Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos
A robot vacuum is the ideal device to keep the cleanliness of your home. 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 recharge and pick up where they left off.
1. iRobot S8
This smart robot vacuum and mop combo is a fantastic choice for many homes. It vacuums and mops well, has excellent navigation with both GPS and laser sensors and has a wide range of features and controls available via the app. It also comes with a helpful feature that allows you to create Cleaning zones for specific areas that require extra attention and Keep Out zones where you don't want it to move. As with all Roomba devices, it receives new software updates that make it better over time.
It's costly but it's also one of the most advanced robot vacuums ZDNet has evaluated. It comes with a powerful battery that can clean a large area in less than two hours. Additionally, it can switch between vacuuming and mopping at the touch of a button. And unlike other self-emptying robots that require you to empty the trash bin after each run, this one automatically emptys itself into a larger waste container above its charging dock.
It has a wide range of other features that make it an excellent choice for homes of all sizes, including intelligent obstacle avoidance that uses the camera as well as processor-powered intelligents to identify obstacles. It's not often tripped or stuck during a cleaning cycle. In my tests it was the most effective at avoiding objects like power cables. However, it's not as accurate in detecting pet waste and other hazards.
2. Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid
Eufy, owned by Anker is now an established brand in the world of robots that are budget-friendly vacuums. However, it did not provide a model that could also mop. That's changed with the X8 Hybrid, which has an impressive set of modern features and can compete well with more expensive models.
Eufy's main selling point with this device is its laser navigation. The X8 uses laser mapping technology that is more accurate than the previous Eufy devices. It also takes significantly less time to construct an accurate map of your living space and also stores multiple maps, which is ideal for homes with multiple floors.
The X8 is a good vacuum cleaner for floors that are clean. It is able to easily throw debris under the side brushes and into its 400ml dust bin. The tyres are adept at securing corners and edges even though they are circular. Our tests showed that it was able to remove 90 percent of the fur on hard floors.
There's a mopping mode that utilizes the same water tank as the vacuuming one. This is great for spills that are not dangerous, but you are unable to control the amount of water that it uses. However, it does an excellent job of picking up pet hair, with a higher pickup rate than the Roborock S7.
3. Miele RX2
Miele's RX2 robotic vacuum is renowned for its quiet, efficient appliances. It has a beautiful design, a great navigation system and an impressive cleaning power. However, it does have a few operational oddities which prevent it from being considered as the top overall smart robot vacuum.
The RX2 comes with a dual-sensor mapping technology which uses LIDAR to map the space as well as a pair of 3D scanning cameras for detecting and avoiding obstacles (such as furniture legs or pet waste). Once mapped, the app lets you create virtual no-go zones as well as areas that you want to clean. will clean automatically. You can also change the cleaning modes, initiate a manual clean or watch a live feed of the onboard cameras from the main screen.
The RX2 has superior sensors that detect furniture and other obstructions instantly. The suction and sweeping abilities are excellent, removing surface litter from carpets with medium pile and also removing embedded dust on bare floors. It's not the most powerful robot on the market. As with many others it's not a very good climber and has issues with things like thresholds made of metal transition strips.
Some people buy robot vacuums due to the ease of setting up a schedule on an app, and then forgetting about them for weeks. It's crucial that a robot is able to do the job, so our ZDNet team has tested and reviewed some of the most popular models to help you pick the best one for your home.
4. Shark ION
This budget robovac is a robot that looks like any other, but has a few more features and is more efficient. Its smart mapping system generates 3D and 2-D maps of your home and makes use of them to navigate around and avoid obstructions. It's even able to spot common obstructions such as furniture legs and power cords in real time. The combination of sensors with a bump detector, and an infrared sensor to keep the vacuum from stepping on the stairs makes it one of our most agile vacuums.
In our tests, it easily moved over large shag rugs and didn't get stuck on them (like the RoboVac 11s or Roomba 690). Its navigation capabilities were impressive. Its composite score for flooring and carpet beats the competition and it picked up 98.5 percent of the pet hair that we tested in our lab samples.
Its controls are a bit more basic than the competitors. There's a round cleaning button on the top. You can access it via the app or via voice command with Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also set up a schedule for daily or weekly cleans, create areas that are not allowed to be cleaned, and check the history of its cleaning. Ion is clad in a sophisticated dark gray plastic that looks and feels attractive in your home. Its rear dustbin is easily accessible for emptying, and taking out the filters is also a breeze.
5. Eufy 11S
Eufy 11S is an excellent choice if you want a vacuum cleaner that is easy to use and doesn't have any frills at a cost that is low. It doesn't have many of the smart features, such as digital mapping and Alexa integration, found in more expensive models, but if you're not looking for those functions you can save money with this model.
This robot is simple to install and use. It does not require smartphone application or Wi-Fi pairing. However it does come with an remote control that allows you to choose between different modes and adjust suction levels. It also lets you manually turn off the robovac for scheduled cleaning.
In our tests, we discovered that the 11S was extremely efficient at getting dirt and pet fur from carpets and floors with low pile. Its slim profile allowed it to reach under furniture and other low objects that more bulkier robots couldn't reach. It was able to pass easily over thresholds of doors and transition between floors of different types to another.
The 11S, just like other robots, will also eat certain objects, like cords and cat toys. The manufacturer suggests you keep these items off the ground and by using a cord organizer if possible. It also suggests that you periodically clean the dustbin, replace the filters and change or wash the brushes when needed.
6. iRobot Roomba 980
The Roomba 980 is iRobot's flagship robot vacuum. It's pricey, but it's also the most powerful robot vacuum you can buy. Its self-navigation as well as environmental mapping are a joy to behold. It also comes with more advanced automation features than its competitors, such as the ability to set virtual boundary lines using its mobile app. It's a capable robot vacuum, even though its app is a bit sluggish and the 980 spins out when rolling over cables.
One thing we really like about the 980 is the fact that it utilizes its iAdapt 2.0 navigation sensors as well as visual simultaneous mapping and localisation technology (or vSLAM) to remember the floor plan of your home. It then uses this information to design best robot vacuum for carpet a consistent and efficient cleaning path for every cycle. The result is cleaner floors and a more efficient robot vacuum than many high-end robotics.
Other features include dual multi-surface rubber brushes which pick up dirt from carpet and hard floors as well as an ejector brush that moves debris into the robotic vacuum's bin. The sensors for floor tracking help it navigate between furniture and around edges, and Cliff Detect helps to prevent the Roomba from falling down stairs. It can also return automatically to the base station to allow for recharges between sessions. Although the 980's battery life and bin size isn't as efficient as other robot vacuums, it's a reliable and solid machine that will keep your floors spotless for hours and hours.