Best Rated
Robot Vacuum and Mop
Eufy's top-rated robotic vacuum and mop takes some of the work of keeping your floors spotless. It has the ability to replenish its own water tank as well as empty its tower bin. It also has the capability to change the dust bag it uses.
Advanced models are smart enough to draw a map of your home and take note of the location of furniture. They can also detect hazards and avoid them, like loose charging cables or stray socks.
Object Avoidance
Object avoidance helps your robot to avoid hitting things like toys, cords, and even clothes that might get caught in the vacuum. These features are particularly important if your family has children or pets that may leave objects on the floor for your robot to find.
Depending on the model you choose, you might have an array of different sensors that can help your robot navigate around obstacles. Some of the most sought-after include crossed IR sensor beams that are focused infrared lights that scan across the room for things like furniture legs or door frames. This technology is used by many robots that are available and you can find it in flagship models that are priced higher than others.
Other technology for avoiding objects that can be found in higher-end robotics is 3D Structured Light which uses cameras and crossed IR sensors to map the surrounding area and identify obstacles. Time of Flight (ToF), sensors that measure and emit the amount of time that it takes for the light to reflect off of an object, to determine its distance, is also available. Although they aren't as common however, they are a great addition to your robot if you want extra peace of mind that it won't get stuck on cords or socks when cleaning.
In addition to picking up dust and debris from hard floors, most of the
best robotic mop and vacuum-rated robots can mop your floor as well. Some robots come with own water tanks which enable them to clean up spills and messes. You'll have to empty your robot's onboard dust bin and wipe down its sensors and cameras between cleaning sessions, but these tasks should not take a lot of time.
Mapping
Mapping capabilities are crucial in robot vacuums since they enable them to remember your home's layout and prevent them from bumping into objects like walls. Without mapping, they might get tripped up by cords, furniture or pet toys and end up removing less of your space. By using sensors, many robots map out your home to keep track of any obstacles and help them navigate around them. This allows them to sweep the entire floor in fewer passes, thereby saving your time. Many of the top rated robot vacuums can also use this feature to create zones that are not allowed, allowing you to set specific rooms that you don't want the robot to get into.
Robots that have a built-in LIDAR system use this technology to map out your home quickly and efficiently. In our tests of the Eufy Clean robot utilized this feature to divide my home into different areas and clean each one independently, which was a huge improvement over the less expensive models we tested that had an in-front bump sensor. This was a more accurate way to navigate my home and it was easy to control via the app on the device.
While no robot vacuum can climb stairs yet, most of the best rated models come with obstacle avoidance and mapping features. These tools help them to remove dirt from carpets and hard floors and also to prevent falling down the steps. Some have cliff sensors to stop them from going over the edge of the stairs and others have boundary strips that can stop them from entering certain areas.
Some robots come with large towers on the base that collects dirt. This reduces the amount of dust or allergens that are released within your home. The bases can be kept for weeks or months without having to be cleaned, which is especially helpful if you suffer from allergies. Some models also have self-emptying systems that let you empty their dust bins without having to manually open or close them.
Wi-Fi enabled
Some robot vacuums make use of Wi-Fi to communicate with their apps, allowing users to control them with your smartphone instead of (or in addition to) the physical remote. These models are more expensive, however they can save you time since you can schedule cleaning time daily, weekly or even monthly. These models also allow you to edit floor maps and save them for later use. They also offer alternative cleaning patterns.
The most advanced robot vacuums utilize dual sensors, combining with a LIDAR system to map your space with a structured light sensor that can detect objects and avoid them even if they're buried under furniture or power cords. Those features allow your robot to get into small spaces, like the nook under your kitchen cabinets and beneath sofas, where many other robots struggle. They're also faster to get over obstacles and have longer run times with larger dust bins, which makes them ideal for larger homes than entry-level robots.
The top rated robot vacuums tend to be fast, smart and powerful cleaning up all kinds of floor debris, including pet hair, kitty litter, and other messes. They also are quiet, making them a great choice for homes that have pets or young children. The majority of
robot vacuum best vacuum owners we've interviewed have reported that they appreciate the convenience of keeping their floors cleaned with little effort, especially when used frequently. With proper maintenance (cleaning the rotating brushes and keeping tabs on the parts that need replacement) robots can last as long as a conventional full-size vacuum cleaner. PCWorld has a helpful guide that provides tips to help you keep your robot running in
good robot vacuum shape for the long time to come.
Larger Dust Bags
Although a robot vacuum may not be as efficient as a canister or upright model, it is excellent in removing dirt and dust that regular vacuuming leaves behind. It can also be used to provide quick touch-ups on bare floors, and it can also navigate through cords and other household obstacles. If you don't wish to do the deep cleaning yourself, a robot vacuum will let you send it out to sweep your floors on a regular schedule.
The top-rated robot vacuums have huge dust bags that are easy to empty. They can hold more than one room's worth of dirt. This can help you save time and money on bags that need to be replaced. This feature is available on several models which includes our top model one, the Ecovacs T30S Combo. This all-in-one robovac is a high-performance robovac and has a self-emptying bin. It also comes with a mopping function and efficient navigation. It is a close call between this and the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+, that has smart mapping and avoidance technology. This robovac is more expensive but has a larger capacity.
The two models also differ in the way they handle long hair, which may get tangled up in the rollers of some robots. The Roborock Q5 Max+, SwitchBot K10S Plus and Roborock Q5 Max+ are the top performing models. They both have excellent hair pickup and tangle avoidance scores, along with great auto empty results and excellent path planning. The Shark Matrix Plus and eufy are also good options with decent hair pickup and tangle avoidance but not as much path planing or auto empty.
The most recent robots are outfitted with sensors that can identify dirt and other debris on carpets and they are better at removing pet hair. Some have a mopping mode that uses the reservoir of water to wash away the stains and spills. This feature is a must-have for families with pets as well as children.
Maintenance
A robot vacuum can be a great help in keeping up with your home. While no robot is able to substitute an upright or canister vacuum for deep cleaning, the highest models are rated to remove pet hair, lint, and other dirt that accumulates on carpets with low pile and hard floors and pick up more than you would find using the vacuum. They also have navigational features to help them avoid getting stuck on power cords, rug fringes or furniture.
According to the model, you can program the robot vacuum to run multiple times per day or even observe it in action with an app. However, these handy devices can also be prone to clogging and require frequent maintenance such as emptying the onboard bin (or the base's larger dust bin in some instances), checking brushes for hair that has become tangled and periodically rinsing and allowing the filters to dry as suggested by the manufacturer.
automatic vacuum cleaner and mop expert Emily Rairdin, a store owner apprentice at University Vacuum + Sewing, says that a quality robot vacuum can last from three to five years or more with regular maintenance and care. She recommends regularly emptying the brush roll and bin, cutting out hair that's tangled in the brushes, and regularly cleaning and drying the filter in the event that your robot acts as mop. It's also recommended to wipe down the charging contacts and sensors on the dock or the robot occasionally with a soft cloth. You can then recharge and refill your robot before the next clean-up session.