Best Rated Robot Vacuum and Mop

Eufy's top-rated robot vacuum and mop takes some of the hands-off work out of keeping your floors tidy. It is able to refill its own water tank, empty its larger tower bin and change out the dust bag.

More advanced models are smart enough to draw a map of your home and take note of the furniture's position. They can also spot obstructions and avoid dangers like loose charging cables and loose socks.

Object Avoidance

Object avoidance features allow your robot to avoid running into things like toys, power cords and clothes that get caught up in the vacuum. These features are especially crucial if you have children or pets that may leave items on the floor for your robot to find.

Depending on the model you select, your robot may have various sensors to help it navigate around obstacles. A few popular ones include crossed IR sensors that focus beams of infrared light throughout the room to identify things like doors and furniture legs. This technology is widely used by numerous robots available, and you can also see it in the top models that are priced higher than other models.

Another object avoidance technology can be found in more expensive robotics includes 3D Structured Light which uses cameras and crossed IR sensors to map the environment, 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, in order to determine its distance, is also available. Although they aren't as common, they can be an excellent addition to your robot if you want extra peace of mind that it won't get hung up on cables or socks while cleaning.

The majority of the top-rated robots can also mop your floors. Some robots have their own water tanks which let them clean up spills and messes. You'll need to clean the robot's dust bin and clean its cameras and sensors in between cleaning sessions.

Mapping

Robot vacuums need to be able to map. This allows them to navigate your home and avoid bumping against things like walls. They may be tripped by pet toys, cords or furniture that are not marked. This results in them cleaning less space. By using sensors, many robots map out your home to identify any obstacles and help them navigate around them. They can clean the floor in fewer passes, and help you save time. A lot of the top-rated robot vacuums also have this feature to create no-go zones, which allows you to designate rooms that you don't want the robot to get into.

Robots with built-in LIDAR system make use of this technology to create a map of your home quickly and efficiently. The Eufy Clean robot divided my room into separate areas and cleaned each one separately during our tests. This was a huge improvement over the cheaper models that only had the front bumper sensor. This was a much more accurate way of navigating my home and was also easy to control using the on-device application.

While there are no robot vacuums that can scale stairs, the top models do come with obstacles avoidance and mapping features. These tools let them remove debris from low-pile and hard floors, and to avoid falling down the stairs. Certain tools come with sensors that make sure they don't fall over the edge of stairs. Others come with boundaries to keep them out.

Some robots come with a massive tower base that holds their dirt and debris, reducing the amount of dust and allergens that are released into your home. These bases can last for several weeks or even months without emptying, and are particularly useful if you suffer from allergies. Alternatively, some models have self-emptying systems that let you dump out their onboard dust bins without having to manually open or close them.

Wi-Fi enabled

Some robot vacuums utilize Wi-Fi to connect with their apps and allow you to control them using your smartphone instead of (or in addition to) a physical remote. These models are more expensive, but they can save you time because you can schedule cleaning sessions every day, weekly, or even monthly. They also often allow you to modify and save floor maps and offer different cleaning patterns.

Dual sensors are employed by the most advanced robot vacuums. They combine a LIDAR mapping system with a structured-light sensor that can detect and block out objects, even when they are hidden beneath furniture or power cables. These features allow your robot to reach tight spaces, such as the kitchen's nook under cabinets or under sofas. Other robots struggle to reach these kinds of spaces. They're also faster to get around obstacles and have longer running times thanks to bigger dust bins, making them ideal for larger homes than entry-level robots.

The most effective robot vacuums are quick efficient, smart and powerful. They can remove a wide range of floor debris such as pet hair, cat litter and other messes. They can also be quite quiet, making them an ideal choice for homes with young kids and pets. Most robot vacuum users we've spoken to report that they enjoy the convenience of having their floor cleaned with minimal effort. This is especially true if they are used frequently. And with proper maintenance (cleaning the rotating brushes and keeping an eye on the parts that need replacement) robots can last longer than a traditional full-size vacuum cleaner. PCWorld offers a guide that offers some useful tips to keep yours running smoothly.

Dust Bags Larger

While a robotic vacuum may not be as efficient as an upright or canister model, it is great at picking up dirt and dust that regular vacuuming leaves behind. It is also a great tool for quick repairs to floors and can maneuver through cords and other obstacles in the home. If you don't wish to do the deep cleaning yourself, a robot vacuum can be sent out to sweep your floors on a regular schedule.

A few of the top-rated robotic vacuums come with big, easy to empty dust bags which can hold more dirt than a room. This can save you time and money on replacement bags. This feature is available on several models including our top model one, the Ecovacs T30S Combo. This robovac all-in-one is a high-performance robovac and has a self-emptying bin. It also has a mopping feature and a streamlined navigation. It's a close contest between the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ and this one, which uses smart mapping and avoidance technologies. The robovac is more expensive but has a larger capacity.

Another significant difference between these two models is the way they handle hair that is long, which can tangle in the rollers on some robots. The top-performing models, the Roborock Q5 Max+ and SwitchBot K10S Plus, both have outstanding hair pickup and tangle avoidance scores along with fantastic path planning and close to perfect auto empty results. The Shark Matrix Plus and eufy are also excellent options, with respectable hair pick-up and tangle avoidance but not as much path planing or auto empty.

The latest robots are fitted with sensors that detect dirt and other debris on carpets and they are more adept at picking up pet hair. Some have a mopping mode that can use the water reservoir to remove spills and messes that have gotten stuck. This feature is a must for families with pets as well as children.

Maintenance

A robot vacuum can help you keep up with your home. The best models can remove more dirt, pet hair and lint than a broom on low pile or hard flooring. They come with navigational features that keep them from getting stuck on power cords, rug fringes or furniture.

According to the model, you can program a robot vacuum to run several times per day or even watch it in action using an app. However, these useful devices can also be prone to clogging, and require regular maintenance, such as emptying the onboard bin (or the base's bigger dust bin in some cases) as well as checking the brushes for tangled hair, and regularly rinsing and letting the filters dry as suggested by the manufacturer.

Vacuum expert Emily Rairdin, a store owner apprentice at University Vacuum + Sewing, says a high-quality robot vacuum can last from three to five years or more if it receives regular care and attention. She suggests regularly emptying the bin and brush roll and cutting off any hair that has gotten caught in the brushes, and frequently washing and drying the filter if your robot also acts as a mop. It is a good idea to wipe the sensors and charging contacts on the dock or robot with a soft clean cloth every now and again. You can then refill and recharge your robot for the next cleaning session.