The best robot vacuum cleaners give you something invaluable: time. Time not spent cleaning carpets, refreshing rugs or washing wood is time you can spend doing something much more fun, and that's what these bots bring to your home. Not only do robo-vacs clean on your behalf; some of them even empty and clean themselves when they're done.
Today's robotic household helpers are positively packed with cutting-edge tech. The newest models are smaller and more powerful than ever before, with advanced navigation systems to ensure they never miss an inch. Some also have sensors that enable them to skip past discarded socks and increase the suction power when they move from hard floors to carpet pile.
While all the models here are brilliant, they're not necessarily capable of replacing the best vacuum cleaners completely if like us you have enthusiastically messy kids. And if you have pets, it might be wise to invest in one of the best robot vacuum cleaners for pet hair instead: even a medium-sized dog can shed more hair than a smaller vacuum can handle. However, for everyday cleaning that happens without any effort from you, robot vacuums are brilliant things. Coming home to a clean house is one of the great joys of home tech.
Despite their many joys, the best robot vacuums can be quite pricey – although prices are definitely coming down. So to ensure you get the most cleaning bang for your bucks, we've tested eight of the leading models in our own homes to really put them through their paces. We've put all their key features to the test – runtime, suction power, mapping and automation capabilities and more – to help you find the best robot vacuum for you and your home.
The best robot vacuum 2023: tried and tested
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The Roomba Combo J7 Plus has the ability to suck up particles as small as 0.7 microns (which is the P.O.O.P promise) making it ideal for pet owners. It will also actively avoid your furry friends at your command over Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant. Generally, we found that the Combo J7 Plus vacuumed well and mopped much better than most combination models, although we did find that it struggled with some spillages such as oats since it had a tendency to fling those around with the brush attachment.
The app makes the Combo J7 Plus easy and intelligent to use. This is where you can set it up to map your floorplan and set zones, and it continues to learn. You'll receive notifications of a new cleaning recommendation, when a particular space in the home needs more attention.
Although it is pretty quiet in operation, for the 10-30 seconds that it's emptying the noise reaches a dizzying height of over 90dB. And there's no denying that it's expensive, unless you get it whilst on sale.
Read our full iRobot Roomba Combo J7 plus review
For those seeking a robot vacuum on a budget, the Eufy 11S is worth considering. At a reasonable price and often discounted, you’ll be hard pushed to find anything cheaper on the market.
That’s not to say the affordable price tag means compromising on dust pick-up. On test, it picked up dry oats from a medium-pile carpet and a hard floor with ease, and finer dust made from flour and cookies was also no problem for it on a hard floor - although it wasn’t as good on carpets. It’s slim, too, meaning it has no problems cleaning under furniture with low clearance. However, with a smaller dust bin compared to other models on the market and no app control or integration with voice assistants, there are some compromises to be made for the low price - although that will be music to the ears of those that want a simplistic robot vacuum.
It doesn’t take the same logical path around the home when cleaning as other more expensive Eufy models do. Sometimes it’ll go in straight lines and sometimes seek out the edges of a room, while on occasion, it’ll travel in circles, which means it may take slightly longer to clean the whole room or floor. Also, it wasn’t always that good at moving around objects – low-level things seemed to fox it the most, such as deep-pile rugs, piano pedals, and pet food bowls.
Read our full Eufy RoboVac 11s review
The iRobot Roomba S9+ is the best robot vacuum you can buy right now, although, with such a hefty price tag, it will be out of the reach of some. It proved simple to use during testing, and the S9+ impressed us when it came to sucking everything from fine dust and biscuit crumbs to cereal on hard floors. However, its pick-up on carpets wasn’t quite as thorough - although our existing cordless vacuum also struggled to suck up some of the remaining fine dust, suggesting this is deeply embedded into the pile.
The Roomba S9+ is self-emptying and deposits the debris from each clean into the 14.9oz / 440ml replaceable dust bag in the charging and emptying station - meaning you won’t have to empty the robot vacuum regularly. Instead, you’ll get an alert on the app when it needs replacing, and the vacuum offers integration with Alexa and Google Assistant.
Read our full iRobot Roomba S9 Plus review
If you love the idea of a robot vacuum that can mop and vacuum, but you’re on a budget - this hybrid floor cleaner from Eufy is well worth considering. At just under half the price of the Ecovacs Robovacs that can mop as well - and often discounted - this certainly comes with a more affordable price tag.
On test, the Eufy G30 Hybrid collected fine dust, cookie crumbs, and larger debris – including cereal – with ease, even on the lowest power setting from hard floors, although like most robot vacuums, it struggled with ground-in dirt on carpets. The dust canister and water tank are smaller than rival models. However, we think this is an acceptable compromise given the more affordable price tag.
While the robot vacuum takes a methodical path backward and forward through a room, mapping its way - you can’t save these for future cleans, so it’s not quite as smart as other robot vacuums we’ve tested.
Read our full Eufy RoboVac G30 Hybrid review
Look no further than this model if you want a robot vacuum that's great for collecting pet hair and other dust and debris.
The Roomba i7+ excelled at collecting pet hair as well as fine dust during testing. In many ways, equal to its bigger sibling - the Roomba S9 - it's got the same smarts for mapping your home and integrates with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It also uses the same large capacity dust bags to ensure you only remove the dust and debris collected every 30 days. However, it's also available without the self-emptying base for a slightly more affordable price tag.
However, when it comes to suction power, it just can't compete. During testing, we found it was best suited to quick daily cleans but struggled to remove the level of larger debris and ground-in dirt the S9 could. That being said, for most people, this robot vacuum will strike the right balance between price and cleaning power.
The replaceable dust bags mean the robovac comes with an ongoing cost. Still, it retains the familiar circular design and rotating body found on previous Roomba robot vacuums, so it has no problems maneuvering through narrow areas.
Read our full iRobot Roomba i7+ review
If you struggle with allergies, the Neato D10 is worth considering. It's one of the few robovacs with a built-in HEPA filter, which according to Neato traps, captures 99.97% of allergens as small as 0.3 microns.
On test, we found the D10 offered good pick-up on carpets and hard floors. The battery provides up to 300 minutes of runtime on the lowest suction setting. However, despite its D-shaped design, which Neato says is suitable for edges and corners of rooms, we found it struggled to collect all of the debris from the corners and crevices of the baseboards in our home.
We also found the robot vacuum tends to try and climb up low-lying furniture, while the customization of maps in the app wasn't as robust as we'd have liked. That said, it's still a great performing robot vacuum.
Read our full Neato D10 review
The Dreametech L10s Ultra is a 'robot vacuum powerhouse'. It's one of the highest spec of robot vac we have (probably) ever seen, so it's setting the benchmark high for future innovations in this space. It gets our vote for the best of it's kind with AI which utilizes an RGB camera and 3D structured light to quickly learn the home, tailor cleaning strategies, and auto-generate paths according to the type of obstacle, flooring, and room.
We found that it didn't have to do any maiden voyage before a clean: it's first trip out around the floor was to clean. It has has automatic floor detection, 5,300Pa of powerful suction and it's capable for self-emptying as well as self-cleaning. The onboard camera and microphone was useful for seeing where the robot is at during a clean, and it would also be a good way to check in on the pets or kids at home.
However, during review we challenged it a bit too far with a red sauce spill and flour on hard flooring which it didn't cope well with. 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.
Read our full Dreametech L10s Ultra review
A newcomer to the world of robot vacuums, Yeedi's 3-in-1 device impressed us with its ability to mop efficiently with rotation mop heads that self-clean every ten minutes. It was also good at tackling debris on our floors, though it's much more effective at cleaning central areas than it is at getting close to the baseboards.
Limitations in the app mean the Yeedi Mop Station Pro is best placed in a single room that requires more cleaning than you're up for doing manually. This is because you can only store one floor plan, and because of the bulk of the appliance's docking station.
All of that said, this still gets its place on our best robot vacuum ranking due to its impressive mopping technology, effective vacuuming, self-sufficiency, and relatively affordable price tag. It also runs quietly, which is a plus.
Read our full Yeedi Mop Station Pro review
The Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo N8+ can vacuum and mop, ensuring your hard floors are left sparkling. Just like the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo T8 AIVI it can also detect carpet, and when it does will stop mopping to ensure your floor coverings don't end up sopping wet.
However, it builds on this with an Auto-Empty Station and will automatically empty the onboard 14.2oz / 420ml dust canister into a disposable bag after every clean. So you only have to worry about emptying the robot vacuum once a month or so. We found it sucked up fine dust and larger debris on hard floors on the lowest power setting but required the highest suction setting to remove the most visible traces of flour from medium pile carpets. We were disappointed there's no spot cleaning option either.
We found the robot vacuum became stuck a few times and repeatedly banged into pet food bowls, as it doesn't have the same level of sensors as found on Ecovac's more expensive models. However, it's a good buy for large homes with plenty of hard floors and, thanks to app control and voice integration, busy families, too.
Read our full Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo N8+ review
How we test robot vacuums
To identify the best robot vacuums, we put models from big brands such as Shark, Dyson, and Roomba to the test and smaller names, including Eufy and Roborock. We evaluate the dirt pick-up of each model covering fine dust and cookie crumbs, along with larger particles, including cereal, while also looking at whether its pick-up on edges and crevices is as good as on large surface areas.
As well as assessing how effectively the robot vacuums clean floors, we also compare how easily they maneuver on the carpet and hard floors, as well as whether the robovac takes a logical path around a home or cleans in a random pattern means you could easily miss areas. We also looked for robot vacuums that can learn the layout of your home, meaning they can be dispatched to clean a particular room or space in just a few taps.
We rate each robot vacuum on how easy it was to empty, how loud it was in use, and how long the battery lasted between charges.
How to choose the best robot vacuum
There are several aspects you should consider when choosing the best robot vacuum cleaner for you.
As well as deciding whether you want a robovac that just vacuums or one that mops, it’s also important to consider battery life, as nobody wants a robot vacuum that runs out of power halfway through cleaning your home. Similarly, look for robot vacuums that have large dust canisters or those that empty their dust bins, meaning it really can be left to clean your floors unaided.
Some robot vacuums take a methodical path across your floors, ensuring the vacuuming process is quick and efficient. However, these tend to be more expensive than robot vacuums that employ a random route when cleaning your floors.
Also, look for a smart mapping feature that ensures the robot vacuum learns the layout of your home and can clean specific rooms or areas at the touch of a button, and those that allow you to set no-go areas that the robot vacuum won’t even attempt to clean - ideal if you have teenagers, which leave their clothes all over their bedroom floor.
Are robot vacuums worth it?
In short, yes. Robot vacuums can be more expensive than upright or cordless vacuums. Still, you’re paying for the added convenience of not having to do the vacuuming yourself and worry about how often you should vacuum. Robot vacuums are an excellent solution for busy people who don’t have time to put the vacuum around. Still, they offer a good alternative for those with mobility issues because all you need to do is switch them on.
Many robot vacuums cope well with hardwood floors and carpeted areas, but if your home has many staircases, you’ll need an additional vacuum to clean the stairs. With many robot vacuums suitable for programming from your phone, you’ll be able to switch these devices on when you’re out and about and come home to clean floors.
How much does a robot vacuum cost?
Robot vacuum cleaners can cost anything from between $200 / £150 for models such as the Eufy RoboVac 11S to well over $1000 / £1000 for models such as the iRobot Roomba S9+.
How much you spend depends on your budget and your must-haves in a robot vacuum cleaner. As a rule of thumb, the more features and functions a robot has, the more expensive it will be. This doesn't mean that the performance you are getting with a robot vacuum will be any less, though.
Do robot vacuums work on pet hair?
Like other types of vacuums, many of the best robot vacuums on this list and other models we've tested are effective at collecting pet hair, fine dust, and larger debris from floors.
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 best models to choose are ones that have rubber brushes that are free from bristles, so the pet hair doesn't get trapped around them. Although that's not to say robot vacuums with bristled brush bars aren't as effective at collecting the hair. If you choose one of these, look for a design with a tool to help remove pet (or human) hair that's got tangled to make your life easier.
Can a robot vacuum replace a normal vacuum?
Robot vacuums can offer a very impressive clean, even on thick carpets, making them an excellent alternative to upright or other vacuums. They'll be more convenient too as you can set them to work when you're busy doing other things. In addition, the dust cups on robot vacuums are often smaller than you'd expect to find on a canister or an upright vacuum cleaner.
While robot vacuums don't have crevice tools that work well down the side of your sofa or stairs, these machines usually have small brushes on the outside of their shells. The brushes do an excellent job of getting close to baseboards and ensuring that any crumbs or dirt on hard floors don't escape the vacuum's suction. However, as of yet, they can't clean the stairs.
Read more on this subject by reading can a robot vacuum replace your existing vacuum cleaner?
How do robot vacuums work?
Robot vacuums have a series of brushes on the underside of the machine that work together to collect dirt and dust that they come in contact with. The dirt is then sucked into the dust cup, which is fitted into the vacuum's body. Most are equipped with smaller brushes that extend past the circumference of the vacuum, and the purpose of these is to reach dirt that's settled against baseboards or in awkward places.
More advanced robot vacuums have lasers on the front of the machine and some on the underside of the device too. These lasers detect where furniture, objects, and edges are in your home, helping avoid bumps, and cliff detection prevents the machine from falling down the stairs. Read our article on how do robot vacuums work to find out more.
What is the best robot vacuum?
After reviewing all ten robot vacuum cleaners in this guide, our number one is the iRobot Roomba S9+. It impressed us during testing with epic suction on hard floors and a good pick-up on the carpet, although we felt that it could have done better at this - maybe.
The iRobot Roomba S9+ is self-emptying when it reaches a certain level in its bin. The debris is captured in a 14.9oz / 440ml replaceable dust bag in the charging and emptying station. This makes it an awesome choice for those who suffer from allergies because all the dust is contained, and there is no fear of emptying any of it back out again (by accident) if you open it. Alerts when the bag needs a change and integration with Alexa and Google Assistant are a sweetener to an already excellent robot vacuum.
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