Best Rated Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Robot vacuums are fantastic for keeping your floors clean but they cannot replace a traditional vacuum. Even the most powerful robots struggle to penetrate carpets or rugs and often get caught in cords and socks.

Your robot will last longer if you carry out routine maintenance. This includes replacing filters, removing hairs that are tangled from brushes and emptying the dust bin.

Battery Life

Most robot vacuums are capable of handling just a few cleaning sessions before requiring a charge. The Ecovacs Q30S Combo is a close second in our top selections. It has a battery that can last up to 180 minute (3,230 square foot) on a single charge. This is enough to clean most smaller homes with a mix of hard floors and low-pile carpets, or a larger home in which the rooms are about the same size.

A longer battery life also means that the robot will spend more time cleaning, and less time charging its dock. It's recommended to select models that have a self-emptying dust bin because those models are more efficient in collecting debris and returning to the dock for charging. It is important to clean or replace filters and wipe down sensors and the camera regularly so they can see clearly.

Smart mapping technology can be a useful feature, as it allows you to program your robot so that it only cleans certain rooms or avoids areas where it's likely to bump into furniture and other obstacles. It's also helpful for ensuring your robot is able to go under and around beds, sofas and other furniture that is tall. Some cheap robovacs offer boundaries that you can put on the floor to block off areas while other high-end models use cameras and sensors to accomplish this.

Even the most powerful robot vacuums cannot replace a traditional vacuum when it comes to heavy-duty large-pile dirt and debris. It's wise to keep a conventional power vac in reserve to handle these chores and to schedule robot vacs regularly for cleaning up light chores throughout the week.

Navigation

A robot must be able to navigate around your home without getting stuck or crashing into things such as metal screws or loose pet hair or sand. In our tests the tracking device is used to follow the robot around a multi-room lab. It then analyzes its surroundings. We also check how well the robot can avoid obstacles like power cords, furniture legs, and pet waste.

The best robots can map out multiple floors, and recognize landmarks like doors and Windows. The most advanced robots such as the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra have a dual sensor navigation system, which uses a LIDAR to draw a room's layout and a structured-light camera at the front to identify objects in real-time. The S8 can avoid obstacles such as cables for power and furniture legs. It also has the capability to store up to four floor maps.

More affordable models don't have this kind of object detection and rely on bump sensors, which aren't as accurate. In my tests they cut right through cords, dog poop, and even shoes that were placed in the middle of the room. The Dreametech D10+ is the most value-for-money option. It has excellent carpet, hard floor, tangle and hair pickup. It also has a near-perfect auto empty score.

A large dust bin onboard, that doesn't need to be empty manually is another feature that is essential. If you have models that mop the floor, this water tank will provide enough water for several weeks of cleaning. Karcher's RCV 5 is an excellent illustration of this. It has a big enough footprint to be able to be placed under furniture, but not so large that it can't fit into the nook between your bathtub and toilet.

Apps

Robot vacuums are similar to their upright counterparts and require an array of technologies to keep them current. The result is a mature market full of options. However, even the most advanced models require interaction with their users - particularly when it comes to scheduling cleanings, establishing a home floor plan and setting up virtual barriers.

To lessen the chance of this interaction, consider looking for a model that uses its own app to identify the location of your home, and save the settings for future use. This will allow the robot vacuum to continue where it started when it runs again, instead of having the mapping process restarted every time.

Also, look for models that offer spot or zone cleaning. They let you tell the robot vacuum to focus on a particular area for example, like under the dining table after the family's big meal. It is possible to do this via the app or voice commands.

Avoidance of objects is a different feature that's available with several models. It lets the robot observe something in its path, like shoes, a crate of dog toys or a crate full of dog toys, and coach itself around it. This will prevent it from running into objects that could damage its sensors or cause jams.

Some of the more expensive models in our tests have this feature. They depend on bump sensor technology for this however they weren't always able to avoid things in my test home.

Pet Hair

When it comes to removing pet hair, choose a model that's designed specifically to handle this kind of debris. The most effective models will have an extremely high suction, a brush that stops tangling, and an automatic emptying mechanism. Some models are able to detect dirt levels and adjust the intensity of cleaning. They can even spot objects that aren't part of your home's flooring, such as furniture and toys, food bowls cords, and so on.

Certain robot vacuums have additional features that are pet-friendly. They include a water dispenser that is used to mop floors, and an HEPA filtering system that eliminates allergens such as pet dander. They may also offer an operation that is quieter, which can minimize the amount of noise generated during cleaning.

Robot vacuums that include mapping capabilities are an excellent option for pet owners since they're designed to evaluate your home and create a plan of attack according to the layout and obstructions in every room. Shark Matrix Plus is a dual-purpose robot vacuum that can create a map of a room, and navigate through furniture, and over other obstacles using accelerometer and gyroscope smart sensors.

Other advanced models allow you to set no-go zones, which are areas that the robot is expected to avoid, such as items that are fragile or pet feeding spots--by adjusting settings using an app. This feature is especially useful for busy households, as you can schedule cleaning times without having to be in the space in which the vacuum is. Spot cleaning is another great feature. You can direct the vacuum cleaner to clean a spot that is particularly filthy or stuffed with pet hair.

Dust Bin

If you don't need something small, go for a model with a big bin or even a self-emptying trash bin. We suggest choosing a model that has a large bin or a trash bin that self-empties. The one will let you keep up with the process of emptying your bin regularly enough to maintain its performance. The latter will save time and effort by automatically emptying the contents into an internal container each time you clean it.

Look for models that have smart mapping capabilities, which permit them to "learn" the layout of your home and plan more efficient routes. They can also sense and avoid objects that may hinder their routes (like shoelaces or tangled charging cables). Make sure you choose models with intelligent mapping capabilities. This lets them "learn the structure of your home and plan more efficient route.

Some models provide spot cleaning. This lets you select an area of your house for intensive cleaning. We've observed that the majority of the top performers in our tests are able to remove fine particles such as sand and baking soda, along with heavier debris like oatmeal, orzo pasta, metal screws, and pet hair.

The brand you choose will determine the longevity of the robot. most robots will last for years and will remain in good working order as long as you maintain them with regular maintenance, such as cleaning hair that has become tangled from brushes, emptying the dust bin after each use and wiping down cameras and sensors whenever required. The most efficient robots tend to be more modular and therefore easier and less expensive to repair or replace parts such as batteries and wheels when they wear out.