Best Robot Vacuums: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
Best Robot Vacuums: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
Blog Article
Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos
A robot vacuum is the ideal tool to maintain a clean home. It will remove dust, pet hair, and other particles from the floor before it becomes a bigger problem.
Some robots connect to smart assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant for a hands-free experience. Look for 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 choice for many households. It vacuums and mops well and is extremely navigable using both GPS and laser sensors, and has a wide range of features and controls accessible through the app. It also has a handy feature which allows you to create Cleaning zones in areas that require more attention, and also to create Keep Out zones in areas that you don't wish it to go. Like all Roomba devices, it receives new software updates that make it better over time.
It's expensive, but it's also one of the most advanced robot vacuums ZDNet has ever tested. It's got a huge battery that can vacuum all of your home in less than two hours. It also switches between mopping and vacuuming at the push of one button. It automatically empties the bin of dust above its charging station, in contrast to other self emptying robots which require you to empty the bin after each run.
It comes with a variety of other features that make it a good choice for homes of all sizes that include intelligent obstacle avoidance that uses the camera as well as processor-powered smarts to see obstacles. It's not often damaged or stuck during cleaning, and it's the best at avoiding power cables and other objects in my tests. It is not as accurate in detecting pet waste or other hazards.
2. Eufy RoboVac Hybrid X8
Although Anker-owned Eufy has earned an impact in the field of low-cost robot vacuums, it's never offered an all-in-one model which can also mop. That's changed with the X8 Hybrid, which has an impressive suite of advanced features and is able to compete with more expensive models.
The laser navigation is the primary selling point of this machine. The X8 utilizes a laser mapping system that is more precise than the previous Eufy devices. It takes less time to build an extensive map of your home. It also has the ability to store multiple maps. This is great for multi-floored homes.
The X8 is a decent vacuum cleaner on bare floors. It can easily sling debris through the side brushes and into the 400ml dustbin. Its tyres are also very adept at hugging edges and corners, despite being circular. It's not the best cat litter eater, however our tests have shown it is able to remove around 90 percent of the fur off hard floors.
There's a mopping mode that utilizes the same water tank as the vacuuming one. While this is great for loose spills however, you aren't able to limit the amount of water it uses which can limit its effectiveness on more serious stains. It does a good job in removing pet hair. It has a higher rate of pick-up than the Roborock S7.
3. Miele RX2
Known for quietly effective home appliances, Miele's RX2 robot vacuum has excellent cleaning power, stunning design and great navigation. However, it has some operational issues which prevent it from being considered as the top overall smart robot vacuum.
The RX2 comes with a dual-sensor mapping technique which uses LIDAR to map the space and a pair of 3D scanning cameras to detect and eliminating obstacles (such as furniture legs or pet waste). Once the room is identified, you can assign virtual no-go zones and preferred sections to the robot. You can also initiate an automatic clean or manually change the cleaning mode, view a live feed from the onboard cameras and more on the main screen.
The RX2 has excellent sensors that can detect furniture and other obstructions immediately. And its sweeping and suction power are top-notch and cleans up surface debris from carpets of medium pile and dust in bare floors. However, it's not exactly the most flexible robot available. It's not the best climber, and it has problems with metal threshold transition strips.
Many people purchase a robot vacuum to enjoy the convenience of setting up a schedule using an app and forgetting about it for weeks at one time. However, it's essential that a robot is able to do the job and that's the reason why our ZDNet staff tested and reviewed several of the most popular ones to help you choose the right one for your home.
4. Shark ION
This budget robovac that looks just like the other, but comes with several more features and a better performance. Its smart mapping system generates 3D and 2D maps of your house and uses them to navigate around and stay clear of obstructions. It can even 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 off the stairs makes it one of our most agile vacuums.
It was able to walk over the thick shag carpets and didn't get stuck (unlike the RoboVac 11s, or Roomba 690-). Its navigation skills were impressive. Its composite score for flooring and carpet beat the competition, and it picked up 98.5 percent of more info the surface litter and embedded dog hair that we tested in our lab samples.
The controls are simpler than the competitors. There is a cleaning button at the top, and you can either start it with the app or voice commands with Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also set up a schedule for daily or weekly cleans, create no-go zones, and see the history of its cleaning. Ion is clad in a smart dark gray plastic that is both attractive and beautiful in your home. Its rear dust bin is easy to empty and cleaning the filter is just as simple.
5. Eufy 11S
If you're looking to buy a basic, no-frills robot vacuum for a reasonable cost, the Eufy11S might be your best bet. The model isn't equipped with smart features like Alexa integration and digital mapping that are found in more expensive models. If you don't need these functions, you can save money.
The robot is easy to install and use. It does not require a smartphone application or Wi-Fi pairing. However it does include the remote control that lets you choose between different modes and adjust suction level. You can also assign the robotvac to an cleaning schedule.
In our tests, we discovered that the 11S was extremely efficient at cleaning pet fur and dirt from carpets and floors with low pile. Its slim profile made it possible to fit under furniture with low hanging and other objects that larger robots are unable to reach. It was also able to easily traverse door thresholds and transition from one floor type to another.
The 11S, as with other robots will also suckup 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 when you can. It also suggests cleaning the dustbin on a regular basis, replacing the filters and changing or washing the brushes when needed.
6. IRobot Roomba 990
The Roomba is iRobot’s flagship robot vacuum. It's expensive but it's the best robot vacuum you can purchase. Its self navigation and environmental mapping are something to behold. It is more sophisticated in its automation than most of its rivals, for instance the ability to set up virtual boundary markers using its mobile app. It's a capable robot vacuum, even if its application is a bit slow and the 980 spins when it is pushed over cables.
We really like the 980, because it makes use of its iAdapt2.0 navigation sensors as well as visual simultaneity mapping and localisation (or vSLAM), to memorise your home's floor plan. It will then use the information to create a consistent and efficient cleaning path for each cycle. The result is cleaner floors and a cleaner vacuum than other high-end robot vacuums.
Other features include dual multi-surface rubber brushes that pick up dirt from carpet and hard floors, along with an ejector brush that moves debris into the robotic vacuum's bin. Its floor tracking sensors help it navigate around furniture and along edges, while Cliff Detect prevents the Roomba from slipping down stairs. And it automatically returns to its base station to ensure hassle-free recharges between sessions. The battery life and bin capacity of the 980 aren't as good as some other robot vacuums. However, it is a solid and reliable machine that can keep floors clean for many hours.