How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Robot vacuums can save you time and effort when it comes to cleaning. Top performers do a good job picking up dust and light debris and allow you to designate no-go zones in pets or power cords.

The most expensive models can even mop your floor, but they can't climb up stairs. Find models with smart mapping, real-time hazard avoidance and large self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The top robots that we tested are efficient and easy to use and able to cope with everyday debris. You'll need a model with adequate carpet-picking capabilities and the capability to climb stairs. If you're looking for additional features, you may be interested in a robot with smart mapping technology or an app that lets you control the robot vacuum cleaner for sale remotely.

Camryn Rabideau is a contributing reviewer and writer for shopping at PEOPLE who has tried many robotic vacuums. She's a fan of the robot vacuums that provide the greatest convenience, such as self cleaning vacuum-emptying dustbins and charging docks that automatically empty and refill the water tanks used by mopping robots. She also likes robots that recognize landmarks such as furniture legs and power cables so that they won't trip up when climbing stairs.

When compared to the top-rated models, this Black and Decker robot vacuum isn't as advanced in its object-avoidance capabilities and its score for navigation is lower. However, it has an ample dust bin that doesn't need frequent emptying and a long battery life. It also comes with a feature which allows you to schedule cleaning times and return to where it stopped at the last point, making it easier to take care of larger areas. This model is also a good option for pet owners as it is able to identify and eliminate hair tangled and fallen food particles.

In our tests, we observed that the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combined a LIDAR (light) sensor that can identify obstacles and map rooms using a structured-light sensor that can detect objects and detect edges. The combination allows it to stay clear of stairs, drops of liquid and furniture legs with ease and save up to four floor maps to be used in the future for references. It is able to stop and restart cleaning at any time, so you can continue to do chores while it works. The included app provides a 3D representation of your home, room labels, and more advanced cleaning options.

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

Best for Carpet

If you have carpeting, pick a robot vacuum with a high rating for rug and carpet mobility and pickup. Many models are good at cleaning dust from low-pile rugs, and some do a decently job of picking up heavier debris, such as orzo pasta and screws made of metal. However, they aren't able to pick up small particles like an upright or canister vacuum, and they may not pick up dirt that is ground-in close to thresholds and baseboards.

The best choice for most carpeted homes is a 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop that allows you to swap between the cleaning bin as well as mopping pad that is damp. The Roborock Q Revo is a 2-in-1 robot vacuum/mop that can clean and mop simultaneously with circular pads spinning at 200 rpm. It recognizes and raises its pads when it comes into contact with carpets, preventing the flooring from getting wet. You don't have to take them off or replace them each time. The Q Revo is also superior to other robot vacuum/mops at keeping away from obstacles, getting close to rugs and thresholds and staying clear of obstacles.

The iRobot Roomba Combo i5 is another solid option. It was a great performer in our tests and you can program it to clean your home even when you're away. It can be set to mop only, and we liked its excellent navigation on carpets and floors and its ability to get over and up onto furniture. 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 Vacuum & Mop. It comes with a large charging dock that can go months without needing to be emptying and boasts amazing navigation capabilities and auto-emptying on carpets and floors that are not cleaned. It also has an intelligent mapping system that can be programmed to only operate at certain times of the day (a useful feature to keep mischievous kids and dextrous pets from causing chaos). The Shark isn't as powerful as other mop/robot combinations however it does pick hair and pet hair with a high degree of accuracy. It's also the most affordable 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 surfaces that are not bare. They do an excellent job of removing dust and crumbs, however they are unable to deal with pet hair and larger debris. They lack the suction of a high-end canister or upright vacuum, which makes them unsuitable for deep cleaning upholstery or carpeted areas.

The best robot hoover robots are two-in-one, combining the power of a mop with a vacuum to complete the job in one move. Find models that have an onboard sensor that can detect changes in the floor's texture and adjust suction to match. The ECOVACS DEEBOT T9+, for instance, has this feature and can move effortlessly from hard to soft carpeting.

If your home is primarily comprised of hardwood floors, you should consider a robotic vacuum and mop combo like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model comes with an impressive robotic vacuum that has intelligent navigation that can clean hardwood and other surfaces. It also mop. Its sensors let it stay clear of hazards like stairs.

When it comes to mops, the eufy S1 Pro is designed to actually wash hardwood floors using downward pressure, rather than wipe them to remove dirt and dust. The mop pads that are reusable reduce the amount of waste and spread germs less, and can be cleaned in the docking station to save your time. They can also be dried, washed, and reused.

Both the robovac and the mop are both controlled by your smartphone to make it easier to manage the device. For instance, you can utilize the app to designate areas that the vacuum won't be allowed to enter, label different rooms and schedule specific cleaning sessions. The eufy S1 Pro has an auto-emptying port that collects the debris via trapdoors, and then stores it into a bagless or disposable bin. This means that you don't have to empty the bin manually as often as you do with other models.

best roborock vacuum for Small Spaces

These robots are specifically designed for smaller spaces. They have smaller bins that can store less garbage. They are also more efficient in getting around corners better over larger models. They can also be tucked under furniture, whereas bigger robots struggle to reach. They tend to be cheaper than the higher-end models however, you'll need to empty their dirt storage compartments at the end of each cleaning session.

A few years back, robot vacuums went through an important change. Manufacturers started adding sensors that could help them navigate and avoid household items that their conventional sensors might get stuck on or run across. This improved the number of times our testers had to clean up after a robotic incident.

However, the latest sensors aren't solving all of the problems these machines have. The lower-end models are not able to traverse the same obstacles as older models, and require some level of illumination to be able to see where they are going. If you are living in a dark space or have a lot of furniture that is low-profile, think about purchasing top-mounted spinning laser units to map your area, like our best overall and runner-up choices do. This lets them work in the dark and avoid obstacles like stairs.

In addition to being able to work in the dark they can also be set to use their cliff sensors only when they're near or on the floor, not when they're above them. It is essential to cover mirrors in order to stop this from happening. The lasers used by the LIDAR-based models could bounce off reflective surfaces, which makes the robot believe it's in a different room.

Some of the models we recommend also let you set up virtual no-go zones to protect areas you do not want the robot move, which is useful if you have small pets or children. These features aren't offered on all of the models we test, so be sure to read our full reviews of the choices below before you make a purchase.