We've spent 1000+ hours testing the best robot vacuum cleaners in real homes for proven results on household dust, dirt and hair

Watching a robot vacuum clean your floor is like stepping into the future. It's doing a boring, arduous task for you, leaving your floors immaculate without you having to lift a finger.

These miraculous devices are more powerful than they've ever been, hosting strong suction and thorough mopping that you wouldn't expect from such a small machine. But with every brand touting the same features, knowing which ones are the best takes some rigorous testing.

That's why we've tested 82 of the world's best vacuums, including 22 leading robot vacuums. Here, you'll find the top six robots we've tested, and a comprehensive buying considerations guide to give you everything you need to choose the best vacuum for your home.

One-minute verdict

The Yeedi S14 Plus wins as the best robot vacuum we've tested. It performs brilliantly on every floor type, mops right to the corners, and vacuums pet hair without wrapping around the roller. It costs $1,399.99 at full price but is often discounted to around $699.99, making it much less expensive than similar, high-performing robots.

The eufy S1 Pro Omni is the second-best robot vacuum cleaner you can buy, effortlessly clearing all debris, spills, and stains, and with a special brushroll that never wraps with hair. It costs around $900-$1,500, depending on promotions.

For more of the full package, the eufy 3-in-1 E20 comes with a detachable handheld vacuum that can be turned into a full-sized cordless stick to clean up any messes that the robot leaves behind. At $300-$600 it's surprisingly affordable considering it's two vacuums in one.

If you're on a budget, the eufy X10 Pro Omni is the best value pick at $500-$800 (and it cleans almost as comprehensively as the eufy Omni S1 Pro), and the Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 is the best mid-range with strong vacuuming and mopping performance, costing around $400-$1,000 depending on the model type and discounts.

And finally, if you're happy to invest in something premium, the Roborock Saros Z70 is the best, but most expensive robot. It boasts the highest suction of any robot we've tested (22,000Pa), and even has a mechanical arm that picks up small objects like tissues, socks, and shoes.

Here are our top three at a glance and a comparison table of our full top six. Or, keep scrolling to get to the full guide.

Buying considerations for robot vacuum cleaners

Types of robot vacuum

Robot vacuums can range anywhere from as low as $150 to $1,500+ and within that range are plenty of different types to choose from.

Budget vs premium: Budget robot vacuums can seem like a great way to save $100s, but in reality, these low-cost robots don't have the hardware to deep clean your home. The suction is often weak, the brushroll tangles with hair, and you'll spend so much time cleaning up after it that you'll wonder why you ever bought it. If you live in a clean, quiet home with no pets, and exclusively hard floors, a budget robot vacuum might be enough.

But otherwise, it's better to opt for a premium robot vacuum from brands such as iRobot, eufy and Roborock that are better suited to actual cleaning. These models have stronger suction to pull dirt and hair out of carpets, advanced navigation and obstacle avoidance to reduce how often you're redirecting them, and more polished apps for easier use. Balance your maximum budget with a set of features that are a dealbreaker for you (more on these below).

Vacuuming and mopping: Some robot vacuums can also mop the floors for you. On test we've found they work to varying success, but even the budget models will leave your floors looking and smelling fresher than usual. The more advanced models (such as the eufy Omni S1 Pro) will mop your floors almost as well as you would yourself, and can dramatically reduce how often you're having to do clean your floors manually. This, in our view, is one of the major advantages of choosing a robot vacuum with a mop.

But if your home is mostly carpeted, the cheaper robots can sometimes wet rugs and carpets when passing from hard floors. If a mop is a dealbreaker, I'd recommend aiming to spend at least $600-900+ on a robot with a secure and fast-acting mop cover.

Self-emptying: Most robot vacuums come with (or at least have the option for) a self-cleaning station. These docks charge, empty, refill (if mopping), and self-clean the robot, taking significant chore time off your hands. They typically store dust, dirty water and clean water for up to 60-75 days, depending on how often you use it. To get the true hands-off cleaning experience, I'd always recommend a self-emptying station, but you can save a little money if you don't mind emptying it after each run. Some robots such as the iRobot Roomba j9+ Combo have stations that double up as stylish side tables, too.

Key specs, explained

Suction power: For robot vacuums, suction power is measured in Pa (Pascals). It's a key indicator of how well a robot vacuum can pull up dust, dirt, and hair from your floors. It can range from 2,000 to over 30,000 Pa, and on test, we've found that the best robots have around 8,000Pa or higher. If your home is carpeted, aim for 10,000Pa or higher to be able to pull dirt from within the carpet fibers.

But like with any of the best vacuum cleaners, brands don't have to list this information and often don't. iRobot is a culprit for this, whereas brands such as Dreame always list the suction power spec.

Also, suction power isn't the only factor determining how well a robot cleans. As we learned from testing eufy robot vacuums, some brushroll designs are better than others, so it's important to read reviews from those with hands-on experience.

Navigation type: Robot vacuums can use different technologies to navigate, build maps, and identify objects. In order of efficacy from best to worst, these are:

• LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging): Laser beams are emitted from the robot to measure distances, creating a precise layout of a room. It works equally as well in bright and low-light conditions.
• SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping): Uses data from sensors and cameras to create comprehensive 3D maps. Performs best in well-lit spaces.
• Camera: By taking photos and scanning elements, camera-based robots can create maps to understand different rooms, but it depends on consistent lighting.
• Random: Only the budget options use random navigation. The robot doesn't move in a structured pattern, but moves around randomly and changing direction when it bumps into something. It isn't efficient, and will take much longer to cover every part of the floor.

The best navigation system is one that combines LiDAR, SLAM, and other sensor technologies to build comprehensive and real-time maps of your home. Naturally, the better sensors are more expensive, so weigh up how important it is to have a robot that can clean in the dark, avoid obstacles (especially pet waste, like the Roomba j7+ can), and build maps of different rooms.

App control: The smartphone app is what you'll be using to control your robot, so it's important to choose one that's easy to use and has the features you need. The best app will let you set schedules, rooms, and no-go zones, update your software, show where it has been cleaned, and provide maintenance information. The eufy and iRobot apps are our favorites thus far, but brands continue to update theirs, so I'd recommend looking to see what features are available (and what people say about them) when it's time to buy your robot.

Pet hair performance: To clean up after shedding pets, a robot vacuum will need a combination of high suction and a thorough brushroll to pull stubborn fur out of carpets and rugs. So far, the eufy Omni S1 Pro is the best we've tested for this (and cleans almost as well as a canister vacuum), and its rubber roller never once wrapped with hair.

Noise levels: We've found that robots' noise levels can range anywhere from 50 to 75 decibels, which is quieter than what you'd expect from one of the best cordless vacuums. The real noise maker is the self-emptying station, which, genuinely, can sometimes sound like a jet engine taking off, surpassing 80+ decibels. Brands will often list this info if you're looking for a quiet model, but I recommend reading reviews. We always test the noise levels ourselves to hear how loud they are in real-world conditions using apps such as Decibel X.

What you can get at each price band

Robot vacuums have some of the highest prices of any home appliance you can buy, but they're discounted quite often. Always wait for a promotion, otherwise you'll be spending $100s more than you need to.

Here's what you can get at each price band:

• $100-200: Basic robot vacuum (often knock-off brands) with random or camera-based navigation, offering light cleans with mess left behind. The Roborock Q7 M5 [at Amazon] is the best we've tested at this price range.
• $250-450: Entry-level robot vacuums from trusted brands, offering app compatibility, simple features, and noticeable cleaning. The iRobot Roomba 105 Combo is a rare model at this price that has a mop function. Our best multi-functional robot, the eufy 3-in-1 E20, costs $599.99 at full price, but is often discounted to around half that.
• $500-950: Mid-range robot vacuums with effective (but not perfect) cleaning, mopping, self-emptying, and strong navigation. The eufy X10 Pro Omni and the Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 are the best we've tested at this price.
• $1,000+: The best robot vacuums, with advanced navigation, comprehensive app control, and the most thorough vacuuming and mopping. Expect to spend upwards of $1,400 for the best models, like the Roborock Saros Z70 and the eufy Omni S1 Pro, or opt for a slightly older model like the iRobot Roomba j9+ Combo, another excellent robot vacuum from our tests.

And don't forget – robot vacuums come with recurring costs in the form of filter replacements, roller replacements and cleaning solutions. To avoid this, look for robots with lifetime filters, durable rollers and mops that only use fresh water, but really, models with recurring costs tend to come with better performance.

The best robot vacuum cleaners

The best robot vacuum cleaner

As it's discounted so often, the Yeedi S14 Plus tends to cost around $700-$900, while cleaning as comprehensively as robots that cost 2-3x as much. Balancing price and high performance, this is the best robot vacuum you can buy.

'The Yeedi S14 Plus does a stellar job sucking up any debris, from cut grass tracked in by dogs (or me) and hair, to dust and fallen food particles,' wrote tester James Holland in our review. This is owed to the S14 Plus' massive 18,000Pa suction, one of the highest we've ever tested (beaten only by the expensive Roborock Saros Z70).

It also does a great job at getting to edges and corners thanks to its side brush, and an extendable mop pad which is a rare feature found in robot vacuums.

The mop is thorough and (mostly) painless: 'The Yeedi S14 Plus delivers an even layer of water, leaving no other spill behind, that dries quickly making it ideal if you have floors that are susceptible to water damage,' wrote James.

Its only struggles when mopping the floors were during our high-volume tests for mustard and ketchup, where sauce became caught in the wheels, but this shouldn't pose an issue unless you're tackling big spills (generally, you should do this yourself before the robot gets to them).

The cleaning station empties, charges, cleans, and dries the robot between uses. It has clear tanks for clean and dirty water, so it's easy to see when they need emptying or refilling, and it also dries the mop pads to avoid smells and bacteria from festering.

The app is super straightforward, and on there you can set no-go zones, name rooms, and tell the robot to clean a specific area if needed. Its obstacle avoidance is exceptional, avoiding most objects in its path while emitting a subtle laser light to identify surrounding objects.

Considering it's almost always on offer for under $800, the Yeedi S14 Plus shouldn't clean this well. It may struggle with large amounts of debris, but almost every robot does, and in the day-to-day it faces no issues keeping floors spotless.

Read more in our full Yeedi S14 Plus review.

The runner-up best robot vacuum cleaner

The eufy S1 Pro Omni was once our favorite robot vacuum, toppled by the Yeedi S14 Plus' advanced debris pick-up and edge-to-edge mopping. But it's still an incredible cleaner, and now a little cheaper than when it was first released.

Punteha van Teherheyden, tester and head of Solved at Homes & Gardens, 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 Omni S1 Pro lives up to its anti-tangle claims.

Read more in our full eufy S1 Pro Omni review.

The best multi-function robot vacuum

The eufy 3-in-1 E20 resolves a common issue found across almost every robot vacuum: sometimes, mess gets left behind. Robot vacuums are still nowhere near as powerful as, say, the best upright vacuums, and it's to be expected that they occasionally won't pick up everything.

eufy's answer is to stick a small handheld vacuum in the robot's body, so that you can quickly pull it out and vacuum manually. Like the best cordless vacuums, all you have to do is attach the wand and floorhead and you have a full-sized vacuum ready to go.

The existence of an additional vacuum might give the impression of a weak robot, and in some instances, the E20 isn't as powerful as others in this guide, like the S1 Pro Omni, but it means you can count on it for just about any mess.

'During testing this combo in my home for two months, I found it tackled carpets, hard floors, sofas, upholstery and everything in between with ease,' wrote tester Punteha van Terheyden, and the addition of the handheld vacuum meant that nothing was getting missed.

'The cordless and robot both moved easily between floor types, and the latter did not get bamboozled by oddly-shaped deep-pile rug,' Punteha wrote, showing off the E20's credentials as one of the best multi-surface vacuums. It's also more affordable than separately buying two vacuums to use together.

It sadly doesn't have a mopping function, but instead it costs $100s less than most of the robots in this guide. And for that small price, you're getting the full vacuuming package, with the handheld/cordless vacuum picking up all the tasks the robot can't do.

Read more in our full eufy 3-in-1 E20 review.

The best value robot vacuum cleaner

The X10 Pro Omni is the predecessor to the eufy S1 Pro Omni, and retails for around half the price. Robot vacuum 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 hard 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.

The best mid-range robot vacuum cleaner

The best Shark vacuums always bring big value for money. Shark's latest robot vacuum is in line with what we've learned to expect from previous Shark robots we've tested. It doesn't quite match the cleaning power of a Yeedi or eufy, but it has useful features and decent cleaning for a more reasonable price.

The PowerDetect 2-in-1 is an intelligent cleaner that can detect the messes on your floors, most evident when mopping: 'I was impressed by the robot’s stain-detection abilities – as soon as it drove over one of the stains, it would immediately stop and go back over the area, rotating in circles to ensure every inch was scrubbed thoroughly,' pro tester Camryn Rabideau wrote in her review.

When vacuuming, it was able to pick up almost all of the rice, coffee grounds, pet hair, and fiberfill, but not quite all of it. A noticeable amount of coffee was left on the carpet after cleaning, and although it performed better on hard floors, there was still some debris left behind.

It also didn't perform as well as promised when cleaning floor edges. A unique feature of the PowerDetect 2-in-1 is its ability to blast air at floor edges to loosen debris, making it easier to vacuum. In practice, this didn't quite live up to the claim, and a disappointing amount of mess wasn't cleaned up.

Still, this is a much more affordable robot vacuum than others in this guide and will make a great companion for light maintenance at home, between your more thorough vacuuming sessions. It also has a great docking station that cleans, empties, and dries the robot without you having to do anything.

Read more in our full Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 review.

The best premium robot vacuum cleaner

The Roborock Saros Z70 introduces a world-first: A mechanical arm that can pick up objects. It doesn't just clean the floors, it actually tidies up for you, as you can set locations such as the trashcan, laundry basket, or shoe rack.

Using AI object recognition, it's able to identify 108 objects, and you can train it to recognize 50 additional custom objects. So, whether it's tissues, laundry, shoes, or toys, the Saros Z70 solves one of the common pet peeves with robots, which is having to continually clear the floor for it to work.

But it isn't just the futuristic arm that makes the Saros Z70 so expensive. It also has the highest suction of any robot we've tested, 22,00Pa to be exact. For comparison, the Yeedi S14 Plus has 18,000Pa, and the eufy Omni S1 Pro has 8,000Pa – and they're our top two picks.

'The Z70 genuinely slashed my manual vacuuming by about 70%. I could leave the robot to run and come back to visibly cleaner floors, especially in the kitchen and hallway,' wrote tester Victoria Woollaston.

It did fall victim to hair wrap however, so perhaps look elsewhere if you're hunting for the best vacuum for pet hair.

Its mopping ability is strong, too. 'In my kitchen, it handled dried coffee splashes and dusty footprints in one pass. In my hallway, it left a uniform shine with no visible streaking. I absolutely recommend it for day-to-day cleaning and stain removal,' Victoria Woollaston shared.

The floor dries in about five minutes, and it's also quieter than many others we've tested at around 50-60 decibels. And to help justify the high cost, Roborock introduced remote viewing features, so you can control the Saros Z70's camera and arm manually to make it a more interactive, fun experience.

Read more in our full Roborock Saros Z70 review.

More of the best robot vacuums

These robots are in our top six as they excel at cleaning, their apps and smart features are genuinely useful and user-friendly, and they reduce how often you have to clean yourself.

But if they're not quite what you're after, here are a few more robots we love from our tests:

• The Eureka J15 Pro Ultra is a solid, hands-off robot with excellent mapping and obstacle avoidance, and it's great at general, day-to-day cleaning. It costs $999.99 at full price at Eureka and Amazon.
• The Dyson 360 Vis Nav has impressive suction utilizing one of the most powerful motors in the robot vacuum market, but it falls short on its poor obstacle avoidance and lack of self-cleaning. Find it at Dyson for $999.99.
• The eufy X8 Pro has now been discontinued, but if you're able to find it second-hand, you'll be able to enjoy a super-low price on a robot that's still a strong cleaner years after its release.

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Pros and cons of robot vacuums

Robot vacuums might sound like a miraculous cure-all for floor cleaning at home, but there are certain pros and cons you should consider before making the investment.

Pros

Robot vacuums clean for you, reducing time spent on chores. You can set a robot vacuum to clean your floors as regularly as you want, up to multiple times a day, leaving you with consistently spotless floors without the task of manually doing so. A robot vacuum is a guaranteed way to clean your home when you're too busy.

Robot vacuums clean pet hair and capture allergens. For any pet owners or allergy sufferers, having a robot do a regular clean will vacuum pet hair and remove common household allergens from your space, resulting in less build-up, fewer allergic reactions, and a nicer-smelling home.

Robot vacuums excel on hard floors. Many modern homes in the US and worldwide have predominantly hard floors, and robot vacuums (with their limited motors compared to full-sized vacuums) can offer ample suction to clean these easy surfaces. Many models can sense whether they're vacuuming a hard floor or carpet, too, and can adjust the suction when needed.

Cons

Robot vacuums won't replace your regular vacuum (yet). While robot vacuums can be a savior for spotless floors and less time spent cleaning, they're not sophisticated enough to replace your normal vacuum. You'll still need to do occasional deep cleans, and a robot isn't yet able to clean stairs or furniture (although Dreame's new robot is a step in that direction, and the eufy 3-in-1 E20 comes with a handheld cleaner for more varied tasks).

Robot vacuums aren't as quiet as you might think. They may be small, but robot vacuums can still be a major distraction if you're watching TV or relaxing in the evening. This is especially true when the robot self-empties at the dock – you'll be surprised by just how loud it can be.

Only expensive robots can clean the carpet. This is the same for the cordless vacuums, as these machines are restricted by their reliance on a battery. To vacuum carpet effectively, you're looking at spending $1,200+ on a premium model.

How we test robot vacuums

We put a lot of thought into how we test robot vacuums. The testing process is similar to how we test vacuums, with a few key differences.

We test robot vacuums in our own homes to assess their ability to clean real-world messes, navigate obstacles such as cables, toys and pet waste, and build maps of real homes. We test them in homes with shedding pets and multiple floor types (carpet, linoleum, hardwood) to build a picture of what the robot is capable of.

We also run specific tests on substances to evaluate the robot's ability to clean fine debris, large debris, stains and spills. These standardized tests have been refined over the years, previously, they have included rice, flour, coffee grounds and more, but these are the tests we've discovered work best:

• A quarter cup of sugar, on hard floors and carpet
• A quarter cup of lentils, on hard floors and carpet
• A quarter cup of cereal, on hard floors and carpet
• A quarter cup of ketchup (if the robot can mop)
• A quarter cup of mustard (if the robot can mop)

These tests show the robot's ability to clean substances of varying sizes and properties. Alongside these tests, we also assess the robot's general cleaning abilities, noticing what it picks up and what it doesn't, how the floor feels afterwards, and how often we have to clean up after it.

We also test the robot's navigation and obstacle avoidance, weigh up app features compared to others, and determine how easy it is to clean the robot vacuum itself by taking it apart.

Essentially, we assess every aspect of a robot vacuum that someone might consider when buying. We do this over one to two weeks.

FAQs

How long do robot vacuums last?

With proper care and regular maintenance, the average robot vacuum lasts around four to six years. The lifespan depends on how often you vacuum, the type of flooring in your home, and how often you keep up with cleaning the robot vacuum and its filters, brushes, and sensors.

Models that are neglected or overloaded tend to wear out faster, while those treated like a well-used appliance, rather than a set-it-and-forget-it gadget, can easily last longer.

Do robot vacuums work on thick carpet?

Generally, no, unless you're willing to part with upwards of $1,000. Budget and mid-range robot vacuums simply aren't powerful enough to suck debris and hair from within carpet fibers.

This is what the premium price tags reflect. More powerful motors and high-efficacy brushrolls are expensive to produce, but provide real-world results, such as being able to vacuum thick carpets. So far, the eufy Omni S1 Pro is the best we've tested for carpet cleaning.

Are robot vacuums worth it for pet hair?

Robot vacuums excel in their ability to clean little and often. They're not as powerful as the cordless and upright models in our best vacuums for pet hair guide. Instead, they offer frequent maintenance of your floors, picking up pet hair that's likely to accumulate throughout the day.

This cleaning style makes robot vacuums a big help for anybody with pet allergies. I've spoken to dozens of consumers who have praised robot vacuums as the single most effective solution to managing pet hair and avoiding buildup, one of the many reasons why pet hair is so hard to vacuum.

Removing pet hair daily will limit exposure to the allergens found in pet dander, significantly reducing symptoms compared to those who clean once a week. And with the rise of combination robot vacuums and mops, you can clean up after your pets more hygienically.

Do robot vacuums map your house?

Yes, but not always. Robot vacuums build detailed maps of your home to give you greater control over where you're cleaning, which rooms to focus on, and which areas to avoid. It also means that the robot will ensure every spot is covered.

Some robot vacuums use random navigation, meaning they don't build maps but simply move around until they reach a wall or obstacle, then continue in a new direction. If you don't want a robot to map your home, opt for one of these models, but be prepared for it to frequently miss areas.

Do robot vacuums need Wi-Fi?

Most robot vacuums need Wi-Fi to make use of all the available features. Without Wi-Fi, the robot vacuum won't be able to map your home, update its software, or utilize any of the features on the app, such as schedules, no-go zones, and cleaning status updates.

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To discover more from our vacuum tests, be sure to look over our guide of the best Dyson vacuums, best Miele vacuums, or the best Dyson alternatives to save money on excellent floorcare.