Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos
The best method to keep your home clean is with a robot vacuum. It can pick up dust, pet hair and other surface debris.
Some robots can sync with smart assistants such as Alexa or Google Assistant to provide a hands-free environment. Look for models that can be recharged and continue cleaning where they left off.
1. iRobot s8
This smart robot vacuum and mop combo is an excellent choice for many homes. It has a great navigation system that includes GPS and laser sensors. It also comes with many features and control options that can be accessed through the app. It also comes with a useful feature that lets you create Cleaning zones for specific areas that need extra attention, as well as Keep Out zones where you do not want it to go. As with all Roomba devices, it is updated with new software updates that make it even more efficient over time.
It's costly, but it's is also among the most advanced robot vacuums ZDNet has ever tested. It's got a huge battery that can vacuum an entire home in less than two hours. It can also switch between mopping and vacuuming at the touch of the button. It will automatically empty the dust bin above its charging station, in contrast to other self-emptying robots that require you to empty the bin after every run.
It also comes with a variety of other features, such as intelligent obstacle avoidance which uses a camera along with processor-powered smarts in order to identify obstacles. It is rarely derailed or stuck during a cleaning process. In my tests it was the most effective in avoiding objects such as power cables. However, it isn't as effective in detecting pet waste or other dangers.
2. Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid
Eufy is owned by Anker is now an established brand in the world of low-cost robot vacuums. However, it didn't provide a model that could also mop. The X8 Hybrid is a new model that comes with a variety of features that are advanced and is able to compete with more expensive models.
The most significant selling point for Eufy with the X8 is its laser navigation. The X8 makes use of laser mapping technology that is more accurate than previous Eufy devices. It takes less time to build a comprehensive map of your home. It can also store multiple maps. This is perfect for multi-floored homes.
The X8 is a decent vacuum cleaner for floors that are clean. It can easily sling debris under the side brushes and into its 400ml dustbin. Its tyres are also very adept at hugging edges and corners, despite being circular. It's not the best cat litter scooper, however as our tests show it only removes about 90 percent of the fur from hard floors.
There's a mopping mode which uses the same water tank as the vacuuming. This is ideal for spills that aren't too serious, but you cannot regulate the amount of water it uses. However, it does an excellent job of picking up pet hair, with a better speed of pickup than the Roborock S7.
3. Miele RX2
Awarded for its quiet and efficient home appliances, Miele's RX2 robot vacuum has excellent cleaning power, stunning design and excellent navigation. It has some oddities in its operation that prevent it from being considered the top smart robot vacuum.
The RX2 is equipped with a dual-sensor mapping system that makes use of LIDAR to map the space as well as a pair of 3D scanning cameras for detecting and avoiding obstacles (such as furniture legs or pet waste). Once mapped the app allows you to designate virtual no-go zones and favorite sections that the robot will clean automatically. You can also change the cleaning options, begin a manual clean or see a live feed of the onboard cameras from the main screen.
The RX2 has excellent sensors that detect furniture and other obstructions immediately. The suction and sweeping power are top of the line and cleans up surface debris from medium-pile carpeting and embedded dust on floors that are unfinished. However, it's not the most efficient robot available. It's not the greatest climber, and it has problems with transition strips made of metal.
Many people purchase robot vacuums for the convenience of setting up a schedule using an app, and then forgetting about them for weeks. However, it's essential that a robot can get the job done that's why our ZDNet staff looked over and tested a number of the most popular models to help you select the perfect one for your home.
4. Shark ION
This budget robovac is a robot that looks like any other, but comes with a few more features and is more efficient. Its smart mapping system generates 2D and 3D maps of your home, and uses them to avoid obstacles and navigate. 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 away from steps makes it one our most agile vacuums.
It was able to climb over carpets with thick shags and didn't get stuck (unlike the RoboVac 11s, or Roomba 690-). Its navigation skills were also impressive; its composite score in carpet and bare floors beat out the competition and it was able to pick up 98.5 percent of surface pet hair and litter from our laboratory test samples.
The controls are more basic than the competitors. There's a round cleaning button on the top, and you can launch it via the app, or by voice commands with Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also create a schedule for weekly or daily cleans, create areas that are not allowed to be cleaned, and check the history of its cleaning. Covered in stylish dark gray plastics, Ion feels sturdy and looks attractive in your home. Its rear dustbin is easily accessible for emptying, and taking out the filters is also easy.
5. Eufy 11S
If you're looking for a basic, no-frills robot vacuum at a low cost, the Eufy11S might be your best bet. It's not equipped with some advanced features like Alexa integration and digital mapping that are found in more expensive models. However, if you don't require these features, you can save money.
This robot is simple 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 lets you choose between different modes and alter the suction levels. It also lets you manually take the robovac off for scheduled cleaning.
During our tests, we found that the 11S was extremely efficient in cleaning pet fur and dirt from carpets and floors with low pile. Its slim profile allowed it to get under low-hanging furniture and other items that some larger robots are unable to reach. It was also able to easily pass over doorway thresholds and change from one floor type to another.
Like other robots, the 11S will suck up some objects such as cords, drawstrings robot cleaner and mop for hoodies and cat toys. The manufacturer suggests you keep these objects off the ground and by using a cord organizer whenever possible. It also recommends that you periodically clean the dustbin, change the filters and change or wash the brushes when needed.
6. IRobot Roomba 980
The Roomba 980 is the flagship robot vacuum. It's pricey, but it's also the best robot vacuum you can buy. Its self-navigation and environmental mapping is a marvel to behold. It also has more advanced automation features than its competitors, including the ability to set virtual boundary lines with its mobile app. Although the app is a little sluggish and the 980 can spin a bit when rolling over cables, it's 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 mapping and localisation technology (or vSLAM) to store the floor plan of your home. It then uses that information to create a consistent and efficient 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 hard floors and carpets and the spinning brush that sweeps debris into the robotic vacuum's bin. Its floor tracking sensors help it navigate around furniture and along edges, while Cliff Detect helps to prevent the Roomba from falling down the stairs. It can also return automatically to the base station for simple charging between sessions. Although the 980's battery life and bin size isn't as efficient as other robot vacuums it's a reliable and solid machine that can keep your floors spotless for hours at a time.