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 chore of cleaning your floors. It is able to refill its own water tank, and self-empty its tower bin that is larger and change out the dust bag.

Advanced models are able to draw a map of your home and take note of the furniture's position. They also can detect obstacles and avoid hazards such as loose charging cables and unintentional socks.

Object Avoidance

Object avoidance allows your robot to avoid hitting objects such as cords, toys and clothing that could be caught in the vacuum. These are particularly important if you have kids or pets who may be likely to leave items on the floor, which your robot could be able to locate them.

Based on the model you choose depending on the model you select, your robot could have a variety of sensor options to aid in navigating around obstacles. Some of the most popular 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 top models that cost more.

Other technology for avoiding objects you might find in more expensive robots include 3D Structured Light, which uses cameras and crossed IR sensors to map the surroundings and detect obstacles. Also, Time of Flight (ToF) sensors that emit and measure the time it takes for light to reflect off objects, to determine the distance between them. While these are less common, they can be a great addition to your robot if you want peace of mind knowing that it will avoid getting hung up on power cords or socks when cleaning.

The majority of the top-rated robots are also able to mop your floors. Some even have their own water tanks that allow them to wash away the stains and spills that are wet. It is necessary to empty the dust bin onboard and clean its cameras and sensors between cleaning sessions.

Mapping

Mapping capabilities are essential in robot vacuums because they allow them to keep track of your home's layout and avoid bumping into things like walls. They can be tripped up by cords, pet toys or furniture without mapping. This can result in them removing less space. Most robots employ sensors to map your home and navigate around obstacles. This way, they're able to sweep your floors in fewer passes, thereby saving your time. Many of the top rated robot vacuums can also use this feature to create zones that are not allowed, permitting you to define areas that you do not want the robot to get into.

Robots that have built-in LIDAR use this technology to map your home quickly and effectively. During our tests of the Eufy Clean robot made use of this feature to divide my room into distinct areas and clean each one independently, which was a huge improvement over the cheaper models we tested that had the front bump sensor. This was a more precise method of navigating my home, and it was easy to control using the on-device application.

Although no robot vacuum has the ability to climb stairs yet, most of the best robot vacuum and mop rated models come with obstacle avoidance and mapping features. These tools allow them to collect debris from low-pile and hard floors, and to avoid falling down stairs. Some have cliff sensors to stop them from going over the edge of stairs and others have boundary strips that can prevent them from certain areas.

Some robots have large towers on the base that collects dirt. This decreases the amount of dust or allergens released within your home. These bases can go several months or even weeks between emptying, and are particularly beneficial for those with allergies. Some models also have self-emptying systems that allow you to dump out their onboard dust bins without having to manually open or close them.

Wi-Fi enabled

Some robot vacuums use Wi-Fi to connect with their apps and allow users to control them with your smartphone instead of (or in addition to) the physical remote. These models are more expensive, but they can help you save time by allowing you to schedule cleaning times on a weekly, daily or even a monthly basis. These models also allow you to modify floor maps and save them for later use. They also offer alternative cleaning schedules.

Dual sensors are employed by the most modern robot vacuum cleaner best vacuums. They combine with a LIDAR mapping system with a structured-light sensor that can detect and avoid objects, even if they are hidden beneath furniture or power cables. These features allow your robot to maneuver into narrow spaces such as the nook underneath the kitchen cabinets or beneath sofas, where many other robots have difficulty. They also are faster to navigate 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 best robot vacuum and mop robot vacuums are fast efficient, smart and powerful. They can remove many kinds of floor debris, including pet hair, cat litter and other messes. They are also quiet making them a good option for homes with young children and pets. The majority of robot vacuum users we've spoken to report that they enjoy the convenience of having their floor cleaned without much effort. This is particularly true when they are used regularly. And with proper maintenance (cleaning the rotating brushes and keeping track on replacement parts) robots can last as long as a traditional full-size vacuum cleaner. PCWorld offers a manual that includes some helpful tips to keep yours running smoothly.

Dust Bags Larger

While a robotic vacuum might not clean as well as a canister or upright model, it is great in removing dust and other debris that regular vacuuming leaves behind. It can also be used to provide quick repairs to floors and can maneuver around cords and other obstacles that are common to household use. You can use a robot to clean your floors on a schedule in case you don't have the time to do it yourself.

The top rated robot vacuums come with large dust bags that are easy to empty and hold more than a single room's worth of dirt. This will help you save time and money on new bags. This feature is available on several models, including our top choice which is the Ecovacs T30S Combo. This all-in-one robovac is a high-performance robovac that comes with a self emptying bin. It also comes with mopping capabilities and efficient navigation. It's a close contest between this and the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+, which has smart mapping and avoidance technology. This robovac has more capacity, but is slightly more expensive.

The two models differ in their handling of long hair, which may get tangled up in the rollers of a few robots. The most efficient models are the Roborock Q5 Max+ and SwitchBot K10S Plus, both have excellent hair pickup and tangle avoidance scores along with excellent path planning and near perfect auto empty results. The eufy and Shark Matrix Plus are also excellent options with respectable hair pickup and tangle avoidance, but not as much planning for paths or auto empty.

The newest robots have sensors that can spot dirt and debris on the carpet, and are better at picking up loose pet hair. Some even have a dedicated mopping mode that uses the reservoir of water to wash away spills and stuck-on mess. This feature is essential for families with children as well as pets.

Maintenance

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

Based on the model, a top-rated robot vacuum can be scheduled to run several times per day, or permit users to observe it in action using an app. However, these handy vacuums are also prone to clogging, and require regular maintenance, such as emptying the onboard bin (or the base's bigger dust bin in some cases), checking 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 can last from three to five years or more with regular care and attention. She suggests emptying the bin and brush roll frequently, cutting free hair that gets caught in the brushes, and then regularly cleaning and drying the filter if your robot is also a mop. It's also an excellent idea to wipe down the sensors and charging contacts on the robot or dock every now and then with a soft cloth. Then, refill and recharge your robot before the next clean-up session.