How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Robot vacuums will save you time and effort when it comes to regular cleaning. The best models do a great job at removing dust and other small particles and allow you to create no-go zones for pets or power cords.

The higher-end models even sweep your floors, but they can't climb the stairs. Choose models that have intelligent mapping, real-time hazard avoidance, and spacious self-emptying bins.

Best Overall

The best robots we tested were reliable, user-friendly and able to keep up with the daily debris. You'll want a robot with decent carpet-picking power and the ability to handle stairs. If you're looking for a robot with extra features, consider an option that incorporates smart mapping technology, or an app to control it remotely.

Camryn Rabideau is a contributing shopping writer and product reviewer at PEOPLE who has tested numerous robotic vacuums. She's a fan of the robot vacuum near me vacuums that provide the greatest convenience, such as self-emptying bins and charging docks that automatically empty and refill water tanks for mopping robots. She also loves robots that recognize landmarks, such as furniture legs and power cables so they won't trip up when climbing stairs.

The Black and Decker model has a lower score for navigation and has less technology for avoiding objects than the top-rated models. It comes with a huge, non-refillable dustbin and an extended battery. It also has a feature which allows you to schedule cleaning sessions and return to where it stopped last, making it easier for you to cover larger homes. This model is also a good robot vacuum option for pet owners since it is able to spot and eliminate hair tangled and fallen food particles.

In our tests in our tests, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combines a LIDAR sensor that can map rooms and identify obstacles using an organized light sensor to identify objects and detect edges. It can avoid liquid droplets, stairs, and furniture legs easily with this combination. It can also save up to four floor plans for later use. It can also pause the cleaning process at any point and return to where it stopped so that you can complete chores while the robot does its work. The included app offers a 3D representation of your home, room labels, and advanced cleaning options.

The robot isn't as effective at cleaning as our top models, however it excels in picking up larger items like orzo pasta, metal screws, and fine particles such as sand. The only drawbacks are that it cannot mop, and its navigation system is less impressive.

Best for Carpet

If you have carpeting in your home, look for a vacuum that has excellent pickup and good maneuverability scores on carpets and rug. A lot of models do a great job of picking up dust that has been embedded in carpets with a low pile and some do a good job of cleaning up larger debris such as orzo pasta, metal screws and pet hair. However, they can't handle small particles as well as an upright or canister vacuum and can miss ground-in dirt close to thresholds and baseboards.

For carpeted homes, a 2-in-1 robot mop/remote vacuum is the best choice. It is possible to swap out an empty bin for a damp mopping mat. The Roborock Q Revo is a 2-in-1 Robot sweeper automated vacuum cleaner/mop that can clean and mop at the same time with circular pads spinning at 200 rotations a minute. It detects and lifts its pads when it comes into contact with carpet, preventing the floor from becoming wet. It is not necessary to remove them or replace them every time. The Q Revo is also more efficient than other robot vacuums/mops when it comes to the absence of obstacles and in being close to carpets and thresholds.

Another solid option is the iRobot Roomba Combo i5, which was a great performer in our tests and can be scheduled through the app to clean while you're away from home. It can be set to mop only. We liked its navigation on bare floors as well as carpets. The Combo i5 also has a extremely long run time and excellent path planning for a device of this size.

If you're looking for a modern model, you can look at the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Self-Empty Robot Vacuum & Mop. It comes with a large charging dock that can run for months without needing to be empty and has amazing navigation abilities and auto-emptying on carpets and floors that are not cleaned. It's also got an intelligent mapping system that can be programmed to only operate during certain hours of the day (a handy feature for keeping children and pets who are prone to mischief from causing havoc). The Shark isn't as powerful as other robot vacuum/mop combinations however, it still manages to pick hair and pet hair extremely well. It's also the highest price of our top picks.

Ideal for Hard Floors

Robot vacuums are the ideal choice for hardwood floors as they are able to maneuver around obstacles and not damage surfaces that are not bare. They are excellent for removing dust and crumbs, but struggle with pet hair or other debris. They don't have the suction of the top canister or upright vacuum, which makes them a poor choice for deep cleaning carpeted or upholstery areas.

The most effective two-in-one robots incorporate mopping and vacuum, taking care of the entire chore in one pass. Look for one that has an onboard sensor to detect changes in the floor texture and adjust suction to match. The ECOVACS DEEBOT T9+, for instance, has this feature and can transition effortlessly from hard to soft carpeting.

If your home is mostly made up of hardwood floors, you should consider a robotic mop and vacuum combo like the eufy S1 Pro. This model features an efficient robot vacuum with intelligent navigation to clean hardwood and other hard surfaces. Additionally, it can mop as well. Its sensors help it avoid stairs and other hazards so you don't have to be worried about the bot plummeting down the stairs and damaging your hardwood.

When you need mops the Eufy S1 Pro is designed to actually wash hardwood floors with downward pressure rather than just wipe them clean to remove light dirt and dust. The mop pads are reusable, which reduce the amount of waste, and spread germs less and can be cleaned at the docking station to save you time. The mops are also able to be washed, dried and used again.

The robovac is operated by your smartphone, making it much easier to use. You can, for example make use of the app to designate areas that the vacuum won't enter, label different rooms, or schedule specific cleaning times. The eufy S1 Pro also has an auto-emptying dock that sucks debris through a trapdoor, and puts it in a disposable or bagless bin, meaning you don't have to manually empty the bin as often as you do with other models.

Ideal for small Spaces

These robots are specifically designed to work in small spaces. They have smaller bins that hold less debris, and they're more efficient than the larger models when it comes to navigating tight corners. They can also fit underneath furniture that larger robots aren't able to reach. They are generally less expensive than the pricier picks, too, although you'll need to empty them manually from their dirt bins at end of each cleaning session.

A few years back robotic vacuums experienced an important change. Manufacturers started adding sensors that helped them navigate around and avoid household items that their traditional sensors could be stuck on or across. This improved the number of times our testers had to clean up after a robot incident.

The new sensors haven't eliminated all the problems that these devices have, however. The cheapest models are still struggling with the same issues that the older ones faced and, in addition, they require a certain amount of light to be able see where they're headed. Look into an option that incorporates an LIDAR spinning unit that is placed on top of the model to trace the space. Our top overall models and runners-up models use this. This lets them work in the dark and avoid obstacles like stairs.

In addition to being capable of working in dark and in the dark, these models can be programmed to use their cliff sensors only when they're on or near the floor, not when they're above them. It's important to cover mirrors to prevent this from occurring. The laser used by the LIDAR-based models may bounce off reflective surfaces, which makes the robot think it's in a different space.

Some of the models we recommend let you create virtual no-go zones for areas you don't wish the robot to enter. This is helpful for those with small children or pets. Those features aren't available on all the models we've tested so make sure to review our full reviews of the models below before making your purchase.