Why Is Robot Vacuum Cleaner Best So Popular

How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Robot vacuums can help you save time and effort when it comes to cleaning. Top performers do a good job of removing dust and light debris and many allow you to set no-go zones for pets or power cords.

The higher-end models even sweep your floors, though they aren't able to climb stairs. Make sure you choose models with intelligent mapping, real-time hazard avoidance and large self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The top robots we've tested that we have tested are effective, easy to use, and able to keep up with the everyday messes. It is also important to choose a model capable of handling stairs and that has decent ability to pick up carpets. And, if you're looking for additional features, you may be interested in a robot that uses smart mapping technology, or an app that lets you control it remotely.

Camryn Rabideau is a contributing reviewer and writer for shopping at PEOPLE who has tested many robotic vacuums. She's a big fan of robot vacuums that provide the greatest convenience, including self-emptying dustbins and charging docks that automatically empty and refill water tanks for mopping robots. She also enjoys robots that recognize landmarks, such as furniture legs and power cables, so they don't fall when climbing stairs.

The Black and Decker model has a lower score on navigation and has less technology for avoiding objects than the top-rated models. It does however have an enormous dust bin that doesn't require frequent emptying, and has a long battery life. In addition, it has an option that allows you to schedule cleaning sessions and return to the location where it last stopped, making it easier to clean larger homes. This model is a good choice for pet owners, as it can avoid tangled fur and food particles.

In our tests we tested the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combines a LIDAR sensor that maps rooms and detect obstacles, with an organized light sensor to identify objects and detect edges. The combination allows it to avoid steps, drops of liquid, and furniture legs with ease and save up to four floor maps for future references. It is able to stop and restart cleaning at any time, meaning that you can continue with your chores while it works. The app provides the 3D image of your home, with room labels as well as advanced cleaning options.

This model isn't as efficient in cleaning like our top models, however it excels 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 its navigation system is less impressive.

The best for Carpet

If you have carpeting, select an automatic floor vacuum vacuum that has a high score for carpet and rug ability to maneuver and pick up. Many models do a good job of picking up dust that is embedded in carpets with low pile and a few do a good job of sweeping up heavier debris like orzo pasta, metal screws, and pet hair. They don't pick-up small particles like an upright or canister, and could be unable to pick up dirt close to baseboards or thresholds.

For homes with carpets, a 2-in-1 robotic remote vacuum Cleaner/mop is the best choice. It is possible to swap out an empty bin to a damp mopping mat. The Roborock Q Revo, for example, vacuums robot and mops with circular pads that spin at a speed of 200 rotations per minute. It recognizes and raises its pads when it comes in contact with carpet, which prevents the floor from getting wet. You don't need remove them or replace them each time. The Q Revo is also superior to other robot vacuums/mops in staying clear of obstacles, getting close to rugs and thresholds and eliminating obstacles.

The iRobot Roomba Combo i5 is another good option. It was a great performer in our tests and you can program it to tidy your home even when you're away. It can be set to only mop. We were impressed by its ability to navigate on bare floors and rugs. The Combo i5 has a long runtime and excellent path planning for an item of this size.

If you want a more high-tech model, consider the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Self-Empty Robot automatic vacuum cleaners & Mop. It has a huge charging dock that can go months without needing to be emptied, and it has impressive navigation skills and auto-emptying on bare floors and carpets. It also has a smart-mapping feature and can be programmed to 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 still manages to pick up pet hair and hair with a high degree of accuracy. It's also the highest price of our top picks.

Best for Hard Flooring

Robot vacuums are a great option for hardwood floors since they can easily navigate around obstacles without damaging the floor's surface. They are excellent at of picking up crumbs and dust, but they are unable to deal with pet hair and larger debris. They don't have the suction power of a high-end upright or canister vacuum, so they're not the ideal choice for carpeted areas or upholstery that requires deep cleaning.

The best two-in-one robots combine a vacuum and a mop, taking care of an entire task in one sweep. Find models that have an onboard sensor that can detect any changes in the flooring and adjust suction to match. This feature is available on the ECOVACS Deebot T9+ and lets it move seamlessly from hard carpeting to soft carpeting.

If you have lots of hardwood floors in your home, you may want to consider a robot mop and vacuum like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model features a powerful robotic vacuum that has smart navigation to clean hardwood floors and other hard surfaces, and it can mop as well. The sensors in it allow it to stay clear of hazards like stairs.

The Eufy S1 Pro mop is designed to clean hardwood floors by applying downward pressure, instead of simply swab them to remove dust and dirt. Its reusable pads reduce waste and help to spread less 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.

The robovac is controlled by your smartphone, making it much easier to use. You can, for example, use the app to create zones where the vacuum cannot be allowed to enter, label different rooms and schedule specific cleaning times. The eufy S1 Pro has an auto-emptying port that collects the debris via trapdoors and then puts it in a bag-less or disposable bin. This means that you don't have to empty the bin manually as often as you do with other models.

Ideal for small Spaces

These robots are designed for smaller spaces. They have smaller bins that hold less waste, and they're more efficient than the larger models when it comes to maneuvering tight corners. They can also fit under furniture where larger robots aren't able to reach. These robots are also cheaper than higher-end models, but you will need to empty their dirt bins manually at the end each cleaning session.

A few years ago, robot vacuums underwent a significant change as manufacturers began adding sensors to help them navigate and avoid household objects that traditional sensors would become stuck on or over. This has reduced the number of times our testers needed to clean up after a robotic snag, whether it was a power cord, toy, or piece of pet waste.

However, the new sensors haven't resolved all of these machines' problems. The less expensive models are unable to navigate the same obstacles as the older models, and require an adequate amount of light to be able to know where they are moving. If you are living in a dark space or have a lot of furniture with low-profiles, consider buying a model that utilizes a top-mounted spinning LIDAR unit to map your space as our top overall and runner-up picks do. This lets them work in darkness and avoid obstacles such as stairs.

In addition to being capable of working in dark, these models can be set to use their cliff sensors only when they're on or near the floor, not when they're above them. It is still recommended to cover any mirrors that could 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's in another room cleaning robot.

Some of the models that we recommend will allow you to create virtual no-go areas for areas you don't wish the robot to visit. This is a great option if you have pets or children who are small. Those features aren't available on all the models we've tested so make sure to read our full reviews of the choices below before making your purchase.