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Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos

The best way to keep your home tidy is with a robot vacuum. It can pick up dust, pet hair, and other debris on surfaces.

Certain robots can connect to smart assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant to provide a environment that is hands-free. Find models that can be recharged and continue cleaning the area they left.

1. iRobot s8

This smart robot mop and vacuum is a fantastic option for households with a variety of. It is able to vacuum and mop well, has excellent navigation with both GPS and laser sensors and offers a broad range of features and controls that are available via the app. It also comes with a useful feature that allows you to add Cleaning zones for certain areas that require more attention, and also to keep Out zones where you do not want it to be. It also gets software updates, like the other Roomba products, that improve the quality of the product over time.

It's expensive however, it's also one of the most advanced robot vacuums ZDNet has tested. It's equipped with a powerful battery that can clean a large home in under two hours, and it can switch between mopping and vacuuming by pressing a button. And unlike other self-emptying robots that require you to empty the trash 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 which uses cameras and processor-powered smarts to identify obstacles. It's not often damaged or entrapped during cleaning and is also the most effective at avoiding power cables as well as other objects I've tested. However, it's not as reliable at detecting pet waste and other dangers.

2. Eufy RoboVac Hybrid X8

While Anker-owned Eufy has earned its name in the field of low-cost robot vacuums, it's not yet an all-in-one model that can also mop. This is changing with the X8 Hybrid, which has an impressive set of modern features and is able to compete against more expensive models.

The main selling point of Eufy's this device is its laser navigation. Previous Eufy devices have created an approximate map of your home by using infrared sensors and bumping into things but the X8's laser mapping system is much more accurate. It also takes a lot less time to construct a comprehensive picture of your living space and also stores multiple maps, which is ideal for homes with multiple floors.

The X8 is still a decent vacuum on floors with no dust that can carry debris under its side brushes and into the 400ml dust bin with ease. The Tyres of the X8, despite their circular shape, are very good at grabbing corners and edges. It's not the best cat litter scooper, however our tests have shown it can only remove about 90 percent of the fur off hard floors.

There's a basic mopping mode which uses the same water tank as the vacuuming. This is great for spills that aren't serious, but you cannot limit the amount of water it consumes. However, it does an admirable job of removing pet hair, and has a higher percentage of hair removal than the Roborock S7.

3. Miele RX2

Miele's RX2 robotic vacuum is renowned for its quiet, effective appliances. It has a beautiful design, excellent navigation and an impressive cleaning power. But it has some operational hiccups that keep it from ranking as the best overall smart robot vacuum.

Like iRobot's latest models like the RX2 has dual-sensor mapping technology which uses a LIDAR sensor to map out an area and two 3D scanning cameras that can detect and avoid obstacles (like furniture legs or pet waste) in real time. Once the room is defined and assigned, you can assign virtual no go areas and sections that you would like to be the robot. You can also begin an automatic clean or manually change the cleaning mode, watch a live feed from the onboard cameras, and more on the main screen.

The RX2 is equipped with excellent sensors that can detect furniture and other obstructions immediately. The suction and sweeping capabilities are excellent, removing surface litter from carpets with medium pile as well as dust that has been deposited on floors. However, it's not exactly the most agile robot on the market. Like many other robots it's not a very good climber and has trouble with things like metal threshold transition strips.

Some people buy robot vacuums because of the ease of setting up a schedule using an app, only to forget about them for weeks. It is essential for a robot to be capable of the task so our ZDNet team has tested and looked over some of the most popular models in order to help you pick the right one for your house.

4. Shark ION

This budget robovac is a robot vacuum cleaner black friday that looks just like the other, but it has some extra features and a better performance. Its intelligent mapping system creates 3D and 2-D maps of your home and makes use of to navigate and avoid obstructions. It can even detect common obstacles like power cords and furniture legs in real-time. This combination of sensors, along with a bump sensor, and an infrared sensor for dropping that keeps it off steps, makes it one of the most flexible vacs we've tried.

In our tests, it was able to moved over large shag rug and didn't end up stuck on them (like the RoboVac 11s or Roomba 690). Its navigation abilities were also impressive. Its composite score for flooring and carpet beats the competition and it was able to pick up 98.5 percent of the dirt and embedded dog hair that we tested in our lab samples.

The controls are more basic than the competitors. There's a cleaning button on the top and you can start it with the app or by voice commands using Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also schedule daily or weekly cleanings, create no-go zones and view its history of cleaning. Covered in stylish dark gray plastics, Ion feels sturdy and looks stylish in your home. Its rear dustbin is accessible to empty, and the removal of the filters is also easy.

5. Eufy 11S

If you're looking for a basic robotic vacuum that is simple and has no frills at a low cost, the Eufy 11S could be a good choice. It doesn't have many of the more advanced features, such as digital mapping and Alexa integration, found in higher-end models, but if you don't need these features, you can save a little cost with this model.

This robot is simple to setup and use. It doesn't require a smartphone app or Wi-Fi pairing, but it does come with an remote control that lets you select different modes and adjust the suction level. It also allows you to manually turn off the robovac for scheduled cleaning.

In our tests, the 11S was extremely effective in removing pet hair and dirt from hard floors and carpets with a low pile. Its slim profile made it possible to fit under furniture with low hanging and other objects that heavier robots were unable to get at. It was able to pass easily over thresholds of doorways and move from one type of floor to another.

Like other robots, the 11S can take in some objects such as cords, drawstrings on hoodies and cat toys. The manufacturer suggests you avoid this by keeping these objects off the ground and by using a cord organizer when you can. It also recommends that you regularly clean the dustbin, replace the filters, and change or wash the brushes when necessary.

6. iRobot Roomba 980

The Roomba 980 is iRobot's flagship robot vacuum. It's costly, but it's the best robot vacuum that you can buy. Its self-navigation feature and environmental mapping is a marvel to behold. It is more sophisticated in its automation than its rivals, for instance the ability to set up virtual boundary markers with its mobile app. While its app is a little sluggish, and the 980 does spin out a bit while rolling over cables, it's still a very capable robot vacuum.

We really like the 980 due to its iAdapt2.0 navigation sensors and visual simultaneity localisation and mapping (or vSLAM), to memorise your home's floor plan. It will use this data to create a consistent, efficient cleaning path in every cycle. The result is cleaner floors, and a more efficient vacuum than other high-end robot vacuums.

The 980's other features include dual multi-surface rubber brushes which grab dirt from hard floors and carpet, along with the spinning brush that sweeps debris into the bin of the robotic vacuum. Its floor tracking sensor assists in navigating through furniture as well as along edges and steps. Cliff Detect prevents the Roomba from falling. It can also return automatically to the base station to allow for recharging in between sessions. The battery life and bin capacity of the 980 aren't as impressive as other robot vacuums. However, it's an extremely reliable and sturdy machine that can keep floors clean for many hours.