Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos
The best way to keep your home tidy is with a robot vacuum. It can pick up pet hair, dust, and other surface debris.
Certain robots can connect to smart assistants such as Alexa or Google Assistant to provide a hands-free experience. Find models that recharge and then resume cleaning the area they left.
1. iRobot s8
This smart robot mop and vacuum is an excellent option for households with a variety of. It vacuums and mops well and has a great navigation system that includes both GPS and laser sensors and has a wide range of features and controls that are accessible through the app. It has a handy feature that lets you create cleaning zones in areas that require more attention, as well as Keep Out zones in areas that you do not want it to go. As with all Roomba devices, it gets new software updates that make it even more efficient over time.
It's costly, but it's also one of the most sophisticated robot vacuums ZDNet has ever tested. It has a high-powered battery that can sweep a large home in under two hours. It can switch between vacuuming and mopping at the touch of one button. It will automatically empty the trash bin that is above its charging station, unlike other self emptying robots which require you to empty it after every run.
It also comes with a variety of other features, including intelligent obstacle avoidance which uses cameras in conjunction with processor-powered smarts to detect 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. However, it isn't as reliable at detecting pet waste or other hazards.
2. Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid
Eufy is owned by Anker, has become an iconic name in the world of low-cost robot vacuums. However, it did not provide an option to mop. This is changing with the X8 Hybrid, which has an impressive suite of advanced features and can compete well with more expensive models.
The main selling point of Eufy's this machine is its laser navigation. The X8 uses a laser mapping system that is more precise than the previous Eufy devices. It also takes significantly less time to construct a comprehensive picture of your living space and also stores multiple maps, which is great for homes with multiple floors.
The X8 is a decent vacuum cleaner for floors that are clean. It is able to easily throw debris through the side brushes and into the 400ml dustbin. The tyres are adept at securing edges and corners even though they're circular. It's not the best cat litter eater, however, with our tests showing it can only remove about 90% of the fur from hard floors.
There's a mopping mode that uses the same water tank as the vacuuming one. While irobot vacuum is a good option for loose spills but you cannot regulate the amount of water it uses, which will limit its effectiveness when dealing with more serious staining. It is effective in removing hair from pets. 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, effective appliances. It features a stunning design, superb navigation, and excellent cleaning power. It has a few oddities in its operation that prevent it from being considered the top 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 avoiding obstacles (such as furniture legs or pet waste). Once the room is mapped the app allows you to assign virtual no-go areas and preferred areas that the robot will clean automatically. You can also begin cleaning manually or change the cleaning mode, watch a live feed 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 power are top-notch and cleans up surface debris from carpets with medium piles and dust in bare floors. But it's not the most agile robot on the market. It's not the best climber and has issues with transition strips made of metal.
Some people buy robot vacuums due to the ease of setting up a schedule using an app, and then forgetting about them for weeks. It's crucial for a robot capable of the task so our ZDNet team has tested and examined some of the most popular models to help you choose the best one for your house.
4. Shark ION
This round, budget robot is just like your typical robot but it's upgraded in terms of performance and features. Its smart mapping system generates 2D and 3D maps of your home, and uses them to navigate and avoid obstacles. 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 drop sensor which keeps it from falling down stairs, makes it one of the most agile vacs we've tried.
It was able to walk over the thick shag carpets and didn't get stuck (unlike the RoboVac 11s or Roomba 690-). Its navigation abilities were also impressive as its score for composite tests on carpet and bare floors was better than the competition and it was able to pick up 98.5 percent of the surface litter and embedded pet hair from our laboratory test samples.
The controls are simpler than the competition's. There's a cleaning button at the top and you can choose to start it by using the app or via voice commands using Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also set a schedule for your daily or weekly cleans, set areas that are not allowed to be cleaned, and check the history of its cleaning. Clad in smart dark gray plastics, Ion feels sturdy and is attractive in your home. The dust bin on the rear is easy to access for emptying and cleaning the filter is the same.
5. Eufy 11S
If you're looking for a simple low-cost robot vacuum for a reasonable cost, the Eufy 11S could be a good choice. The model isn't equipped with smart features like Alexa integration and digital mapping that are found in higher-end models. However, if you don't need these features, you could save money.
This robot is very easy to install and use. It does not require a smartphone app or Wi-Fi pairing, but it does come with the ability to control the remote with a remote that lets you select different modes and alter the suction level. You can also send the robotvac on an cleaning schedule.
During our tests, we found that the 11S was extremely efficient in cleaning pet fur and dirt from hard floors and low-pile carpets. Its slim profile made it easier to get under furniture and other low objects that more bulkier robots couldn't reach. It was able to go effortlessly over door thresholds and transition from one type of floor to another.
The 11S, just like other robots, will also eat some items, including cords and cat toys. The manufacturer suggests that you can prevent this from happening by keeping these items off the ground and using a cord organizer if possible. It also suggests cleaning the dustbin regularly by replacing the filters and washing or changing the brushes as required.
Roomba 990 from iRobot
The Roomba is iRobot’s flagship robot vacuum. It's pricey, but it's a top performer and arguably the most advanced robot vacuum you can buy. Its self-navigation feature and environmental mapping are a joy to behold. It has more advanced automation than most of its competitors, including the ability to create virtual boundary markers with its mobile application. While its application is a bit slow, and the 980 does spin out a bit while moving over cables, it's still an extremely efficient robot vacuum.
We really like the 980 due to its iAdapt2.0 navigation sensors and visual simultaneity mapping and localisation (or vSLAM) to remember the floor plan of your home. It will use this data to create a consistent and efficient cleaning path in every cycle. The result is cleaner floors and a more efficient vacuum than other high-end robot vacuums.
Other features of the 980 include dual multi-surface brushes that capture dirt from carpets and hard floors and the spinning brush that sweeps debris into the robotic vacuum’s bin. Its floor tracking sensor helps it navigate around furniture, along edges and up stairs. Cliff Detect prevents the Roomba from falling. It can also return automatically to the base station to allow for recharging in between sessions. The bin capacity and battery life of the 980 aren't as impressive as some other robot vacuums. However, it is an extremely reliable and sturdy machine that will keep floors clean for many hours.