Robot vacuums offer something a little different from our typical cordless and upright vacuums. Without the suction power of these bigger models, they're not always as able to deep clean our floors as effectively. Instead, they provide light and frequent cleaning, taking care of the general day-to-day maintenance in between big house cleans.
But different robot vacuums excel in their own ways. Some are versatile and work well on different floor types, while others are better suited to either carpet or hard floors. A more expensive model might have better performance on pet hair, while another may create more detailed maps of your home.
So, as H&G's home tech editor, my team of product testers and I have tested 53 of the world's best vacuums and 15 of the world's best robot vacuums. These are the six that are worth your money, for all homes and budgets.
The quick list
If you've already got your eye on a particular robot vacuum, you can skip straight to that section using the jump menu. If you'd rather slow down and take stock of your options, browse the best robot vacuums below.
The best robot vacuum you can buy
It may cost a lot, but the eufy S1 Pro Omni is so powerful that its cleaning is on par with a normal vacuum cleaner. That's almost unheard of in a robot vacuum, and it doesn't hurt that it works like a dream on pet hair, dust, and large debris on all surfaces, too.
The second best robot vacuum you can buy
The Roomba Combo j9+ automatically vacuums, mops, and empties itself. It was once our best overall thanks to its incredibly impressive suction on all floor types, its anti-hair wrap rollers, and its sleek design.
Best mid-range
The best mid-range robot vacuum cleaner
Considering it costs a great deal less than our two favorite robot vacuums, the eufy X10 Pro Omni surprised us on test with its strong cleaning performance on all surfaces, and its thorough mopping ability despite its lack of cleaning solution.
A top pick robot vacuum for pet owners
The iRobot Roomba j7+ is particularly great at tackling pet hair, and comes with a pet-owner guarantee that it'll avoid any accidental pet messes. Better pet hair pickup can be found in the eufy S1 Pro Omni and the Roomba Combo j9+, but this costs much less while still performing exceptionally.
A solid all-rounder robot vacuum at a fair price
It's not the best robot vacuum we've reviewed, but you get a lot for your money with the Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1. It has smart features, stain detection and a low-maintenance cleaning base, and if you don't mind cleaning up after it every once in a while, it's a great way to save money.
The best budget robot vacuum cleaner
Our expert tester, Laura, tested the eufy X8 Pro on her high-pile carpets at home. She couldn't believe how much dust, dirt, and hair this thing picked up. It's now an older model, costing $100s less than others in this guide.
The best robot vacuum cleaners
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The best robot vacuum cleaner
The eufy S1 Pro Omni has the most comprehensive floor cleaning of all 15 of the robot vacuums we've tested. It also happens to be the most expensive, but if you're in the market for a robot vacuum and you want the absolute best, this is the one to go for.
Punteha van Teherheyden, tester and head of Solved at H&G commented that it leaves 'nothing on hard floors when it comes to pet hair and dust and picks up much more than any canister vacuum I've owned when tested on carpet.' Robot vacuums aren't typically the best vacuums for carpets as their smaller motors aren't as able to pull dirt from the fibers, so for the S1 Pro Omni to capture more than a canister vacuum is not to be ignored.
It also mops excellently, using a specialized cleaning solution to deep clean hard floors, and using targeted sensors to avoid wet mop pads touching any rugs or carpeting. 'It tackled sticky, sugary liquid spills with ease, and much like the tests available to view on the manufacturer’s website, blasted through coffee, milk and ketchup stains with zero issues, residue or spread,' wrote van Terheyden.
And after months of use, no hair has been trapped in the robot's rubber rollers. Manually removing hair and fur from a robot vacuum is a common problem and one that almost defeats the hands-free nature of an automated cleaner. Luckily, the S1 Pro Omni lives up to its anti-tangle claims.
Read more in our full eufy S1 Pro Omni review.
The runner-up best robot vacuum cleaner
Any robot vacuum worth the investment can dig up dust. It takes a special sort of machine to tackle bigger bits of dirt and debris. For a deep clean across carpet, linoleum, or hardwood floors, you need something like the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+.
Our reviewer Alex noted that the Combo j9+ is 'one of the best I've ever tested for hair wrap,' which is rare praise for a robot vacuum. 'It always pulls hair out of the carpet and does a much, much better job than even some of the best vacuums for pet hair.' And, as the mop does such an effective job of deep cleaning the floors, the Combo j9+ can clean up after more than your pets' hair.
A lot of robot vacuums claim to be automatic but aren't, really: you still have to manually switch between vacuum and mop settings, and get your hands dirty as you empty the base. The iRobot Roomba j9+ Combo allows for hands-free cleaning. Once you've filled up the water tank for the mop to function, you don't need to touch it for months. Our tester Alex has been using it since last year and hasn't needed to refill the water once.
When you download the iRobot app, you can schedule cleanings, monitor progress, map your home, and empty the bin, all through remote access. It's a user-friendly interface with cleaning prompts written in plain language that anyone can understand: you don't need to be a tech whiz to use it.
There's not much we don't like about the iRobot Roomba j9+ Combo, apart from these two considerations: cost and noise. Retailing for more than $1,000 outside of sales season, this little robot is seriously expensive. Although it cleans quickly and quietly, the iRobot Roomba j9+ Combo reaches 80dB as it self-empties. You can't hear yourself talk over it. Granted, that's common for any self-emptying robot vacuum.
Read more in our full iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ review.
The best mid-range robot vacuum cleaner
The X10 Pro Omni is the predecessor to our favorite robot vacuum, the eufy S1 Pro Omni, and retails for around half the price. Robot tester Punteha certainly noticed the difference between the two models, especially on carpet where the X10 Pro Omni only achieved a solid clean when in turbo mode.
'When I tested this robot vacuum on Turbo suction mode and Deep Clean with zero hair on the rubber brush roll, there was an enormous leap in performance, leaving no loose debris on the carpet,' she wrote in her review. In standard mode, the cleaning 'left a lot to be desired' as plenty of small and large debris was left behind after a complete run of the floor.
'Where this robot vacuum excels in my view is hard floors. It picked up absolutely everything in its path,' she added, so this could be one of the best vacuums for hardwood floors if you're looking to take some effort off your hands.
Another noticeable difference between the X10 Pro Omni and the S1 Pro Omni is in the obstacle avoidance. 'Whilst the object collision technology was mostly great, avoiding people, pets, doors, and stairs, it is a little bumpier by nature,' Punteha commented. It also bumped into baseboards often and got so confused by the legs of a wooden table that it was unable to enter a bathroom.
The mopping function works well, removing all tested liquids from the floors without a sticky residue or visual trace. It doesn't however utilize any cleaning solution, so while the floors can appear clean, you'll still need to mop the floors or use anti-bacterial wipes to remove the last of any mess.
Read more in our full eufy X10 Pro Omni review.
A great robot vacuum cleaner for pet owners
The iRobot Roomba j7+ was once the reigning champion of our 'best robot vacuums' buying guide: that is until the newer Combo j9+ and the eufy's landmark S1 Pro Omni came out. But still, now that the Roomba j7+ is a few years old, it's much more affordable while still boasting great cleaning performance.
The iRobot Roomba j7+ incorporates something called PrecisionVision navigation. This robot vacuum uses a combination of cameras and sensors to chart the quickest, neatest cleaning route around a room. There's a wall follow sensor to protect your kickboard, as well as several floor tracking sensors to keep your robot vacuum from falling down the stairs.
It uses soft-bristle rubber brushes to dig up dust and dirt from carpet, hardwood, and linoleum floors. There's a special edge-sweeping brush to coax out dirt from awkward corners and the gaps between floorboards. The iRobot Roomba j7+ should clean all the same dirt you'd pick up with a standard vacuum, though it might take a little longer to get around to each spill and stain.
You can enjoy a P.O.O.P. guarantee (Pet Owners Official Promise) with the Roomba j7+ that promises the robot will avoid any pet accidents, and will replace your machine if it does. And as it works so well on hair, this is one of the best robot vacuums for pet hair if you're on a budget.
With its limited runtime of 75 minutes, I wouldn't recommend you rely on your Roomba to clean the whole house in a single session. The iRobot Roomba j7+ doesn't have a mop function, but you can opt for the iRobot Roomba Combo j7+ which does, for an extra
Read more in our full iRobot Roomba j7+ review.
