Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos
The best way to keep your home tidy is with a robot vacuum. It can remove dust, pet hair, and other particles on the surface.
Some robots sync with smart assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant for a hands-free experience. Find models that recharge and pick up where they left off.
1. iRobot s8
This smart robot vacuum and mop is a fantastic choice for many homes. It can be used to vacuum and mop, has excellent navigation with both GPS and laser sensors and offers a broad range of controls and features available via the app. It also comes with a useful feature that lets you add cleaning zones to certain areas that require more attention and Keep Out zones where you do not want it to be. It also receives software updates, just like the other Roomba products, which enhance it over time.
It's costly but it's also one of the most advanced robot vacuums that ZDNet has tested. It has a high-powered battery that can vacuum a large area in less than two hours, and it can switch between vacuuming and mopping at the touch of one button. And unlike other self-emptying robots that require you to empty the trash bin after each run, it automatically emptys itself into an even larger waste container on top of its charging dock.
It also comes with a variety of other features, including intelligent obstacle avoidance, which utilizes cameras in conjunction with processor-powered smarts to recognize obstacles. It rarely gets derailed or entrapped during a cleaning process, and it's the best in avoiding power cables and other objects in my tests. However, it isn't as reliable at detecting pet waste or other hazards.
2. Eufy RoboVac Hybrid X8
Eufy, owned by Anker, has become an established brand in the world of robots that are budget-friendly 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 laser navigation system is the main selling point of this machine. Previous Eufy devices have built up an outline of your home by using infrared sensors and bumping into objects but the X8's laser mapping system is much more accurate. It takes less time to create a comprehensive map of your home. It can also store multiple maps. This is great for homes with multiple floors.
The X8 is still a good vacuum on bare floors and can sling debris over its side brushes and into its 400ml dust bin with ease. The X8's tyres, despite their circular shape, are very adept in grabbing corners and edges. Our tests showed that it could only remove 90 percent of the fur from hard floors.
The mopping mode that is the basic one uses the same reservoir of water as the vacuuming mode. While this is great for spills that are not too large however, you aren't able to limit the amount of water it is using, which will limit its effectiveness when dealing with more serious staining. It does a good job in removing pet hair. It has a higher rate of pick-up than the Roborock S7.
3. Miele RX2
Miele's RX2 robotic vacuum is known for its quiet, efficient appliances. It is a stunning design, superb navigation, and excellent cleaning power. However, it does have some operational issues which prevent it from being considered as the best overall smart robot vacuum.
Similar to the latest models of iRobot, the RX2 comes with dual-sensor mapping that utilizes the LIDAR sensor to map a room and two 3D scanning cameras to detect and avoid obstacles (like furniture legs or pet waste) in real-time. Once mapped the app allows you to assign virtual no-go areas and areas that you want to clean. will clean automatically. You can also initiate an automatic clean or manually change the cleaning mode, view a live feed from the cameras onboard and more on the main screen.
The RX2 has superior sensors that can detect furniture and other obstructions instantly. The suction and sweeping abilities are excellent, taking away surface debris from medium pile carpeting and also removing embedded dust on bare floors. However, it's not the most agile robot on the market. Like many others it's not a great climber and has trouble with things like thresholds made of metal transition strips.
Some people buy robot vacuums due to the ease of setting up a schedule in an app, only to forget about them for weeks. It's crucial that a machine can get the job done and that's the reason why our ZDNet staff tested and reviewed several of the most popular ones to help you find the perfect one for your home.
4. Shark ION
This budget robovac is a robot that looks just like the other, but comes with a few more features and a better performance. Its intelligent mapping system creates 2D and 3D maps of your home and uses them to avoid obstacles and navigate. It can even detect common obstacles such as power cords and furniture legs in real time. This combination of sensors along with a bump sensor, and an infrared drop sensor that keeps it off steps best robot vacuum mop combo is what makes it one of the most agile vacuums we've tested.
In our tests, it easily climbed over thick shag rugs and didn't get stuck on them (like the RoboVac 11s or Roomba 690). Its navigation skills were impressive. Its composite score for carpet and bare flooring beat the competition, and it picked up 98.5 percent of the surface litter and embedded dog hair from our lab test samples.
The controls are simpler than the competition; there's a round cleaning button on the top and you can launch it via the app, or by voice commands using Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also set up a schedule for your daily or weekly cleans, create areas that are not allowed to be cleaned, and check its history of cleaning. Ion is clad in a sophisticated dark gray plastic that feels and looks appealing in your home. The rear dust bin is accessible for emptying and cleaning the filter is just as simple.
5. Eufy 11S
If you're looking to buy a basic robotic vacuum that is simple and has no frills at a reasonable cost, the Eufy 11S might be your best bet. This model lacks some smart features such as Alexa integration and digital mapping that are found in more expensive models. If you don't need these features, you can save money.
This robot is easy to use and set up. It does not require a smartphone application or Wi-Fi connection, however it does come with an remote control that lets you select different modes and adjust the suction level. It also allows you to manually turn off the robovac on a scheduled cleaning.
During our tests during our tests, the 11S was very effective at removing pet hair and dirt on hard floors as well as in carpets with low pile. Its slim profile made it possible to pass under furniture that is low-hanging and other items that larger robots are unable to reach. It was able to go easily over thresholds of doorways and switch from one floor type to another.
The 11S, as with other robots, will also eat certain objects, like cords and cat toys. The manufacturer suggests you keep these objects off the ground and using a cord organizer when you can. It also recommends cleaning the dustbin on a regular basis, replacing the filters and changing or washing the brushes as needed.
Roomba 990 from iRobot
The Roomba is iRobot’s flagship robot vacuum. It's expensive but it's the best robot vacuum that you can purchase. Its self-navigation and environmental mapping is a marvel to behold. It also has more advanced automation features than most competitors, including the ability to set virtual boundary lines with its mobile app. While its app is a little sluggish, and the 980 does spin out a bit while moving over cables, it's a very capable robot vacuum.
We really like the 980 due to its iAdapt2.0 navigation sensors and visual simultaneity mapping and localisation (or vSLAM), to memorise the floor plan of your home. It will use this data to create a consistent, efficient cleaning path in every cycle. The result is cleaner floors and a more efficient robot vacuum than most high-end robots.
Other features of the 980 include dual multi-surface brushes that capture dirt from carpets and hard floors, as well as an ejector brush that spins to sweep debris into the robotic vacuum’s bin. Its floor tracking sensor helps it navigate around furniture as well as along edges and steps. Cliff Detect prevents the Roomba from falling. It can also return automatically to the base station to allow for charging between sessions. Although the 980's battery lifespan and bin size aren't as good as those of other robot vacuums it's a reliable and solid machine that will keep your floors spotless for hours and hours.