Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos
The best way to keep your home clean is to use a robotic vacuum. It will pick up pet hair, dust, and other surface debris.
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 combo is an excellent option for a wide range of homes. It can be used to vacuum and mop and is extremely navigable using both GPS and laser sensors, and comes with a variety of features and controls that are accessible through the app. It has a handy feature which allows you to create cleaning zones in areas that require more attention, and also to create Keep Out zones in areas where you don't want it to be. It also receives software updates, like the other Roomba products, which enhance it over time.
It's expensive, but it's also one of the most advanced robot vacuums that ZDNet has evaluated. It's got a huge battery that can sweep the entire house in less than two hours. It can also switch between vacuuming and mopping at the push of the button. And unlike other self-emptying robotics that require you to empty the trash bin after each run, it automatically emptys into the larger waste container that is above its charging dock.
It has a wide range of other features that make it a great choice for homes with a lot of space with its intelligent obstacle avoidance, which uses both a camera and processor-powered smarts to see obstacles. It rarely gets derailed or stuck during cleaning and is the best at avoiding power cables and other objects in my tests. However, it's not as effective in detecting pet waste and other dangers.
2. Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid
Eufy is owned by Anker It has become an established brand in the world of budget robot vacuums. But it didn't offer an option to mop. That's changed with the X8 Hybrid, which has an impressive set of modern features that can compete against more expensive models.
The main selling point of Eufy's the X8 is its laser navigation. The previous Eufy devices have constructed a rough map of your home by using infrared sensors and bumping into objects but the X8's laser mapping system is more precise. It takes less time to create an extensive map of your home and can store multiple maps. This is great for homes with multiple floors.
The X8 is a decent vacuum cleaner on bare floors. It can easily sling debris through the side brushes and into its 400ml dustbin. The Tyres of the X8, despite their circular shape, are adept in grabbing corners and edges. It's not the best cat litter picker, though our tests have shown it only removes about 90 percent of the fur from hard floors.
The mopping mode that is the basic one uses the same water reservoir as the vacuuming mode. This is ideal for spills that aren't dangerous, but you are unable to limit the amount of water it consumes. It's effective in removing pet hair. It has a higher rate of pick-up than the Roborock S7.
3. Miele RX2
Awarded for its quiet and efficient home appliances, Miele's RX2 robot vacuum comes with outstanding cleaning power, gorgeous design and excellent navigation. It has a few oddities in its operation that keep it from being named the top smart robot vacuum.
The RX2 comes with a dual-sensor mapping technique that uses a LIDAR to map an area and a pair of 3D scanning cameras to detect and staying clear of obstacles (such as furniture legs or pet waste). After the room has been identified, you can designate virtual no-go areas and favorite sections to the robot. You can also begin cleaning manually or change the cleaning mode, view live feeds from the onboard cameras and more from the main screen.
The RX2 has excellent sensors that can detect furniture and other obstructions instantly. The suction and sweeping capabilities are outstanding, effectively getting rid of surface litter from carpets with medium pile as well as embedded dust on floors. It's not the fastest robot available. Like many other robots it's not a very good climber and is prone to problems with things like metal threshold transition strips.
Some people buy robot vacuums because of the ease 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 that's the reason why our ZDNet staff looked over and tested a number of the most popular models to help you choose the right one for your home.
4. Shark ION
This budget robovac looks just like a typical robot, but it's a step up in performance and features. Its smart mapping system creates 3D and 2D maps of your home, and uses them to avoid obstacles and navigate. It is able to detect common obstacles like furniture legs and power cords in real-time. This combination of sensors together with a bump sensor and an infrared drop sensor that keeps it away from stairs make it one of the most agile vacuums we've tested.
In our tests, it effortlessly 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 beat the competition, and it picked up 98.5% of surface litter and embedded dog hair from our lab test samples.
The controls are simpler than competitors. There's an uniform cleaning button on the top. You can access it via the app, or by voice command with Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also create a schedule for your daily or weekly cleans, create areas that are not allowed to be cleaned, and check website its history of cleaning. Ion is clad in a sophisticated dark gray plastic that looks and feels appealing in your home. The rear dust bin is easy to access for emptying and removing the filter is just as simple.
5. Eufy 11S
If you're looking to buy a basic, no-frills robot vacuum at a reasonable cost, the Eufy11S could be a good choice. It doesn't have many of the advanced features, such as digital mapping and Alexa integration, found in higher-end models however, if you don't require these functions, you can save some cost with this model.
This robot is very easy to setup and use. It doesn't require a smartphone app or Wi-Fi connection, however it does come with a remote control that allows you to select between different modes and adjust the suction level. You can also send the robotvac on the schedule of cleaning.
During our tests during our tests, the 11S was very effective at getting rid of pet hair and dirt from hard floors as well as in low-pile carpets. Its slim profile made it easier to reach under furniture and other low items that more bulkier robots were unable to reach. It was able to get easily over thresholds of doorways and transition from one type of floor to another.
The 11S, as with other robots will also suckup some items, including cords and cat toys. The manufacturer suggests that you prevent this from happening by keeping these objects off the ground and using a cord organiser whenever possible. It also recommends that you periodically clean the dustbin, replace the filters, and wash or change the brushes as needed.
Roomba 990 from iRobot
The Roomba is iRobot’s flagship robot vacuum. It's expensive, but it's a top performer and, in some ways, the most advanced robot vacuum available. Its self-navigating capabilities and environmental mapping are something to behold. It is more sophisticated in its automation than its competitors, such as the ability to set up virtual boundary markers using its mobile app. Although its app is a little sluggish, and the 980 does spin out a bit when crossing cables, it's a very capable robot vacuum.
We love the 980 because it uses its iAdapt2.0 navigation sensors and visual simultaneity mapping and localisation (or vSLAM), to memorise your home's floor plan. It will use this information to create a consistent, efficient cleaning path through each cycle. The result is cleaner floors, and a cleaner vacuum than most competing high-end robot vacuums.
Other features of the 980 include dual multi-surface brushes that grab dirt from floors and carpets and an ejector brush that spins to sweep debris into the robotic vacuum’s bin. The sensor for floor tracking assists in navigating between furniture, along edges and on stairs. Cliff Detect prevents the Roomba from falling. It will also return to the base station for simple charging between sessions. The bin capacity and the battery life of the 980 aren't as great as those of other robot vacuums. However, it's an extremely reliable and sturdy machine that will keep floors clean for many hours.