Best Rated Robot Vacuum and Mop

Eufy's top-rated robotic vacuum and mop takes a bit of the work of keeping your floors spotless. It has the ability to replenish its own water tank and empty its tower bin. It can also change the dust bag it uses.

More advanced models are able to map your home and note furniture placement. They can also spot obstructions and avoid dangers such as loose charging cables and stray socks.

Object Avoidance

Object avoidance allows your robot to avoid hitting things such as cords, toys and clothes that could get caught in the vacuum. These features are particularly important if you have children or pets that may leave items on the floor for your robot to find.

Depending on the model you choose depending on the model you select, your robot could have various sensors to aid in navigating around obstacles. Some of the most popular include crossed IR sensors that send focused beams of infrared light throughout the room to spot things like furniture legs and door frames. This technology has been widely adopted by many robots available, and you can also see it in the top models that cost more than other models.

Another object avoidance technology is available in more expensive robots 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 amount of time it takes for the light to reflect off of an object to determine its distance, are also available. Although they aren't as common but they could be an excellent addition to your robot if you need peace of mind knowing that it will avoid getting hung up on cables or socks while cleaning.

The majority of the top-rated robots can also clean your floors. Some come with their own water tanks that allow them to remove the stains and spills that are wet. You'll have to empty your robot's dust bin and clean its cameras and sensors between cleaning sessions, but these chores will not take a lot of your time.

Mapping

Mapping capabilities are essential in robot vacuums since they enable them to recognize your home's layout, and avoid bumping into things like walls. They may be tripped by pet toys, cords or furniture that are not marked. This can result in them taking up less space. The majority of robots utilize sensors to map your home and navigate around obstacles. They can clean your floors in fewer passes and make it easier for you to save time. Many of the top robotic vacuums also come with this feature, which enables you to create areas of no-go.

Robots equipped with LIDAR use this technology to map your home quickly and efficiently. During our tests of the Eufy Clean robot made use of this feature to separate my room into various areas and clean each independently it was a major improvement over the less expensive models we tested that just had an in-front bump sensor. This was a more precise method of navigating my home and was simple to control via the on-device app.

Although no robot vacuum has the ability to climb stairs yet, most of the top-rated models come with good obstacle avoidance and mapping features. These tools help them to pick up debris from carpets with low pile and hard floors and also to keep them from falling down the stairs. Some have cliff sensors to stop them from crossing the edge of stairs and others have boundary strips that stop them from entering certain areas.

Some robots have a large base tower that is able to collect dirt. This helps reduce the amount of dust or allergens released in your home. They can last for several months or even weeks between emptying, and are particularly beneficial for those with allergies. Certain models come with self-emptying dust bins which you can empty without opening and closing them manually.

Wi-Fi enabled

Some robot vacuums use Wi-Fi to communicate with their apps, allowing you to control them using your smartphone rather than (or in addition to) a physical remote. Those models are more expensive but can help you save time by letting you schedule cleaning times on a weekly, daily or even a monthly basis. These models also allow you to modify floor maps and save them, as well as provide different cleaning schedules.

The most advanced robot vacuums employ dual sensors, which combine with a LIDAR system to map your space with a structured light sensor that can see objects and avoid them, even if they're hidden under furniture or power cords. These features make it easier for your robot to maneuver into small spaces, such as the nook underneath your kitchen cabinets and beneath sofas, areas where other robots struggle. They are also faster to navigate around obstacles, and have longer runtimes, and bigger dust bins. This makes them ideal for large homes than entry-level robots.

The top rated robot vacuums are fast, smart and powerful, picking up most kinds of floor debris such as pet hair, kitty litter and other dirt. They also are quiet, which makes them a great choice for homes that have pets as well as young children. The majority of robot vacuum users we've spoken with say that they enjoy the convenience of having their floor cleaned with minimal effort. This is especially true if they are used frequently. With proper maintenance (cleaning the rotating brushes and keeping track on the replacement parts) robots can last as long as a traditional full-size autonomous vacuum cleaner. PCWorld offers a helpful guide that covers some important tips to keep your machine running in good shape for the long time to come.

Larger Dust Bags

While a robotic vacuum might not be as efficient as a canister or upright model, it is great in picking up dust and debris that regular vacuuming leaves behind. It can also be used to provide quick touch-ups on floors and can maneuver through cords and other obstacles in the home. If you don't want to perform the deep cleaning yourself, a robot cleaner can be set to send it out to sweep your floors on a regular schedule.

A few of the top-rated robotic vacuums have large dust bags that can store more dirt than a room. This will help you save time and money on replacement bags. A number of the models we've listed feature this feature, including our top pick one, the Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo. This all-in-one robovac is a high-performance robovac and includes a self-emptying bin. It also comes with mopping capabilities and efficient navigation. It is a close race between the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ and this one, which uses the latest technology for avoidance and smart mapping. This robovac has a larger 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, which can tangle in the rollers of some robots. The Roborock Q5 Max+, SwitchBot K10S Plus and Roborock Q5 Max+ are the best robot vacuum performing models. They both have excellent hair pickup and tangle avoidance scores, together with excellent auto empty results and excellent path planning. The eufy and Shark Matrix Plus are also great options, with respectable hair pickup and tangle avoidance but not as much path planning or auto empty.

The latest robots come with sensors that can spot dirt and debris on the carpet, and are better at removing hairs that have fallen off of pets. Some models even have a mopping mode that can use the reservoir of water to wash away spills and messes that have gotten stuck. This feature is a must-have for families with pets and children.

Maintenance

A robot autonomous vacuum can be a great help in keeping up with your home. While no robot can replace an upright or canister vacuum for deep cleaning, the highest models that are rated highly pick up pet hair, lint, and other dirt on carpets with low pile and hard floors, picking up much more than you can with a vacuum. They also have navigation capabilities that ensure they don't get caught on power cords or rug fringe and are able to glide effortlessly under furniture.

According to the model, you can schedule a robot vacuum to run multiple times per day or even watch it perform its duties using an app. They 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 fur that is tangled, and a regular cleaning of the filters and allowing them to dry in accordance with the manufacturer.

Emily Rairdin is a vacuum expert and store owner apprentice at University Vacuum + Sewing. She believes that a robotic vacuum can last for three to five years if it is properly care. She suggests regularly emptying the bin and brush roll and cutting out any hair that has gotten caught in the brushes, and regularly washing and drying the filter in the event that your robot acts as a mop. It's a good idea to clean the charging contacts and sensors on the dock or robot with a soft, clean cloth every now and then. You can recharge and refill your robot before the next clean-up session.