Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos
The best method to keep your home tidy is with a robot vacuum. It will nab dust, pet hair, and other debris from the surface before it causes a bigger problem.
Some robots sync with smart assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant for a hands-free experience. Look for models that can recharge and pick up where they left off.
1. iRobot S8
This smart robot mop and vacuum combo is a great choice for many households. It is able to vacuum and mop well and has a great navigation system that includes both GPS and laser sensors and offers a broad range of features and controls accessible through the app. It also comes with a helpful feature that allows you to create Cleaning zones for specific areas that require more attention and Keep Out zones that you don't want it to be. It also gets software updates, like all Roomba products, which enhance it over time.
It's expensive, but it's also among the most advanced robot vacuums that ZDNet has evaluated. It has a high-powered battery that can vacuum 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 dust bin above its charging station, unlike other self emptying robots which require you to empty the bin after each run.
It also has a number of other features, including intelligent obstacle avoidance that uses a camera along with processor-powered smarts in order to recognize obstacles. It's rarely tripped up or stuck during a cleaning process. In my tests it was the best at avoiding objects like power cables. It's not as reliable at detecting pet waste or other dangers.
2. Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid
While the Anker-owned Eufy has earned its name 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 that can compete with more expensive models.
The most significant selling point for Eufy with this device is its laser navigation. The previous Eufy devices have built up an approximate map of your home by using infrared sensors and bumping into things but the X8's laser mapping technology is far more precise. It also takes significantly less time to create an accurate map of your space and stores multiple maps, which is great for multi-floor homes.
The X8 is still a decent vacuum on bare floors, slinging debris under its side brushes and into the 400ml dust bin with relative ease. Its tyres are also very adept at hugging edges and corners, even though they're circular. It's not a fantastic cat litter picker, though as our tests show it is able to remove around 90 percent of the fur off hard floors.
The basic mopping mode uses the same water reservoir as the vacuuming mode. While this is great for spills that aren't too big however, you aren't able to control how much 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 pick-up rate than the Roborock S7.
3. Miele RX2
Miele's RX2 robotic vacuum is known for its quiet, powerful appliances. It is a stunning design, excellent navigation and an impressive cleaning power. There are a few niggles in its operation, which prevent it from being considered the best smart robot vacuum.
Like the latest models from iRobot, the RX2 features a dual-sensor mapping system that utilizes the LIDAR sensor to map a room and a pair of 3D scanning cameras that can detect and avoid obstacles (like furniture legs or pet waste) in real-time. Once the room has been mapped, you can designate virtual no-go areas and favorite sections to the robot. You can also initiate an automatic clean or manually change the cleaning mode, watch live feeds from the cameras onboard and more from the main screen.
The RX2's sensors work well in registering furniture and other obstructions in real-time. Its sweeping and suction powers are outstanding, effectively removing surface litter from medium pile carpeting as well as dust that has been deposited on floors. It's not the most powerful robot available. As with many others it's not a great climber and has trouble with things like thresholds made of steel transition strips.
Some people buy robot vacuums because of the ease of setting up a schedule in an app, only to forget about them for weeks. But it's important that a robot can accomplish the task and that's the reason our ZDNet staff looked over and tested a number of the most popular models to help you find the perfect one for your home.
4. Shark ION
This round, budget robot is just like your standard robot, however it's upgraded in terms of performance and features. Its smart mapping system generates 3D and 2-D maps of your home and makes use of them to navigate and avoid obstructions. It is able to detect common obstacles such as furniture legs and power cords in real-time. The combination of sensors with a bump detector and an infrared sensor that keeps the vacuum off steps makes it one our most flexible vacuums.
In our tests, it easily could climb over the thick shag rugs and didn't get stuck on them (like the RoboVac 11s or Roomba 690). Its navigation capabilities were impressive. Its composite score for carpet and bare flooring beat the competition, and it was able to pick up 98.5 percent of dirt and embedded dog hair from our laboratory test samples.
The controls are less basic than the competition's. There's a clean button at the top, and you can start it with the app or voice commands with Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also set a schedule for your daily or weekly cleans, create no-go zones, and see its cleaning history. Ion is covered in a stylish dark gray plastic that is both attractive and appealing in your home. Its rear dust bin is easy to access for emptying and removing the filter equally easy.
5. Eufy 11S
If you're looking for a simple, no-frills robot vacuum for a reasonable cost, the Eufy11S is a great option. It isn't equipped with some of the more advanced features, like digital mapping and Alexa integration, found in more expensive models, but if you don't need those functions you can save cost with this model.
The robot is simple to set up and use. It does not require a smartphone application or Wi-Fi pairing. However, it does come with a remote control which lets you choose between different modes and alter the suction levels. It also allows you to manually take the robovac off during scheduled cleaning.
In our tests, we found that the 11S was extremely efficient in cleaning dirt and pet fur from carpets and floors with low pile. Its slim profile helped it get under furniture and other items that more bulkier robots couldn't reach. It was also able to easily pass over doorway thresholds and transition from one floor type to another.
Like other robots, the 11S will take in some objects such as cords, hoodie drawstrings and cat toys. The manufacturer suggests that you can prevent this by keeping these objects off the floor and by using the possibility of a cord organizer. It also recommends that you clean the dustbin, change the filters, and wash or change the brushes when required.
Roomba 990 from iRobot
The Roomba 980 is the flagship robot vacuum. It's pricey, but it's also the most powerful robot vacuum you can buy. Its self-navigating features and environmental mapping are something to behold. It also has more advanced automation features than most competitors, including the ability to set virtual boundary markers with its mobile app. It's a powerful robot vacuum, even if its app isn't the most responsive and the 980 spins when it comes across cables.
We love the 980 due to its iAdapt2.0 navigation sensors as well as visual simultaneity localisation and mapping (or vSLAM) to store your home's floor plan. 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 robot vacuum cleaner than the majority of high-end robots.
Other features of the 980 include dual multi-surface brushes which grab dirt from carpets and hard floors and the spinning brush that sweeps debris into the robotic vacuum’s bin. Its floor tracking sensors aid it navigate around furniture and along edges, and Cliff Detect keeps the Roomba from falling down the stairs. It also automatically returns to the base station for easy recharging in between sessions. The bin capacity and the battery life of the 980 aren't as impressive as some other robot vacuums. However, it is a reliable and solid machine that can keep floors clean for a long time. read more hours.