Where Will Best Robot Vacuums Be One Year From Right Now?

Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos

The best way to keep your home clean is to use a robot vacuum. It can remove dust, pet hair and other debris on surfaces.

Some robots can sync with smart assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant to provide a hands-free experience. Find models that are rechargeable and continue cleaning where they left off.

1. iRobot S8

This smart robot vacuum and mop is an excellent choice for many homes. It is able to vacuum and mop well and has a great navigation system that includes both GPS and laser sensors and comes with a variety of controls and features accessible via the app. It also has a handy feature which allows you to create Cleaning zones in areas that require additional attention, and also to create Keep Out zones in areas where you don't want it to be. It also receives software updates, like all Roomba products, which enhance it over time.

It's expensive however, it's also among the most advanced robot vacuums ZDNet has tested. It has a powerful battery that can clean the entire house in less than two hours. It also switches between mopping and vacuuming with the press of the button. It automatically emptys the trash bin that is above its charging station, in contrast to other self emptying robots which require you to empty it after every run.

It comes with a variety of other features that make it a good choice for homes with a lot of space with its intelligent obstacle avoidance that utilizes both a camera and processor-powered smarts to detect obstacles. It rarely gets derailed or entrapped during a cleaning process and is also the most effective at avoiding power cables as well as other objects I've tested. It is not as accurate in detecting pet waste, or other hazards.

2. Eufy RoboVac Hybrid X8

Although Anker-owned Eufy has earned a name for itself in low-cost robot vacuums it's never offered an all-in-one model that can also mop. The X8 Hybrid is a new model that has a wide range of advanced features, and can compete with much more expensive models.

The main selling point of Eufy's this device is its laser navigation. Previous Eufy devices have built up an approximate map of your home by using infrared sensors and bumping into objects, but the X8's laser mapping system is much more accurate. It also takes significantly less time to build up an accurate picture of your home and can store multiple maps, which is ideal for multi-floor homes.

The X8 is a good vacuum cleaner for floors that are clean. It is able to effortlessly sling debris through the side brushes and into its 400ml dustbin. The Tyres of the X8, despite their circular shape, are very efficient in grabbing corners and edges. Our tests revealed that it could only remove 90 percent of the fur on hard floors.

There's a basic mopping mode that utilizes the same water tank as the vacuuming one. This is ideal for smart Vacuum cleaner spills that aren't dangerous, but you are unable to control the amount of water it uses. That said, it does an excellent job of removing pet hair, and has a higher speed of pickup than the Roborock S7.

3. Miele RX2

Awarded for its quiet and efficient home appliances Miele's RX2 robot vacuum has excellent cleaning power, gorgeous design, and a great navigation. It has some oddities in its operation, which prevent it from being considered the best smart robot vacuum.

The RX2 comes with a dual-sensor mapping technique that uses a LIDAR to map the space, and a pair 3D scanning cameras to detect and eliminating obstacles (such as furniture legs or pet waste). Once the room is mapped the app allows you to assign virtual no-go areas and favorite sections that the robot will automatically clean. You can also begin an automatic clean or manually change the cleaning mode, watch a live feed from the onboard cameras, and more from the main screen.

The RX2 has excellent sensors that detect furniture and other obstructions in a flash. The suction and sweeping capabilities are exceptional, getting rid of surface litter from carpets of medium pile as well as embedded dust on bare floors. It's not the fastest robot on the market. It's not the greatest climber and has issues with transition strips made of metal.

A lot of people purchase a robotic vacuum for the ease of setting a schedule on an app and then forgetting about it for weeks at an time. It's crucial for a robot to be capable of doing the job so our ZDNet team has tested and examined some of the most popular models in order to help you choose the best one for your home.

4. Shark ION

This budget robovac is a robot that is similar to other, but has a few more features and is more efficient. Its smart vacuum cleaner mapping system generates 2D and 3-D maps of your house and uses to navigate and avoid obstacles. It can even detect common obstacles like furniture legs and power cords in real-time. This combination of sensors with a bump detector and an infrared sensor that keeps the vacuum off steps makes it one our most flexible vacuums.

It was able to climb over carpets with thick shags and was not stuck (unlike the RoboVac 11s or Roomba 690-). Its navigational skills were impressive as well; its composite score in carpet and bare floors beat out the competition. It was able to pick up 98.5 percent of the surface litter and embedded pet hair from our laboratory test samples.

The controls are simpler than the competitors. There's an uniform cleaning button on the top and you can launch it via the app or via voice commands using Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also schedule weekly or daily cleanings, designate no-go zones and check the history of cleaning. Ion is clad in a smart dark gray plastic that is both attractive and attractive in your home. The rear dust bin is easy to empty and removing the filter just as simple.

5. Eufy 11S

Eufy 11S is a good option if you're looking for a vacuum cleaner that is easy to use and simple at a low cost. It lacks some of the advanced features, like digital mapping and Alexa integration, which are found in higher-end models but if you don't need these features, you can save a little cost with this model.

The robot is simple to set up and use. It doesn't require smartphone application or Wi-Fi pairing. However it does come with the remote control that allows you to choose between different modes and adjust suction levels. It also allows you to manually take the robovac off during scheduled cleaning.

During our tests, we discovered that the 11S was extremely efficient in removing dirt and pet fur from carpets and floors with low pile. Its slim profile made it possible to pass under furniture that is low-hanging and other items that some bulkier robots could not reach. It could also easily pass over doorway thresholds and change from one floor type to another.

The 11S, just like other robots will also suckup some objects, such as cords and cat toys. The manufacturer says that you can stop this by keeping these objects off the floor and using a cord organizer if possible. It also recommends that you clean the dustbin, replace the filters and clean or change the brushes as required.

6. IRobot Roomba 990

The Roomba 980 is iRobot's flagship robot vacuum. It's costly however it's an excellent performer and is arguably the most sophisticated robot automated vacuum cleaner you can buy. Its self-navigation and environmental mapping is something to behold. It also comes with more advanced automation features than its competitors, such as the ability to set virtual boundary lines with its mobile app. Although the app is a little sluggish and the 980 can spin out a bit when moving over cables, it's a highly efficient robot vacuum.

One thing we really like about the 980 is the fact that it utilizes its iAdapt 2.0 navigation sensors and its visual simultaneous localisation and mapping technology (or vSLAM) to remember the floor plan of your home. It uses this information to create a consistent and efficient cleaning path through each cycle. The result is cleaner floors and a more efficient vacuum than other high-end robot vacuums.

Other features of the 980 include dual multi-surface brushes which grab dirt from floors and carpets and a spinning brush to sweep debris into the robotic vacuum’s bin. Its floor tracking sensors aid it navigate around furniture and along edges, and Cliff Detect keeps the Roomba from falling down stairs. It will also return to the base station for simple charging between sessions. Although the 980's battery lifespan and bin size aren't quite as efficient as other robot vacuums, it's a reliable and solid machine that can keep your floors clean for hours and hours.