10 Apps That Can Help You Control Your Best Robot Vacuums Best Robot Vacuums and Mop Combos

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

Certain robots can connect to 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 is an excellent option for a wide range of homes. It comes with a fantastic navigation system with GPS and laser sensors. It also has many features and controls accessible via the app. It also comes with a helpful feature that lets you add cleaning zones to certain areas that require more attention, as well as Keep Out zones that you don't want it to go. As with all Roomba devices, it gets new software updates that make it even better over time.

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

It also has many other features, including intelligent obstacle avoidance which uses cameras and processor-powered smarts to recognize obstacles. It isn't often entangled or entrapped during cleaning and is also the most effective at avoiding power cables and other objects I've tested. It is not as accurate at detecting pet waste or other dangers.

2. Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid

Eufy is owned by Anker, has become an iconic name in the world of robots that are budget-friendly vacuums. However, it didn't provide an option to mop. That's changed with the X8 Hybrid, which has an impressive suite of advanced features that can compete against much more expensive models.

The laser navigation system is the most important feature of this machine. Previous Eufy devices have built up an approximate map of your home using infrared sensors and bumping into things, but the X8's laser mapping technology is more precise. It takes less time to build an accurate map of your home. It also has the ability to store multiple maps. This is great for multi-floored homes.

The X8 is still a good vacuum for floors that are not clean and can sling debris over its side brushes and into the 400ml dust bin with ease. The tyres are adept at securing corners and edges even though they are circular. Our tests revealed that it was able to remove 90% of the fur on hard floors.

The basic mopping mode utilizes the same reservoir of water as the vacuuming mode. This is ideal for spills that are not dangerous, but you are unable to limit the amount of water it uses. It is effective at picking up hair from pets. 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 is a great choice because of its cleaning power, beautiful design and great navigation. It has a few oddities in its operation that keep it from being considered the top smart robot vacuum.

Like iRobot's latest models like the RX2 has a dual-sensor mapping system that uses a LIDAR sensor to map out an area and a pair of 3D scanning cameras that can detect and avoid obstacles (like furniture legs or pet waste) in real time. Once the room is identified, you can assign virtual no-go zones and favorite sections to the robot. You can also start cleaning manually or change the cleaning mode, view live feeds from the onboard cameras and more on the main screen.

The RX2 is equipped with excellent sensors that can detect furniture and other obstructions instantly. Its sweeping and suction power are top of the line cleaning up surface debris from medium-pile carpeting and embedded dust on floors with no floor. It's not the most powerful robot available. It's not the best climber, and it has problems with transition strips made of steel.

Many people purchase a robot vacuum for the ease of setting a schedule on an app and not thinking about it for weeks at an time. It is essential for a robot to be able to do the job and that's why our ZDNet staff has tested and examined some of the most popular models to help you choose the best one for your house.

4. Shark ION


This budget-friendly robot looks like a typical robot, but it's upgraded in terms of performance and features. Its smart mapping system creates 3D and 2D maps of your home and makes use of to navigate and avoid obstacles. It can even detect common obstacles such as furniture legs and power cords in real-time. This combination of sensors along with a bump detector and an infrared sensor that keeps the vacuum away from stairs makes it one of our most agile vacuums.

It was able to walk over thick shag carpets and didn't get stuck (unlike the RoboVac 11s, or Roomba 690-). recommended site were also impressive. Its composite score for carpet and bare flooring beat the competition, and it was able to pick up 98.5% of surface litter and embedded dog hair that we tested in our lab samples.

Its controls are a bit simpler than the competition; there's an oblong cleaning button at the top and you can start it from the app or via voice commands using Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also schedule daily or weekly cleanings, set up no-go zones and view its cleaning history. Ion is clad in a sophisticated dark gray plastic that looks and feels appealing in your home. The dust bin on the rear is easily accessible for emptying, and taking out the filters is also a breeze.

5. Eufy 11S

Eufy 11S is a great option if you're looking for a vacuum cleaner that is easy to use and has no frills at a reasonable price. This model lacks some smart features like Alexa integration and digital mapping, which are available in more expensive models. If you don't need these features, you could save money.

This robot is very easy to set up and use. It doesn't require a smartphone app or Wi-Fi connection, however it does have the ability to control the remote with a remote that allows you to select between various modes and adjust the suction level. It also allows you to manually send the robovac off for scheduled cleaning.

During our tests, we found that the 11S was extremely effective at cleaning dirt and pet fur from hard floors and low-pile carpets. Its slim profile helped it reach under furniture and other low items that some of the larger robots could not reach. It was also able to easily traverse door thresholds and move between floors and another.

The 11S, like other robots, can also eat some items, including cords and cat toys. The manufacturer suggests that you can prevent this by keeping these objects off the floor and by using the possibility of a cord organizer. It also suggests cleaning the dustbin regularly replacing the filters, and changing or washing the brushes as needed.

Roomba 990 by iRobot

The Roomba 980 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 are truly a marvel to behold. It also has more advanced automation features than many competitors, including the ability to set virtual boundary markers using its mobile app. It's a dependable robot vacuum, even though its application is a bit slow and the 980 spins when it comes across cables.

One thing we love about the 980 is that it uses its iAdapt 2.0 navigation sensors and visual simultaneous localisation and mapping technology (or vSLAM) to store the floor plan of your home. It will use this data to create a consistent and efficient cleaning path in every 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 rubber brushes which pick up dirt from hard floors and carpet and an ejector brush that moves debris into the bin of the robotic vacuum. The floor tracking sensor helps it navigate through furniture as well as along edges and stairs. Cliff Detect prevents the Roomba from falling. It also automatically returns to the base station for easy recharging in between sessions. The battery life and bin capacity of the 980 aren't as impressive as some other robot vacuums. However, it's a reliable and solid machine that can keep floors clean for many hours.