Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos
The best method to keep your home clean is to use a robotic vacuum. It will pick up pet hair, dust, and other surface debris.
Some robots are able to sync with smart assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant for a hands-free experience. Find models that can be recharged and continue cleaning the area they left.
1. iRobot S8
This smart robot mop and vacuum combo is a great option for households with a variety of. It vacuums and mops well and is extremely navigable using both GPS and laser sensors and comes with a variety of features and controls that are available via the app. It also comes with a useful feature that lets you create Cleaning zones for specific areas that require extra attention and Keep Out zones where you don't want it to be. Like all Roomba devices, it gets new software updates that make it even better over time.
It's costly however, it's also one of the most advanced robot vacuums ZDNet has tested. It has a high-powered battery that can vacuum an entire home in less than two hours. It can switch between mopping and vacuuming by pressing one button. It automatically emptys the dust bin above its charging station, unlike other self emptying robots which require you to empty the bin after each run.
It also has many other options, like intelligent obstacle avoidance, which utilizes a camera along with processor-powered smarts to recognize obstacles. It rarely gets derailed or trapped during cleaning and is also the most effective at avoiding power cables and other objects in my tests. It's not as precise at detecting pet waste or other hazards.
2. Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid
Eufy, owned by Anker is now a household name in the world of low-cost robot vacuums. But it didn't provide a model that could also mop. The X8 Hybrid is a new model that comes with a variety of advanced features, and can compete with more expensive models.
Eufy's main selling point with the X8 is its laser navigation. Previous Eufy devices have built up an outline of your home by using infrared sensors and bumping into things however the X8's laser mapping technology is more precise. It also takes significantly less time to construct an accurate picture of your space and stores multiple maps, which is ideal for multi-floor homes.
The X8 is a great vacuum cleaner on bare floors. It is able to effortlessly sling debris through the side brushes and into its 400ml dustbin. The X8's tyres, despite their circular shape, are adept in grabbing corners and edges. It's not a great kitty litter eater, however, with our tests showing it is able to remove around 90 percent of the fur off hard floors.
There's a mopping mode that utilizes the same water tank as the vacuuming one. This is ideal for spills that are not too serious, but you can't regulate the amount of water that it uses. It is effective in removing hair from pets. It has a higher percentage of hair removal than the Roborock S7.
3. Miele RX2
Miele's RX2 robotic vacuum is renowned for its quiet, powerful appliances. It has a beautiful design, excellent navigation and an impressive cleaning power. But it has some operational hiccups which prevent it from being considered as the top overall smart robot vacuum.
The RX2 is equipped with a dual-sensor mapping technology that uses a LIDAR to map a room, and a pair 3D scanning cameras to detect and staying clear of obstacles (such as furniture legs or pet waste). Once the room has been identified it is possible to assign virtual no go areas and preferred sections to the robot. You can also change the cleaning modes, initiate cleaning manually, or view live feeds of the onboard cameras 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-notch and cleans up surface debris from carpets of medium pile and dust in bare floors. However, it's not the most agile robot on the market. Like many other robots, it's not a good climber and is prone to problems with things like thresholds made of metal transition strips.
Some people buy robot vacuums because of the ease of setting up a schedule on an app, only to forget about them for weeks. However, it's essential that a robot can do the job that's why our ZDNet staff looked over and tested a number of the most well-known models to help you choose the best one for your home.
4. Shark ION
This budget robovac that looks just like the other, but it has several more features and better performance. Its smart mapping system creates 2D and 3D maps of your home and uses those to navigate and avoid obstacles. It can even detect common obstacles such as furniture legs and power cords in real-time. This combination of sensors, together with a bump sensor and an infrared sensor for dropping that keeps it off steps, makes it one of the most agile vacuums we've tested.
It was able to climb over thick shag carpets and was not stuck (unlike the RoboVac 11s or Roomba 690-). Its navigation skills were impressive. Its composite score for carpet and bare flooring was higher than the competition, and it picked up 98.5 percent of surface litter and embedded dog hair that we tested in our lab samples.
The controls are simpler than the competition; there's an oblong cleaning button at the top and you can access it via the app or via voice commands with Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also create a schedule for your daily or weekly cleaning, set no-go zones, and see the history of its cleaning. Ion is covered vacuum mop robot cleaner in a sophisticated dark gray plastic that feels and looks appealing in your home. Its rear dustbin is accessible for emptying, and taking out the filters is also simple.
5. Eufy 11S
If you're looking for a basic, no-frills robot vacuum at a low cost, the Eufy 11S is a great option. The model isn't equipped with smart features like Alexa integration and digital mapping, which are available in more expensive models. If you don't need these functions, you can save money.
The robot is simple to use and set up. It does not require a smartphone app or Wi-Fi pairing, however it does come with a remote control that lets you select various modes and adjust the suction level. It also lets you manually send the robovac off for scheduled cleaning.
During our tests, we found that the 11S was extremely efficient at cleaning pet fur and dirt from carpets and floors with low pile. Its slim profile made it possible to get under low-hanging furniture and other objects that bulkier robots could not reach. It was also able to pass over doorway thresholds and change from one type of floor to another.
The 11S, as with other robots will also suckup some items, including cords and cat toys. The manufacturer suggests you keep these items off the ground and by using a cord organizer whenever possible. It also recommends that you clean the dustbin, replace the filters, and clean or change the brushes as required.
iRobot Roomba 990
The Roomba is the flagship model of iRobot's robot vacuum. It's costly, but it's top-performing and, in some ways, the most advanced robot vacuum you can purchase. Its self-navigating features and environmental mapping are a wonder to behold. It is more sophisticated in its automation than most of its rivals, for instance the ability to set up virtual boundary markers through its mobile application. Although its app isn't the most responsive and the 980 may spin out a bit while rolling over cables, it's still a very capable robot vacuum.
We love the 980 because it uses its iAdapt2.0 navigation sensors and visual simultaneity localisation and mapping (or vSLAM) to store the floor plan of your home. It will then use this information to design an efficient and consistent cleaning path for every cycle. The result is cleaner floors and a more efficient robot vacuum than many high-end robotics.
Other features of the 980 include dual multi-surface brushes that capture dirt on hard floors and carpets and an ejector brush that spins to sweep debris into the robotic vacuum’s bin. Its floor tracking sensors aid it navigate around furniture and along edges, while Cliff Detect keeps the Roomba from slipping down stairs. It will automatically return to its base station to ensure hassle-free charging between sessions. The bin capacity and battery life of the 980 aren't as great as those of other robot vacuums. However, it's an extremely reliable and sturdy machine that will keep floors clean for many hours.