Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos
The best way to keep your home tidy is to use a robotic vacuum. It will pick up dust, pet hair and other surface debris.
Some robots sync with smart assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant for a hands-free experience. Find models that are rechargeable and continue cleaning the area they left.
1. iRobot S8
This smart robot mop and vacuum combo is a fantastic choice for many households. It vacuums and mops well and has a great navigation system that includes both GPS and laser sensors and offers a broad range of features and controls available via the app. It also comes with a useful feature that lets you create Cleaning zones for specific areas that need extra attention, and also to keep Out zones that you don't want it to move. And, like all Roomba devices, it gets new software updates that make it even better over time.
It's expensive, but it's is also among the most advanced robot vacuums ZDNet has ever tested. It's equipped with a powerful battery that can clean an entire home in less than two hours. It can switch between vacuuming and mopping by pressing a button. It automatically empties the trash bin that is above its charging station, unlike other self-emptying robots that require you to empty the bin after each run.
It has a wide range of other features that make it a great choice for homes with a lot of space with its intelligent obstacle avoidance that uses the camera as well as processor-powered smarts to see obstacles. It's not often damaged or stuck during cleaning and is the best at avoiding power cables and other objects I've tested. However, it's not as reliable at detecting pet waste and other dangers.
2. Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid
Eufy is owned by Anker is now a household name in the world of robots that are budget-friendly vacuums. However, it did not provide the option of a model that could mop. This is changing with the X8 Hybrid, which has an impressive set of modern features and is able to compete against much more expensive models.
Eufy's main selling point with the X8 is its laser navigation. The X8 utilizes laser mapping technology that is more precise than the previous Eufy devices. It takes less time to build an extensive map of your home and can store multiple maps. This is great for multi-floored homes.
The X8 is a good vacuum cleaner for floors that are clean. It can easily sling debris under the side brushes and into the 400ml dustbin. Its tyres are also very adept at hugging edges and corners, even though they are circular. Our tests revealed that it could only remove 90% of the fur on hard floors.
There's a mopping mode which uses the same water tank as the vacuuming one. This is ideal for spills that aren't too dangerous, but you are unable to limit the amount of water that it uses. It does, however, do an excellent job of removing pet hair, with a better percentage of hair removal than the Roborock S7.
3. Miele RX2
Miele's RX2 robotic vacuum is known for its quiet, effective appliances. It has a beautiful design, excellent navigation, and excellent cleaning power. However, it has some operational issues which prevent it from being considered as the best overall smart robot vacuum.
The RX2 is equipped with a dual-sensor mapping system which uses LIDAR to map an area and a pair of 3D scanning cameras for detecting and avoiding obstacles (such as furniture legs or pet waste). After the room has been mapped it is possible to designate virtual no-go areas and sections that you would like to be the robot. You can also initiate a manual clean or manually change the cleaning mode, watch a live feed from the onboard cameras and more on the main screen.
The RX2 has excellent sensors that can identify furniture and other obstructions instantly. Its sweeping and suction powers are excellent, removing surface litter from medium pile carpeting as well as embedded dust on bare floors. However, it's not the most efficient robot available. As with many others it's not a great climber and is prone to problems with things like metal threshold transition strips.
Some people buy a robot vacuum for the hands-off convenience of setting a schedule on an app and not thinking about it for weeks at an time. It is essential that a robot is capable of the task, so our ZDNet team has tested and reviewed some of the most popular models in order to help you pick the best one for your house.
4. Shark ION
This budget robovac that looks just like the other, but it has a few more features and a better performance. Its smart mapping system generates 2D and 3D maps of your home and uses them to navigate and avoid obstacles. It can even detect common obstructions such as furniture legs and power cords in real time. This combination of sensors, along with a bump sensor, and an infrared drop sensor which keeps it off the stairs is what makes it one of the fastest vacs we've tested.
In our tests, it effortlessly could climb over the thick shag rugs and didn't get stuck on them (like the RoboVac 11s or Roomba 690). Its navigation capabilities were impressive. Its composite score for carpet and bare flooring beat the competition, and it was able to pick up 98.5 percent of the surface litter and embedded dog hair from our lab test samples.
The controls are less basic than the competition's. There is a cleaning button on the top and you can either start it using the app or voice commands using Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also schedule weekly or daily cleanings, set up no-go zones and check its cleaning history. In a smart dark gray plastics, Ion feels sturdy and looks attractive in your home. The rear dust bin is easy to access for emptying and removing the filter is equally easy.
5. Eufy 11S
Eufy 11S is a good choice if you want a vacuum cleaner that is easy to use and simple at a cost that is low. It lacks some of the advanced features, such as digital mapping and Alexa integration, which are available in higher-end models however, if you don't require those functions you can save a little money by purchasing this model.
This robot is easy to use and set up. It does not require a smartphone application or Wi-Fi pairing. However it does come with a remote control which lets you select between different modes and alter the suction level. It also lets you manually turn off the robovac on a scheduled cleaning.
During our tests, we discovered that the 11S was extremely efficient in cleaning dirt and fur from carpets and floors with low pile. Its slim profile made it possible to get under low-hanging furniture and other objects that larger robots are unable to reach. It was also able to get over thresholds for doors and change from one floor type to another.
The 11S, like other robots, can also eat some items, including cords and cat toys. The manufacturer suggests you prevent this from happening by keeping these objects off the ground and using a cord organizer when you can. It also recommends that you regularly clean the dustbin, replace the filters, and wash or change the brushes as required.
Roomba 990 from iRobot
The Roomba 980 is the flagship robot vacuum. It's pricey but it's an excellent performer and is arguably the most sophisticated click here robot vacuum you can buy. Its self-navigation and environmental mapping are a joy to behold. It has more advanced automation than the majority of its competitors, including the capability to set up virtual boundary markers through its mobile app. It's a dependable robot vacuum, even if the application is a bit slow and the 980 spins out when rolling over cables.
We really like the 980 due to its iAdapt2.0 navigation sensors and visual simultaneity mapping and localisation (or vSLAM), to memorise your home's floor plan. It will then use the information to create a consistent and efficient cleaning path for each cycle. The result is cleaner floors and a more efficient robot vacuum cleaner than the majority of high-end robots.
Other features include dual multi-surface rubber brushes, which pick up dirt from hard floors and carpet and a spinning brush that sweeps debris into the bin of the robotic vacuum. Its floor tracking sensors help it navigate around furniture and along edges, and Cliff Detect prevents the Roomba from falling down the stairs. It also automatically returns to the base station for simple recharging in between sessions. The battery life and bin capacity of the 980 aren't as impressive as other robot vacuums. However, it is a solid and reliable machine that will keep floors clean for many hours.