Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos
The best method to keep your home clean is to use a robot vacuum. It will pick up pet hair, dust, and other particles on the surface.
Some robots are able to sync with smart assistants such as Alexa or Google Assistant to provide a hands-free experience. Find models that are rechargeable and continue cleaning the area they left.
1. iRobot S8
This smart robot vacuum and mop combo is a fantastic choice for many homes. It vacuums and mops well and has a great navigation system that includes both GPS and laser sensors and comes with a variety of controls and features accessible via the app. It also comes with a useful feature that allows you to add cleaning zones to certain areas that need extra attention, and also to keep Out zones where you don't want it to move. It also receives software updates, similar to all Roomba products, that make it better over time.
It's expensive however, it's also one of the most advanced robot vacuums that ZDNet has tested. It comes with a powerful battery that can clean an entire home in less than two hours. Additionally, it can switch between mopping and vacuuming by pressing a button. It automatically empties the dust bin above its charging station, in contrast to other self emptying robots which require you to empty the bin after each run.
It also has many other features, such as intelligent obstacle avoidance, which utilizes a camera along with processor-powered smarts to recognize obstacles. It's not often tripped or stuck during a cleaning cycle. In my tests it was the most effective at avoiding objects such as power cables. However, it isn't as effective in detecting pet waste or other hazards.
2. Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid
Eufy is owned by Anker, has become a household name in the world of budget robot vacuums. However, it didn't provide an option to mop. The X8 Hybrid is a new model that offers a range of features that are advanced and can compete with more expensive models.
The main selling point of Eufy's the X8 is its laser navigation. The X8 uses the laser mapping system, which is more accurate than previous Eufy devices. It takes less time to build an accurate map of your home. It also has the ability to store multiple maps. This is great for multi-floored homes.
The X8 is still a good vacuum on bare floors and can sling debris over its side brushes and into the 400ml dust bin with ease. The X8's tyres, despite having a circular shape, are adept at grabbing edges and corners. Our tests revealed that it could only remove 90 percent of the fur on hard floors.
There's a basic mopping option that uses the same water tank as the vacuuming. While this is good for spills that aren't too big but you cannot regulate the amount of water it is using which can limit its effectiveness on more serious stains. It is effective at picking up 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 comes with outstanding cleaning power, stunning design, and a great navigation. There are a few niggles in its operation that keep it from being ranked as the best smart robot vacuum.
The RX2 comes 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 staying clear of obstacles (such as furniture legs or pet waste). Once the room has been identified, you can assign virtual no go areas and preferred sections to the robot. You can also begin an automatic clean or manually change the cleaning mode, see a live feed from the cameras onboard and more on the main screen.
The RX2 is equipped with excellent sensors that can detect furniture and other obstructions immediately. And its sweeping and suction power are top of the line cleaning up surface debris from carpets with medium piles and dust on floors that are unfinished. However, it's not the most agile robot on the market. It's not the greatest climber, and it has problems with transition strips made of metal.
Some people buy a robot vacuum for the ease of setting a schedule on an app and then forgetting about it for weeks at one time. It is essential for a robot to be capable of doing the job and that's why our ZDNet staff has compared and looked over some of the most popular models in order to help you select the best one for your house.
4. Shark ION
This budget-friendly robovac looks just like your typical robot but it's a step up in performance and features. Its smart mapping system generates 2D and 3D maps of your home, and uses them to navigate around obstacles and avoid them. It is able to detect common obstacles such as furniture legs and power cords in real-time. This combination of sensors with a bump detector, and an infrared sensor to keep the vacuum from stepping on the stairs makes it one of our most agile vacuums.
In our tests, it was able to could climb over the thick shag rug and didn't end up stuck on them (like the RoboVac 11s or Roomba 690). Its navigation skills were impressive. Its composite score for flooring and carpet beats the competition and it picked up 98.5% of pet hair from our lab test samples.
The controls are more basic than the competition's. There's a clean button at the top, and you can start it with the app or via voice commands with Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also schedule weekly or daily cleanings, create no-go zones and check the history of cleaning. Clad in smart dark gray plastics, Ion feels sturdy and looks attractive in your best robot vacuum mop combo home. The rear dust bin is easy to access for emptying and removing the filter is the same.
5. Eufy 11S
Eufy 11S is an excellent option for those looking for a vacuum cleaner that is easy to use and doesn't have any frills at a cost that is low. It lacks some of the more advanced features, like digital mapping and Alexa integration, which are found in higher-end models, but if you don't need these functions, you can save a little cost with this model.
This robot is very easy to setup and use. It doesn't require a smartphone app or Wi-Fi pairing, however it does come with an remote control that allows you to select between various modes and adjust the suction level. It also allows you to manually turn off the robovac for scheduled cleaning.
In our tests during our tests, the 11S was extremely effective in getting rid of pet hair and dirt on hard floors and in carpets with low pile. Its slim profile made it possible to fit under furniture with low hanging and other items that larger robots are unable to reach. It was able to get effortlessly over door thresholds and move from one floor type to another.
The 11S, just like other robots will also suckup some objects, such as cords and cat toys. The manufacturer suggests that you can prevent this from happening by keeping these objects off the ground and by using a cord organizer if possible. It also recommends that you clean the dustbin, change the filters and clean or change the brushes as required.
Roomba 990 by iRobot
The Roomba 980 is the flagship robot vacuum. It's expensive, but it's a top performer and arguably the most advanced robot vacuum you can buy. Its self-navigation and environmental mapping is a marvel to behold. It also has more advanced automation features than most competitors, including the ability to create virtual boundary markers with its mobile app. While its app isn't the most responsive and the 980 may spin a bit when crossing cables, it's still an extremely efficient robot vacuum.
One thing we love about the 980 is that it uses its iAdapt 2.0 navigation sensors and visual simultaneous localisation and mapping technology (or vSLAM) to store the floor plan of your home. It then uses the information to create an efficient and consistent cleaning path for each cycle. The result is cleaner floors and a cleaner vacuum than most competing high-end robot vacuums.
The 980's other features include dual multi-surface rubber brushes, which grab dirt from hard floors and carpet and the spinning brush that sweeps debris into the bin of the robotic vacuum. Its floor tracking sensor assists in navigating through furniture, along edges and on steps. Cliff Detect prevents the Roomba from falling. It can also return automatically to the base station for easy recharges between sessions. Although the 980's battery lifespan and bin size aren't as impressive as some other robot vacuums, it's a sturdy and reliable machine that can keep your floors spotless for hours and hours.