Best Rated Robot Vacuum and Mop

Eufy's robotic vacuum and mop is the top-rated product in its class. It takes a lot of the chore of cleaning your floors. It is able to refill its own water tank, empty its tower bin, and change out the dust bag.

Advanced models are smart enough to trace your home's layout and note the location of furniture. They also can detect obstacles and avoid hazards like charging cables that are loose and Good Robot Vacuum stray socks.

Object Avoidance

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

Depending on the model you choose, you might have an array of different sensors that can aid your robot in navigating around obstacles. Some of the most sought-after include crossed IR sensor beams that are a focused infrared light that scan the room looking for things like furniture legs or door frames. Many robots have embraced this technology, and you'll find it in the flagship models that cost more.

Other technology for avoiding objects that you may find in higher-end robotics is 3D Structured Light which uses cameras and a crossed IR sensor to map the surrounding area and identify obstacles. Time of Flight (ToF) sensors that measure and emit the duration that it takes the light to reflect off an object, in order to determine its distance, are also available. These are less common but can be an excellent addition to your robot, should you want to have more peace of mind.

In addition to picking up dust and debris on floors that are hard Most of the top-rated robots can sweep your floors as well. Some robots that vacuum and mop have their very own water tanks that let them clean up messes and spills. You'll need to empty the dust bin and clean its cameras and sensors between cleaning sessions.

Mapping

Robot vacuums should have mapping capabilities. This allows them to navigate your home and avoid getting caught up against walls. Without mapping, they could be tripped by furniture, cords or pet toys and end up removing less of your space. By using sensors, many robots map out your space to track any obstacles and help them navigate around them. This allows them to sweep the entire floor with fewer passes, saving your time. A lot of the top robot vacuums also have this feature, which allows you to designate areas that are not accessible.

Robots that have built-in LIDAR use this technology to map your home quickly and effectively. In our tests with the Eufy Clean robot used this feature to divide my home into different areas and clean each one independently this was a significant improvement over the lesser models we tested, which utilized the front bump sensor. This was a much more accurate way of navigating my home and was simple to control with the on-device app.

Although there aren't any robot vacuums that can climb stairs, best models do have mapping and obstacle avoidance features. These tools allow to remove debris from hard floors and low-pile carpets and also to keep them from falling down the steps. Some have cliff sensors that stop them from crossing the edge of stairs, and some have boundary strips that can keep them away from certain areas.

Some robots have an enormous base tower that collects dirt. This helps reduce the amount of dust or allergens that are released in your home. They can last for several months or even weeks between emptying and are especially beneficial for those with allergies. Certain models come with self-emptying dust bins that you can empty without opening and closing them manually.

Wi-Fi enabled

Some robot vacuums use Wi-Fi to connect with their apps and allow you to control them with your smartphone rather than (or in addition to) an actual remote. These models are more expensive, however they can save you time since you can schedule cleaning sessions daily, weekly or monthly. They also often allow you to modify and save floor maps, and provide alternative cleaning patterns.

The most advanced robot vacuums utilize dual sensors, combining with a LIDAR system to map your space using a structured light sensor that can detect objects and avoid them even if they're buried under furniture or power cords. These features make it easier for your robot to maneuver into narrow spaces like the nook under your kitchen cabinets and beneath sofas, areas where other robots have difficulty. They also are faster to get around obstacles, have longer runtimes, and bigger dust bins. This makes them more suitable for homes with large spaces compared to entry-level robots.

The top rated robot vacuums tend to be swift, intelligent and powerful, picking up most kinds of floor debris, such as pet hair, cat litter and other mess. They are also quiet making them a good option for homes with young kids and pets. The majority of robot vacuum owners we've interviewed have reported that they appreciate the convenience of keeping their floors clean without much effort, particularly if they use it often. If you take care of maintenance (cleaning the rotating brushes and keeping tabs on the replacement parts) robots can last as long as a conventional full-size vacuum cleaner. PCWorld offers a useful guide that outlines some essential tips to help you keep yours running smoothly for long time to come.

Dust Bags Larger

While a robotic vacuum might not clean as well as a canister or upright model, it's great in removing dirt and dust that regular vacuuming leaves behind. It can also be used to provide quick touch-ups on floors and can navigate through cords and other obstacles that are common to household use. You can use robotics to sweep your floors on a schedule if you don't have time to do it yourself.

A few of the top-rated robotic vacuums have large, easy to empty dust bags that can hold more dirt than one room. This can help you save time and money on bags that need to be replaced. This feature is available on many models including our top choice one, the Ecovacs T30S Combo. This robovac all-in-one is a high-performance robovac that has a self-emptying bin. It also has a mopping function and efficient navigation. It is a close call between this and the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+, which has intelligent mapping and avoidance technology. This model has a greater capacity but is slightly more expensive.

Another big difference between these two models is the way they deal with hair that is long and human that can get caught in the rollers of certain robots. The Roborock Q5 Max+, SwitchBot K10S Plus and Roborock Q5 Max+ are the top performing models. They all have outstanding hair pickup and tangle avoidance scores, together with excellent auto empty performance and great path planning. The Eufy and Shark Matrix Plus are also excellent options with good hair pickup and tangle avoiding, but not as much planning for paths or auto empty.

The latest robots come with sensors that can detect dirt and debris in the carpet, and are better at removing hairs that have fallen off of pets. Some even have a dedicated mopping mode that uses the reservoir of water to wash away spills and stuck-on mess. This feature is crucial for families with children and pets.

Maintenance

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

Depending on the model, a top-rated robotic vacuum can be scheduled to run multiple times a day or may allow you to view it in action using an app. These devices are convenient however they can get clogged and require regular maintenance. This includes emptying the dust bin onboard (or in certain cases, the base's bigger bin) and checking the brushes for tangled fur, and regularly washing the filters and allowing them to dry according to the manufacturer.

Vacuum expert Emily Rairdin, a store owner apprentice at University Vacuum + Sewing, says a high-quality robot vacuum will last for three to five years or more with regular care and attention. She recommends regularly emptying the bin and brush roll and cutting off any hair that has gotten caught in the brushes, and regularly cleaning and drying the filter if your robot also acts as a mop. It's also a good robot vacuum idea to clean the charging contacts and sensors on the robot or dock often with a soft, clean cloth. Then, refill and recharge the robot whenever you need to for the next time you clean.