You'll Never Guess This Robot Vacuum Cleaner Best's Tricks

How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

A robot vacuum can save you a lot of time and effort when it comes to regular touch-ups. The best ones are adept at picking up dust as well as light debris and cords.

The more expensive models even clean your floors, though they aren't able to climb stairs. Make sure you choose models with intelligent mapping, real-time safety features, and large self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The best robots in our testing are efficient and easy to use and able to cope with everyday debris. It is also important to choose a model that can handle stairs and that has decent ability to pick up carpets. If you're looking for a robot with extra features, consider an option that incorporates smart mapping technology or an app to control it remotely.

Camryn Rabideau is a contributing reviewer and writer for shopping at PEOPLE who has tried numerous robotic vacuums. She's a huge 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's also a fan of the robots that are able to recognize landmarks such as furniture legs and power cords, so they don't get tripped up when climbing stairs.

The Black and Decker model has a lower score for navigation and has less technology for avoiding objects than the most popular models. It comes with a large non-refillable dustbin as well as a long battery. It also comes with the ability to schedule cleaning sessions, and return to where it stopped last, making it easier to cover larger areas. This model is an excellent option 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 with a LIDAR sensor that maps rooms and see obstacles with an organized light sensor to identify objects and detect edges. The combination lets it avoid stairs, droplets of liquid, and furniture legs with ease and save up to four floor maps to be used in the future for use. It can also pause the cleaning process at any point and return to where it stopped, so you can do chores while the robot does its work. The included app provides an interactive 3D model of your home, room cleaning robot labels and advanced cleaning options.

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

The best robot vacuum black friday for Carpet

If you have carpeting in your home, look for a robot vacuum with excellent pickup and good maneuverability scores on carpet and rugs. Many models are capable of collecting dust from low-pile rugs. Some do a decently job of cleaning up larger debris such as orzo pasta and screws made of metal. However, they can't handle small particles as well as an upright or canister vacuum, and they may miss ground-in dirt close to thresholds and baseboards.

For homes with carpets, a 2-in-1 robot vacuum cleaner top 10 mop/vacuum is the best option. It is possible to swap out the cleaning bin for a damp mopping mat. The Roborock Q Revo is a 2-in-1 robot vacuum/mop that can clean and mop at the same time with circular pads spinning at 200 rpm. It automatically detects and lifts the pads when it encounters carpet to avoid wetting the floor, and you don't need to remove or replace them after each use. The Q Revo also performs better than other robot vacuum cleaner best vacuum/mops in keeping away from obstacles and getting closer to carpets and thresholds.

Another solid option is the iRobot Roomba Combo i5, which was a great performer in our tests and can be scheduled through the app to clean while you're away from home. It can also be set to mop only and we loved its remarkable navigation on carpets and floors, as well as its ability to climb over and up onto furniture. The Combo i5 also has a very long runtime and a great path-planning feature for a device of this size.

If you're looking for a high-tech vacuum that is high-tech, the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 robot vacuum cleaner best Vacuum & Mop is a fantastic option. It comes with a large charging dock that can last for months without needing to be empty, and it has amazing navigation abilities and auto-emptying on both bare floors and carpets. It also has an intelligent mapping system that can be programmed to be operational during certain times of the day (a useful feature that can keep mischievous kids and dextrous pets from causing havoc). The Shark isn't as powerful than some other robot vacuums and mops but it's efficient in removing hair and pet hair. It is the best value of our top choices.

Best for Hard Flooring

Robot vacuums are ideal for floors made of hardwood, since they can navigate around obstacles easily without damaging bare surfaces. They are capable of picking up dust and crumbs, however they are unable to deal with pet hair and other larger particles. They also lack the suction power of a top-of-the-line upright or canister vacuum, so they're not an ideal choice for carpeted areas or upholstery that needs deep cleaning.

The most effective robots are those that are two-in-one, which combine a vacuum with a mop to complete the job in one step. If you have floors that are mixed you should look for one equipped with an onboard sensor that detects changes in floor texture and adjusts suction to match. The ECOVACS DEEBOT T9+ for example, has this feature and can transition effortlessly from hard to soft carpeting.

If you have lots of hardwood flooring in your home, you might want to consider a robotic mop and vacuum combo like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model is an impressive robotic vacuum that has smart navigation that can clean hardwood floors and other surfaces. It can also mop. The sensors in it allow it to avoid hazards such as stairs.

When you need mops, the Eufy S1 Pro is designed to actually wash hardwood floors using downward pressure rather than wipe them to remove dirt and dust. Its reusable mop pads reduce the amount of waste and make it less likely to spread germs and can be cleaned in the docking station to save you time. The mops can also be cleaned and dried to avoid spreading mold.

The robovac can be controlled via your smartphone, making it much easier to use. For instance, you can make use of the app to designate a zone that the vacuum cannot enter or label rooms separately, or schedule cleaning times for certain areas. The Eufy S1 Pro also has an auto-emptying dock that sucks debris through a trapdoor and is then stored in a disposable or bagless bin, meaning you don't need to manually empty the bin like you do with other models.

Best suited for small Spaces

Like the name suggests, these robots are best suited for small spaces. They have smaller bins that hold less garbage, and are more efficient than larger models in navigating tight corners. They can also be tucked under furniture, where the larger robots struggle to get in. They tend to be cheaper than the more expensive models, however, you'll need to empty their dirt compartments at the end of each cleaning session.

A few years back, robot vacuums went through a major change. Manufacturers began to add sensors that allowed them to avoid household items that conventional sensors might become stuck on or run across. These advancements have 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.

However, the new sensors haven't resolved all of the issues these machines face. The most affordable models struggle with the same challenges that the older models faced and most require a certain amount light to see where they're going. Consider getting a model that uses a spinning LIDAR unit mounted on top to trace the area. Our best overall model and the runners-up have this feature. This lets them work in the dark and avoid obstacles like stairs.

The models can also be programmed to only use their cliff sensors only when they are on or near the ground, but not when they are above it. You'll still need to shield any mirrors that may interfere with this function, however, since the laser used by a laser-based model can bounce off reflective surfaces and cause the robot to think it's in another room.

Some of the models we recommend also allow you to create virtual no-go zones for areas you do not want the robot move, which is useful if you have pets or children. These features aren't offered on all of the models we test and recommend that you go through our complete reviews of each model below before you make a purchase.