How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

A robot vacuum can help you save time and hassle when it comes to regular cleaning. The best ones are adept at picking up dust as well as light debris and cords.

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

Best Overall

The best robots that we tested are efficient and user-friendly, and able to keep up with the everyday messes. You'll need a robot that has decent carpet-picking capability and the capability to climb stairs. And, if you're looking for extra features, you may be interested in a model with smart mapping technology or an app that lets you control it remotely.

Camryn Rabideau is a contributing shopping writer and product reviewer at PEOPLE who has tested dozens of robotic vacuums. She's a big fan of robotic vacuums that offer the greatest convenience, such as self-emptying dustbins and charging docks that automatically empty and refill the water tanks used by mopping robots. She also likes the robots that are able to recognize landmarks such as furniture legs and power cords, so they don't get caught when climbing the stairs.

This Black and Decker robot Vacuum cleaner best has a lower score for navigation and less object-avoidance tech than the top robot vacuum-rated models. It comes with a large, non-refillable dustbin and an extended battery. Additionally, it comes with a feature that allows you to plan cleaning times and return to the location where it stopped last and makes it much easier to tackle larger homes. This model is a great choice for pet owners because it will prevent the tangles of fur and food particles.

In our tests in our tests, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combines a LIDAR sensor that is able to map rooms and identify obstacles using an organized light sensor to identify objects and detect edges. This combination lets it avoid steps, drops of liquid, and furniture legs with ease and save up to four floor maps for future references. It can also stop the cleaning process at any point and resume where it left off, so you can do chores while the robot does its work. The app offers an interactive 3D model of your home, with room labels as well as advanced cleaning options.

Although this robot vacuum hoover isn't able to clean as well as our top-rated models but it excels in picking up fine debris such as baking soda and sand, as well as heavier objects, like orzo pasta and screws made of metal. Its only downsides are that it's not able to mop, and its navigation system is less impressive.

The best option for Carpet

If you have carpeting, pick one that scores high for rug and carpet mobility and pickup. A lot of models are adept at picking up dust in low-pile rugs. Some can be quite effective in picking up heavier debris like orzo pasta and metal screws. However, they aren't able to pick up fine particles as well as an upright or canister vacuum, and they may miss ground-in dirt close to baseboards and thresholds.

The best option for carpeted homes is a 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop that lets you swap in a cleaning bin and mopping pad with damp. The Roborock Q Revo is a 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop that can clean and mop at the same time with circular pads spinning at 200 revolutions per minute. It detects and lifts the pads when it encounters carpet to prevent wetting the floor, and you do not need to take them off or replace them after every use. The Q Revo is also better than other robot vacuum/mops at staying clear of obstacles such as rugs and thresholds and staying clear of obstacles.

Another good option is the iRobot Roomba Combo i5, which performed very well in our tests and can be scheduled using the app to clean your home when you're away from home. It can be set up to only mop. We loved its navigation on bare floors and carpets. The Combo i5 also has a very long runtime and excellent path planning for a device of this size.

If you're looking to buy a high-tech vacuum that is high-tech, the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum & Mop is a great option. It has a huge charging dock that can go weeks without needing to be emptied and boasts amazing navigation capabilities and auto-emptying on both carpets and floors. It also has an intelligent mapping system that can be programmed to operate during certain hours of the day (a useful feature to keep children and pets who are prone to mischief from causing chaos). The Shark is less powerful than other mop/robot combination models however, it still picks hair and pet hair with a high degree of accuracy. It's also the highest value of our top choices.

Best for Hard Flooring

robot vacuum cleaner top 10 vacuums are the best pick for hardwood floors because they are able to navigate around obstacles without damaging surfaces that are not bare. They are capable of removing dust and crumbs, however they struggle with pet hair and other large debris. They lack the suction power of a high-end canister or upright vacuum, which makes them a poor choice for deep cleaning upholstery or carpeted areas.

The most effective two-in-one robots incorporate a vacuum and a mop to complete the entire chore in one pass. 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 to match. This feature is available on the ECOVACS Deebot T9+ and lets it effortlessly transition from hard carpeting to soft carpeting.

If your home is made up of hardwood floors, you should consider an automated vacuum and mop combination like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model has an impressive robotic vacuum that has intelligent vacuum cleaner navigation that can clean hardwood and other surfaces. It can also mop. Its sensors let it avoid hazards such as stairs.

The eufy S1 Pro mop is designed to clean hardwood floors using downward pressure, rather than simply swab them in order to remove dust and dirt. The pads that are reusable reduce waste and spread fewer germs. They can also be cleaned at the docking stations to save time. The mop pads are also able to be dried, washed, and reused.

Both the robovac and mop are both controlled by your smartphone to make it easier to manage the device. For instance you can use the app to create a zone that the vacuum won't enter or label rooms separately, or schedule cleaning sessions for certain areas. The eufy S1 Pro also has an auto-emptying dock, which collects debris through a trapdoor and stores it in a bagless or disposable bin, which means you don't have to empty the bin manually as often as you do with other models.

Best for Small Spaces

As the name suggests, these robots are best to be used in small areas. They have smaller bins which hold less debris. They are also more efficient in getting around corners better over larger models. They can also be tucked under furniture, whereas larger robots struggle to get in. They are also less expensive than the more expensive models, but you will need to empty their dirt compartments manually at the end of each cleaning session.

A couple of years ago, robotic vacuums underwent a significant change when manufacturers started adding sensors to help them navigate around and avoid household objects that their conventional sensors would become stuck on or over. The improvements in technology reduced the number of times our testers were required to clean up after a robot snag.

The new sensors haven't eliminated all the issues with these machines however. The less expensive models are not able to traverse the same obstacles as older models, and they require a certain level of light to be able to know where they are going. If you are living in a dark space or have a lot of low-profile furniture, consider purchasing a top-mounted spinning LIDAR unit to map your space, as our top robot vacuum overall and runner-up picks do. This lets them work in the dark and avoid obstacles like stairs.

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

Some of the models that we recommend let you create virtual no-go zones for areas you don't wish the robot to visit. This can be helpful for those with small children or pets. These features aren't offered on all the models we've tested and recommend that you go through our complete reviews of each model below before making your purchase.