Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos
A robot vacuum is a great tool to maintain the cleanliness of your home. It will remove dust, pet hair and other surface debris before it becomes a bigger problem.
Certain robots can connect to smart assistants such as Alexa or Google Assistant to provide a hands-free environment. Find models that are rechargeable and continue cleaning where they left off.
1. iRobot S8
This smart robot vacuum and mop combination is a great option for a wide range of homes. It has a great navigation system with GPS and laser sensors. It also has many features and control options that can be accessed through the app. It also has a handy feature that lets you create cleaning zones in areas that require extra attention, as well as Keep Out zones in areas you do not want it to go. It also gets software updates, just like the other Roomba products, which enhance it over time.
It's expensive but is also among the most sophisticated robot vacuums ZDNet has ever tested. It has a powerful battery that can clean all of your home in less than two hours. It can also switch between mopping and vacuuming at the push of one button. It automatically emptys the bin of dust above its charging station, in contrast to other self emptying robots which require you to empty it after each run.
It also has a number of other features, including intelligent obstacle avoidance that uses cameras and processor-powered smarts to detect obstacles. It rarely gets derailed or entrapped during a cleaning process and is also the most effective at avoiding power cables as well as other objects I've tested. However, it's not as effective in detecting pet waste and other dangers.
2. Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid
Eufy is owned by Anker is now an established brand in the world of budget robot vacuums. However, it didn't provide a model that could also mop. This is changing with the X8 Hybrid, which has an impressive array of modern features and can compete well against much more expensive models.
The laser navigation system is the most important feature of this machine. The X8 makes use of the laser mapping system, which is more precise than previous Eufy devices. It also takes significantly less time to create an accurate map of your space and stores 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 the 400ml dustbin. The X8's tyres, despite their circular shape, are good at grabbing corners and edges. Our tests showed that it was able to remove 90% of the fur on hard floors.
There's a basic mopping option which uses the same water tank as the vacuuming one. While this is good for spills that are not too large however, you aren't able to control how much water it uses which can limit its effectiveness on more severe stains. That said, it does an admirable job of removing pet hair, with a better speed of pickup than the Roborock S7.
3. Miele RX2
Miele's RX2 robotic vacuum is known for its quiet, effective appliances. It has a beautiful design, superb navigation, and excellent cleaning power. It has some oddities in its operation that keep it from being ranked as the top smart robot vacuum.
The RX2 comes with a dual-sensor mapping technology which uses LIDAR to map an area and a pair of 3D scanning cameras for detecting and avoiding obstacles (such as furniture legs or pet waste). Once the room is mapped the app allows you to assign virtual vacuum mop robot cleaner no-go areas and favorite sections that the robot will clean automatically. You can also manually change cleaning modes, initiate a manual clean or watch a live feed of the cameras onboard from the main screen.
The RX2 has excellent sensors that can identify furniture and other obstructions instantly. The suction and sweeping capabilities are exceptional, removing surface litter from carpets with medium pile and also removing dust that has been deposited on floors. It's not the fastest robotics on the market. Like many others it's not a very good climber and has trouble with things like thresholds made of steel transition strips.
Some people buy robot vacuums for the convenience of setting up a schedule in an app, and then forgetting about them for weeks. It's crucial that a machine can do the job, which is the reason our ZDNet staff looked over and tested a number of the most popular ones to help you select the perfect one for your home.
4. Shark ION
This budget robovac that is similar to other, but has some extra features and is more efficient. Its intelligent mapping system creates 2D and 3-D maps of your house and uses them to navigate and avoid obstacles. 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 stairs makes it one of our most flexible vacuums.
In our tests, it was able to could climb over the thick shag rug and didn't get stuck on them (like the RoboVac 11s or Roomba 690). Its navigation abilities were also impressive. Its composite score for carpet and bare flooring was higher than the competition, and it was able to pick up 98.5 percent of pet hair from our laboratory test samples.
The controls are more basic than competitors. There's an oblong cleaning button at the top, and you can access it via the app or via voice commands with Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also schedule daily or weekly cleanings, create no-go zones and view its cleaning history. In a smart dark gray plastics, Ion feels sturdy and is attractive in your home. The dust bin on the rear is easily accessible for emptying, and taking out the filters is also easy.
5. Eufy 11S
Eufy 11S is an excellent choice if you want an automated vacuum cleaner that is simple and doesn't have any frills at a low cost. It isn't equipped with some of the more advanced features, such as digital mapping and Alexa integration, found in higher-end models, but if you're not looking for those functions you can save money by purchasing this model.
This robot is simple to install and use. It does not require smartphone application or Wi-Fi pairing. However it does come with a remote control which allows you to choose between various modes and adjust the suction levels. It also allows you to manually turn off the robovac on a scheduled cleaning.
In our tests, we discovered that the 11S was extremely effective at cleaning pet fur and dirt from carpets and floors with low pile. Its slim profile allowed it to reach under furniture and other low items that more bulkier robots couldn't reach. It could also easily get over thresholds for doors and change between floors and another.
The 11S, like other robots, can also eat certain objects, like cords and cat toys. The manufacturer suggests that you can avoid this by keeping such objects off the floor and using the possibility of a cord organizer. It also recommends that you periodically clean the dustbin, change the filters and clean or change the brushes when required.
Roomba 990 from iRobot
The Roomba is the flagship model of iRobot's robot vacuum. It's costly, but it's the best robot vacuum you can purchase. Its self-navigation and environmental mapping is something to behold. It is more sophisticated in its automation than its competitors, including the capability to set up virtual boundary markers with its mobile app. While its app isn't the most responsive, and the 980 does spin out a bit while crossing cables, it's still an extremely efficient robot vacuum.
One thing we love about the 980 is the fact that it utilizes its iAdapt 2.0 navigation sensors as well as visual simultaneous localisation and mapping technology (or vSLAM) to store the floor plan of your home. It then uses this information to design an efficient and consistent cleaning path for every cycle. The result is cleaner floors and a more efficient vacuum cleaner than the majority of high-end robots.
Other features of the 980 include dual multi-surface brushes that capture dirt from floors and carpets and the spinning brush that sweeps debris into the robotic vacuum’s bin. The sensor for floor tracking helps it navigate through furniture as well as along edges and the stairs. Cliff Detect prevents the Roomba from falling. It also automatically returns to its base station to ensure hassle-free charging between sessions. Although the 980's battery life and bin size isn't as good as those of other robot vacuums it's a solid and reliable machine that will keep your floors clean for hours on end.