Your Worst Nightmare About Best Robot Vacuums Relived

Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos

The best method to keep your home clean is to use a robotic vacuum. It can pick up pet hair, dust, and other surface debris.

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 mop and vacuum combo is a fantastic choice for many households. It is able to vacuum and mop well, has excellent navigation with both GPS and laser sensors and offers a broad range of features and controls available via the app. It comes with a useful feature which allows you to create cleaning zones in areas that require extra attention, and Keep Out zones in areas where you don't wish it to go. Like all Roomba devices, it is updated with new software updates that make it more efficient over time.

It's expensive however, it's also one of the most advanced robot vacuum & mop vacuums that ZDNet has evaluated. It comes with a powerful battery that can sweep an entire home in less than two hours, and it can switch between mopping and vacuuming at the touch of a button. And unlike other self-emptying robots that require you to empty the dust bin after each run, it automatically emptys into a larger waste container above its charging dock.

It also comes with a variety of other features, such as intelligent obstacle avoidance that uses cameras in conjunction with processor-powered smarts to recognize obstacles. It is rarely derailed or stuck during a cleaning cycle. In my tests it was the best at avoiding objects like power cables. However, it's not as reliable at detecting pet waste or other hazards.

2. Eufy RoboVac Hybrid X8

Although Anker-owned Eufy has made an impact in the field of low-cost robot vacuums, it's never offered an all-in-one model that could also mop. The X8 Hybrid is a new model that offers a range of advanced features, and is able to compete with more expensive models.

Laser navigation is the most important feature of this machine. Previous Eufy devices have constructed an outline of your home by using infrared sensors and bumping into objects, but the X8's laser mapping technology is more precise. It also takes significantly less time to construct a comprehensive picture of your home and can store multiple maps, which is great for homes with multiple floors.

The X8 is still a good vacuum on floors with no dust and can sling debris over its side brushes and into its 400ml dust bin with ease. The X8's tyres, despite having a circular shape, are efficient in grabbing corners and edges. It's not a great kitty litter picker, though as our tests show it only removes about 90 percent of the fur from hard floors.

The basic mopping mode utilizes the same water reservoir as the vacuuming mode. While this is a good option for spills that are not too large but you cannot limit the amount of water it consumes and this will reduce its effectiveness on more serious staining. It does, however, do an excellent job of picking up pet hair, and has a higher pickup rate than the Roborock S7.

3. Miele RX2

The company is known for its quiet home appliances Miele's RX2 robot vacuum comes with outstanding cleaning power, stunning design and great navigation. There are a few niggles in its operation that prevent it from being named the best smart robot vacuum.

The RX2 is equipped with a dual-sensor mapping system that makes use of lidar robot vacuum to map the space as well as a pair of 3D scanning cameras for detecting and staying clear of obstacles (such as furniture legs or robot vacuum & mop pet waste). Once the room is mapped it is possible to designate virtual no-go areas and favorite sections to the robot. You can also change the cleaning modes, start a manual clean or see a live feed of the onboard cameras from the main screen.

The RX2's sensors work well in registering furniture and other obstructions in real-time. Its sweeping and suction power are top-of-the-line, picking up surface litter from carpets of medium pile and dust in bare floors. It's not the most powerful robot available. It's not the most efficient climber and has issues with transition strips made of steel.

Some people buy a robot vacuum for the ease of setting a schedule in an app and forgetting about it for weeks at an time. It's important for a robot capable of the task and that's why our ZDNet staff has tested and looked over some of the most popular models in order to help you select the best one for your home.

4. Shark ION

This budget robot looks like your typical robot but it's upgraded in performance and features. Its intelligent mapping system creates 3D and 2-D maps of your home and makes use of them to navigate and stay clear of obstructions. It's also able to detect common obstructions such as furniture legs and power cords in real time. This combination of sensors along with a bump sensor and an infrared drop sensor that keeps it off stairs make it one of the most agile vacs we've tried.

In our tests, it effortlessly climbed over thick shag rugs and didn't get stuck on them (like the RoboVac 11s or Roomba 690). Its navigation skills were impressive as well and its overall score on carpet and bare floors topped the competition and it took in 98.5 percent of surface pet hair and litter from our laboratory test samples.

The controls are simpler than 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 set up a schedule for weekly or daily cleans, set no-go zones, and see its history of cleaning. Ion is covered 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 cleaning the filter is just as simple.

5. Eufy 11S

If you're looking to buy a basic, no-frills robot vacuum at a low cost, the Eufy11S could be a good choice. It doesn't have many of the more advanced features, such as digital mapping and Alexa integration, which are found in more expensive models, however, if you don't require these features, you can save some money by purchasing this model.

The robot is simple to set up and use. It does not require a smartphone application or Wi-Fi pairing. However it does include a remote control which lets you select between various modes and adjust the suction levels. You can also assign the robotvac to an cleaning schedule.

In our tests, the 11S was extremely effective in removing dirt and pet hair from hard floors as well as in low-pile carpets. Its slim profile allowed it to pass under furniture that is low-hanging and other objects that heavier robots were unable to get at. It was also able to easily pass over doorway thresholds and change from one type of floor to another.

Like other robots, the 11S will suck up some objects such as cords, hoodie drawstrings, and cat toys. The manufacturer suggests you prevent this from happening by keeping these items off the ground and using a cord organizer whenever possible. It also recommends that you regularly clean the dustbin, replace the filters and change or wash the brushes as required.

Roomba 990 from iRobot

The Roomba is the flagship model of iRobot's Robot Vacuum & Mop vacuum. It's costly, but it's the most powerful robot vacuum you can buy. Its self-navigating capabilities and environmental mapping are a wonder to behold. It has more advanced automation than most of its competitors, such as the capability to set up virtual boundary markers using its mobile app. It's a powerful robot vacuum, even if its application is a bit slow and the 980 spins when it comes across cables.

We really like the 980, because it makes use of its iAdapt2.0 navigation sensors and its visual simultaneity localisation and mapping (or vSLAM) to store your home's floor plan. It will then use this information to design an efficient and consistent cleaning path for each cycle. The result is cleaner floors and a more efficient vacuum than the majority of high-end robot vacuums.

Other features of the 980 include dual multi-surface brushes that grab dirt on hard floors and carpets and the spinning brush that sweeps debris into the robotic vacuum's bin. Its floor tracking sensors aid it navigate across furniture and along edges, while Cliff Detect helps to prevent the Roomba from slipping down stairs. It will automatically return to its base station for easy recharging between sessions. The bin capacity and battery life of the 980 aren't as impressive as those of other robot vacuums. However, it is a solid and reliable machine that will keep floors clean for many hours.