Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos
A robot vacuum is a great tool to maintain a clean home. It can remove dust, pet hair and other particles from the floor before it becomes a larger problem.
Some robots can sync with smart assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant to provide a environment that is hands-free. Find models that are rechargeable and continue cleaning the area they left.
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 a lot of 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 additional attention, as well as Keep Out zones in areas you do not want it to go. As with all Roomba devices, it receives new software updates that make it even better over time.
It's costly but it's also one of the most advanced robot vacuums that ZDNet has tested. It's equipped with a powerful battery that can clean a large home in under two hours. It can switch between mopping and vacuuming by pressing a button. It will automatically empty the trash bin that is above its charging station, unlike other self emptying robots which require you to empty it after each run.
It's got a range of other features that make it an excellent option for most homes, including intelligent obstacle avoidance that uses the camera as well as processor-powered smarts to detect obstacles. It's not often tripped or stuck during a cleaning process. In my tests it was the best at avoiding objects like power cables. It is not as accurate at detecting pet waste or other hazards.
2. Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid
Eufy owned by Anker, has become a household name in the world of low-cost robot vacuums. But it didn't offer a model that could also mop. The X8 Hybrid is a new model that comes with a variety of advanced features, and can compete with much more expensive models.
The laser navigation system is the most important feature of this machine. The X8 uses the laser mapping system, which is more precise than the previous Eufy devices. It takes less time to build a comprehensive map of your home. It can also store multiple maps. This is ideal for homes with multiple floors.
The X8 is still a decent vacuum for floors that are not clean and can sling debris over its side brushes and into the 400ml dust bin with ease. Its tyres are adept at securing edges and corners even though they are circular. Our tests showed that it could only remove 90% of the fur on hard floors.
There's a basic mopping option that utilizes the same water tank as the vacuuming. While this is great for spills that aren't too big but you cannot control how much water it is using which can limit its effectiveness for more severe staining. It does a good job at picking up pet hair. It has a higher pick-up rate than the Roborock S7.
3. Miele RX2
Known for quietly effective home appliances Miele's RX2 robot vacuum is a great choice because of its cleaning power, beautiful design and excellent navigation. However, it has some operational issues that prevent it from being ranked as the top overall smart robot vacuum.
The RX2 is equipped with a dual-sensor mapping technology that makes use of LIDAR to map an area, and a pair 3D scanning cameras to detect and avoiding obstacles (such as furniture legs or pet waste). After the room has been mapped, you can assign virtual no-go zones and favorite sections to the robot. You can also alter the cleaning modes, initiate an automatic clean, or view live feeds of the cameras onboard from the main screen.
The RX2's sensors work well in registering furniture and other obstructions in real-time. The suction and sweeping capabilities are excellent, taking away surface debris from carpets with medium pile and also removing embedded dust on floors. It's not the fastest robotics available. It's not the best climber and has issues with metal threshold transition strips.
Some people buy a robot vacuum for the ease of setting a schedule on an app and not thinking about it for weeks at a time. However, it's essential that a robot is able to accomplish the task that's the reason why our ZDNet staff examined and reviewed a few of the most popular ones to help you choose the perfect one for your home.
4. Shark ION
This budget robot is just like a typical robot, but it's a step up in terms of performance and features. Its intelligent mapping system creates 2D and 3D maps of your home, and uses them to navigate around obstacles and avoid them. It's also able to detect common obstacles like furniture legs and power cords in real time. This combination of sensors along with a bump sensor and an infrared sensor for dropping that keeps it away from steps, makes it one of the fastest vacuums we've tried.
In our tests, it was able to climbed over thick shag rug and didn't end up stuck on them (like the RoboVac 11s or Roomba 690). Its navigation capabilities were impressive. Its composite score for flooring and carpet beats the competition and it picked up 98.5% of pet hair that we tested in our lab samples.
The controls are more basic than the competitors. There is a cleaning button on the top and you can either start it by using the app or by voice commands with Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also set up a schedule for weekly or daily cleans, set areas that are not allowed to be cleaned, and check its history of cleaning. Clad in smart dark gray plastics, Ion feels sturdy and looks stylish in your home. Its rear dustbin is easily accessible for emptying, and taking out the filters is also a breeze.
5. Eufy cleaning robot mop and vacuum 11S
If you're looking for a simple, no-frills robot vacuum at a reasonable cost, the Eufy11S could be a good choice. It's not equipped with some advanced features such as Alexa integration and digital mapping that are found in higher-end models. If you do not need these functions, you can save money.
The robot is easy to set up 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 different modes and adjust suction levels. It also allows you to manually take the robovac off on a scheduled cleaning.
In our tests during our tests, the 11S was extremely effective in removing pet hair and dirt on hard floors as well as in carpets with a low pile. Its slim profile made it easier to reach under furniture and other low items that some of the larger robots could not reach. It was able to go easily over thresholds of doors and move from one type of floor to another.
The 11S, just like other robots, can also eat some items, including cords and cat toys. The manufacturer states that you can avoid this by keeping these items off the floor and by using a cord organizer if possible. It also suggests cleaning the dustbin regularly, replacing the filters and changing or washing the brushes when needed.
Roomba 990 from iRobot
The Roomba 980 is iRobot's flagship robot vacuum. It's expensive but it's the most powerful robot vacuum you can buy. Its self-navigating capabilities and environmental mapping are something to behold. It is more sophisticated in its automation than most of its competitors, such as the capability to set up virtual boundary markers through its mobile application. Although the app isn't the most responsive and the 980 may spin out a bit when crossing cables, it's a very capable robot vacuum.
One thing we love about the 980 is that it uses its iAdapt 2.0 navigation sensors as well as visual simultaneous mapping and localisation technology (or vSLAM) to store the floor plan of your home. It will then use this information to design an efficient and consistent cleaning path for each cycle. The result is cleaner floors and a better robot vacuum cleaner than the majority of high-end robots.
Other features of the 980 include dual multi-surface brushes that capture dirt on floors and carpets and a spinning brush to sweep debris into the robotic vacuum’s bin. Its floor tracking sensor helps it navigate around furniture, along edges and up the stairs. Cliff Detect prevents the Roomba from falling. It will automatically return to its base station for hassle-free recharging between sessions. The bin capacity and the battery life of the 980 aren't as good as other robot vacuums. However, it's an extremely reliable and sturdy machine that can keep floors clean for many hours.