Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos
A robot vacuum is the ideal tool for maintaining an orderly home. It can pick up pet hair, dust, and other debris on surfaces.
Some robots are able to sync with smart assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant to provide a hands-free experience. Find models that can be recharged and continue cleaning where they left off.
1. iRobot s8
This smart robot mop and vacuum is a great option for a wide range of households. It can be used to vacuum and mop and has a great navigation system that includes both GPS and laser sensors, and comes with a variety of features and controls accessible via the app. It also has a handy feature that allows you to add cleaning zones to certain areas that need extra attention and Keep Out zones where you do not want it to move. It also gets software updates, just like the other Roomba products, which make it better over time.
It's costly however, it's also among the most advanced robot vacuums that ZDNet has evaluated. It's equipped with a powerful battery that can clean a large area in less than two hours. It can switch between vacuuming and mopping with the press of one button. And unlike other self-emptying robots that require you to empty the bin after each run, it automatically emptys itself into the larger waste container that is 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 both a camera and processor-powered intelligents to identify obstacles. It's rarely tripped up or stuck during a cleaning process. In my tests it was the most effective in avoiding objects such as power cables. However, it's not as effective in detecting pet waste and other hazards.
2. Eufy RoboVac Hybrid X8
Eufy, owned by Anker It has become an established brand in the world of budget robot vacuums. However, it didn't provide an option to mop. That's changed with the X8 Hybrid, which has an impressive suite of advanced features that can compete with more expensive models.
The most significant selling point for Eufy with this device is its laser navigation. Previous Eufy devices have constructed a rough map of your home utilizing infrared sensors and bumping into objects however the X8's laser mapping system is more precise. It takes less time to build an extensive map of your home. It can also store multiple maps. This is ideal for homes with multiple floors.
The X8 is a good 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 having a circular shape, are efficient at grabbing corners and edges. Our tests showed that it was able to remove 90 percent of the fur from hard floors.
There's a mopping mode which uses the same water tank as the vacuuming one. While this is great for spills that aren't too big but you cannot limit the amount of water it is using which can limit its effectiveness on more serious staining. It does a good job of removing hair from pets. It has a higher percentage of hair removal than the Roborock S7.
3. Miele RX2
Awarded for its quiet and efficient home appliances, Miele's RX2 robot vacuum has excellent cleaning power, gorgeous design, and a great navigation. However, it has a few operational oddities which prevent it from being considered as the top overall smart robot vacuum.
Like iRobot's latest models like the RX2 has a dual-sensor mapping system that utilizes an LIDAR sensor to map out an area and two 3D scanning cameras to detect and avoid obstacles (like furniture legs or pet waste) in real time. After the room has been defined, you can designate virtual no-go areas and preferred sections to the robot. You can also change the cleaning modes, start a manual clean or watch a live feed of the onboard cameras from the main screen.
The RX2 has superior sensors that can identify furniture and other obstructions immediately. The suction and sweeping capabilities are outstanding, effectively removing surface litter from carpets with medium pile and also removing embedded dust on floors. It's not the fastest robotics available. It's not the most efficient climber, and it has problems with metal threshold transition strips.
Many people purchase robot vacuums for the convenience of setting up a schedule on an app, and then forgetting about them for weeks. It's important that a robot is able to do the job and that's why our ZDNet team has tested and reviewed some of the most best buy robot vacuum popular models to help you choose the right one for your home.
4. Shark ION
This budget robovac that looks just like the other, but it has some extra features and better performance. Its smart mapping system creates 3D and 2-D maps of your home and uses to navigate and stay clear of obstructions. It is able to 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 from falling down steps is what makes it one of the fastest vacuums we've tried.
It was able to climb over thick shag carpets and didn't get stuck (unlike the RoboVac 11s, or Roomba 690-). Its navigation abilities were also impressive. Its composite score for flooring and carpet was higher than the competition, and it was able to pick up 98.5% of pet hair from our lab test samples.
The controls are less basic than those of the competition's. There's a clean button at the top and you can start it using the app or voice commands using Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also schedule daily or weekly cleanings, set up no-go zones and view its history of cleaning. Ion is covered in a smart dark gray plastic that is both attractive and beautiful in your home. The dust bin on the rear is easy to access for emptying and removing the filter the same.
5. Eufy 11S
If you're looking for a basic robotic vacuum that is simple and has no frills at a reasonable cost, the Eufy11S might be your best bet. It lacks some of the smart features, such as digital mapping and Alexa integration, which are found in higher-end models, however, if you don't require these functions, you can save a little money with this model.
This robot is very easy to install and use. It does not require a smartphone application or Wi-Fi connection, however it does have the ability to control the remote with a remote that lets you choose between different modes and adjust the suction level. It also allows you to manually turn off the robovac on a scheduled cleaning.
During our tests, we found that the 11S was extremely effective at cleaning dirt and fur from carpets and floors with low pile. Its slim profile allowed it to get under furniture and other low items that some of the more bulkier robots couldn't reach. It was able to go easily over thresholds of doors and transition between floors of different types to another.
The 11S, as with other robots, will also eat some items, including cords and cat toys. The manufacturer suggests that you keep these items off the ground and using a cord organiser when you can. It also suggests cleaning the dustbin on a regular basis by replacing the filters and changing or washing the brushes as required.
Roomba 990 from iRobot
The Roomba 980 is iRobot's most popular robot vacuum. It's costly, but it's the best robot vacuum you can purchase. Its self-navigation as well as environmental mapping is a marvel to behold. It has more advanced automation than most of its rivals, for instance the ability to create virtual boundary markers using its mobile application. Although its application is a bit slow and the 980 can spin a bit when moving over cables, it's a very capable robot vacuum.
One thing we love about the 980 is that it makes use of its iAdapt 2.0 navigation sensors as well as visual simultaneous localisation and mapping technology (or vSLAM) to memorise the floor plan of your home. It uses this information to create a consistent and efficient cleaning path for each cycle. The result is cleaner floors and a better robot vacuum cleaner than the majority of high-end robots.
Other features of the 980 include dual multi-surface brushes which grab dirt from hard floors and carpets, as well as the spinning brush that sweeps debris into the robotic vacuum's bin. Its floor tracking sensor helps it navigate between furniture as well as along edges and steps. Cliff Detect prevents the Roomba from falling. It can also return automatically to the base station for simple recharges between sessions. Although the 980's battery life and bin size aren't quite as efficient as other robot vacuums, it's a reliable and solid machine that will keep your floors clean for hours and hours.