Best Robot Vacuums: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos

A robot vacuum is the best tool for maintaining the cleanliness of your home. It will remove dust, pet hair, and other surface debris before it becomes a bigger problem.

Some robots are able to sync with smart assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant for a hands-free experience. Find models that recharge and pick up where they left off.

1. iRobot S8

This smart robot vacuum and mop combination is a great choice for many homes. It features a superb navigation system that incorporates GPS and laser sensors. It also has numerous features and controls accessible via the app. It also comes with a useful feature that lets you create Cleaning zones for specific areas that require more attention and Keep Out zones where you don't want it to move. It also receives software updates, just like the other Roomba products, that enhance it over time.

It's costly but it's also among the most advanced robot vacuums that ZDNet has tested. It's equipped with a powerful battery that can sweep a large home in under two hours. It can switch between mopping and vacuuming by pressing a button. And, unlike other self-emptying robots that require you to empty the dust bin after each run, it automatically emptys itself into an even larger waste container on top of its charging dock.

It also has many other options, like intelligent obstacle avoidance that uses cameras in conjunction with processor-powered smarts to detect obstacles. It's not often damaged or entrapped during a cleaning process and is the best at avoiding power cables as well as other objects in my tests. It is not as accurate in detecting pet waste, or other dangers.

2. eufy robot vacuum cleaner RoboVac Hybrid X8

While the Anker-owned Eufy has made a name for itself in the field of low-cost robot vacuums, it's not yet an all-in-one model that could also mop. The X8 Hybrid is a new model that offers a range of features that are advanced and can compete with much more expensive models.

Laser navigation is the main selling point of this machine. The X8 makes use of a laser mapping system that is more accurate than the previous Eufy devices. It takes less time to build an extensive map of your home. It also has the ability to store multiple maps. This is great for multi-floored homes.

The X8 is a great vacuum cleaner on bare floors. It can easily sling debris under the side brushes and into its 400ml dustbin. The X8's tyres, despite having a circular shape, are good at grabbing edges and corners. Our tests revealed that it could only remove 90% of the fur on hard floors.

The basic mopping mode uses the same reservoir of water as the vacuuming mode. While this is great for spills that aren't too big, you can't regulate the amount of water it uses and this will reduce its effectiveness on more serious stains. It does a good job in removing hair from pets. It has a higher percentage of hair removal than the Roborock S7.

3. Miele RX2

Miele's RX2 robotic vacuum is renowned for its quiet, efficient appliances. It is a stunning design, a great navigation system and a powerful cleaning power. It has some oddities in its operation, which prevent it from being considered the best smart robot vacuum.

Similar to the latest models of iRobot like the RX2 features dual-sensor mapping which uses a LIDAR sensor to map out the space and a pair of 3D scanning cameras to identify and avoid obstacles (like furniture legs or pet waste) in real time. Once mapped, the app lets you designate virtual no-go zones and areas that you want to clean. will clean automatically. You can also alter the cleaning options, begin an automatic clean or see live feeds of the onboard cameras from the main screen.

The RX2 is equipped with excellent sensors that can detect furniture and other obstructions immediately. And its sweeping and suction power are top-of-the-line cleaning up surface debris from carpets with medium piles and dust on floors with no floor. It's not the fastest robotics available. It's not the greatest climber, and it has problems with transition strips made of metal.

A lot of people purchase a robotic vacuum for the hands-off convenience of setting a schedule in an app and then forgetting about it for weeks at an time. But it's important that a robot is able to accomplish the task and that's why our ZDNet staff examined and reviewed a few of the most popular ones to help you find the perfect one for your home.

4. Shark ION

This budget robovac that looks like any other, but has several more features and is more efficient. Its intelligent mapping system creates 2D and 3D maps of your home, and uses them to avoid obstacles and navigate. It can even detect common obstacles like furniture legs and power cords in real-time. This combination of sensors along with a bump detector, and an infrared sensor to keep the vacuum off stairs makes it one of our most agile vacuums.

In our tests, it was able to could climb over the thick shag rug and didn't end up stuck on them (like the RoboVac 11s or Roomba 690). Its navigational skills were also impressive and its overall score on carpet and bare floors beat out the competition and it was able to pick up 98.5 percent of surface pet hair and litter from our lab test samples.

The controls are less basic than the competition's. There is a cleaning button at the top and you can start it by using the app or via voice commands with Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also set a schedule for weekly or daily cleans, create areas that are not allowed to be cleaned, and check its cleaning history. Ion is covered in a smart dark gray plastic that is both attractive and beautiful in your home. The rear dust bin is easy to access for automatic emptying and cleaning the filter is just as simple.

5. Eufy 11S

If you're looking for a basic, no-frills robot vacuum at a low price, the Eufy 11S could be a good choice. It doesn't have many of the smart features, such as digital mapping and Alexa integration, which are found in higher-end models but if you're not looking for those functions you can save a little money with this model.

The robot is easy to install and use. It doesn't require a smartphone app or Wi-Fi pairing, however it does come with a remote control that lets you choose between various modes and adjust the suction level. You can also manually set the robotvac to an cleaning schedule.

In our tests, the 11S was very effective at removing pet hair and dirt on hard floors as well as in carpets with a low pile. Its slim profile allowed it to pass under furniture that is low-hanging and other items that some bulkier robots could not reach. It could also easily traverse door thresholds and change between floors and another.

Like other robots, the 11S is able to suck up some objects such as cords, hoodie drawstrings and cat toys. The manufacturer says that you can prevent this by keeping such objects off the floor and by using an organizer for cords if you can. It also suggests that you clean the dustbin, change the filters and wash or change the brushes when needed.

6. IRobot Roomba 980

The Roomba is the flagship model of iRobot's robot vacuum. It's pricey however it's a top performer and, in some ways, the most advanced robot vacuum available. Its self-navigating features and environmental mapping are something to behold. It also comes with more advanced automation features than most competitors, including the ability to set virtual boundary markers through its mobile application. It's a dependable robot vacuum, even if the app isn't the most responsive and the 980's wheels spin out when it is pushed over cables.

We really like the 980 because it uses its iAdapt2.0 navigation sensors and visual simultaneity localisation and mapping (or vSLAM) to remember your home's floor plan. It will then use this information to design a consistent and efficient cleaning path for every cycle. The result is cleaner floors and a more efficient vacuum cleaner than the majority of high-end robots.

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