Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos
The best way to keep your home tidy is to use a robotic vacuum. It will nab dust, pet hair, and other debris from the surface before it causes a bigger problem.
Some robots are able to sync with smart assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant for a hands-free experience. Look for models that are rechargeable and continue cleaning the area they left.
1. iRobot s8
This smart robot mop and vacuum is a great choice for many households. It has a great navigation system with GPS and laser sensors. It also has numerous features and control options that can be accessed through the app. It has a handy feature that lets you create Cleaning zones in areas that require more attention, and also to create Keep Out zones in areas that you do not want it to go. It also gets software updates, just like all Roomba products, that make it better over time.
It's costly but it's also one of the most advanced robot vacuums that ZDNet has tested. It comes with a powerful battery that can vacuum an entire home in less than two hours. Additionally, it can switch between vacuuming and mopping by pressing a button. It automatically empties the dust bin above its charging station, unlike other self emptying robots which require you to empty the bin after each run.
It also comes with a variety of other features, such as intelligent obstacle avoidance that uses cameras and processor-powered smarts to recognize obstacles. It isn't often entangled or entrapped during a cleaning process and is the best at avoiding power cables and other objects in my tests. However, it isn't as effective in detecting pet waste and other dangers.
2. Eufy RoboVac Hybrid X8
While Anker-owned Eufy has earned its name in budget robot vacuums, it's never offered 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 can compete well against much more expensive models.
The laser navigation is the most important feature of this machine. The previous Eufy devices have created a rough map of your home utilizing 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 space and stores multiple maps, which is great for homes with multiple floors.
The X8 is still a decent vacuum for floors that are not clean and can sling debris over its side brushes and into its 400ml dust bin with ease. The X8's tyres, despite their circular shape, are good at grabbing edges and corners. Our tests revealed that it was able to remove 90 percent of the fur from hard floors.
The basic mopping mode utilizes the same water reservoir as the vacuuming mode. This is great for spills that aren't dangerous, but you are unable to control the amount of water it consumes. It does, however, do an excellent job of removing pet hair, and has a higher percentage of hair removal than the Roborock S7.
3. Miele RX2
Awarded for its quiet and efficient home appliances, Miele's RX2 robot vacuum is a great choice because of its cleaning power, beautiful design and great navigation. However, it does have a few operational oddities that keep it from ranking as the top overall smart robot vacuum.
The RX2 is equipped with a dual-sensor mapping system that makes use of LIDAR to map the space, and a pair 3D scanning cameras for detecting and avoiding obstacles (such as furniture legs or pet waste). Once the room is mapped the app allows you to designate virtual no-go zones and preferred areas that the robot will clean automatically. You can also change the cleaning modes, start a manual clean, or view a live feed of the cameras onboard from the main screen.
The RX2 has excellent sensors that can identify furniture and other obstructions in a flash. The suction and sweeping power are top-of-the-line, picking up surface litter from carpets with medium piles and dust on floors that are unfinished. It's not the fastest robot available. It's not the greatest climber and has issues with transition strips made of steel.
Some people buy a robot vacuum for the ease of setting up a schedule using an app and not thinking about it for weeks at a time. However, it's essential that a robot can do the job that's why our ZDNet staff examined and reviewed a few of the most popular ones to help you choose the best one for your home.
4. Shark ION
This round, budget robot is just like your standard robot, however it's a step up in performance and features. Its smart mapping system creates 3D and 2D maps of your home and makes use of to navigate and avoid obstacles. It can even identify common obstacles such as furniture legs and power cords in real-time. best robot vacuum for carpet of sensors along with a bump detector, and an infrared sensor that keeps the vacuum off the stairs makes it one of our most flexible vacuums.
In our tests, it effortlessly climbed over thick shag rug and didn't get stuck on them (like the RoboVac 11s or Roomba 690). Its navigation abilities were impressive as well and its overall score on carpet and bare floors topped the competition, and it was able to pick up 98.5 percent of surface litter and embedded pet hair from our laboratory test samples.
The controls are simpler than the competitors. There's a clean button at the top, and you can choose to start it with the app or via voice commands with Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also set up a schedule for daily or weekly cleans, set no-go zones, and see its history of cleaning. Ion is clad in a smart dark gray plastic that looks and feels beautiful in your home. The dust bin on the rear is easy to empty and removing the filter equally easy.
5. Eufy 11S
If you're looking for a basic robotic vacuum that is simple and has no frills at a low price, the Eufy 11S might be your best bet. It doesn't have many of the more advanced features, such as digital mapping and Alexa integration, found in higher-end models, however, if you don't require these functions, you can save a little cost with this model.
This robot is simple to use and set up. It doesn't require smartphone application or Wi-Fi pairing. However, it does come with a remote control which lets you choose between different modes and alter the suction level. It also lets you manually turn off the robovac on a scheduled cleaning.
In our tests, the 11S was very effective at getting rid of pet hair and dirt on hard floors and in low-pile carpets. Its slim profile made it possible to get under low-hanging furniture and other items that larger robots are unable to reach. It was also able to traverse door thresholds and transition from one floor type to another.
Like other robots, the 11S is able to take in some objects like cords, drawstrings for hoodies and cat toys. The manufacturer says that you can prevent this by keeping these objects off the floor and by using an organizer for cords if you can. It also recommends cleaning the dustbin on a regular basis replacing the filters, and washing or changing the brushes as required.
6. iRobot Roomba 980
The Roomba is iRobot's flagship robot vacuum. It's expensive but it's the best robot vacuum you can purchase. Its self-navigation and environmental mapping is something to behold. It also has more advanced automation features than its competitors, such as the ability to set virtual boundary markers using its mobile app. Although its app is a little sluggish and the 980 may spin out a bit while crossing cables, it's still a very capable robot vacuum.
One thing we really like about the 980 is that it uses its iAdapt 2.0 navigation sensors and its visual simultaneous localisation and mapping technology (or vSLAM) to memorise the floor plan of your home. It will use this information to create a consistent, 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 of the 980 include dual multi-surface brushes that capture dirt on floors and carpets, as well as the spinning brush that sweeps debris into the robotic vacuum's bin. Its floor tracking sensor assists it in maneuvering around furniture, along edges and up stairs. Cliff Detect prevents the Roomba from falling. It will also return to the base station for simple recharging in between sessions. While the 980's battery life and bin size aren't as impressive as other robot vacuums, it's a solid and reliable machine that will keep your floors spotless for hours and hours.