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How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum bot cleaner

A robot vacuum will save you a lot of time and effort when it comes to regular touch-ups. The best models do a great job of removing dust and lightweight debris and many allow you to designate no-go zones in pet areas or power cords.

The ones that are more expensive will even sweep your floor but they aren't able to climb stairs. Find models with smart mapping, real-time hazards avoidance, and large self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The best robots we tested were efficient, easy-to-use and able to keep up with the daily messes. You'll also want a robot that can handle stairs and has adequate cleaning power for carpets. And, if you're looking for additional features, you may be interested in a robot with smart mapping technology or an app that lets you control the Robot Broom remotely.

Camryn Rabideau is a contributing reviewer and writer for shopping at PEOPLE who has tried numerous robotic vacuums. She prefers the robovacs with the most features, such as those with self-emptying bins and charging stations that automatically empty and refill water tanks for mopping robotic vacuums. She also likes robots that recognize landmarks like furniture legs and power cords, so they don't get caught when climbing steps.

When compared to the top-rated models, this Black and Decker robot vacuum is less equipped with object-avoidance technology and its score for navigation is lower. It has a large dust bin that is non-refillable and an extended battery. Additionally, it has an option that allows you to schedule cleaning sessions and then return to the spot where it stopped last, making it easier to clean larger spaces. This model is also a good choice for pet owners because it can spot and avoid tangled hair and fallen food particles.

In our tests we tested the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combines a LIDAR sensor that maps rooms and see obstacles with a structured light sensor that can identify objects and detect edges. The combination allows it to avoid stairs, droplets of liquid and furniture legs with ease and save up to four floor maps to be used in the future for reference. It can pause and resume cleaning at any point, so you can continue to do chores while it does. The included app provides a 3D representation of your home, room labels, and advanced cleaning options.

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

The best option for Carpet

If you have carpeting in your home, look for a robotic vacuum that has good pickup and a high score for maneuverability on carpets and rug. Many models are good at cleaning dust from low-pile rugs. Some are capable of picking up heavier debris such as orzo pasta and screws made of steel. However, they aren't able to pick up fine particles as well as canister or upright vacuums robot and can miss ground-in dirt close to baseboards and thresholds.

The best choice for most carpeted homes is a two-in-one robot vacuum and mop that allows you to swap between an empty bin for cleaning and mopping pad that is damp. The Roborock Q Revo, for example, is a vacuum cleaner and mops with circular pads that rotate at a rate of 200 rotations per minute. It is able to detect and lift its pads when they come into contact with carpets, preventing the floor from becoming wet. You don't need remove them or replace them each time. The Q Revo is also more efficient than other robot vacuums and mops in keeping away from obstacles and getting closer to carpets and thresholds.

The iRobot Roomba Combo i5 is another option worth considering. It was a great performer in our tests, and you can schedule it to clean your home when you are away. It can be set up to only mop. We liked its navigation on bare floors as well as rug. 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 to buy a high-tech vacuum that is high-tech, the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum & Mop is a great alternative. It comes with a huge dock that can last for weeks and not need to be empty. It also has impressive capability to auto-empty carpets and floors that are not cleaned. It also has a smart-mapping system and can be programmed to only operate during certain hours of the day (a handy feature for keeping the sly kids and pets from causing havoc). The Shark is less powerful than other mop/cheap robot vacuum combination models however it does pick hair and pet hair with a high degree of accuracy. It's also the most affordable price of our top picks.

Ideal for Hard Floors

Robot vacuums are best for floors with hardwood floors because they can navigate around obstacles easily without damaging the surfaces that are not. They are excellent at of removing dust and crumbs, however they are unable to deal with pet hair and other large debris. They lack the suction of the top canister or upright vacuum, making them a poor choice for deep cleaning carpeted or upholstery areas.

The most effective robots are those that come with two-in-one features, combining mop and vacuum to do a complete job in one go. If you have flooring that is mixed, look for a model with an onboard sensor that detects changes in the floor's texture and adjusts suction to match. This feature is available on the ECOVACS Deebot T9+ and allows it to move seamlessly from hard carpeting to soft carpeting.

If your home is primarily made up of hardwood floors, you should consider an automated vacuum and mop combo like the eufy S1 Pro. This model uses an efficient robot vacuum with intelligent navigation to clean hardwood and other hard surfaces, and it can mop too. Its sensors allow it to stay clear of hazards like stairs.

When you need mops the Eufy S1 Pro is designed to actually clean hardwood floors using downward pressure rather than wipe them to get rid of light dust and dirt. Its reusable mop pads reduce the amount of waste, and spread germs less and can be cleaned in the docking station, saving you time. The mop pads can also be cleaned and dried to prevent the spread of mold.

The robovac is operated by your smartphone, making it much easier to use. You can, for example utilize the app to create zones that the vacuum will not be allowed to enter, label different rooms, or schedule specific cleaning sessions. 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, so you don't need to empty the bin manually as often as you do with other models.

Ideal for small Spaces

These robots are specifically designed for small spaces. They have smaller bins that contain less garbage, and are more efficient than larger models when it comes to maneuvering tight corners. They can also fit under furniture where larger robots aren't able to reach. They are usually less expensive than the pricier picks, as well, but you'll have to empty them manually from their dirt storage compartments at the end of each cleaning session.

A few years back robotic vacuums experienced an important change. Manufacturers started adding sensors that could help them avoid household items that their traditional sensors might get stuck on or run across. These advancements have reduced the number of times 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 aren't completely eliminating all the problems with these devices, however. The most affordable models struggle with the same obstacles that the older ones faced and, in addition, they require a certain amount of light to be able to see where they're going. Look into a model that uses a spinning LIDAR device mounted on top to map the area. Our best overall models and runners-up models use this. This lets them work in darkness and avoid obstacles such as stairs.

In addition to being capable of working in the dark, these models can be programmed to use their cliff sensors only near or on the floor, not when they're above them. You'll still need to cover any mirrors that might hinder this function, though, as the lasers used by a LIDAR-based model can bounce off reflective surfaces and cause the robot to believe it is in another room.

Some of the models that we recommend allow you to create virtual no-go areas for areas you don't wish the robot to enter. This can be helpful when you have small children or pets. These features aren't offered on all the models we test so make sure to review our full reviews of the choices below before making your purchase.