Best Rated Robot Vacuum and Mop

Eufy's robot vacuum and mop is the best-rated in its class. It takes a lot of the work out of cleaning your floors. It can refill its own water tank as well as empty its tower bin. It can also change the dust bag.

Advanced models are smart enough to map your home and note the furniture's position. They can also detect hazards and help you avoid them, like loose charging cables or loose socks.

Object Avoidance

Object avoidance features allow your robot to avoid crashing into things such as power cords, toys and clothes that be caught 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 which model you select the robot you choose may come with a variety of sensor options to assist it in its quest to avoid obstacles. Some of the most well-known include crossed IR sensor beams that are focused infrared lights that scan across the room for things like furniture legs or door frames. Many robots have adopted this technology, and you can find it in the most expensive models that cost more.

Other technology for avoiding objects that is available in more expensive robots is 3D Structured Light which uses cameras and a crossed IR sensor to map the surroundings and detect obstacles. Time of Flight (ToF) sensors that measure and emit the duration that it takes for the light to reflect off an object, to determine its distance, is also available. These aren't very common but can be an excellent option to add to your robot should you want to have more peace of mind.

Most of the top-rated robots can also clean your floors. Some even have their own water tanks, which allow them to clean up wet spills and messes. You will need to empty the dust bin and clean its sensors and cameras between cleaning sessions.

Mapping

The ability to map is essential in robot vacuums as they help them keep track of your home's layout and prevent them from bumping into objects like walls. Without mapping, they could be tripped by furniture, cords, or pet toys and end up taking less space from your space. By using sensors, many robots map out your space to keep track of any obstacles and help them navigate around them. They can sweep the floor in fewer steps and help you save time. Many of the best robot vacuums also have this feature, which enables you to create areas of no-go.

Robots with a built-in LIDAR system use this technology to map out your home quickly and efficiently. During our tests with the Eufy Clean robot made use of this feature to divide my room into different areas and clean each one independently it was a major improvement over the lesser models we tested that just had an in-front bump sensor. This was a much more precise way to navigate my home and was also easy to control via the app on the device.

Although there aren't any robot vacuums that can climb stairs, the top models do come with mapping and obstacle avoidance features. These tools allow to remove debris from carpets and hard floors and also to keep them from falling down the steps. Some tools are equipped with sensors to stop them from falling over the edge of the stairs. Some have boundary strips to keep them out.

Some robots have a large base tower that is able to collect dirt. This decreases the amount of dust or allergens that are released in your home. They can be kept for weeks or months without emptying, which is especially helpful if you suffer from allergies. Alternatively, some models have self-emptying mechanisms that let you dump out their onboard dust bins without having to manually open and close them.

Wi-Fi enabled

Some robot vacuums use Wi-Fi to communicate with their apps, allowing users to control them with your smartphone instead of (or in addition to) the physical remote. They are more expensive but can help you save time by letting you plan cleaning time on a daily, weekly or even a monthly basis. These models also let you edit floor maps, save them and offer alternate cleaning schedules.

Dual sensors are used by the most modern robot vacuums. They combine a LIDAR mapping system with a structured-light sensor which can detect and avoid objects, even if they are hidden beneath furniture or power cables. Those features make it easier for your robot to maneuver into narrow spaces like the nook beneath the kitchen cabinets or beneath sofas, where other robots struggle. They also have a faster speed to navigate around obstacles, and have longer run times and larger dust bins. This makes them more suitable for large homes than entry-level robots.

The most effective robot vacuums are quick efficient, smart and powerful. They can pick up a wide range of floor debris including pet hair, cat litter and other messes. They can also be quiet which makes them a great choice for homes with young children and pets. The majority of robot vacuum cleaner reviews vacuum owners we've talked to have reported that they appreciate the convenience of keeping their floors spotless with minimal effort, particularly when they are used often. With proper maintenance (cleaning the rotating brushes and keeping track on replacement parts) robots can last as long as a conventional full-size vacuum cleaner. PCWorld provides a guide that offers some useful tips to keep yours running smoothly.

Larger Dust Bags

A robotic vacuum may not be as effective at cleaning as a canister or upright vacuum, but it is fantastic at picking up dust and debris that regular vacuuming leaves behind. It is also a great tool for quick repairs to floors and can navigate around cords and other household obstacles. If you don't wish to do the deep cleaning yourself, a robotic hoovers cleaner will let you send it out to scour your floors on a regular basis.

The top rated robot vacuums have huge dust bags that are easy to empty. They hold more than a single room's worth of dirt. This can save you time and money on new bags. This feature is available on many models, including our top model which is the Ecovacs T30S Combo. This all-in-one robovac is a high-performance robovac that has a self-emptying bin. It also has a mopping feature and a streamlined navigation. It is a close call between this and the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+, that has smart mapping and avoidance technology. This robovac has more capacity, but it is a bit more expensive.

The two models also differ in how they handle long hair, which could become tangled in the rollers of certain robots. The Roborock Q5 Max+, SwitchBot K10S Plus and Roborock Q5 Max+ are the best robot vacuum performing models. They all have top hair pickup and tangle-avoidance scores as well as excellent auto empty results and great path planning. The Eufy and Shark Matrix Plus are also great options, with good hair pickup and tangle avoidance but not as much planning for paths or auto empty.

The latest robots come with sensors that can spot dirt and debris in the carpet, and are better at removing loose pet hair. Some have a mopping mode that can use the water reservoir to remove spills and stuck-on mess. This feature is essential for families with children as well as pets.

Maintenance

Having a robot vacuum can be a huge aid in keeping up with your home. While no robot is able to substitute an upright or canister vacuum for deep cleaning, the top models that are rated highly pick up pet hair, lint, and other dirt that accumulates on carpets and floors with low pile and pick up more than you would find with a broom. They also come with navigation features that ensure they don't get stuck on power cords or rug fringe and are able to glide effortlessly under furniture.

Based on the model, a top-rated robotic vacuum is also able to run multiple times a day or may allow you to watch it in action using an app. These machines are useful, but they can also clog and require regular maintenance. This includes emptying the dust bin onboard (or in some cases, the base's larger bin) and checking the brushes for fur that is tangled, 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 should last three to five years or more if it receives regular care and attention. She suggests emptying the bin and brush roll often and cutting off any hair tangled in the brushes, and regularly washing and drying the filter if your robot is a mop as well. It's also a good idea to wipe down the sensors and charging contacts on the dock or the robot every now and then with a soft cloth. Then, refill and recharge the robot when needed for your next cleaning session.