Over the years, we’ve consistently noted that robot vacuums that use laser-guided lidar navigation tend to be very good at mapping their environment and finding their way around. Meanwhile, 3D-mapping cameras with object recognition smarts can give robot vacuums an extra ability to identify and adapt to obstacles in their path. The Roborock S7 MaxV uses both technologies, which helps explain why it performs so well here. Meanwhile, the Roomba relies on cameras and sensors alone, with lasers left out of the mix. Note the type of flooring you have as some robot vacuums perform better on hardwood floors while others are optimized for carpet. It’s a capable vacuum, too, and a top-five finisher on all three flooring types we test, which is something that only one other robot vacuum we’ve tested can claim (the also-excellent Neato D10).
It uses a variation of vSLAM navigation called SLAM, which simply drops the “v” and operates without a visual sensor . “Instead, it navigates using a variety of sensors, including an optical floor tracking sensor, gyroscope and bump sensors to clean systematically like a vSLAM robot would,” says iRobot Director of Product Management Brent Hild. The Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra will certainly make a statement in any home. An upgrade over the Roborock S7, this capable hybrid robot vacuum combines vacuum and mopping power in one slick looking machine. Designs that offer a Boost or Turbo mode are ideal if you have thick-pile carpets or rugs as they ensure you can temporarily increase the suction power, ensuring no fur remains after cleaning. The Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo N8+ can vacuum and mop, ensuring your hard floors are left sparkling.
It’s also really, really loud when emptying and although the suction was pretty mega, our reviewer felt that the L10s Ultra is better suited to the hard floors since not all crumbs were lifted from deep-pile rugs. We also found the robot vacuum tends to shark canister vacuum try and climb up low-lying furniture, while the customization of maps in the app wasn’t as robust as we’d have liked. Speaking of results, the graph above shows you how each cleaner we’ve tested over the past few years stacks up on hardwood floors.
Finally, we sprinkle a 2-ounce mixture of cat litter and coffee grounds in a space with a mix of bare wood and a low-pile rug. We run each bot for 25 minutes or until it stops on its own, whichever comes first. When the bot is done, we weigh how much debris it managed to pick up. Like every robot—especially one that comes in contact with the grimiest parts of your house—you need to care for it regularly. Error messages may prompt you to empty the bin mid-run, cut the hair off the rollers, or wipe off the cliff sensors.
Most notable is its self-emptying function, which allows it to transfer debris from its internal dustbin into an external dustbin mounted to its charging dock, reducing hands-on maintenance requirements. Its surface detection system also allows it to automatically increase its suction power to its most powerful setting when it’s on carpet. It can easily climb onto high-pile rugs and delivers good overall performance on carpeting. The Ecovacs DEEBOT OZMO T8 AIVI is the best robot vacuum for carpets we’ve tested. Its surface detection system enables it to automatically increase suction on carpets or avoid them when using its mopping functionality.
During several of our tests, the Q5 produced good visual results, but the results for the i3 EVO were a little better when we weighed the dustbins. Also, the Q5 would regularly say that it had completed a job, when a quick look told us otherwise and we knew that we would have to restart the cleaning cycle. We’ve aimed to recommend a handful of robots that should work well in most homes and aren’t wildly expensive. But plenty of models that we don’t explicitly recommend can be good or great, too, and we cite many of them throughout this guide.
As with the low-pile tests, note that most of the cleaners in the top half of the graph are all relatively close to one another — it isn’t until you get to the bottom of the pack that those bars really start to shrink. That’s good for you as a consumer, because it means that you’ve got a good variety of robot vacuums to choose from that all offer comparable cleaning capabilities across various price points. Because robot vacuums are typically under four inches tall, their onboard dust bins are also small — which means they frequently require emptying. (Dustbins fill up particularly quickly in homes with pets.) A self-emptying vacuum takes that job out of your hands, emptying itself into a larger dustbin in its charging dock. These larger bins can typically hold weeks of dirt without needing to be cleaned or dumped out. Consider the Neato D8 if you’re looking for a budget-friendly robot vacuum that’s effective on carpets.
Object avoidance and boost cleaning modes are other smart features that make some models more advanced than others. Many robot vacuums with object avoidance have cameras on the front that can detect obstacles, such as a sock or a pet accident, so the vacuum will avoid that spot. The robot vacuum will increase its suction while cleaning that spot or maybe scrub harder if the model has both vacuuming and mopping capabilities. Keep in mind that these features will increase the price tag, often by hundreds of dollars, though they can make cleaning more convenient. Certain products are designed to handle the transition from one floor type to another without losing suction, which helps it clean better and ensures that it will require less assistance throughout its routine. Many models will even automatically register what type of floor they’re currently cleaning and change suction or brush features to optimize cleaning for that floor type.
Our tester loved that it had an obvious power switch and easy-to-use remote control. There is no mopping feature on this vacuum, but it did a pretty good job vacuuming, picking up most of the debris on its first try. It struggled with the Cheerios placed in a corner, but that’s a pretty common pain point that much more expensive models may also experience. shark canister vacuum However, this model avoided obstacles very well, including chocolate. It also has smart mapping, so you can tell it to clean or avoid specific rooms. But unlike most of its competitors, the Roomba i3 EVO is actually a sturdy, repairable appliance—and although longevity is never guaranteed, you can reasonably expect to own and use it regularly for years.