Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos
A robot vacuum is the best tool for maintaining a clean home. It can remove pet hair, dust and other surface debris before it becomes a larger problem.
Some robots connect to smart assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant for a hands-free experience. Look for models that are rechargeable and continue cleaning where they left off.
1. iRobot s8
This smart robot mop and vacuum combo is a fantastic choice for many households. It has a great navigation system that includes GPS and laser sensors. It also comes with numerous features and controls accessible via 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 you don't wish it to go. It also receives software updates, just like all Roomba products, that improve the quality of the product over time.
It's expensive, but it's also among the most advanced robot vacuums that ZDNet has evaluated. It's got a huge battery that can sweep all of your home in less than two hours. It also switches between mopping and vacuuming with the press of a button. And unlike other self-emptying robotics that require you to empty the trash bin after each run, this one automatically emptys itself into an even larger waste container on top of its charging dock.
It also has many other features, such as intelligent obstacle avoidance which uses cameras in conjunction with processor-powered smarts in order to identify obstacles. It's rarely tripped up or stuck during a cleaning process. In my tests, it was the best at avoiding objects such as power cables. However, it isn't as accurate in detecting pet waste or other dangers.
2. Eufy RoboVac Hybrid X8
Eufy is owned by Anker It has become an iconic name in the world of low-cost robot vacuums. However, it did not offer an option to mop. That's changed with the X8 Hybrid, which has an impressive suite of advanced features and can compete well with more expensive models.
The laser navigation system is the primary selling point of this machine. The X8 utilizes a laser mapping system that is more precise than previous Eufy devices. It takes less time to create an extensive map of your home. It can also store multiple maps. This is great for multi-floored homes.
The X8 is still a decent vacuum for floors that are not clean and can sling debris over its side brushes and into the 400ml dust bin with ease. The X8's tyres, despite their circular shape, are very 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 uses the same water reservoir as the vacuuming mode. While this is a good option for spills that are not too large however, you aren't able to regulate the amount of water it is using and this will reduce its effectiveness when dealing with more severe stains. It does, however, do an admirable job of removing pet hair, with a higher percentage of hair removal than the Roborock S7.
3. Miele RX2
Miele's RX2 robotic vacuum is known for its quiet, powerful appliances. It features a stunning design, excellent navigation and a powerful cleaning power. There are a few niggles in its operation, which prevent it from being considered the best smart robot vacuum.
The RX2 comes with a dual-sensor mapping technology which uses LIDAR to map a room as well as a pair of 3D scanning cameras to detect and avoiding obstacles (such as furniture legs or pet waste). After the room has been mapped, you can assign virtual no go areas and favorite sections to the robot. You can also alter the cleaning modes, start an automatic clean, or view a live feed of the onboard cameras from the main screen.
The RX2 has excellent sensors that detect furniture and other obstructions instantly. The suction and sweeping power are top of the line and cleans up surface debris from carpets of medium pile and dust in bare floors. It's not the fastest robot available. It's not the most efficient climber, and it has problems with metal threshold transition strips.
Some people buy a robot vacuum for the hands-off convenience of setting a schedule in an app and then forgetting about it for weeks at an time. It's important that a robot is capable of the task, so our ZDNet staff has tested and examined some of the most popular models in order to help you select the best one for your home.
4. Shark ION
This budget robovac that is similar to other, but comes with some extra features and better performance. Its intelligent mapping system creates 2D and 3D maps of your home and uses them to navigate and avoid obstacles. It's even able to spot common obstacles such as power cords and furniture legs in real-time. This combination of sensors along with a bump sensor and an infrared sensor for dropping that keeps it off stairs, makes it one of the fastest vacuums we've tested.
In our tests, it easily could climb over the thick shag rug and didn't get stuck on them (like the RoboVac 11s or Roomba 690). Its navigation abilities were also impressive; its composite score in carpet and bare floors beat out the competition, and it was able to pick up 98.5 percent of surface litter and embedded pet hair from our lab test samples.
Its controls are a bit more basic than the competition; there's an oblong cleaning button at the top and you can launch it via the app, or by voice command with Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also schedule weekly or daily cleanings, set up no-go zones and view the history of cleaning. Ion is clad in a sophisticated dark gray plastic that feels and looks attractive in your home. Its rear dustbin is accessible to empty, and the removal of the filters is also a breeze.
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 isn't equipped with some of the smart features, such as digital mapping and Alexa integration, which are found in more expensive models, but if you're not looking for these features, you can save a little cost with this model.
The robot is simple to set up and use. It doesn't require a smartphone app or Wi-Fi pairing, but it does have a remote control that allows you to select between different modes and adjust the suction level. It also lets you manually turn off the robovac for scheduled cleaning.
In our tests during our tests, the 11S was very effective at getting rid of dirt and pet hair from hard floors and carpets with a low pile. Its slim profile allowed it to get under low-hanging furniture and other items that heavier robots were unable to get at. It was also able to easily get over thresholds for doors and change between floors and another.
Like other robots, the 11S will take in some objects like cords, hoodie drawstrings, and cat toys. The manufacturer suggests you keep these items off the ground and using a cord organiser if possible. It also suggests cleaning the dustbin on a regular basis replacing the filters, and changing or washing the brushes as required.
6. iRobot Roomba 980
The Roomba is iRobot’s flagship robot vacuum. It's costly, but it's top-performing and arguably the most advanced robot vacuum available. Its self-navigating features and environmental mapping are something to behold. It has more advanced automation than its competitors, such as the capability to set up virtual boundary markers with its mobile app. Although the app is a little sluggish, and the 980 does spin a bit when Check This Out rolling over cables, it's still a very capable robot vacuum.
One thing we love about the 980 is that it makes use of its iAdapt 2.0 navigation sensors and visual simultaneous mapping and localisation technology (or vSLAM) to memorise the floor plan of your home. It uses this information to create a consistent and efficient cleaning path in every cycle. The result is cleaner floors, and a more efficient vacuum than the majority of high-end robot vacuums.
Other features of the 980 include dual multi-surface rubber brushes that pick up dirt from carpets and hard floors as well as an ejector brush that moves debris into the bin of the robotic vacuum. The sensor for floor tracking helps it navigate around furniture as well as along edges and steps. Cliff Detect prevents the Roomba from falling. It will also return to the base station for simple charging between sessions. While the 980's battery life and bin size isn't as good as those of some other robot vacuums, it's a sturdy and reliable machine that will keep your floors spotless for hours and hours.