Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos
The best way to keep your home clean is with a robot vacuum. It can pick up pet hair, dust, and other surface debris.
Some robots sync with smart assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant for a hands-free experience. Look for models that can recharge and then resume cleaning the area they left.
1. iRobot s8
This smart robot mop and vacuum combo is a fantastic option for households with a variety of. It features a superb navigation system with GPS and laser sensors. It also comes with a lot of features and controls that are accessible through the app. It also has a handy feature which allows you to create Cleaning zones in areas that require additional attention, and also to create Keep Out zones in areas that you don't want it to be. It also gets software updates, just like the other Roomba products, which enhance it over time.
It's expensive but it's also one of the most advanced robot vacuums ZDNet has evaluated. It comes with a powerful battery that can vacuum a large home in under two hours. It can switch between mopping and vacuuming with the press of one button. And, unlike other self-emptying robots that require you to empty the dust bin after each run, this one 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 uses cameras in conjunction with processor-powered smarts in order to detect obstacles. It's rarely tripped up or stuck during a cleaning process. In my tests it was the best in avoiding objects such as power cables. It is not as accurate in detecting pet waste, or other hazards.
2. Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid
Eufy, owned by Anker It has become an established brand in the world of budget robot vacuums. But web link didn't provide the option of a model that could mop. That changes with the X8 Hybrid, which has an impressive array of modern features that can compete with more expensive models.
The laser navigation is the most important feature of this machine. The X8 makes use of a laser mapping system 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 perfect for multi-floored homes.
The X8 is a great vacuum cleaner for floors that are clean. It is able to effortlessly sling debris through the side brushes and into its 400ml dust bin. The X8's tyres, despite their circular shape, are very good at grabbing edges and corners. Our tests revealed that it was able to remove 90% of the fur on hard floors.
The basic mopping mode uses the same water reservoir as the vacuuming mode. While this is good for spills that are not too large, you can't limit the amount of water it is using and this will reduce its effectiveness on more serious stains. It does a good job of removing hair from pets. It has a higher rate of pick-up than the Roborock S7.
3. Miele RX2
Awarded for its quiet and efficient home appliances, Miele's RX2 robot vacuum has excellent cleaning power, beautiful design, and a great navigation. It has some oddities in its operation that keep it from being named the top smart robot vacuum.
The RX2 comes with a dual-sensor mapping technology that makes use of LIDAR to map a room as well as a pair of 3D scanning cameras for detecting and avoiding obstacles (such as furniture legs or pet waste). Once the room is mapped, the app lets you create virtual no-go zones as well as preferred areas that the robot will automatically clean. You can also start an automatic clean or manually change the cleaning mode, see live feeds from the onboard cameras and more on the main screen.
The RX2 is equipped with excellent sensors that detect furniture and other obstructions in a flash. The suction and sweeping abilities are outstanding, effectively removing surface litter from carpets of medium pile and also removing embedded dust on floors. However, it's not the most efficient robot available. It's not the greatest climber and has issues with transition strips made of steel.
Some people buy robot vacuums because of the ease of setting up a schedule using an app, only to forget about them for weeks. It is essential for a robot to be capable of the task so our ZDNet staff has tested and examined some of the most popular models in order to help you select the best one for your house.
4. Shark ION
This budget-friendly robot looks like your typical robot but it's an upgrade in terms of performance and features. Its smart mapping system generates 3D and 2D maps of your home and uses them to avoid obstacles and navigate. It is able to detect common obstacles such as furniture legs and power cords in real-time. This combination of sensors along with a bump sensor and an infrared sensor for dropping that keeps it off steps, makes it one of the most agile vacs we've tried.
In our tests, it was able to moved over large shag rug and didn't end up stuck on them (like the RoboVac 11s or Roomba 690). Its navigation abilities were impressive as well; its composite score in carpet and bare floors beat out the competition and it was able to pick up 98.5 percent of the surface pet hair and litter from our lab test samples.
The controls are simpler than the competitors. There's a cleaning button at the top, and you can choose to start it with the app or via voice commands with Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also schedule daily or weekly cleanings, designate no-go zones and check its history of cleaning. Ion is covered in a smart dark gray plastic that feels and looks attractive in your home. Its rear dust bin is easy to empty and removing the filter is just as simple.
5. Eufy 11S
Eufy 11S is a great option for those looking for a vacuum cleaner that is easy to use and simple at a low cost. It lacks some of the advanced features, like digital mapping and Alexa integration, which are available in higher-end models however, if you don't require these functions, you can save a little cost with this model.
This robot is very easy to set up and use. It does not require a smartphone application or Wi-Fi pairing. However, it does come with a remote control which lets you choose between different modes and alter the suction level. It also allows you to manually take the robovac off during scheduled cleaning.
In our tests, we found that the 11S was extremely efficient at cleaning pet fur and dirt from carpets with low pile and hard floors. Its slim profile allowed it to get under furniture and other low items that some of the more bulkier robots were unable to reach. It was able to pass easily over thresholds of doors and switch from one floor type to another.
The 11S, like other robots, can also eat some objects, such as cords and cat toys. The manufacturer suggests you avoid this by keeping these objects off the ground and by using a cord organizer whenever possible. It also suggests that you regularly clean the dustbin, change the filters, and wash or change the brushes as needed.
Roomba 990 from iRobot
The Roomba is iRobot’s flagship robot vacuum. It's costly, but it's a top performer and, in some ways, the most advanced robot vacuum available. Its self navigation and environmental mapping are truly a marvel to behold. It has more advanced automation than its rivals, for instance the ability to set up virtual boundary markers using its mobile app. It's a dependable robot vacuum, even though its app is a bit sluggish and the 980's wheels spin out when rolling over cables.
One thing we love about the 980 is that it uses its iAdapt 2.0 navigation sensors and its visual simultaneous localisation and mapping technology (or vSLAM) to remember the floor plan of your home. It then uses this information to design an efficient and consistent cleaning path for every cycle. The result is cleaner floors and a more efficient robot vacuum than most high-end robots.
Other features of the 980 include dual multi-surface brushes that grab dirt on floors and carpets and a spinning brush to sweep debris into the robotic vacuum's bin. The floor tracking sensor assists it in maneuvering between furniture, along edges and on steps. Cliff Detect prevents the Roomba from falling. And it automatically returns to its base station for easy recharges between sessions. The bin capacity and battery life of the 980 aren't as good as some other robot vacuums. However, it's an extremely reliable and sturdy machine that will keep floors clean for many hours.