Ten Easy Steps To Launch Your Own Robot Vacuum Cleaner Best Business
How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner
A robot vacuum can help you save time and hassle when it comes to regular touch-ups. The top models do a great job picking up dust and other small particles and allow you to create no-go zones for pets or power cords.
The more expensive models even clean your floors, but they can't climb stairs. Look for models with intelligent mapping, real-time hazards avoidance, and spacious self-emptying bins.
Best Overall
The top robots we tested were efficient, easy-to-use, and able keep up with the daily messes. You'll want a robot 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 with smart mapping technology or an app that lets you control it remotely.
Camryn Rabideau, a contributing shopping writer for PEOPLE and a reviewer of products who has tested numerous robotic vacuums, is acknowledged for her work in testing numerous robot vacuums. She prefers the ones with the most conveniences, such as ones that have self-emptying bins and charging stations that automatically empty and refill the water tanks used to mop robotic vacuums. She also loves robots that recognize landmarks such as furniture legs and power cables so they won't trip up when climbing steps.
This Black and Decker robot has a lower score for navigation and has less technology for avoiding objects than the best-rated models. It does however have an ample dust bin that doesn't require frequent emptying, and has a long battery life. It also comes with a feature which allows you to schedule cleaning times and return to where it stopped last, making it easier to take care of larger spaces. This model is a great option for pet owners, as it can avoid tangled fur and food particles.
In our tests, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combines with a LIDAR sensor that maps rooms and identify obstacles using an organized light sensor to identify objects and detect edges. The combination allows it to stay clear of stairs, drops of liquid and furniture legs easily and save up to four floor maps to be used in the future for references. It is able to stop and restart the cleaning process at any point, so you can continue to do chores while it does. The app comes with a 3D representation of your home, room labels, and advanced cleaning options.
The robot isn't as effective at cleaning as our top models, but it is great at picking up heavier items like orzo pasta, metal screws, and fine particles such as sand. The only downside is that it can't mop and has a less impressive navigation system.
Best for Carpet
If you have carpeting, pick a robot vacuum that has a high score for rug and carpet maneuverability and pickup. A lot of models do a great job of picking up dust embedded in low-pile carpet, and several do a decent job at sweeping up heavier debris like orzo pasta, metal screws, and pet hair. However, they aren't able to pick up small particles like canister or upright vacuums and can be unable to pick up dirt in the vicinity of baseboards and thresholds.
The best choice for most carpeted areas is a 2-in-1 robot vacuum/mop, which allows you to swap out the cleaning bin as well as mopping pad that is damp. The Roborock Q Revo is a 2-in-1 robot vacuum deals black friday - go directly to Awltovhc, vacuum/mop that can clean and mop simultaneously with circular pads spinning at 200 revolutions per minute. It detects and raises the pads when it comes into contact with carpet, preventing it from soaking the floor. You don't need to remove or replace them after every use. The Q Revo also performs better than other robot vacuum/mops in avoiding obstacles and getting closer to carpets and thresholds.
Another good option is the iRobot Roomba Combo i5, which did exceptionally 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 to only mop. We liked its navigation on bare floors as well as rugs. The Combo i5 also has a very long runtime 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 comes with a huge dock that can last for weeks without having to be empty. It also features impressive navigation and auto-emptying capabilities on carpets and floors that are not cleaned. It also has a smart-mapping system and can be programmed to be operational during certain times of the day (a handy feature for keeping the sly kids and pets from causing havoc). The Shark isn't as powerful as other robot vacuum/mop combinations however it still picks up pet hair and hair very well. It's also the best price of our top picks.
Ideal for Hard Floors
Robot vacuums are the ideal pick for hardwood floors because they can easily navigate around obstacles without damaging the floor's surface. They are capable of picking up dust and crumbs, however they are unable to deal with pet hair and other larger particles. They lack the suction power of a high-end upright or canister vacuum, which is why they're not the best self cleaning vacuum choice for carpeted areas or deep cleaning upholstery.
The best two-in-1 robots combine mopping and vacuum and take care of an entire task in one pass. If you have mixed flooring, look for one with an onboard sensor which detects changes in the floor's texture and adjusts suction to match. The ECOVACS DEEBOT T9+, for instance, comes with this feature and can go effortlessly from hard to soft carpeting.
If you have lots of hardwood flooring in your home, you might want to think about a robot mop and vacuum combination like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model is a powerful robotic vacuum with smart navigation that can clean hardwood and other surfaces. It also mop. Its sensors help it avoid staircases and other hazards, so you don't have to be worried about the robot falling down the stairs and damaging your hardwood.
The Eufy S1 Pro mop is designed to clean hardwood floors by applying downward pressure, rather than simply swab them to remove dust and dirt. The mop pads are reusable, which reduce the amount of waste, and reduce the spread of germs, and can be cleaned at the docking station, saving your time. The mops can also be washed and dried to stop the spread of mold.
Both the robovac and mop can be controlled from your smartphone, making it easier to manage the device. You can, for instance utilize the app to create zones where the vacuum cannot be allowed to enter, label different rooms, or schedule specific cleaning times. The Eufy S1 Pro also has an auto-emptying dock that sucks debris through a trapdoor, and stores it in a bagless or disposable bin, meaning you don't have to empty the bin manually like you do with other models.
best robot vacuum for vinyl plank floors for Small Spaces
Like the name suggests that these robots are suited for small spaces. They have smaller bins that hold less garbage, and are more efficient than larger models when it comes to navigating tight corners. They can also fit under furniture, where the bigger robots struggle to reach. They are usually less expensive than the more expensive models, as well, but you'll have to empty their dirt bins at end of each cleaning session.
A few years back robot vacuums underwent a major change. Manufacturers began adding sensors that could help them avoid household items that their traditional sensors might be stuck on or across. These advancements reduced the number of times that our testers had to clean up after a robotic snag, whether it was a power cord, a toy or pet waste.
The new sensors haven't eliminated all issues with these machines however. The cheapest models are still struggling with the same issues that the older ones did, and many of them require a certain amount of illumination to be able see where they're headed. Consider getting a model that uses a spinning LIDAR unit mounted on top to trace the space. Our best robot floor cleaner overall model and the runners-up use this. This allows them to work in the dark and avoid obstacles like stairs.
The models can be programmed to only utilize their cliff sensors when they are near or on the ground, but not when they are above it. It is still recommended to shield any mirrors that may interfere with this function however, since the laser used by a laser-based model could bounce off reflective surfaces, causing the robot to believe it's in a different room.
Some of the models we recommend also allow you to create virtual no-go zones in areas you don't want the robot to move, which is beneficial if you have small children or pets. Those features aren't available on all of the models we test so make sure to go through our complete reviews of each model below before making your purchase.