How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum bot cleaner

Robot vacuums will save you time and effort when it comes to regular cleaning. Top performers are good at cleaning robots for home up dust light debris, cords and dust.

The most expensive models can even mop your floor, but they can't climb up the stairs. Look for models with intelligent mapping, real-time hazard avoidance, and spacious self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The top robots in our testing are efficient and user-friendly, and able to keep up with the everyday messes. You'll need a model with adequate carpet-picking capabilities and the ability to take on stairs. And, if you're looking to add more features, you might be interested in a robot equipped with smart mapping technology or an application that allows you to control the robot 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 robotic vacuums that offer the greatest convenience, such as self-emptying bins and charging docks that automatically empty and fill water tanks for mopping robots. She also enjoys robots that can recognize landmarks such as furniture legs and power cables so that they don't fall when climbing the stairs.

Compared to the top-rated models, this Black and Decker robot vacuum has less object-avoidance technology, and its navigation score is lower. It comes with a huge, non-refillable dustbin and a long battery. In addition, it has a feature that allows you to schedule cleaning sessions and return to the spot where it last stopped, making it easier to tackle larger homes. This model is also a great option for pet owners as it is able to spot and prevent tangled hair as well as fallen food particles.

In our tests in our tests, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combines a LIDAR sensor that is able to map rooms and see obstacles with an organized light sensor to identify objects and detect edges. It can stay clear of the steps, liquid droplets and furniture legs with this combination. It can also save up to four floor plans for future use. It can also pause the cleaning process at any moment and return to where it stopped, so you can do chores while the robot does its work. The app comes with the 3D image of your home, room labels, and more advanced cleaning options.

This model isn't as efficient in cleaning as our top models, but it excels in picking up larger items like orzo pasta, metal screws, and fine debris such as sand. The only drawback is that it's not able to mop, and has a less effective navigation system.

The best for Carpet

If you have carpeting in your home, look for a robotic vacuum that has excellent pickup and good maneuverability scores on carpet and rugs. Many models are good at collecting dust from low-pile rugs. Some are capable of sweeping up heavier debris, such as orzo pasta and screws made of metal. They can't take in small particles like an upright canister, and may miss dirt close to thresholds or baseboards.

The best choice for most carpeted homes is a two-in-one robot vacuum/mop, which allows you to swap between a cleaning bin and a damp mopping pad. The Roborock Q Revo, for example, vacuums and mops wet with circular pads that spin at 200 rotations per minute. It is able to detect and lift its pads when it comes in contact with carpet, which prevents the flooring from becoming wet. You don't have to take them off or replace them each time. The Q Revo also performs better than other robot vacuums/mops when it comes to the absence of obstacles and in getting closer to carpets and thresholds.

Another option that is worth considering is the iRobot Roomba Combo i5, which performed very well in our tests and can be scheduled through the app to clean when you're away from home. It can be set to only mop and we were impressed by its remarkable navigation on bare floors and rugs, as well as its ability to climb up and over furniture. The Combo i5 also has a extremely long run time and excellent path planning for a device of this size.

If you're looking for a 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 run for weeks without needing to be emptying and boasts amazing navigation capabilities and auto-emptying on carpets and floors. It also has a smart-mapping system and can be programmed to operate during certain hours of the day (a useful feature that can keep mischievous kids and dextrous pets from causing chaos). The Shark has less powerful suction than other mop/robot combos however it's still efficient in removing hair and pet hair and is the most affordable of our top choices.

best robot Vacuum for large house for Hard Flooring

Robot vacuums are the ideal choice for hardwood floors as they can easily maneuver around obstacles without damaging the floor's surface. They do an excellent job of picking up crumbs and dust, but they are unable to deal with pet hair and other large debris. They lack the suction of a high-end canister or upright vacuum, which makes them a poor choice for deep cleaning carpeted or upholstery areas.

The best robots come with two-in-one features, combining the power of a mop with a vacuum to complete the task in one go. If you have floors that are mixed you should look for models equipped with an onboard sensor that detects any changes in floor texture and adjusts suction accordingly. This feature is available on the ECOVACS Deebot T9+ and lets it effortlessly transition from hard carpeting to soft carpeting.

If you have a lot of hardwood floors 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 robot vacuum with intelligent navigation to clean hardwood and other hard surfaces. Additionally, it can mop too. Its sensors allow it to stay clear of hazards like stairs.

When it comes to mop pads, the Eufy S1 Pro is designed to actually wash hardwood floors using downward pressure rather than wipe them over to remove dust and dirt. The mop pads are reusable, which reduce the amount of waste, and spread germs less and can be cleaned at the docking station, saving your time. The mop pads can also be washed and dried to avoid spreading mold.

The robovac can be controlled via your smartphone, making it much easier to use. You can, for example make use of the app to create no-go zones that the vacuum will not enter, or to label rooms and schedule specific cleaning times. The eufy S1 Pro has an auto vacuum-emptying port that collects debris through a trapdoor, and stores it in a bagless or disposable bin. This means that you won't have to empty the bin manually as often as other models.

Ideal for small Spaces

Like the name suggests that these robots are to be used in small spaces. They have smaller bins which hold less garbage. They are also more efficient when it comes to maneuvering around tight corners as opposed to larger models. They can also be tucked under furniture, whereas larger robots are unable to reach. They are also less expensive than the more expensive models, but you will need to empty their dirt bins manually at the end each cleaning session.

A few years back robot vacuums underwent a major change. Manufacturers began to add sensors that helped them navigate around and avoid household items that their traditional sensors might become stuck on or run across. These advances 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 piece of pet waste.

The new sensors haven't eliminated all the issues that these devices have, however. The less expensive models are not able to traverse the same obstacles as older models, and they need an adequate amount of light to be able to see where they are going. You should consider an option that incorporates an LIDAR spinning unit that is that is mounted on top to create maps of the space. Our top models and runners-up models do this. This lets them work in the dark and avoid obstacles like stairs.

In addition being capable of working in the dark and in the dark, these models can be configured to use their cliff sensors only when they're near or on the floor, not when they're above them. It's important to cover mirrors in order to stop this from happening. The lasers used by LIDAR-based models may bounce off reflective surfaces, which makes the robot believe it's in a different room.

A few of the models we recommend allow you to create virtual no-go areas for areas you don't wish the robot to go to. This can be helpful if you have pets or children who are small. These features aren't available on all models we test. Read our full reviews before making your choice.