How Robot Vacuum Cleaner Best Became The Hottest Trend In 2024

How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

A robot vacuum deals vacuum can save you a lot of time and effort when it comes to regular cleaning. The top models do a great job of removing dust and lightweight debris and allow you to set no-go zones for pets or power cords.

The pricier ones even mop your floors, but they can't climb the stairs. Find models with intelligent mapping, real-time hazards avoidance, and large self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The top robots we tested were reliable, user-friendly and able to keep up with daily debris. You'll need a model with decent carpet-picking power and the ability to take on stairs. If you're looking for additional features, you might be interested in a robot that uses 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 numerous robotic vacuums, is credited with testing hundreds of robot vacuums. She's a fan of the robot vacuums that provide the greatest convenience, such as self-emptying bins and charging docks that automatically empty and refill water tanks for mopping robots. She also likes robots that can recognize landmarks such as furniture legs and power cables so that they won't get tripped up when climbing steps.

This Black and Decker robot vacuum cleaner industrial 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 need frequent emptying, and has a long battery life. It also comes with a feature which allows you to schedule cleaning sessions, and then return to the place it was last. This makes it easier to take care of larger spaces. This model is a great option for pet owners, because it will prevent tangled fur and food particles.

In our tests, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combines with a LIDAR sensor that maps rooms and detect obstacles, with 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 to be used in the future for reference. It can pause and resume the cleaning process at any point, so you can continue to do chores while it is working. The included app offers a 3D representation of your home, room labels and advanced cleaning options.

Although this robot isn't able to clean as well as our top-rated models, it is superior in removing fine debris such as baking soda and sand as well as larger items like orzo pasta and screws made of metal. Its only drawbacks are that it can't mop and has a less impressive navigation system.

The best option for Carpet

If you have carpeting in your home, look for a vacuum that has excellent pickup and good maneuverability scores on carpet and rugs. Many models do a good job of picking up dust that is embedded in carpets with low pile and some do a decent job at picking up heavier debris such as orzo pasta, metal screws and pet hair. They aren't able to pick up fine particles like an upright or canister, and they may miss dirt that is close to baseboards or thresholds.

For carpeted homes, a 2-in-1 robot mop/vacuum is the best option. You can swap out a cleaning bin for a moist mopping mat. The Roborock Q Revo is a 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop that can clean and mop simultaneously with circular pads that spin at 200 revolutions per minute. It recognizes and raises its pads when they come into contact with carpets, preventing the floor from becoming wet. You don't have remove them or replace them each time. The Q Revo is also better than other robot vacuum/mops at keeping away from obstacles such as rugs and thresholds, and eliminating obstacles.

The iRobot Roomba Combo i5 is another option worth considering. It was a great performer in our tests, and you can schedule it to tidy your home when you are away. It can be set up to only mop. We loved its navigation on floors with no flooring and rugs. The Combo i5 also has a very long run time and a great path-planning feature for a device of this size.

If you're looking for a top robot vacuum-of-the-line vacuum Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum & Mop is a great option. It has a huge charging dock that can run for months without needing to be empty and has amazing navigation capabilities and automatic vacuum cleaners emptying on carpets and floors. It also has a smart-mapping system and can be programmed to operate at certain times of the day (a useful feature to keep mischievous kids and dextrous pets from running it amuck). The Shark is less powerful than other mop/robot combination models however, it still manages to pick hair and pet hair very well. It's also the best value of our top choices.

The best choice for hardwood floors

Robot vacuums are best for hardwood floors, as they can maneuver around obstacles easily without damaging bare surfaces. They are great in removing dust and crumbs but struggle with pet hair and larger debris. They lack the suction power 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 come with two-in-one features, combining a vacuum with a mop to do a complete job in one move. Find models that have an onboard sensor that can detect any changes in the flooring and adjust suction accordingly. The ECOVACS DEEBOT T9+ for instance, has this feature and can transition seamlessly from hard 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 vacuum that has intelligent navigation to clean hardwood floors and other hard surfaces. Additionally, it can mop too. The sensors help it avoid stairs and other hazards so you don't have to be worried about the robot falling down the stairs and breaking your hardwood.

When you need mops the Eufy S1 Pro is designed to actually wash hardwood floors using downward pressure rather than wipe them clean to remove dirt and dust. Its pads that can be reused reduce waste and help to spread less germs. They can also be cleaned in docking stations to reduce time. The mop pads can also be cleaned and dried to stop the spread of mold.

Both the robovac as well as the mop can be controlled from your smartphone to make it easier to manage the device. You can, for example make use of the app to create zones that the vacuum will not be allowed to enter, label different rooms, or plan specific cleaning times. The eufy S1 Pro has an auto-emptying port that collects debris via trapdoors, and then stores it in a bag-less or disposable bin. This means that you won't have to empty the bin manually as often as with other models.

Ideal for small Spaces

As the name suggests the robots are best designed for smaller areas. They have smaller bins which hold less debris. They are also more efficient in moving around corners more efficiently than larger models. They can also be tucked under furniture, where the bigger robots struggle to reach. They are also less expensive than more expensive models, but you'll need to empty their dirt compartments manually at the end of each cleaning session.

A few years ago robotic vacuums experienced an important change. Manufacturers began adding sensors that could help them navigate around and avoid household items that their traditional sensors could become stuck on or run across. These advancements reduced the number of times our testers had to clean up after a robotic snag whether it was a power cord, toy or pet waste.

The new sensors haven't eliminated all the issues with these machines, however. The lower-end models are unable to navigate the same obstacles as older models, and they need a certain level of light to see where they are moving. Consider getting an option that incorporates a spinning LIDAR unit that is mounted on top to map the space. Our best overall models and runners-up models use this. This allows them to work in darkness and avoid obstacles such as stairs.

In addition to being capable of working in the dark, these models can be programmed to use their cliff sensors only when they're on or near the floor, not above them. It is still recommended to cover any mirrors that may interfere with this function however, since the laser used by a LIDAR-based model could bounce off reflective surfaces and cause the robot to think it's in a different room.

A few of the models we recommend let you create virtual no-go zones for areas you don't want the robot to visit. This is helpful when you have small children or pets. These features aren't present on all models we test. Read our full reviews before making your choice.