Best Rated Robot Vacuum and Mop
Eufy's top-rated robotic vacuum and mop takes some of the burden of keeping your floors clean. It is able to refill its own water tank and empty its tower bin. It can also change the dust bag.
Advanced models can map your home and record furniture arrangement. They can also detect hazards and navigate around them, such as loose charging cables or unintentional socks.
Object Avoidance
Object avoidance allows your robot to avoid hitting objects such as cords, toys and even clothes that might get caught in the vacuum. These features are especially important if your family has children or pets that may leave things on the floor for your robot to find.
Based on the model you pick depending on the model you select, your robot could have a variety of sensor options to help it navigate around obstacles. A few popular ones include crossed IR sensors that beam focused beams of infrared lights across the room to identify things like furniture legs and door frames. This technology is widely used by many robots that are available and you can get it in top models that are priced higher than other models.
Other technologies for avoiding objects that you might find in higher-end robots include 3D Structured Light, which makes use of cameras and crossed IR sensors to map the environment and identify obstacles; and Time of Flight (ToF) sensors that emit and measure the time it takes for light to reflect off objects, to determine the distance to them. These aren't very common but could be a great option to add to your robot if you're looking for extra security.
Most of the top-rated robotics can also mop your floors. Some robots have their very own water tanks that enable them to clean up spills and messes. You'll have to empty the robot's onboard dust bin and wipe down the cameras and sensors in between cleaning sessions, but these tasks should not take a lot of time.
Mapping
Robot vacuums must be able to map. This lets them navigate around your home and avoid getting caught up against walls. Without mapping, they might be tripped by furniture, cords, or pet toys and end up taking less space from your space. Most robots use sensors to map your home and navigate around obstacles. They can clean your floors in fewer passes and help you save time. Many of the top-rated robot vacuums can also utilize this feature to create zones that are not allowed, permitting you to define areas that you do not want the robot to enter.
Robots with a built-in LIDAR make use of this technology to map your home quickly and efficiently. The Eufy Clean robot divided my room into separate areas and cleaned each one independently during our tests. This was a huge improvement over other models that only had a front-bumper sensor. This was a more accurate method of navigating my home, and it was easy to control via the app on the device.
While there aren't any robotic vacuums that can scale stairs, the most effective models have obstacles avoidance and mapping features. These tools assist to remove debris from hard floors and low-pile carpets and also to keep them from falling down the stairs. Some tools are equipped with sensors to prevent them falling over the edge of stairs. Some have boundaries to keep them from getting in.
Some robots come with a large base tower that collects dirt. This reduces the amount of dust or allergens released in your home. These bases can be left for weeks or months without being emptied and are particularly helpful when you suffer from allergies. Alternatively, some models have self-emptying systems that allow you to empty their dust bins without needing to open and close them.
Wi-Fi Enabled
Some robot vacuums connect via Wi-Fi with their applications. This allows you to control them with your smartphone instead of (or in addition) to a physical remote. These models are more expensive however they can save you time since you can schedule cleaning time each week, daily or even monthly. These models also let you edit floor maps, save them and offer alternate cleaning schedules.
The most advanced robot vacuums employ dual sensors, which combine with a LIDAR system to map your area with a structured light sensor that can detect objects and avoid them even if they're under furniture or power cords. Those features make it easier for your robot to enter tight spaces like the nook under your kitchen cabinets and beneath sofas, areas where other robots struggle. They're also quicker to get over obstacles and have longer run times with larger dust bins, which makes them better suited for large homes than entry-level robotics.
The best robot vacuums are swift efficient, smart and powerful. They can remove a wide range of floor debris including pet hair, kitty litter and other messes. They can also be quite quiet, making them an ideal choice for homes with young kids and pets. Many of the robot vacuum owners we've talked to say they appreciate the convenience of having their floors clean without much effort, especially when used often. Robots can last as long as traditional vacuum cleaners with the proper maintenance (cleaning rotating brushes and keeping the track of spare parts). PCWorld offers a helpful guide that outlines some essential tips to help you keep your machine running smoothly for long time to come.
Dust Bags Larger
A robotic vacuum is not as effective at cleaning like an upright or canister vacuum, but it's great at picking up the dust and debris that regular vacuuming has left behind. It is also a great tool for quick touch-ups on bare floors and can maneuver through cords and other obstacles in the home. You can use a robot to clean your floors according to a schedule if you don't have time to do it yourself.
The top-rated robot vacuums come with large easy to empty dust bags that can store more dirt than a single room. This can save time and money in the form of bags that can be replaced. This feature is available on a variety of models including our top model, the Ecovacs T30S Combo. This all-in-one robovac has an impressive performance score and comes with self-emptying bin. It also has a mopping feature and efficient navigation. It is a close race between the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ and this one, which uses intelligent mapping and avoidance technology. This robovac has a larger capacity, but it is a bit more expensive.
The two models differ in how they handle long hair, which may get tangled up in the rollers of some robots. The Roborock Q5 Max+, SwitchBot K10S Plus and Roborock Q5 Max+ are the top performing models. They all have outstanding hair pickup and tangle avoidance scores, along with great auto empty results and great path planning. The Eufy and Shark Matrix Plus are also good choices with decent hair pickup and tangle avoidance, but not as much path planning or auto empty.
The most recent robots are outfitted with sensors that detect dirt and other debris on carpets and they are better at picking up pet hair. Some models even have a mopping mode that uses the water reservoir to remove spills and messes that have gotten stuck. This feature is essential for families with children and pets.
Maintenance
Having a robot vacuum can be a huge help in keeping up with your home. The top models can collect more dirt pet hair, and lint than a broom on low-pile or hard flooring. They also have navigation features that ensure they don't get caught on rug fringe or power cords and can glide easily under furniture.
Depending on the model, a highly rated robot vacuum can be scheduled to run several times per day or may allow you to watch it at work via an app. These machines are useful, but they can also be clogged and require regular maintenance. This means emptying the dust bin onboard (or in some cases, the base's larger bin) as well as checking the brushes for tangled fur, and a regular cleaning of the filters and allowing them to dry according to the specifications of the manufacturer.
Vacuum expert Emily Rairdin, a store owner apprentice at University Vacuum + Sewing, says a good robot vacuum should last three to five years or more if it receives regular care and attention. She suggests regularly emptying the brush roll and bin and cutting out any hair that is tangled in the brushes, and regularly washing and drying the filter when your robot is also used as mop. It's a good idea to wipe the sensors and charging contacts of the dock or the robot with an easy, clean cloth every now and then. You can then refill and recharge your robot before the next clean-up session.