Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos
A robot vacuum is the best tool to maintain the cleanliness of your home. It will remove dust, pet hair and other particles from the floor before it becomes a bigger problem.
Some robots are able to sync with smart assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant for a hands-free experience. Find models that recharge and pick up the area they left.
1. iRobot s8
This smart robot mop and vacuum is a fantastic option for households with a variety of. It can be used to vacuum and mop and is extremely navigable using both GPS and laser sensors and comes with a variety of features and controls that are accessible via the app. It also comes with a helpful feature that lets you add cleaning zones to certain areas that require more attention and Keep Out zones where you don't want it to be. As with all Roomba devices, it is updated with new software updates that make it better over time.
It's expensive however, it's also among the most advanced robot vacuums that ZDNet has evaluated. It comes with a powerful battery that can vacuum an entire home in less than 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 bin after each run, it automatically emptys itself into an even larger waste container on top of its charging dock.
It also has a number of other options, like intelligent obstacle avoidance that uses a camera along with processor-powered smarts in order to identify obstacles. It isn't often entangled or entrapped during cleaning and is the best at avoiding power cables and other objects I've tested. However, it's not as effective in detecting pet waste or other dangers.
2. Eufy RoboVac Hybrid X8
Eufy owned by Anker is now a household name in the world of budget robot vacuums. However, it didn't offer the option of a model that could mop. The X8 Hybrid is a new model that comes with a variety of modern features and is able to compete with more expensive models.
Laser navigation is the primary selling point of this machine. The X8 makes use of laser mapping technology that is more precise than previous Eufy devices. It takes less time to create an accurate map of your home and can store multiple maps. This is great for homes with multiple floors.
The X8 is a good vacuum cleaner on bare floors. It is able to easily throw debris under the side brushes and into its 400ml dust bin. Its tyres are also very adept at hugging edges and corners, even though they're circular. Our tests revealed that it could only remove 90 percent of the fur on hard floors.
There's a basic mopping option which uses the same water tank as the vacuuming one. While this is good for spills that are not too large but you cannot regulate the amount of water it uses, which will limit its effectiveness when dealing with more serious staining. It does a good job of removing pet hair. 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 is a stunning design, excellent navigation and a powerful cleaning power. But it has some operational hiccups that keep it from ranking as the top overall smart robot vacuum.
The RX2 is equipped with a dual-sensor mapping technique that makes use of LIDAR to map a room and a pair of 3D scanning cameras for detecting and eliminating obstacles (such as furniture legs or pet waste). After the room has been identified, you can designate virtual no-go areas and favorite sections to the robot. You can also manually change cleaning options, begin an automatic clean, or view a live feed of the cameras onboard from the main screen.
The RX2's sensors work well, registering furniture and other obstructions in real-time. The suction and sweeping capabilities are excellent, taking away surface debris from carpets of medium pile and also removing embedded dust on bare floors. It's not the fastest robot available. As with many others it's not a very good climber and has trouble with things like thresholds made of metal transition strips.
Some best robot vacuums people buy a robot vacuum to enjoy the convenience of setting a schedule on an app and forgetting about it for weeks at an time. It is essential for a robot to be able to do the job and that's why our ZDNet team has tested and looked over some of the most popular models to help you pick the right one for your house.
4. Shark ION
This budget robovac that is similar to other, but it has a few more features and a better performance. Its smart mapping system creates 3D and 2D maps of your home and makes use of to navigate and avoid obstructions. It is able to detect common obstacles 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 away from the stairs makes it one of our most flexible vacuums.
In our tests, it easily moved over large 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 for carpet and bare flooring beats the competition and it was able to pick up 98.5 percent of the surface litter and embedded dog hair that we tested in our lab samples.
The controls are less basic than the competitors. There's a clean button on the top and you can choose to start it by using the app or by voice commands with Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also set a schedule for daily or weekly cleans, set areas that are not allowed to be cleaned, and check the history of its cleaning. In a smart dark gray plastics, Ion feels sturdy and looks stylish in your home. The dust bin on the rear is easy to empty and removing the filter just as simple.
5. Eufy 11S
If you're looking to buy a basic, no-frills robot vacuum for a reasonable cost, the Eufy 11S could be a good choice. It's not equipped with some advanced features such as Alexa integration and digital mapping found in higher-end models. However, if you don't require these functions, you can save money.
This robot is simple to use and set up. It doesn't 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 assign the robotvac to a cleaning schedule.
In our tests, we found that the 11S was extremely effective at removing pet fur and dirt from carpets and floors with low pile. Its slim profile allowed it to pass under furniture that is low-hanging and other objects that bulkier robots could not reach. It was also able to traverse door thresholds and change between floors and another.
Like other robots, the 11S is able to suck up some objects like cords, drawstrings for hoodies and cat toys. The manufacturer suggests that you can prevent this by keeping these items off the floor and using an organizer for cords if you can. It also suggests cleaning the dustbin regularly replacing the filters, and changing or washing the brushes as required.
6. IRobot Roomba 990
The Roomba is iRobot's flagship robot vacuum. It's pricey, but it's also the most powerful robot vacuum you can purchase. Its self-navigating capabilities and environmental mapping are a wonder to behold. It also has 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 if the app is a bit sluggish and the 980 spins when it is pushed over cables.
We love the 980, because it makes use of its iAdapt2.0 navigation sensors and visual simultaneity mapping and localisation (or vSLAM) to store your home's floor plan. It will use this information to create a consistent and efficient cleaning path through each cycle. The result is cleaner floors and a cleaner vacuum than the majority of high-end robot vacuums.
Other features of the 980 include two multi-surface rubber brushes which pick up dirt from hard floors and carpet and an ejector brush that moves debris into the robotic vacuum's bin. Its floor tracking sensors help it navigate around furniture and along edges, while Cliff Detect prevents the Roomba from falling down the stairs. It also automatically returns to the base station to allow for recharges between sessions. Although the 980's battery life and bin size aren't quite as impressive as other robot vacuums it's a solid and reliable machine that can keep your floors clean for hours and hours.