Best Rated Robot Vacuum and Mop
Eufy's top-rated robot vacuum and mop takes some of the burden of keeping your floors spotless. It can refill its own water tank, and self-empty its larger tower bin and swap the dust bag.
Advanced models are able to trace your home's layout and note the furniture's position. They also can detect obstacles and navigate around hazards like loose charging cables and loose socks.
Object Avoidance
Object avoidance features enable your robot to avoid hitting things like power cords, toys and clothes that get caught up in the vacuum. These features are particularly important if your family has pets or children who may leave items on the floor for your robot to search.
Depending on the model you choose, you might have an array of different sensors to assist your robot in its journey around obstacles. Some of the most popular include crossed IR sensors that beam focused beams of infrared light throughout the room to spot things like doors and furniture legs. This technology has been widely adopted by a variety of robots that are available and you can see it in the top models that cost more than others.
Other object avoidance technologies that you might find in more expensive robots include 3D Structured Light, which uses cameras and crossed IR sensors to map the surrounding area and identify obstacles; and Time of Flight (ToF) sensors that emit light and measure the time it takes for light to reflect off of objects to determine the distance between them. Although they aren't as common however, they are an excellent addition to your robot if you need peace of mind knowing that it won't get hung up on cables or socks while cleaning.
In addition to picking up dust and debris from hard floors The majority of the top-rated robots can also mop your floors as well. Some robots come with own water tanks which enable them to clean up messes and spills. You'll have to empty the robot's onboard dust bin and wipe down its cameras and sensors between cleaning sessions, but these tasks will not take a lot of your time.
Mapping
The ability to map is essential in robot vacuums as they enable them to recognize your home's layout, and prevent them from bumping into objects like walls. Without mapping, they could get tripped up by cords, furniture or pet toys and end up cleaning less of your space. The majority of robots utilize sensors to map your home and navigate around obstacles. This allows them to clean the entire floor with fewer passes, saving you time. Many of the top-rated robot vacuums can also utilize this feature to create no-go zones allowing you to set specific rooms that you don't want the robot to get into.
Robots with a built-in LIDAR make use of this technology to map your home quickly and efficiently. During our tests of the Eufy Clean robot used this feature to divide my room into different areas and clean each one independently it was a major improvement over the less expensive models we tested that just had the front bump sensor. This was a more precise way to navigate my home, and it was easy to control with the app on the device.
While there aren't any robotic vacuums that can climb stairs, the most effective models have mapping and obstacle avoidance features. These tools allow them to collect dirt from low-pile or hard floors, and avoid falling down stairs. Some have cliff sensors that prevent them from crossing over the edge of the stairs and others have boundary strips that prevent them from certain areas.
Some robots have a large tower base which holds their collected dirt, minimizing the amount of dust and allergens emitted into your home. They can last for several weeks or even months without emptying and are especially beneficial for those with allergies. Alternatively, some models have self-emptying systems that let you take out the dust bins without having to manually open and 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) an actual remote. Those models are more expensive, but they help you save time by allowing you to schedule cleaning sessions on a weekly, daily or even monthly basis. They can also allow you to modify and save floor maps and provide alternative cleaning routines.
The most advanced robot vacuums employ dual sensors, which combine a LIDAR system to map your space with a structured light sensor that is able to see objects and avoid them, even if they're hidden under furniture or power cords. These features allow your robot to access tight spaces, such as the space under your kitchen cabinets or underneath sofas. Other robots struggle with these spaces. They also are faster to maneuver around obstacles, and have longer run times and larger dust bins. This makes them ideal for homes with large spaces compared to the smallest robots.
The most effective robot vacuums are quick efficient, smart and powerful. They can remove many kinds of floor debris such as pet hair, kitty-litter and other mess. They're also quiet, which makes them a great option for homes with pets or young children. Many of the robot vacuum owners we've interviewed have reported that they appreciate the convenience of keeping their floors clean without much effort, especially when used often. Robots can last just as long as traditional vacuum cleaners, provided they have the proper maintenance (cleaning rotating brushes and keeping an eye on replacement parts). PCWorld provides a guide with helpful tips to ensure that your robot is running smoothly.
Larger Dust Bags
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 repairs to floors and can maneuver through cords and other obstacles that are common to household use. You can employ robotics to sweep your floors on a regular basis in case you don't have the time to do it yourself.
A few of the top-rated robotic vacuums come with large dust bags which can hold more dirt than one room. affordable robot vacuum will save you time and money on bags that need to be replaced. Many of the models on our list include this feature, including our top pick, the Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo. This all-in-one robovac boasts an impressive performance score and has self-emptying bin. It also comes with a mopping function and efficient navigation. It's a close contest between this and the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+, which has intelligent mapping and avoidance technology. This robovac is more expensive but has more capacity.
Another significant difference between these two models is how they handle long human hair that can get caught in the rollers of some 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, along with great auto empty performance and great path planning. The Eufy and Shark Matrix Plus are also good choices with good hair pickup and tangle avoidance but not as much path planning or auto empty.
The latest robots are equipped with sensors that can identify dirt and debris on carpets and they're better at removing pet hair. Some even have a dedicated mopping mode that makes use of 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 is a great help in keeping up with your home. The best models can remove more surface dirt pet hair, and lint than a broom on low pile or hard floors. They also come with navigation features that ensure they don't get caught on power cords or rug fringe and are able to slide easily under furniture.
Based on the model, a top-rated robot vacuum can also be scheduled to run several times per day or allow you to view it in action via an app. However, these convenient devices can also be prone to clogging, and require regular maintenance such as emptying the onboard bin (or the base's larger dust bin in certain cases), checking brushes for tangled hair, and then periodically washing and letting the filters dry as recommended by the manufacturer.
Vacuum expert Emily Rairdin, a store owner apprentice at University Vacuum + Sewing, says a good robot vacuum will last for 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 hair that's tangled up in the brushes and frequently washing and drying the filter, when your robot is also used as mop. It is a good idea to wipe the sensors and charging contacts of the robot or dock with an easy, clean cloth every now and again. Then, recharge and refill the robot when needed for your next cleaning session.