Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos
The best way to keep your home clean is to use a robotic vacuum. It will remove dust, pet hair and other particles from the floor before it becomes a bigger problem.
Certain robots can connect to smart assistants such as 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 combo is an excellent option for a wide range of households. It features a superb navigation system with GPS and laser sensors. It also has a lot of features and controls that are accessible through the app. It also comes with a useful feature that allows you to add Cleaning zones for certain areas that require extra attention, and also to keep Out zones where you do not want it to move. Like all Roomba devices, it receives new software updates that make it better over time.
It's costly however, it's also among the most advanced robot vacuums ZDNet has tested. It comes with a powerful battery that can clean a large home in under two hours. It can switch between mopping and vacuuming by pressing a button. And unlike other self-emptying robotics that require you to empty the bin after each run, it automatically empties into a larger waste container above its charging dock.
It's got a range of other features that make it a great choice for homes with a lot of space with its intelligent obstacle avoidance that uses both a camera and 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 such as power cables. It's not as precise at detecting pet waste or other dangers.
2. Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid
Eufy, owned by Anker is now an iconic name in the world of robots that are budget-friendly vacuums. But it didn't offer the option of a model that could mop. The X8 Hybrid is a new model that has a wide range of features that are advanced and is able to compete with more expensive models.
The laser navigation system is the most important feature of this machine. The X8 makes use of laser mapping technology that is more accurate than the previous Eufy devices. It takes less time to create a comprehensive map of your home. It also has the ability to store multiple maps. This is great for homes with multiple floors.
The X8 is a decent vacuum cleaner on bare floors. It is able to easily throw debris through the side brushes and into its 400ml dustbin. Its tyres are adept at securing edges and corners, even though they are circular. It's not a great kitty litter picker, though our tests have shown it is able to remove around 90 percent of the fur from hard floors.
There's a basic mopping mode that utilizes the same water tank as the vacuuming one. This is ideal for spills that aren't too serious, but you cannot regulate the amount of water it consumes. It does a good job at picking up hair from pets. It has a higher pick-up rate than the Roborock S7.
3. Miele RX2
Miele's RX2 robotic vacuum is known for its quiet, effective appliances. It is a stunning design, superb navigation and an impressive cleaning power. It has a few oddities in its operation that prevent it from being ranked as the best smart robot vacuum.
The RX2 comes with a dual-sensor mapping system which uses LIDAR to map an area and a pair of 3D scanning cameras to detect and staying clear of obstacles (such as furniture legs or pet waste). Once the room is defined and assigned, you can assign virtual no go areas and preferred sections to the robot. You can also start an automatic clean or manually change the cleaning mode, view live feeds from the onboard cameras, and more from the main screen.
The RX2 has superior sensors that can identify furniture and other obstructions in a flash. The suction and sweeping power are top of the line, picking up surface litter from medium-pile carpeting and embedded dust on floors with no floor. It's not the fastest robot available. As with many others it's not a very good climber and is prone to problems with things like thresholds made of steel transition strips.
Many people purchase a robot vacuum to enjoy the convenience of setting a schedule in an app and then forgetting about it for weeks at one time. But it's important that a machine can get the job done, which is the reason our ZDNet staff tested and reviewed several of the most popular ones to help you find the perfect one for your home.
4. Shark ION
This budget robovac is a robot that is similar to other, but comes with a few more features and better performance. Its smart mapping system generates 3D and 2D maps of your house and uses them to navigate around and avoid obstacles. It's even able to spot common obstructions such as power cords and furniture legs in real-time. This combination of sensors together with a bump sensor, and an infrared drop sensor that keeps it away from stairs is what makes it one of the most agile vacuums we've tested.
It was able to climb over carpets with thick shags and didn't get stuck (unlike the RoboVac 11s, or Roomba 690-). Its navigational skills were impressive as well and its overall score on carpet and bare floors beat out the competition. It took in 98.5 percent of surface litter and embedded pet hair from our lab test samples.
Its controls are a bit more basic than the competition; there's an oblong cleaning button at the top, and you can access it via the app or by voice commands with Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also set a schedule for your daily or weekly cleaning, set no-go zones, and view the history of its cleaning. Covered in stylish dark gray plastics, Ion feels sturdy and is attractive in your home. The dust bin on the rear is easily accessible for emptying, and removing the filters is also simple.
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 is a great option. It lacks some of the more advanced features, such as digital mapping and Alexa integration, which are found in higher-end models, but if you don't need these features, you can save some money by purchasing this model.
This robot is easy to use and set up. It does not require a smartphone application or Wi-Fi pairing. However, it does come with an remote control that allows you to choose between different modes and adjust suction levels. It also lets you manually send the robovac off on a scheduled cleaning.
In our tests, we found that the 11S was extremely efficient at getting dirt and fur from carpets and floors with low pile. Its slim profile allowed it to reach under furniture and other items that some of the more bulkier robots couldn't reach. It was able to pass easily over thresholds of doors and transition between floors of different types to another.
Like other robots, the 11S can take in some objects like cords, drawstrings on hoodies, and cat toys. The manufacturer says that you can avoid this by keeping these objects off the floor and using the possibility of a cord organizer. It also suggests cleaning the dustbin regularly by replacing the filters and changing or washing the brushes as needed.
Roomba 990 by iRobot
The Roomba 980 is the flagship robot vacuum. It's expensive but it's the most powerful robot vacuum you can buy. Its self-navigating capabilities and environmental mapping are something to behold. It also comes with more advanced automation features than many competitors, including the ability to create virtual boundary markers with its mobile app. It's a powerful robot vacuum, even if its app is a bit sluggish and the 980 spins out when it comes across cables.
One thing we really like about the 980 is that it uses its iAdapt 2.0 navigation sensors as well as visual simultaneous localisation and mapping technology (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 click here is cleaner floors, and a cleaner vacuum than most competing high-end robot vacuums.
Other features of the 980 include dual multi-surface brushes that capture dirt on floors and carpets and an ejector brush that spins to sweep debris into the robotic vacuum's bin. Its floor tracking sensor helps it navigate between furniture, along edges and up stairs. Cliff Detect prevents the Roomba from falling. It also automatically returns to the base station for simple charging between sessions. Although the 980's battery life and bin size isn't as impressive as some other robot vacuums, it's a reliable and solid machine that will keep your floors clean for hours on end.