Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos
A robot vacuum is the ideal device to keep the cleanliness of your home. It can remove dust, pet hair and other debris on surfaces.
Some robots connect to smart assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant for a hands-free experience. Look for models that recharge and resume cleaning where they left off.
1. iRobot S8
This smart robot mop and vacuum combo is a great option for a wide range of households. It has a great navigation system with GPS and laser sensors. It also comes with many features and controls accessible via the app. It also comes with a useful feature that allows you to add cleaning zones to certain areas that require extra attention and Keep Out zones that you don't want it to go. It also receives software updates, just like the other Roomba products, that improve the quality of the product over time.
It's expensive, but it's is also among the most advanced robot vacuums ZDNet has ever tested. It comes with a powerful battery that can vacuum the entire house in less than two hours. It also switches between mopping and vacuuming with 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 an even larger waste container on top of its charging dock.
It also has many other features, including intelligent obstacle avoidance which uses cameras in conjunction with processor-powered smarts in order to recognize obstacles. It's rarely tripped up or stuck during a cleaning cycle. In my tests, it was the best at avoiding objects like power cables. It's not as reliable in detecting pet waste or other dangers.
2. Eufy RoboVac Hybrid X8
While Anker-owned Eufy has earned its name in low-cost robot vacuums it's never offered an all-in-one model which can also 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.
Eufy's main selling point with this device is its laser navigation. The previous Eufy devices have built up an approximate map of your home by using infrared sensors and bumping into objects however the X8's laser mapping technology is much more accurate. It also takes significantly less time to construct an accurate picture of your home and can store multiple maps, which is great for multi-floor homes.
The X8 is a great vacuum cleaner on bare floors. It is able to effortlessly sling debris through the side brushes and into its 400ml dust bin. Its tyres are also very adept at hugging corners and edges, even though they're circular. It's not a fantastic cat litter picker, though as our tests show it can only remove about 90 percent of the fur off hard floors.
There's a basic mopping mode which uses the same water tank as the vacuuming. This is great for spills that aren't too serious, but you cannot control the amount of water it uses. It does, however, do an excellent job of picking up pet hair, and has a higher percentage of hair removal than the Roborock S7.
3. Miele RX2
Known for quietly effective home appliances Miele's RX2 robot vacuum comes with outstanding cleaning power, stunning design, and a great navigation. But it has a few operational oddities which prevent it from being considered as the top overall smart robot vacuum.
The RX2 is equipped with a dual-sensor mapping technology that makes use of LIDAR to map an area and a pair of 3D scanning cameras for detecting and avoiding obstacles (such as furniture legs or pet waste). After the room has been defined it is possible to assign virtual no go areas and sections that you would like to be the robot. You can also alter the cleaning modes, start an automatic clean or see live feeds from the onboard cameras from the main screen.
The sensors of the RX2 work well by registering furniture and obstructions in real-time. Its sweeping and suction powers are exceptional, removing surface litter from carpets of medium pile as well as embedded dust on floors. It's not the fastest robot on the market. Like many others it's not a very good climber and has trouble with things like thresholds made of steel transition strips.
Some people buy a robot vacuum to enjoy the convenience of setting up a schedule using an app and not thinking about it for weeks at one time. It's crucial website that a machine can accomplish the task that's the reason why our ZDNet staff looked over and tested a number of the most popular models to help you find the perfect one for your home.
4. Shark ION
This round, budget robot looks like your typical robot but it's an upgrade in terms of performance and features. Its smart mapping system creates 3D and 2D maps of your house and makes use of them to navigate around and avoid obstacles. It can even detect common obstructions such as furniture legs and power cords in real-time. This combination of sensors, along with a bump sensor, and an infrared drop sensor that keeps it off the stairs, makes it one of the most agile vacs we've tested.
It was able to climb over the thick shag carpets and didn't get stuck (unlike the RoboVac 11s or Roomba 690-). Its navigation skills were impressive as well; its composite score in carpet and bare floors topped the competition, and it took in 98.5 percent of surface pet hair and litter from our lab test samples.
The controls are more basic than those of competitors. There's a round cleaning button on the top. You can access it via the app, or by voice command with Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also schedule daily or weekly cleanings, set up no-go zones, and look up the history of cleaning. In a smart dark gray plastics, Ion feels sturdy and is attractive in your home. The dust bin on the rear is easily accessible to empty, and the removal of the filters is also easy.
5. Eufy 11S
Eufy 11S is a great option for those looking for an automated vacuum cleaner that is simple and doesn't have any frills at a cost that is low. This model lacks some smart features such as Alexa integration and digital mapping that are found in higher-end models. However, if you don't need these features, you could save money.
The robot is simple to use and set up. It does not require a smartphone application or Wi-Fi pairing. However it does come with a remote control which allows you to choose between various modes and adjust the suction level. You can also set up a manual schedule to send the robotvac on a cleaning schedule.
During our tests, we found that the 11S was extremely effective at cleaning dirt and fur from hard floors and low-pile carpets. Its slim profile made it easier to get under furniture and other objects that more bulkier robots couldn't reach. It was also able to pass over doorway thresholds and move between floors and another.
The 11S, just like other robots, can also eat some items, including cords and cat toys. The manufacturer suggests that you can stop this by keeping these objects off the floor and by using an organizer for cords if you can. It also suggests that you clean the dustbin, replace the filters, and change or wash the brushes when required.
6. IRobot Roomba 980
The Roomba 980 is iRobot's most popular robot vacuum. It's pricey, but it's also the best robot vacuum that you can purchase. Its self-navigating capabilities and environmental mapping are something to behold. It has more advanced automation than the majority of its competitors, such as the ability to create virtual boundary markers using its mobile app. Although its app is a little sluggish, and the 980 does spin out a bit when rolling over cables, it's still a highly efficient robot vacuum.
One thing we really like about the 980 is the fact that it utilizes its iAdapt 2.0 navigation sensors and its visual simultaneous mapping and localisation technology (or vSLAM) to memorise the floor plan of your home. It will use this information to create a consistent and efficient cleaning path in every cycle. The result is cleaner floors and a more efficient vacuum than most high-end robots.
Other features of the 980 include dual multi-surface rubber brushes, that pick up dirt from hard floors and carpet, along with a spinning brush that sweeps debris into the robotic vacuum's bin. The sensors for floor tracking help it navigate around furniture and along edges, while Cliff Detect keeps the Roomba from falling down the stairs. It will automatically return to its base station for easy charging between sessions. Although the 980's battery lifespan and bin size isn't as good as those of other robot vacuums, it's a solid and reliable machine that can keep your floors clean for hours on end.