Best Rated Robot Vacuum and Mop

Eufy's top-rated robotic mop and vacuum takes a lot of the burden of keeping your floors tidy. It can re-fill its own water tank, self-empty its larger tower bin and swap out the dust bag.

The most advanced models are smart enough to map your home and note the furniture's position. They can also detect hazards and avoid them, such as loose charging cables or stray socks.

Object Avoidance

Object avoidance functions allow your robot to avoid running into things such as power cords, toys and even clothes that could be caught in the vacuum. These are especially important if you have children or pets who are likely to leave items on the floor, where your robot could find them.

Based on the model you select the robot you choose may come with a variety of sensor options to help it navigate around obstacles. Some of the most well-known include crossed IR sensor beams that are a focused infrared light that scan across the room looking for things like furniture legs or door frames. This technology is used by numerous robots on the market, and you can also get it in top models that are priced higher than others.

Other technology for avoiding objects you might find in more expensive robots include 3D Structured Light, which utilizes cameras and crossed IR sensors to map the environment and detect obstacles. Also, Time of Flight (ToF) sensors which emit and measure the time it takes for light to reflect off objects, to determine the distance between them. These aren't very common but could be a great addition to your robot, if you're looking for extra peace of mind.

In addition to cleaning up dust and other debris on floors that are hard Most of the top-rated robots can mop your floor as well. Some robots come with their very own water tanks that allow them to clean up spills and messes. It is necessary to clean the robot's dust bin onboard and clean its cameras and sensors between cleaning sessions.

Mapping

Mapping capabilities are essential in robot vacuums since they help them remember your home's layout and avoid hitting things like walls. They may be tripped by cords, Best Automatic vacuum pet toys or furniture without mapping. This will result in them taking up less space. Using sensors, most robots map out your home to track any obstacles and help navigate around them. This way, they're able to clean the entire floor using fewer passes, which saves you time. A lot of the top robot vacuums also have this feature, which allows you to create no-go areas.

Robots equipped with LIDAR make use of this technology to map your home efficiently and quickly. In our tests of the Eufy Clean robot utilized this feature to divide my room into different areas and clean each independently it was a major improvement over the less expensive models we tested, which had the front bump sensor. This was a far more accurate way of navigating my home, and it was easy to control via the app debris, including pet hair, cat litter and other mess. They also are quiet, which makes them an excellent option for homes with pets or young children. Most robot vacuum owners we've talked to say they appreciate the convenience of having their floors clean without much effort, particularly when they are used regularly. With proper maintenance (cleaning the rotating brushes and keeping an eye on replacement parts) robots can last as long as a conventional full-size vacuum cleaner. PCWorld offers a useful guide that covers some important tips to keep yours running smoothly for years to come.

Larger Dust Bags

While a robotic vacuum may not be as effective as an upright or canister model, it is great at picking up dirt and dust that regular vacuuming leaves behind. It can be used to do quick retouching of floors, and can traverse around cords or other obstacles in your home. If you don't wish to do the deep cleaning yourself, a robot vacuum can be set to send it out to sweep your floors on a regular schedule.

Some of the best 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 help save time and money through bags that can be replaced. Several of the models on our list include this feature, including the most popular one, the Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo. This robovac all-in-one is a high-performance robovac and comes with a self emptying bin. It also comes with mopping functions and effective navigation. It is a close race between the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ and this model, which utilizes intelligent mapping and avoidance technology. This robovac has more capacity, but it is a bit more expensive.

Another big difference between these two models is how well they handle long human hair, which can tangle in the rollers on some robots. The Roborock Q5 Max+, SwitchBot K10S Plus and Roborock Q5 Max+ are the top performing models. They all have top hair pickup and tangle avoidance scores, as well as excellent auto empty performance and great path planning. The Shark Matrix Plus and eufy are also excellent options, with respectable hair pick-up and tangle avoidance but not as much path planing or Best Rated Robot Vacuum auto empty.

The latest robots are equipped with sensors that can identify dirt and debris on carpets and they're better in removing pet hair. Some robots feature mopping mode, which allows them to use the water reservoir in order to get rid of stuck-on messes and spills. This feature is crucial for families with children as well as pets.

Maintenance

A robot vacuum can be a great help in keeping up with your home. The top models can pick up more dirt from the surface, pet hair and lint than a broom on low-pile or hard flooring. They also have navigation features which prevent them from getting caught on cords for power or rug fringe and can glide easily under furniture.

According to the model, you can program a robot vacuum to run multiple times per day, or observe it in action with an app. However, these handy machines are also susceptible to clogging and require regular maintenance like emptying the bin onboard (or the base's larger dust bin in some instances) and checking the brushes for tangled hair, and periodically rinsing and letting the filters 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 if it receives regular maintenance and care. She suggests emptying the bin and brush roll often, cutting free any hair tangled in the brushes, and frequently cleaning and drying the filter if your robot is also a mop. It's also an excellent idea to clean the charging contacts and sensors on the robot or dock occasionally with a soft cloth. Then, refill and recharge the robot vacuum cleaner best as needed for your next cleaning session.