Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos
A robot vacuum is the best tool to maintain the cleanliness of your home. It can remove dust, pet hair and other particles from the floor before it becomes a bigger problem.
Some robots sync with smart assistants like 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 combo is a great choice for many households. It is able to vacuum and mop well, has excellent navigation with 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 more attention, as well as Keep Out zones in areas where you don't want it to be. It also receives software updates, just like the other Roomba products, which make it better over time.
It's expensive but is also one of the most sophisticated robot vacuums ZDNet has ever tested. It has a powerful battery that can clean the entire house in less than two hours. It also switches between mopping and vacuuming at the touch of the button. And, unlike other self-emptying robots that require you to empty the bin after each run, this one automatically empties into the larger waste container that is above its charging dock.
It's got a range of other features that make it an excellent choice for homes with a lot of space that include intelligent obstacle avoidance, which uses both a camera and processor-powered smarts to detect obstacles. It's not often tripped or stuck during a cleaning cycle. In my tests it was the best at avoiding objects such as power cables. However, it's not as accurate in detecting pet waste and other dangers.
2. Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid
Although Anker-owned Eufy has made an impact in the field of low-cost robot vacuums, it's never offered an all-in-one model that can also mop. That changes with the X8 Hybrid, which has an impressive set of modern features that can compete against more expensive models.
Eufy's main selling point with this device is its laser navigation. The X8 makes use of a laser mapping system that is more accurate than the previous Eufy devices. It also takes significantly less time to construct an accurate picture of your living space and also stores multiple maps, which is ideal for multi-floor homes.
The X8 is a great vacuum cleaner for floors with no dust. It is able to effortlessly sling debris under the side brushes and into its 400ml dust bin. The tyres are adept at hugging corners and edges despite being circular. Our tests revealed that it could only remove 90% of the fur on hard floors.
There's a mopping mode that uses the same water tank as the vacuuming one. This is great for spills that are not serious, but you cannot regulate the amount of water that it uses. That said, it does an admirable job of picking up pet hair, with a better speed of pickup than the Roborock S7.
3. Miele RX2
The company is known for its quiet home appliances, Miele's RX2 robot vacuum has excellent cleaning power, gorgeous design and excellent navigation. But it has a few operational oddities which prevent it from being considered as the best overall smart robot vacuum.
Like iRobot's latest models like the RX2 comes with dual-sensor mapping which uses a LIDAR sensor to map out the space and a pair of 3D scanning cameras that can detect and avoid obstacles (like furniture legs or pet waste) in real-time. After the room has been identified and assigned, you can assign virtual no go areas and sections that you would like to be the robot. You can also initiate cleaning manually or change the cleaning mode, see live feeds from the cameras onboard and more on the main screen.
The RX2 has excellent sensors that detect furniture and other obstructions instantly. And its sweeping and suction power are top-of-the-line cleaning up surface debris from medium-pile carpeting and embedded dust in bare floors. However, it's not the most flexible robot available. It's not the greatest climber and has issues with metal threshold transition strips.
A lot of people purchase a robotic vacuum for the hands-off convenience of setting a schedule on an app and then forgetting about it for weeks at an time. It's important for a robot to be capable of doing the job so our ZDNet staff has compared and reviewed some of the most popular models in order to help you pick the best one for your house.
4. Shark ION
This round, budget robot looks like your standard robot, however it's an upgrade in terms of performance and features. Its smart mapping system generates 3D and 2D maps of your house and uses them to navigate around and avoid obstructions. best robot vacuum cleaner for pet hair can even detect common obstacles such as furniture legs and power cords in real-time. This combination of sensors along with a bump sensor and an infrared sensor for dropping that keeps it from falling down steps is what makes it one of the most flexible vacuums we've tested.
In our tests, it effortlessly could climb over the thick shag rug and didn't end up stuck on them (like the RoboVac 11s or Roomba 690). Its navigational skills were also impressive as its score for composite tests on carpet and bare floors was better than the competition, and it picked up 98.5 percent of surface litter and embedded pet hair from our lab test samples.
The controls are more basic than the competition's. There's a clean button on the top and you can start it using the app or by voice commands with Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also schedule daily or weekly cleanings, designate no-go zones, and look up the history of cleaning. Clad in smart dark gray plastics, Ion feels sturdy and looks stylish in your home. The dust bin on the rear is easy to access for emptying and cleaning the filter is the same.
5. Eufy 11S
Eufy 11S is a good option if you're looking for an automated vacuum cleaner that is simple and doesn't have any frills at a low cost. It's not equipped with some advanced features like Alexa integration and digital mapping found in more expensive models. If you don't require these functions, you can save money.
This robot is easy to use and set up. It does not require a smartphone application or Wi-Fi pairing. However it does include an remote control that lets you choose between different modes and adjust suction level. You can also manually send the robotvac on the schedule of cleaning.
During our tests during our tests, the 11S was extremely effective in cleaning pet hair and dirt from hard floors and in carpets with low pile. Its slim profile made it easier to reach under furniture and other low items that larger robots could not reach. It was also able to easily get over thresholds for doors and change from one type of floor to another.
Like other robots, the 11S can take in some objects like cords, drawstrings for hoodies, and cat toys. The manufacturer states that you can stop this by keeping these objects off the floor and by using a cord organizer if possible. It also recommends cleaning the dustbin on a regular basis by replacing the filters and washing or changing the brushes as needed.
iRobot Roomba 990
The Roomba is iRobot’s flagship robot vacuum. It's expensive but it's the best robot vacuum you can buy. Its self navigation and environmental mapping are 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. It's a powerful robot vacuum, even though its application is a bit slow and the 980 spins out when it is pushed over cables.
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 then uses the information to create an efficient and consistent cleaning path for every cycle. The result is cleaner floors and a more efficient vacuum than most high-end robots.
Other features of the 980 include two multi-surface rubber brushes which pick up dirt from carpets and hard floors, along with the spinning brush that sweeps debris into the robotic vacuum's bin. The sensor for floor tracking assists it in maneuvering between furniture, along edges and on stairs. Cliff Detect prevents the Roomba from falling. It will automatically return to its base station to ensure hassle-free recharging between sessions. Although the 980's battery life and bin size aren't as impressive as other robot vacuums, it's a reliable and solid machine that will keep your floors clean for hours on end.