How to Choose the Best Robot Cleaner for Your Home

You'll need to do some work to keep your robot's home in order. This includes clearing out debris, tidying up loose cords and knotted rugs.

Choose a model that comes with an automatic emptying bin. This makes it easier to clean up spills and messes. You may also want two-in-ones that vacuum and mop.

Features

You can select a robotic vacuum cleaner that has smart features that are suited to your home's needs. Some models are able to map your home's layout to create floor plans, while others include an integrated camera that shows live video feeds. These cameras can be used to spot obstructions and assist with problem solving. Some robots have the ability to schedule cleaning sessions or alter the frequency.


Look for a robot with an auto-emptying dustbin for those who want it to be able to mop and vacuum. Ecovacs' Deebot Pro is one of our top choices because it comes with both features at reasonable prices. It features a suction opening similar to upright vacuums. This helps it get rid of debris faster than other robots. It is equipped with side brushes that have 3 bristles that force hair and dirt into the path of the robot. This model is the top in its class for a variety of reasons, including its effective mopping, navigation and the low price.

The best robovacs are equipped with large dust bins that last for weeks without needing to be empty. The Narwal Freo X Ultra, a high-end robotic vacuum cleaner that has self-emptying dustbins and smart features that offer a hands-free cleaning experience, is a great example. It comes with a tiny mopping pad which scrubs dirt off and can glide over lightweight rugs and mats that make other robots stumble. Its sensors help locate areas that are more prone to dirt and it can mop and vacuum at the same time making it the perfect choice to keep your home tidy.

The Eufy Clean X10 is another popular choice, and the application has a user-friendly interface that makes setting up customization options quick and simple. Its lidar-powered mapping is fast and accurate and it is able to divide rooms for a thorough clean. It has a great object avoidance system that can consume Cheerios and even dodge fake dog poop. However, it experienced difficulties with stairs. Its square-front design helped it to get into corners better than most other robots we've tested. It can also edge-hug, which makes it easier to effortlessly sweep along baseboards.

Cleaning performance

While robots can't clean deep into carpets or remove dirt that has been ground in, as a real vacuum cleaner, they are capable of removing fine particles such as baking soda and dust as well as larger debris like pet hair and metal screws. They can also clean up spills and crumbs. Keeping up with routine maintenance, such as emptying the dust bin and cleaning or replacing the filter, and cleaning sensors and cameras can help you enjoy the longest possible lifespan from your robot.

The most effective robots are adept at picking up fine particles from hard carpets and floors with low pile. They also excel at picking up orzo, sand, and wood shavings. They can also pick up cat litter and screws made of metal, though they tend to struggle with heavier items like baked flour or coffee grounds. They're less impressive when climbing stairs and aren't always able to catch everything that's thrown around the edges of furniture.

Some models are also fantastic in mopping. The iRoborock Roomba 900, for example, is a model that can do excellent job cleaning hardwood floors. It can get rid of coffee spills and other liquids as well as dried or sticky food mess. The robot's intelligent spot and area cleaning options allow you to create a specific zone for it to focus on. This means that the robot doesn't waste its time vacuuming areas which are already clean. The Dreame X40 also does a good job of mopping however it has an advantage over the Roborock. It can vacuum first and then mop to remove spills and stains on high-pile rugs.

The Dyson V8 Absolute is a top mopping robot. It's more expensive than the Roomba but it's got superior suction and can handle a greater variety of flooring types and textures. It's also smart enough to return to the charging dock when getting dry and then resume cleaning where it was when it left. Its app has many other options, including the ability to schedule recurring cleaning sessions. It's also extremely quiet, making it a great option for homes with pets or children.

Cost

The best robot cleaners perform well at a reasonable price and a lot of them have smart features that can help you save money in the end. You'll want to consider how much you need a vacuum and a mop to get the best value for your buck. Certain models come with additional features that you might not need, but may be useful, such as a self-emptying bin or efficient navigation.

It is recommended to invest in a model that is able to do both mops and vacuums is the most economical choice. It's important to note that the robot vacuum is only as effective as the dirt it sifts up, so it's not recommended to abandon regular manual vacuuming to make room for using your robot cleaner.

The cost of $500 for a robot capable of both vacuuming and mopping is reasonable. One example is the iRobot Combo j9+. This robot received excellent scores in the tests conducted by CR and is able to clean both bare floors and carpets. It also has an intuitive app that allows you to examine its cleaning routes and define zones that are not allowed to be used. Jaclyn Turner found that the mopping functionality could be improved, since it uses a dragging mechanism with a light pressure, rather than the actual scrub.

If you're on the budget you can find a bargain for a robot vacuum that is highly rated and can only do one thing, like the Eufy 11S. Its sleek and quiet design excels at cleaning hardwood floors, tiles, and low pile carpets. It also didn't miss a beat when it came to picking up pet hair and litter.

Some budget-friendly robotics have rudimentary bump navigation that doesn't produce an outline of coverage and is more likely to fall on furniture or miss certain spots. Although these robots can clean your floors but they're not as efficient and are less capable of navigating around household obstacles.

Shark IQ XL is another alternative. It's a budget-friendly device that has been praised for its cleaning efficiency as well as its price-to-value ratio. It's not as efficient as the Combo J9+, but is a breeze to use and is effective on floors with carpets and even bare floors. It's also light and can be carried under furniture without getting stuck.

Maintenance

A robot cleaner is a fantastic method of keeping your home tidy, especially when you have children or pets. It does require some attention to keep it in prime condition. Regular cleaning, like emptying dust bins and washing filters, changing them as well as wiping sensors and cameras, can extend the life span of your robot.

Vacuums require more frequent maintenance than robot mopping machines, but you can prolong the life of your vacuum by making sure you follow the instructions of the manufacturer to empty and clean its brush roller, dust bin, and filter. Also, you should clean the robot's sensors and charging contacts with a damp cloth in order to prevent them from becoming clogged with dirt.

This model is a great choice to find a durable, smart robot that is also simple to use. Its slim, sleek design allows it to be placed under couches that are low and ottomans to grab dirt that's not visible. The app allows you to choose rooms and plan cleaning and also set no-go zones and adjust cleaning intensity.

Although it's more expensive than the other models on this list, this one comes with a variety of features that will make up for the cost. Its mapping is fast, and it can store four maps of your home in 2D or 3D. It's also one of the quieter robots we tested and its battery can last for around three hours on charge.

robot vacuum cleaner on sale Links to an external site. is a versatile vacuum cleaner that can work well against walls. It was able to clean up to 1.3 inches from the wall in our tests, which is more than any other robot we tested. It has many smart features including a spot cleaning feature as well as an automatic boost mode. It makes use of random navigation to ensure that it doesn't clean the same spots repeatedly.

The only downside to this robot is that it lacks the ability to discern bare floors and can be confused by thick carpets or rugs. However, it's a great option for those who live in a small home or apartment with narrow hallways and plenty of furniture.