Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos
A robot vacuum is the best tool to maintain an orderly home. It will nab dust, pet hair and other surface debris before it causes a bigger problem.
Some robots can sync with smart assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant to provide a hands-free environment. Find models that recharge and pick up the area they left.
1. iRobot S8
This smart robot mop and vacuum is a fantastic option for a wide range of households. It can be used to vacuum and mop and has a great navigation system that includes both GPS and laser sensors and offers a broad range of features and controls available via the app. It also comes with a useful feature that lets you add cleaning zones to certain areas that require extra attention and Keep Out zones where you don't want it to go. It also receives software updates, just like the other Roomba products, that make it better over time.
It's expensive, but it's also among the most advanced robot vacuums ZDNet has tested. It comes with a powerful battery that can clean the entire house in less than two hours. It can also switch between mopping and vacuuming at the push of the button. It will automatically empty the trash bin that is above its charging station, unlike other self-emptying robots that require you to empty the bin after every run.
It also comes with a variety of other features, including intelligent obstacle avoidance, which utilizes a camera along with processor-powered smarts to recognize obstacles. It isn't often entangled or entrapped during a cleaning cycle and is the best at avoiding power cables and other objects in my tests. It's not as reliable at detecting pet waste or other dangers.
2. Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid
While Anker-owned Eufy has made an impact in low-cost robot vacuums it's not yet an all-in-one model that can also mop. That's changed with the X8 Hybrid, which has an impressive suite of advanced features and can compete well against more expensive models.
Laser navigation is the main selling point of this machine. The X8 uses laser mapping technology that is more precise than previous Eufy devices. It also takes a lot less time to build up an accurate map of your home and can store multiple maps, which is great for homes with multiple floors.
The X8 is a good vacuum cleaner for floors with no dust. It is able to easily throw debris under the side brushes and into its 400ml dust bin. The X8's tyres, despite having a circular shape, are efficient at grabbing corners and edges. It's not the best cat litter scooper, however, with our tests showing it only removes about 90 percent of the fur from hard floors.
The basic mopping mode uses the same water reservoir as the vacuuming mode. While this is a good option for spills that aren't too big but you cannot regulate the amount of water it is using, which will limit its effectiveness when dealing with more severe stains. It does a good job in removing pet hair. 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, powerful appliances. It has a beautiful design, excellent navigation, and excellent cleaning power. However, 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 the space and a pair of 3D scanning cameras to detect and avoiding obstacles (such as furniture legs or pet waste). Once mapped, the app lets you designate virtual no-go zones and favorite sections that the robot will clean automatically. You can also begin a manual clean or manually change the cleaning mode, see a live feed from the onboard cameras and more on the main screen.
The RX2 has superior sensors that detect furniture and other obstructions immediately. The suction and sweeping capabilities are outstanding, effectively taking away surface debris from medium pile carpeting and also removing embedded dust on floors. But it's not the most flexible robot available. It's not the most efficient climber, and it has problems with metal threshold transition strips.
A lot of people purchase a robotic vacuum for the hands-off convenience of setting a schedule on an app and then forgetting about it for weeks at one time. It is essential for a robot capable of the task so our ZDNet staff has compared and reviewed some of the most popular models to help you select the best one for your home.
4. Shark ION
This budget-friendly robovac looks just like a typical robot, but it's upgraded in performance and features. Its smart mapping system generates 3D and 2D maps of your home, and uses them to navigate around obstacles and avoid them. It's also able to detect common obstacles like power cords and furniture legs in real-time. This combination of sensors along with a bump detector, and an infrared sensor to keep the vacuum off stairs makes it one of our most agile vacuums.
It was able to climb over the thick shag carpets and was not stuck (unlike the RoboVac 11s or Roomba 690-). Its navigation capabilities were impressive. Its composite score for flooring and carpet was higher than the competition, and it was able to pick up 98.5% of surface litter and embedded dog hair from our lab test samples.
The controls are simpler than the competitors. There is a cleaning button at the top, and you can either start it by using the app or by voice commands with Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also schedule weekly or daily cleanings, create no-go zones and view its cleaning history. Clad in smart dark gray plastics, Ion feels sturdy and looks stylish in your home. Its rear dustbin is accessible to empty, and the removal of the filters is also easy.
5. Eufy 11S
Eufy 11S is a great choice if you want a vacuum cleaner that is easy to use and doesn't have any frills at a reasonable price. robot vacuum deals isn't equipped with smart features such as Alexa integration and digital mapping, which are available in more expensive models. However, if you don't need these features, you can save money.
This robot is easy to set up and use. It does not require a smartphone application or Wi-Fi pairing. However, it does come with the remote control that lets you choose between different modes and adjust suction levels. It also allows you to manually send the robovac off for scheduled cleaning.
In our tests, the 11S was very effective at cleaning pet hair and dirt on hard floors and carpets with low pile. Its slim profile helped it reach under furniture and other low objects that larger robots could not reach. It could also easily get over thresholds for doors and change between floors and another.
Like other robots, the 11S will take in some objects such as cords, hoodie drawstrings, and cat toys. The manufacturer says that you can prevent this by keeping such objects off the floor and using a cord organizer if possible. It also suggests that you periodically clean the dustbin, change the filters and clean or change the brushes when required.
6. IRobot Roomba 980
The Roomba is iRobot's flagship robot vacuum. It's expensive, but it's top-performing and arguably the most advanced robot vacuum you can purchase. Its self-navigating capabilities and environmental mapping are a wonder to behold. It also comes with more advanced automation features than many competitors, such as the ability to set virtual boundary lines using its mobile app. While its app is a little sluggish and the 980 can spin a bit when rolling over cables, it's still an extremely efficient robot vacuum.
One thing we really like about the 980 is that it uses its iAdapt 2.0 navigation sensors and visual simultaneous localisation and mapping technology (or vSLAM) to remember the floor plan of your home. It will then use this information to design an efficient and consistent cleaning path for every cycle. The result is cleaner floors, and a more efficient 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 its base station for easy recharges between sessions. Although the 980's battery life and bin size aren't as efficient as other robot vacuums it's a solid and reliable machine that can keep your floors clean for hours on end.