Best Rated Robot Vacuum and Mop

Eufy's top-rated robotic mop and vacuum takes a lot of the work of keeping your floors tidy. It can refill its own water tank, empty its tower bin that is larger and then change out the dust bag.

More advanced models are smart enough to draw a map of your home and take note of furniture placement. They can also identify hazards and help you avoid them, like loose charging cables or loose socks.

Object Avoidance

Object avoidance functions allow your robot to avoid hitting things such as power cords, toys and clothes that can be caught in the vacuum. These are particularly important if you have kids or pets who are prone to leaving objects on the floor, which your robot can find them.

Based on the model you select, you might have a variety of sensors to help your robot navigate through obstacles. Some of the most popular include crossed IR sensor beams that are infrared-focused lights that scan across the room to look for furniture legs or door frames. Many robots have adopted this technology, and you'll find it in the most expensive models that cost more.

Other technology for avoiding objects that can be found in more expensive robots is 3D Structured Light which uses cameras and crossed IR sensors to map the surrounding area and identify obstacles. Time of Flight (ToF) sensors that measure and emit the amount of time that it takes for the light to reflect off an object, to determine its distance, are also available. These aren't very common but are a great option for your robot vacuums best in case you're looking to add peace of mind.

The majority of the top-rated robots are also able to mop your floors. Some come with their own water tanks that allow them to wash away water-based spills and messes. You will need to empty the robot's dust bin onboard and clean its cameras and sensors between cleaning sessions.

Mapping

Robot vacuums need to be able to map. This lets them navigate your home and avoid hitting things like walls. Without mapping, they could be tripped by cords, furniture or pet toys and end up removing less of your space. With sensors, the majority of robots map out your home to track any obstacles and help them navigate around them. They can sweep the floor in fewer passes, and help you save time. Many of the top rated robot vacuums can also use this feature to create no-go zones which allows you to designate rooms that you don't want the robot vacuum that mops to get into.

Robots with a built-in LIDAR use this technology to map your home quickly and efficiently. The Eufy Clean robot separated my room into different areas and cleaned each in a separate manner during our tests. This was a huge improvement over other models that only had sensors on the front of the vehicle. This was a much more precise way to navigate my home, and it was easy to control via the app on thare also quite quiet, which makes them a great choice for homes with pets or young children. Most robot vacuum users have told us that they appreciate the ease of having their floor cleaned with minimal effort. This is especially true if they are used frequently. If you take care of maintenance (cleaning the rotating brushes and keeping an eye on replacement parts) robots can last as long as a traditional full-size vacuum cleaner. PCWorld offers a useful guide that provides tips to keep your machine running in good shape for the long time to come.

Larger Dust Bags

A robotic vacuum is not as good at cleaning as a canister or upright vacuum, but it's great at picking up the dust and debris that regular vacuuming leaves behind. It is a great tool for quick retouching of floors, and Best Rated Robot Vacuum can navigate around cords or other household obstacles. You can use robotics to sweep your floors on a regular basis if you don't have time to do it yourself.

The top-rated robot vacuums have large, easy to empty dust bags that can hold more dirt than one room. This can save time and money in the form of bags that can be replaced. Many of the models on our list have this feature, including our most popular one, the Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo. This all-in one robovac is a top-performing robovac that has a self-emptying bin. It also has a mopping feature and efficient navigation. It is a close race between the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ and this one, which is equipped with the latest technology for avoidance and smart mapping. This robovac has a larger capacity but is slightly more expensive.

Another big difference between these two models is how they deal with long human hair, which can tangle in the rollers of some robots. The Roborock Q5 Max+, SwitchBot K10S Plus and Roborock Q5 Max+ are the top performing models. They all have outstanding hair pickup and tangle-avoidance scores, together with excellent auto vacuum and mop empty performance and great path planning. The Shark Matrix Plus and eufy are also great options with respectable hair pick-up and tangle avoidance, however not as much path planing or auto empty.

The newest robots have sensors that can spot dirt and other debris in the carpet, and are better at removing loose pet hair. Some robots have mopping mode, that makes use of the reservoir of water to get rid of stuck-on messes and spills. This feature is crucial for families with children as well as pets.

Maintenance

A robot vacuum can be a huge aid in keeping a close eye on your home. While no robot is able to replace an upright or a canister autonomous vacuum for deep cleaning, the highest models are rated to remove pet hair, lint and other dirt that accumulates on hard floors and low-pile carpets, picking up much more than you can with the broom. They have navigational features that prevent them from getting stuck on power cords, rug fringes or furniture.

According to the model, you can set up the robot vacuum to run several times per day or even watch it perform its duties using an app. These machines are useful, but they can also clog and require regular maintenance. This means emptying the dust bin onboard (or in certain cases, the base's bigger bin), checking brushes for fur that is tangled, and regularly washing the filters and allowing them to dry according to the specifications of the manufacturer.

Vacuum expert Emily Rairdin, a store owner apprentice at University Vacuum + Sewing, says a high-quality robot vacuum will last for three to five years or more if it receives regular care and attention. She suggests emptying the bin and the brush roll regularly and cutting off hairs that get caught in the brushes, and frequently cleaning and drying the filter if your machine is also a mop. It's also an excellent idea to clean the sensors and charging contacts on the dock or robot occasionally with a soft cloth. You can recharge and refill your robot for the next clean-up session.