The 6 Best Robot Vacuums for Carpets, Hard Floors, Mopping and Fur – We've Spent 7,000 Hours Testing to Bring You High Performance at Any Budget

Simply put, the best robot vacuum will free up hours of arduous chore time from your weekly schedule and automate essential floorcare tasks with minimal, if any, input from you.

But not all of these clever appliances deliver the same performance, and with so many to choose from, it can feel overwhelming knowing where to begin. That's why we've spent 7,000 hours (and counting) rigorously testing 27 robot vacuums with the latest technology and useful features, so you can effortlessly enjoy spotless floors beneath your feet, daily.

Here, you'll find our top six robots with a helpful, 30-second quiz to find the right model, a comprehensive guide on how to choose a robot vacuum, as well as our recommended selections at every price band, so you can automate floor cleaning with one of the best vacuums for your home.

One-Minute Verdict

The Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller wins as the best robot vacuum we've tested. It's the only robot vacuum with a self-cleaning mop roller that actually lifts wet mess from the floor, rather than wiping it around. Combined with 30,000 Pa suction that vacuums dust and large debris from carpets, near-flawless navigation, and retractable 'legs' that climb 3.15-inch obstacles, it's the full package that reduced our tester's manual vacuuming time by 70%. It costs $1000 to $1,600, depending on promotions.

The eufy S1 Pro Omni is the best robot vacuum for pet hair, effortlessly clearing all fur and long hairs – even from thick carpets – while cleaning debris, spills, and stains with ease. It uses a special brushroll that never wraps with hair and uses a specialized cleaning solution for streak-free floors. It costs around $700-$1,500, depending on promotions.

As Yeedi has now released the S20 Infinity, their previous flagship, the Yeedi S14 Plus [at Amazon], is now the best-value robot vacuum, as it originally cost $1,399.99 and can now be found for as low as $519.99. But if you're on a tighter budget, the eufy X10 Pro Omni is the most affordable pick we recommend at $400-$700 (and it cleans almost as comprehensively as the eufy Omni S1 Pro).

Our favorite alternative options include the eufy 3-in-1 E20 [at Best Buy] with a detachable handheld and cordless vacuum, and the Roborock Saros Z70 that has a mechanical arm that tidies up small objects for you.

Robot Vacuum Quiz

My 30-second quiz below will help you quickly find the right robot vacuum for your home and budget, backed by our rigorous testing of 27 models.

The Top Six

How to Choose a Robot Vacuum for Your Home

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 save you $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, Dreame, eufy, and Roborock that are better suited to actual cleaning.

These models have stronger suction and advanced navigation to reduce how often you have to step in. 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 Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller) will mop your floors almost as well as you would yourself, and dramatically reducing how often you're having to clean your floors manually.

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 to protect carpets and rugs.

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. They typically store dust, dirty water, and clean water for up to 60-75 days, depending on how often you use it. 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+ Comb,o have stations that double up as stylish side tables.

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. That being said, you can regularly find flagship robots like the Yeedi S14 Plus and the eufy Omni S1 Pro on offer around 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 Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller, the Roborock Saros Z70 and the Yeedi S20 Infinity. Or, opt for slightly older models like the Yeedi S14 Plus, eufy Omni S1 Pro, and iRobot Roomba j9+ Combo that are frequently discounted to below their MSRP of $1,000.

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.

Key Specs, Explained

• Suction power: For robot vacuums, suction power is measured in Pa (Pascals) ranging from 2,000 to 30,000 Pa. Aim for at least 10,000 Pa, or 12,000 if your home has a lot of carpet.
• Navigation type: Robot vacuums use LiDAR, SLAM, and RGB camera technologies to navigate, build maps, and identify objects. The best robot vacuums use a combination.
• App control: The smartphone app is what you'll be using to control your robot, and 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 (eufy and iRobot apps are our favorites thus far).
• Pet hair performance: To clean up after shedding pets, a robot vacuum will need a combination of high suction and an anti-tangle brushroll to pull stubborn fur out of carpets and rugs (so far, the eufy Omni S1 Pro is the best we've tested on hair).
• Noise levels: We've found that robots' noise levels can range anywhere from 50 to 75 decibels, but the real noise maker is the self-emptying station, which, genuinely, can sound like a jet engine taking off, surpassing 80+ decibels.

The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaners

The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

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Our seasoned robot vacuum tester, Victoria Woollaston, has reviewed 20 robot vacuums over the past 10 years, and the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller resulted in the most significant reduction in manual vacuuming – around 70%.

That's the true beauty of investing in such an expensive appliance. The best vacuums make cleaning easier and more thorough, but a good-quality robot vacuum actually changes your lifestyle, freeing up hours of time a week that you would otherwise spend cleaning your home.

The Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller is that exact investment, with the most powerful vacuuming and mopping power we've seen so far.

It has 30,000 Pa suction, which is incredibly high compared to the typical 8,000 to 18,000 Pa. In reality, everything from dust to large debris is vacuumed easily from hard floors and carpets, and as the Aqua10 Ultra Roller has such outstanding navigation, it knows when to finish cleaning a particularly dirty area before moving on.

Its most exceptional performance is its mopping:

Unlike most robot vacuums, the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller actually lifts grime from the floor and deposits it into its dirty water tank, rather than simply wiping it. Its roller constantly cleans itself while running, then deep cleans itself when docked at the station.

This results in outstanding mopping performance, removing spills and sticky residue from your floors, with minimal effort needed from yourself, then leaving them so spotless that you can comfortably walk around barefoot.

The Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller can also climb 3.15-inch thresholds, allowing it to pass from hard floors to rugs and carpets without getting stuck, as many robots often do. We also found that its navigation was almost flawless, avoiding toys, pet bowls, and obstacles rather than dragging them around.

Read more in our full Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller review.

The Best Robot Vacuum for Pet Hair

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The eufy S1 Pro Omni was once our favorite robot vacuum, toppled by the Yeedi S20 Infinity's advanced debris pick-up and edge-to-edge mopping. But it's still an incredible cleaner, and still the most formidable we've tested on pet hair.

Punteha van Terheyden, 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 pet hair as their smaller motors aren't as able to pull fur from within the fibers, so for the S1 Pro Omni to capture more than a canister vacuum is not to be ignored.

After using the Omni S1 Pro for over a year, Punteha still commends its performance on pet hair, 'It's just as strong, nothing has changed. I've gone through several rounds of maintenance with it as well, and it's so easy.'

Plus, it still hasn't wrapped with hair. 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.

The Yeedi S20 Infinity and S14 Plus may have stronger suction and an all-around more effective cleaning performance, but these two models aren't designed to be taken apart and maintained as easily as the eufy, which is important when dealing with fur.

The Omni S1 Pro 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 Punteha.

With this model, however, it's important to make sure you're cleaning around the dock, as while the auto-empty is mostly great, it can spread a little bit of those contents around and slowly build up. It also occasionally struggles with thresholds like passing from rug to carpet, but you can easily set no-go zones via the app and leave those spots to your best vacuum cleaner.

Read more in our full eufy Omni S1 Pro review.

The Best Value Robot Vacuum Cleaner

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Funnily enough, the Yeedi S14 Plus used to be our number one pick, but it's since been usurped by the Yeedi S20 Infinity. And because of that, the S14 Plus can now typically be found for around $550-$750, when it used to cost $1,399.99.

Balancing price and high performance, this is the best choice if you want your money to go the furthest.

'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, but not as high as the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller's 30,000 Pa suction.

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 tester 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 $700, 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 Best Multi-Function Robot Vacuum

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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 Budget Robot Vacuum Cleaner

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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 during testing. It also bumped into baseboards often and got so confused by the legs of a wooden table that it was unable to enter the bathroom next to it.

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 Robot Vacuum Cleaner That Tidies Small Objects

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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.

Honorable Mentions

Our top six robot vacuums excel at cleaning, and 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 Yeedi S20 Infinity was once our best robot vacuum, before being surpassed by the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller's superior cleaning performance. However, the S20 Infinity is often discounted to around $900, making it a more affordable alternative. Find it for $999.99 at Amazon.
• Another affordable alternative is the Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1, a strong all-rounder, offering decent vacuuming, mopping and self-cleaning, even if it doesn't perform as well as the top three in this guide. You can sometimes find it discounted to as low as $399.99 at SharkNinja.
• If you only have hard floors, the Roborock Q7 M5 is the most budget-friendly robot vacuum we've tested. Its suction isn't strong enough to clean carpets, but is ample enough for smooth surfaces. It can be on offer for as low as $149.99 at Roborock.

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.

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 Yeedi S20 Infinity [at Amazon] and 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, to keep your home clean when you have pets.

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.

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.

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