How to Choose the Best Robot Cleaner for Your Home
You'll need to do some work to keep your robot's house in good order. This means removing clutter, tidying up loose cords and rug rugs that are tangled.
Look for a model with an automatic emptying bin. This will make it easier for you to clean up spills. You might also consider two-in-ones that vacuum and mops.
Here are a few examples of

You can pick a robot vacuum cleaner with intelligent features based on the needs of your home. Some models are able to map your home's layout to create floor plans, while others include an integrated camera that can show live video feeds. These cameras can be used to identify obstructions and assist with problem solving. Some robots even have the ability to schedule cleaning sessions and adjust the frequency.
Look for a robot with a self emptying dustbin if you want it to to vacuum and mop. Ecovacs' Deebot Pro is among our top picks since it offers both features for reasonable prices. It has a tiny suction opening, similar to those on upright vacuums, which lets it to remove debris more efficiently than other robots. It also has side brushes that have three bristles that push hair and dirt into the robot's path. This model is the best of its kind for a variety reasons including its mopping capabilities as well as its efficient navigation and the low cost.
The best robovacs are equipped with large dust bins that can go several weeks without having to be empty. The Narwal Freo X Ultra, the top-of-the-line robotic vacuum cleaner that has self-emptying dustbins and intelligent features that provide hands-free cleaning, is a perfect example. It comes with a tiny mopping pad that scrubs away stuck-on dirt and can glide across light rugs and mats that cause problems for other robots. Its sensors help locate the areas that are prone to dirt, and it is able to mop and vacuum simultaneously making it the perfect choice for a clean home.
Eufy Clean X10, with its simple-to-use application is a great alternative. The options for customization are easy and quick to set up. The lidar-powered mapping it uses is fast and precise, and it easily divides rooms to ensure a thorough cleaning. It has great technology to avoid objects, which sucks up Cheerios and dodges fake dog poop, but it struggled a bit with stairs. Its square-front design helped it to get into corners more easily than other robots that we've tested. It's also capable of edge-hugging, helping it sweep along baseboards with ease.
Cleaning performance
While robots aren't able to clean deep into carpets or sweep up ground-in dirt as well as a real vacuum, they are capable of removing fine particles such as baking soda and dust as well as heavier debris such as pet hair and screws made of metal. They can also clean up spills and crumbs. Maintaining your robot through regular maintenance like emptying the dustbin cleaning or changing the filter and wiping down the sensors and cameras will ensure that it will last for the longest time possible.
The top robots are capable of removing fine particles from carpets with low pile and hard floors, and they're especially good at sweeping up orzo, sand and wood shavings. They can pick up metal screws and cat litter, but they aren't as adept at slower items like coffee grounds or baked flour. They're not as impressive on stairs, and they don't always grab everything that's thrown around the edges of furniture.
Certain models are also excellent at mopping. The iRoborock Roomba 900, for example is a model that does an excellent job of cleaning hardwood flooring. It is able to remove coffee spills, liquids, as well sticky or dried food messes. best rated robot vacuum and spot cleaning modes let you define a specific area for the robot to concentrate on, so that it doesn't take too long to vacuum areas that are already clean. The Dreame X40 is another bot that is capable of mopping, and has an extra advantage over the Roborock one: the option to first vacuum before you mop, which is better at cleaning up spills on high pile carpets.
The Dyson V8 Absolute is a top mopping robot. It's more expensive than Roomba however it has superior suction. It also has the ability to handle a wider variety of flooring types and textures. It's also smart enough to return to the charging dock when it's running out of water and pick up where it began. Its app offers lots of other features as well with an option to automatically schedule periodic cleaning sessions. It's also very quiet which makes it a great choice for homes with children or pets.
Cost
The best robot cleaners are inexpensive and come with a variety of smart features that will allow you to save money over time. You should consider how much you need mop and vacuum to get the most value for your buck. Certain models have features you don't need but you will find useful. For example the self-emptying trash bin or navigation that is efficient.
The most cost-effective option is to invest in an item that can perform both mops and vacuums. It's important to note that robot vacuums are only as good as the dirt it sifts up therefore it's not recommended to skip regular manual vacuuming in favor of using a robot cleaner.
You should expect to pay about $500 for a robot that can do both vacuuming as well as mopping, like the iRobot Combo j9+. This robot scored highly in CR's testing, and it can clean carpets and bare floors. It comes with a user-friendly application that lets you see its cleaning route, and set no-go areas. Jaclyn discovered that the mopping function could be improved since it is based on light pressure and a dragging motion, rather than scrubbering.
If you're looking to save money it's possible to find a bargain for robot vacuums that are highly rated and only does one thing, like the Eufy 11S. Its sleek and quiet design was great in cleaning floors made of hardwood, tiles and carpets with low pile. It was also very effective at picking up pet hair and litter.
A few robots with a budget-friendly price tag have basic bump navigation systems that fail to provide a coverage map, and are more likely to become stuck on furniture or miss spots. Learn Even more can still clean your floors, but they are not as efficient or capable of navigate around household obstacles.
Another option is the less expensive Shark IQ XL, which received high marks for its cleaning efficiency and price-to-value ratio. It's not as sophisticated as the Combo J9+, but it's user-friendly and does a great job on both bare floors and carpets. It's also relatively lightweight and can be moved under furniture without getting caught.
Maintenance
A robot cleaner is a fantastic method to keep your home spotless, particularly when you have children or pets. It requires some maintenance in order to keep it in top condition. Regular cleaning, such as emptying bins of dust washing or changing filters as well as wiping sensors and cameras, can prolong the life of your robot.
Vacuums need more frequent maintenance than mopping robots, but you can extend the life of your vacuum by following the manufacturer's guidelines for emptying and cleaning the brush roll, dust bin and filter. Clean the charging contacts on the robot's sensor with a damp cloth to prevent them from becoming clogged.
This model from Eufy is an excellent pick for those who want a sophisticated, durable robot that's easy to use. It features a sleek ultra-slim design that enables it to slide under low ottomans and couches to nab hidden dirt. The app allows you to schedule a cleaning and select rooms. You can also create zones that are not allowed to be used, and also adjust the cleaning intensity.
This robot is a bit more costly than the other models on this list, but it comes with many features that will make up for it. Its mapping is fast and it can save four maps of your home in 2D or 3D. It is also one of the quieter robotic devices that we tested. The battery life is around three hours.
The Romba 11s is an extremely versatile vacuum cleaner that can work well against walls. In our tests, it was able to clean up to 1.3 inch away from the wall. This is higher than any other robots we tried. It has a number of useful smart features, like spot-cleaning features and an auto-boost mode. It also utilizes random navigation, which means that it doesn't have to clean the same spots over and over.
The only downside to this robot is that it lacks the ability to discern bare floors and can be confused by thick carpets or rug. However, it's a great option when you live in a tiny apartment or a single-family house with narrow hallways and plenty of furniture.