Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos
The best way to keep your home clean is to use a robotic vacuum. It can pick up dust, pet hair, and other debris on surfaces.
Some robots are able to sync with smart assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant for a hands-free experience. Look for models that can be recharged and continue cleaning where they left off.
1. iRobot s8
This smart robot mop and vacuum is a fantastic option for a wide range of households. It has a great navigation system that includes GPS and laser sensors. It also comes with a lot of features and controls that are accessible through the app. It also has a handy feature that lets you create Cleaning zones in areas that require more attention, as well as Keep Out zones in areas you don't want it to be. It also receives software updates, like all Roomba products, which improve the quality of the product 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 clean a large home in under two hours. It can switch between vacuuming and mopping with the press of one button. And, unlike other self-emptying robots that require you to empty the bin after each run, it automatically empties into a larger waste container above its charging dock.
It also has a number of other features, such as intelligent obstacle avoidance that uses a camera along with processor-powered smarts to recognize obstacles. It isn't often entangled or entrapped during a cleaning cycle, and it's the best at avoiding power cables and other objects in my tests. However, it isn't as effective in detecting pet waste or other dangers.
2. Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid
While the 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. This is changing with the X8 Hybrid, which has an impressive set of modern features that can compete against much more expensive models.
The most significant selling point for Eufy with this device is its laser navigation. The X8 uses a laser mapping system that is more precise than the previous Eufy devices. floor vacuum robot takes less time to build an extensive map of your home and can store multiple maps. This is great for multi-floored homes.
The X8 is a great vacuum cleaner for floors with no dust. It can easily sling debris through the side brushes and into its 400ml dustbin. The X8's tyres, despite their circular shape, are very efficient at grabbing edges and corners. Our tests showed that it was able to remove 90% of the fur on hard floors.
The mopping mode that is the basic one uses the same reservoir of water as the vacuuming mode. This is ideal for spills that aren't serious, but you can't limit the amount of water it uses. However, it does an admirable job of picking up pet hair, with a higher percentage of hair removal than the Roborock S7.
3. Miele RX2
Known for quietly effective home appliances Miele's RX2 robot vacuum comes with outstanding cleaning power, stunning design and great navigation. But it has a few operational oddities that prevent it from being ranked as the best overall smart robot vacuum.
The RX2 comes with a dual-sensor mapping technology that uses a LIDAR to map the space, and a pair 3D scanning cameras for detecting and eliminating obstacles (such as furniture legs or pet waste). Once mapped, narwal robot vacuum assign virtual no-go areas and favorite sections that the robot will clean automatically. You can also initiate cleaning manually or change the cleaning mode, watch a live feed from the cameras onboard and more from the main screen.
The RX2 is equipped with excellent sensors that detect furniture and other obstructions instantly. And its sweeping and suction power are top of the line, picking up surface litter from carpets of medium pile and dust in bare floors. It's not the fastest robotics on the market. It's not the greatest climber and has issues with metal threshold transition strips.
A lot of people purchase a robotic vacuum to enjoy the convenience of setting a schedule on an app and not thinking about it for weeks at an time. But it's important that a robot can do the job that's why our ZDNet staff tested and reviewed several of the most popular ones to help you choose the best one for your home.
4. Shark ION
This budget-friendly robot looks like your typical robot but it's upgraded in performance and features. Its intelligent mapping system creates 2D and 3-D maps of your home and makes use of to navigate and stay clear of obstructions. It's even able to spot common obstructions such as power cords and furniture legs in real time. This combination of sensors together with a bump sensor, and an infrared sensor for dropping that keeps it off the stairs, makes it one of the fastest vacuums we've tested.
It was able to walk over thick shag carpets and was not stuck (unlike the RoboVac 11s or Roomba 690-). Its navigation abilities were also impressive and its overall score on carpet and bare floors beat out the competition and it picked 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 a round cleaning button on the top, and you can access it via the app, or by voice commands with Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also schedule daily or weekly cleanings, set up no-go zones and check the history of cleaning. Ion is covered in a sophisticated dark gray plastic that feels and looks beautiful in your home. The rear dust bin is accessible for emptying and cleaning the filter is just as simple.
5. Eufy 11S
If you're looking for a basic robotic vacuum that is simple and has no frills at a low cost, the Eufy11S might be your best bet. The model isn't equipped with smart features such as Alexa integration and digital mapping that are found in more expensive models. However, if you don't need these features, you could save money.
This robot is simple to set up and use. It doesn't require smartphone application or Wi-Fi pairing. However it does include an remote control that allows you to choose between various modes and adjust the suction level. You can also set up a manual schedule to send the robotvac on an cleaning schedule.
During our tests, we discovered that the 11S was extremely effective at cleaning pet fur and dirt from hard floors and low-pile carpets. Its slim profile allowed it to get under furniture and other items that more bulkier robots couldn't reach. It was also able to get over thresholds for doors and transition between floors and another.
Like other robots, the 11S can take in some objects like cords, drawstrings on hoodies, and cat toys. The manufacturer suggests you avoid this by keeping these items off the ground and by using a cord organizer whenever possible. It also recommends cleaning the dustbin regularly by replacing the filters and washing or changing the brushes when needed.
6. IRobot Roomba 980
The Roomba is the flagship model of iRobot's robot vacuum. It's expensive however it's a top performer and is arguably the most sophisticated robot vacuum you can purchase. Its self-navigation feature and environmental mapping are a joy to behold. It is more sophisticated in its automation than most of its competitors, such as the capability to set up virtual boundary markers using its mobile app. It's a dependable robot vacuum, even if its app isn't the most responsive and the 980 spins when it is pushed over cables.
One thing we love about the 980 is that it makes use of 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 then use that information to create a consistent and efficient cleaning path for each cycle. The result is cleaner floors and a more efficient vacuum cleaner than the majority of high-end robots.
Other features of the 980 include dual multi-surface brushes that grab dirt on floors and carpets, as well as the spinning brush that sweeps debris into the robotic vacuum’s bin. Its floor tracking sensors help it navigate around furniture and along edges, and Cliff Detect prevents the Roomba from falling down stairs. It also automatically returns to the base station to allow for charging between sessions. The battery life and bin capacity of the 980 aren't as impressive as some other robot vacuums. However, it's a solid and reliable machine that can keep floors clean for many hours.