How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

A robot vacuum will save you a lot of time and hassle when it comes to regular cleaning. Top performers do a good job at removing dust and light debris and many allow you to designate no-go zones in pets or power cords.

The higher-end models even sweep your floors--though they still can't climb stairs. Make sure you choose models with smart mapping, real time safety features, and large self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The best robots we tested were user-friendly, efficient and able to keep up with daily debris. You'll need a robot that has decent carpet-picking capability and the ability to take on stairs. If you're looking for a robot with additional features, think about one that comes with smart mapping technology or an app that allows you to control it remotely.

Camryn Rabideau is a contributing reviewer and writer for shopping at PEOPLE who has tried numerous robotic vacuums. She's a huge fan of robot vacuums that provide the greatest convenience, including self-emptying dustbins and charging docks that automatically empty and fill water tanks for mopping robots. She also loves robots that can recognize landmarks such as furniture legs and power cables so that they won't trip up when climbing stairs.

This Black and Decker robot has a lower navigation score and has less technology for avoiding objects than the most popular models. It has a large non-refillable dustbin as well as a long battery. Additionally, it has the ability to plan cleaning times and return to the spot where it stopped last which makes it easier to cover larger areas. hop over to this website is also a good option for pet owners as it can spot and prevent tangled hair as well as fallen food particles.

In our tests, we observed that the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combined with a LIDAR (light) sensor that can identify obstacles and map rooms by using a structured-light sensor to identify objects and detect edges. The combination allows it to avoid stairs, droplets of liquid, and furniture legs easily and save up to four floor maps for future use. It is able to pause and resume the cleaning process at any time, so you can continue to do chores while it is working. The app offers a 3D view of your home, with room labels and advanced cleaning options.

This robot is not as efficient in cleaning like our top models, however it is great in picking up larger items like orzo pasta, metal screws and even fine particles like sand. The only downsides are that it's not able to mop and that its navigation system is a little less impressive.

The best for Carpet

If you have carpeting in your home, you should look for a vacuum that has excellent pickup and good maneuverability scores on carpet and rugs. Many models are good at cleaning dust from low-pile carpets, and some are capable of picking up heavier debris such as orzo pasta and screws made of steel. However, they aren't able to pick up fine particles like an upright or canister vacuum, and they may miss ground-in dirt close to thresholds and baseboards.

The best option for carpeted homes is a two-in-one robot vacuum/mop. It allows you to swap between a cleaning bin 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 at the same time with circular pads spinning at 200 rotations a minute. It automatically detects and lifts the pads when it encounters carpet, preventing it from soaking the floor, and you do not need to take them off or replace them after every use. The Q Revo is also more efficient than other robot vacuum/mops in the absence of obstacles and in being close to carpets and thresholds.

The iRobot Roomba Combo i5 is another solid option. It was a great performer in our tests and you can program it to sweep your home when you are away. It can also be set to only mop, and we liked its impressive navigation on both bare floors and rugs and its ability to go up and over furniture. The Combo i5 also has a very long run time and a great path-planning feature for such a small device.

If you're looking for a top-of-the-line vacuum Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum & Mop is a fantastic option. It has a large dock that can last for weeks and not need to be cleaned. It also features impressive capability to auto-empty 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 to keep the sly kids and pets from causing havoc). The Shark isn't as powerful as other mop/robot combinations however it does pick up pet hair and hair with a high degree of accuracy. It's also the best price of our top picks.

Best for Hard Floors

Robot vacuums are the ideal pick for hardwood floors because they are able to navigate around obstacles without damaging bare surfaces. They do an excellent job of removing dust and crumbs, however they aren't able to handle pet hair and larger debris. They also lack the suction power of a high-end upright or canister vacuum, meaning they're not the ideal option for rooms with carpets or upholstery that requires deep cleaning.

The best two-in-one robots combine mopping and vacuum, taking care of an entire task in one pass. If you have mixed flooring choose a model with an onboard sensor which detects changes in floor texture and adjusts suction accordingly. This feature is available on the ECOVACS Deebot T9+ and lets it effortlessly transition from hard carpeting to soft carpeting.


If your home is comprised of hardwood floors, you should consider a robotic mop and vacuum combination like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model comes with an impressive robotic vacuum that has smart navigation that can clean hardwood and other surfaces. It also mop. Its sensors help it avoid the stairs and other hazards, so you don't have to be worried about the bot plummeting 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 to get rid of dirt and dust. The pads that are reusable reduce waste and spread fewer germs. They can also be cleaned at docking stations to help save time. The mop pads can also be cleaned and dried to prevent the spread of mold.

Both the robovac as well as the mop are both controlled by your smartphone to make it easier to manage the device. For instance, you can make use of the app to designate a zone where the vacuum can't go or label rooms separately, or schedule cleaning times for specific areas. The eufy S1 Pro also has an auto-emptying dock that collects debris through a trapdoor, and stores it in a bagless or disposable bin, so you don't need to empty the bin manually every time as you would with other models.

Best suited for small Spaces

As the name implies that these robots are to be used in small spaces. They have smaller bins which hold less debris. They are also more efficient when it comes to getting around corners better over larger models. They can also be placed under furniture where larger robots have difficulty reaching. These robots are also cheaper than the more expensive models, but you'll have to empty their dirt bins manually at the end each cleaning session.

A few years ago, robot vacuums underwent a major transformation when manufacturers began adding sensors to help navigate around and avoid household objects that their conventional sensors would become stuck on or over. These advances decreased the amount 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 solved all of these machines' problems. The lower-end models are not able to tackle the same obstacles as older models, and require a certain level of light to be able to be able to see where they're moving. You should consider a model that uses a spinning LIDAR device placed on top of the model to create maps of the space. Our top overall models and runners-up models have this feature. This allows them to avoid obstacles like stairs and other ones while working in the dark.

In addition to being capable of working in dark and in the dark, these models can be configured to use their cliff sensors only when they're near or on the floor, not when they're above them. It's essential to cover mirrors to prevent this from occurring. The laser used by the LIDAR-based models could bounce off reflective surfaces, causing the robot to think it's in another room.

A few of the models we recommend allow you to create virtual no-go zones for areas you don't want the robot to go, which can be useful if you have small children or pets. These features aren't available on all models we test. Check out our complete reviews before deciding.