Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos
The best method to keep your home tidy is with a robot vacuum. It can remove dust, pet hair, and other debris from the surface before it becomes a bigger problem.
Some robots connect to smart assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant for a hands-free experience. Find models that can be recharged and continue cleaning the area they left.
- iRobot s8
This smart robot mop and vacuum is a great choice for many households. It vacuums and mops well and has a great navigation system that includes both GPS and laser sensors, and offers a broad range of controls and features accessible through the app. It also comes with a useful feature that allows you to add Cleaning zones for certain areas that need extra attention and Keep Out zones that you don't want it to go. Like all Roomba devices, it receives new software updates that make it even better over time.
It's costly however, it's also one of the most advanced robot vacuums that ZDNet has evaluated. It's equipped with a powerful battery that can clean a large home in under two hours. Additionally, it can switch between mopping and vacuuming with the press of a button. And, unlike other self-emptying robots that require you to empty the trash bin after each run, it automatically emptys into an even larger waste container on top of its charging dock.
It also comes with a variety of other options, like intelligent obstacle avoidance, which utilizes cameras in conjunction with processor-powered smarts in order to recognize obstacles. It's not often damaged or stuck during cleaning, and it's the best robot vacuum with mapping at avoiding power cables and other objects in my tests. It's not as reliable in detecting pet waste, or other dangers.
- Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid
Eufy is owned by Anker, has become an iconic name in the world of budget robot vacuums. But it didn't provide an option to mop. That changes with the X8 Hybrid, which has an impressive set of modern features and can compete well against more expensive models.
The laser navigation system is the main selling point of this machine. The X8 makes use of a laser mapping system that is more accurate than the previous Eufy devices. It takes less time to build an accurate map of your home. It also has the ability to store multiple maps. This is perfect for homes with multiple floors.
The X8 is still a decent vacuum on floors with no dust and can sling debris over its side brushes and into its 400ml dust bin with ease. The Tyres of the X8, despite their circular shape, are efficient at grabbing corners and edges. Our tests revealed that it could only remove 90 percent of the fur from hard floors.
The basic mopping mode uses the same water reservoir as the vacuuming mode. This is great for spills that aren't too serious, but you can't limit the amount of water it consumes. However, it does an excellent job of removing pet hair, with a better speed of pickup than the Roborock S7.
- Miele RX2
The company is known for its quiet home appliances Miele's RX2 robot vacuum is a great choice because of its cleaning power, beautiful design and great navigation. However, it does have a few operational oddities that prevent it from being ranked as the top overall smart robot vacuum.
Like the latest models from iRobot like the RX2 features dual-sensor mapping that utilizes an LIDAR sensor to map a room and three 3D scanning cameras that can detect and avoid obstacles (like furniture legs or pet waste) in real-time. Once the room is identified it is possible to assign virtual no go areas and sections that you would like to be the robot. You can also manually change cleaning modes, initiate a manual clean, or view live feeds of the cameras onboard from the main screen.
The RX2's sensors work well, registering furniture and other obstructions in real-time. Its sweeping and suction powers are outstanding, effectively removing surface litter from medium pile carpeting as well as embedded dust on floors. It's not the most powerful robot available. Like many others, it's not a good climber and has issues with things like thresholds made of steel transition strips.
Some people buy robot vacuums because of the ease of setting up a schedule using an app, and then forgetting about them for weeks. But it's important that a machine can do the job, which is the reason why our ZDNet staff looked over and tested a number of the most popular ones to help you choose the right one for your home.
- Shark ION
This round, budget robot is just like your typical robot but it's an upgrade in terms of performance and features. Its smart mapping system generates 3D and 2-D maps of your home and makes use of them to navigate and avoid obstructions. It can even identify common obstacles like furniture legs and power cords in real-time. This combination of sensors along with a bump detector, and an infrared sensor to keep the vacuum away from steps makes it one our most agile vacuums.
In our tests, it effortlessly climbed over thick shag rugs and didn't get stuck on them (like the RoboVac 11s or Roomba 690). Its navigation abilities were also impressive. Its composite score for flooring and carpet beat the competition, and it was able to pick up 98.5 percent of surface litter and embedded dog hair that we tested in our lab samples.
The controls are more basic than the competitors. There's a clean button at the top and you can choose to start it by using the app or via voice commands with Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also set up a schedule for daily or weekly cleaning, set no-go zones, and view its cleaning history. Ion is clad in a smart dark gray plastic that is both attractive and beautiful in your home. The dust bin on the rear is easily accessible for emptying, and removing the filters is also easy.
- Eufy 11S
If you're looking for a simple robotic vacuum that is simple and has no frills for a reasonable cost, the Eufy 11S is a great option. It's not equipped with some advanced features like Alexa integration and digital mapping that are found in higher-end models. However, if you don't require these functions, you can save money.
This robot is easy to use and set up. It does not require smartphone application or Wi-Fi pairing. However it does include a remote control which lets you choose between different modes and adjust suction level. You can also set up a manual schedule to set the robotvac to an cleaning schedule.
During our tests, the 11S was very effective at removing pet hair and dirt on hard floors as well as in carpets with low pile. Its slim profile allowed it to reach under furniture and other items that larger robots could not reach. It was able to pass easily over thresholds of doorways and switch between floors of different types to another.
The 11S, as with other robots, can also eat some objects, such as cords and cat toys. The manufacturer says that you can prevent this by keeping such objects off the floor and using a cord organizer if possible. It also suggests cleaning the dustbin regularly replacing the filters, and changing or washing the brushes when needed.
Roomba 990 by iRobot
The Roomba is iRobot’s flagship robot vacuum. It's expensive but it's the most powerful robot vacuum you can buy. Its self-navigation feature and environmental mapping are a joy to behold. It is more sophisticated in its automation than the majority of its competitors, including the capability to set up virtual boundary markers through its mobile application. It's a dependable robot vacuum, even though its app is a bit sluggish and the 980 spins out when it is pushed over cables.
We love the 980 because it uses its iAdapt2.0 navigation sensors and its visual simultaneity mapping and localisation (or vSLAM) to store your home's floor plan. It will use this data to create a consistent and efficient cleaning path in every cycle. The result is cleaner floors and a better robot vacuum than most high-end robots.
Other features of the 980 include dual multi-surface brushes that capture dirt on carpets and hard floors and an ejector brush that spins to sweep debris into the robotic vacuum’s bin. Its floor tracking sensor helps it navigate around furniture, along edges and on steps. Cliff Detect prevents the Roomba from falling. It will also return to the base station to allow for charging between sessions. The battery life and bin capacity of the 980 aren't as great as those of other robot vacuums. However, it's a reliable and solid machine that can keep floors clean for a long time. hours.