deebot T9+ and allows it to move seamlessly from hard carpeting to soft carpeting.

If your home is primarily comprised of hardwood floors, think about a robotic vacuum cleaners mop and vacuum combination like the eufy S1 Pro. This model is a powerful buy robot vacuum cleaner vacuum with intelligent navigation to clean hardwood floors and other hard surfaces, and it can mop too. The sensors in it allow it to avoid hazards such as stairs.

When it comes to mops, the Eufy S1 Pro is designed to actually wash hardwood floors using downward pressure rather than wipe them over to get rid of light dirt and dust. The mop pads are reusable, which reduce the amount of waste, and reduce the spread of germs and can be cleaned at the docking station, saving you time. The mop pads can also be dried, washed, and used again.

The robovac is controlled by your smartphone, making it much easier to use. You can, for instance utilize the app to create no-go zones where the vacuum cannot be allowed to enter, label different rooms, or plan specific cleaning times. The eufy S1 Pro also has an auto-emptying dock that sucks debris through a trapdoor and puts it in a disposable or bagless bin, which means you don't have to empty the bin manually as often as you do with other models.

Best for Small Spaces

As the name implies the robots are best to be used in small spaces. They have smaller bins, which can hold less garbage. They are also more efficient in moving around corners more efficiently as opposed to larger models. They can also fit under furniture that larger robots aren't able to reach. These robots are also cheaper than the more expensive models, but you'll need to empty their dirt bins manually at the end each cleaning session.

A few years ago robot vacuums underwent a major change. Manufacturers began adding sensors that allowed them to avoid household items that their traditional sensors might get stuck on or run across. This has reduced the number of times our testers needed to clean up after a robotic snag, whether it was an electrical cord, toy or pet waste.

However, the new sensors haven't resolved all of the problems these machines have. The cheapest models are still struggling with the same issues that the older ones did and, Best Robot Vacuum in addition, they need a certain amount of illumination to see where they're going. If you reside in a dark area or have lots of low-profile furniture, consider purchasing a top-mounted spinning LIDAR unit to map your space, as our top overall and runner-up choices do. This lets them work in the dark and avoid obstacles such as stairs.

In addition being capable of working in dark, these models can be programmed to use their cliff sensors only close to or on the floor, not above them. It is essential to cover mirrors in order to stop this from occurring. The lasers used by the LIDAR-based models may bounce off reflective surfaces, making the robot believe it's in a different room.

Some of the models we recommend let you create virtual no-go zones for areas you don't wish the robot to visit. This can be helpful when you have small children or pets. Those features aren't available on all the models we test so make sure to read our full reviews of each model below before you make a purchase.