How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

A robot vacuum can save you a lot of time and hassle in the case of regular touch-ups. The best robot hoover models do a great job at removing dust and lightweight debris and allow you to designate no-go zones in pets or power cords.

The more expensive ones can even mop your floor, but they can't climb stairs. Look for models that have intelligent mapping, real-time safety features, and large self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The top robots we've tested that we tested are efficient, easy to use, and are able to cope with everyday debris. You'll also want a robot that can handle stairs and that has decent ability to pick up carpets. And, if you're looking for extra features, you may be interested in a model equipped with smart mapping technology or an application that allows you to control it remotely.

Camryn Rabideau, a contributing shopping writer for PEOPLE and a reviewer of products who has tested dozens robotic vacuums, is recognized for her testing of dozens of robot vacuums. She prefers the ones with the most features such as ones that have self-emptying bins and charging stations that automatically empty and fill water tanks to mop robotic vacuums. She also likes robots that recognize landmarks, such as furniture legs and power cables so that they won't trip up when climbing the stairs.

This Black and Decker robot has a lower score for navigation and has less technology for avoiding objects than the most popular models. It comes with a large, non-refillable dustbin and a long battery. Additionally, it has an option that allows you to schedule cleaning sessions and return to the location the last time it was used which makes it easier to tackle larger homes. This model is also a great option for pet owners as it is able to spot and avoid tangled hair and fallen food particles.

In our tests, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combines an LIDAR sensor that is able to map rooms and see obstacles with a structured light sensor to identify objects and detect edges. This combination lets it avoid stairs, droplets of liquid and furniture legs with ease and save up to four floor maps for future reference. It is able to pause and resume the cleaning process at any point, so you can continue to do chores while it does. The included app provides the 3D image of your home, room labels and advanced cleaning options.

Although this model isn't able to clean as well as our top-rated models, it is superior in removing small particles like sand and baking soda, as well as heavier items like orzo pasta and screws made of metal. Its only downsides are that it cannot mop, and its navigation system is a little less impressive.

The best for Carpet

If you have carpeting, select an automatic vacuum bot 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 that is embedded in carpets with low pile and some 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 as well as an upright or canister vacuum, and they may be unable to pick up dirt in the vicinity of thresholds and baseboards.

For homes with carpets, a 2-in-1 robot mop/vacuum is the best choice. You can swap out a cleaning bin for a moist mopping mat. The Roborock Q Revo, for example, is a vacuum cleaner and mops with circular pads that rotate at 200 rotations per minute. It is able to detect and lift its pads when they come 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 superior to other Robot vacuum Cleaner best vacuums/mops in keeping away from 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 schedule it to sweep your home even when you're away. It can be set up to only mop. We were impressed by its ability to navigate on floors with no flooring and rugs. The Combo i5 also has a very long runtime and excellent path planning for a device of this size.

If you want a more modern model, you can look at the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Self-Empty Robot Vacuum & Mop. It has a huge charging dock that can go weeks without needing to be emptied and has impressive navigation skills and auto-emptying on both bare floors and carpets. It also has a smart mapping system and can be programmed to only run for certain hours (a useful feature for keeping pets and children who are prone to mischief from running amok). The Shark has less powerful suction than other mop/robot combos but it's efficient in removing hair and pet hair and is the most affordable of our top choices.

The best choice for hardwood floors

Robot vacuums are the ideal choice for hardwood floors as they are able to easily maneuver around obstacles and not damage the floor's surface. They are excellent at of picking up dust and crumbs, however they struggle with pet hair and other larger particles. They lack the suction of the top canister or upright vacuum, which makes them a poor choice for deep cleaning upholstery or carpeted areas.

The most effective robots are those that are two-in-one, combining mop and vacuum to do a complete job in one move. If you have flooring that is mixed, look for a model with an onboard sensor which detects changes in the floor's texture and adjusts suction accordingly. This feature is available on the ECOVACS Deebot T9+ and lets it effortlessly switch from hard carpeting to soft carpeting.

If your home is comprised of hardwood floors, consider a robotic mop and vacuum combination like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model uses a powerful robotic remote vacuum that has intelligent navigation to clean hardwood floors and other hard surfaces, and it can mop as well. Its sensors allow it to stay clear of hazards like stairs.

The Eufy S1 Pro mop is designed to clean hardwood floors using downward pressure, instead of simply swab them to remove dust and dirt. The mop pads are reusable, which reduce the amount of waste and make it less likely to spread germs and can be cleaned at the docking station to save your time. The mops 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 use the app to set up an area where the vacuum can't go or mark rooms as separate or schedule cleaning times for specific areas. The eufy S1 Pro also has an auto-emptying dock that sucks debris through a trapdoor and puts it in a bagless or disposable bin, so you don't have to manually empty the bin as often as you do with other models.

Ideal for small Spaces

These robots are specifically designed for smaller spaces. They have smaller bins, that can store less debris. They are also more efficient in moving around corners more efficiently than larger models. They can also fit underneath furniture that larger robots have difficulty reaching. They are generally less expensive than the more expensive models, however, you'll need to manually empty their dirt bins at 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. These advances have reduced the number of times our testers had to clean up after a robotic snag whether it was an electrical cord, toy, or piece of pet waste.

However, the latest sensors haven't resolved all of these machines' problems. The lower-end models are not able to tackle the same obstacles as older models, and require some level of illumination to be able to be able to see where they're moving. If you live in a dark house or have lots of furniture that is low-profile, think about purchasing a top-mounted spinning LIDAR unit to map your area, as our top overall and runner-up choices do. This lets them avoid obstacles like stairs and other ones when working in darkness.

In addition being capable of working in the dark they can also be programmed to use their cliff sensors only near or on the floor, not when they're above them. You'll still want to cover any mirrors that may interfere with this function, however, because the lasers used by a LIDAR-based model can bounce off reflective surfaces, causing the robot to think it is in another room.

Some of the models that we recommend let you create virtual no-go areas for areas you don't wish the robot to go to. This can be helpful for those with pets or small children. These features aren't on all models we test. Check out our complete reviews before making your choice.