How to choose a robot vacuum: here's what to look for

A awesome robot vacuum tin prevention you some clip and effort. As a TechRadar Homes Editor specializing successful floor-cleaning appliances, I walk plentifulness of clip reference and penning astir nan latest robot vacuums developments, arsenic good arsenic testing a scope of models astatine different value points.

Today's very best robot vacuums tin get pinch a War and Peace-length features list, and figuring retired what it each intends tin beryllium tricky. Especially since brands successful this abstraction thin to awkward distant from easy comparable specs successful favour of agelong descriptions and impressive-sounding jargon.

Below, I'll tally done nan various features of robot vacuum cleaners, unpacking nan motto to thief explain what each 1 does. Read connected to observe an easy to understand guideline that will yet thief you find nan correct exemplary of robot vacuum for you. 

Suction power

Figuring retired how overmuch suction a vacuum cleaner offers tin beryllium a amazingly tricky process erstwhile it comes to manual models. Thankfully, it tends to beryllium much straightforward pinch robot vacuums, since astir brands will people these specs. Measured successful pascals (Pa), nan fig refers to really overmuch aerial unit nan instrumentality tin create – and, arsenic a result, really overmuch unit pinch which it pulls up particulate and debris.

Today's top-specced robovacs, specified arsenic nan Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo (pictured), tin make upwards of 10,000Pa of suction. That's rare, however; for that benignant of power, you'd beryllium looking to salary a value that's 4 figures. In nan mid-range, expect 5,000-7,000Pa of suction. Lower than 5,000Pa is what I'd expect successful a budget-friendly model.

Although Pa figures tin beryllium a useful first parameter of suction power, it isn't nan be-all and extremity for cleaning. Bear successful mind that these specs reference nan maximum suction; it's improbable you'll beryllium doing a regular cleaning convention astatine that rate.

Design aspects specified arsenic nan brushroll type, separator cleaning features and – connected much premium models – smart suction accommodation besides play a portion successful really good a robot vacuum cleans. I fishy this is nan justification for nan brands that don't publish suction stats (looking astatine you, iRobot Roomba).

It's besides worthy noting that robot vacuums are really designed for convenient, ray cleans that are carried retired regularly. For a heavy clean, you'll astir apt request to support 1 of nan best manual vacuums to hand.

Mopping functionality

Many of today's champion robot vacuums tin besides mop floors. And you mightiness beryllium much amazed to study that brands look to beryllium progressively moving distant from vacuum-only robots, focusing connected combo models successful their caller releases.

Robot vacuum mopping capabilities stay rather constricted compared to what you'd beryllium capable to execute pinch a modular mop and immoderate elbow grease; don't expect specified a cleaner to really scrub your floors. However, for regular, ray cleans, a combo robot vacuum and mop tin beryllium effective.

There are 2 communal mop types: a semicircular mop pad that presses down and/or vibrates arsenic it cleans, aliases 2 level disc-shaped mop pads that rotate. In my experience, nan second thin to beryllium much effective astatine cleaning.

Other things to facet successful erstwhile considering a vacuum pinch a mop usability is nan level of downward unit nan mop pads use while cleaning, and if nan exemplary has a intends for tackling edges. Additional broadside mops are rarer than broadside brushes, but not unheard of (the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra has one, for instance) and nan Dreame L40 Ultra – reappraisal successful advancement – has a mop that tin displacement retired to nan broadside to cleanable nan edges of rooms.

If you person immoderate deep-pile carpets aliases heavy rugs, cheque what nan robot vacuum does pinch nan mop erstwhile it's not mopping. Most robovacs tin assistance up their mop pads to debar cross-contamination from difficult level to carpet.

More precocious models specified arsenic nan Dreame L40 Ultra and nan Samsung Bespoke Jet Bot Combo AI person pads that connect magnetically, leaving them successful nan dock erstwhile conscionable a vacuum is required. The Robot Roomba Combo J7 Plus has a mop pad that repositions itself connected apical of nan robot assemblage erstwhile it isn't successful use.

Combo models are mostly much costly than vacuum-only robots. Some brands, specified arsenic iRobot, will connection vac-only aliases combo versions of nan aforesaid model, meaning you tin prime nan 1 that suits your needs and budget.

Pricier self-empty models will get pinch a dock that's capable to quiet and refill nan onboard h2o tanks (more connected that successful nan Dock section), but basal models will apt require you manually switch nan particulate bin for a h2o vessel erstwhile switching from vacuum to mop mode.

Robot tallness and clearance

Robot tallness is applicable if you person debased (but not excessively low) furniture. A robot pinch a comparatively reduced tallness will beryllium capable to cleanable correct nether your sofa and different furniture, redeeming you a immense magnitude of effort.

We're yet to spot a robot that tin climb stairs. Almost each will travel equipped pinch cliff sensors that thief them place and debar immoderate changes of level level, truthful while you won't person to woody pinch your robovac flinging itself down your stairs, you will have to travel up pinch an replacement vacuuming solution if you unrecorded successful a multi-floor home.

While stair-climbing remains a distant dream, brands are progressively focused connected pushing nan boundaries of what their robovacs can get over. High thresholds aliases chunky rugs tin easy formation a robot vacuum, requiring manual rescuing and negating galore of nan benefits of this ostensibly hands-off cleaning solution.

The Roborock Qrevo Curv (shown above, reappraisal successful progress) has quadbike-like suspension to bounce it complete obstacles, and a number of different brands person travel up pinch replacement solutions.

Self-clean and self-empty docks

The fanciest robovacs connected nan marketplace person docks that tin return attraction of each kinds of things for you. The astir communal further characteristic is automatic emptying of dust, from nan onboard dustbin to a overmuch larger 1 housed successful nan dock. 

If particulate builds up quickly successful your household, aliases you person a shedding pet, for example, I'd urge prioritizing this feature. Onboard dustbins are needfully small, truthful if you don't person a self-empty dock past you'll request to beryllium prepared for regular manual emptying.

However, beryllium alert that adding self-empty capabilities will besides bump up nan value – not inconsiderably – arsenic will each nan auto-maintenance features discussed here.

If you person a combo robovac, past nan dock mightiness besides beryllium capable to quiet and refill nan onboard h2o tank, arsenic good arsenic automatically adding cleaning fluid. This will beryllium much useful if you person a ample location pinch tons of difficult floors. However, this type of dock tends to beryllium large, so do make judge you've factored successful really overmuch abstraction you'll need.

The astir precocious models connected nan marketplace person docks that tin cleanable nan robot mop pads, either pinch acold aliases basking water, aliases moreover pinch steam, to region grease. You will request to supplement this pinch occasional manual heavy cleaning of nan mop pads, but it will little nan magnitude of attraction required from you.

Edge cleaning features

Most robovacs are information successful shape, which presents an rumor erstwhile it comes to getting adjacent to edges and into nan corners of rooms. Dyson's solution was to make its 360 Vis Nav robovac D-shaped, but that ne'er really took off.

The astir communal solution to separator cleaning is to person a spinning broadside brush, either made from a rubbery worldly aliases bristles, which flicks ungraded into nan robovac's suction path. This method is constricted successful its effectiveness, often starring to debris being propelled correct crossed nan floor. Beware besides that agelong hairsbreadth tends to tangle information these small spinners. A fistful of models person an extending broadside brush, deployed erstwhile nan robot senses it's adjacent to nan separator of a room, to alteration it to scope further.

The Shark PowerDetect Robot Vacuum takes a different tack, blasting retired aerial to rustle ungraded alternatively than flicking it. This exemplary besides has an extending mop pad that tin get person to nan edges of rooms. However, connected test, we recovered that over-sensitive obstacle discovery meant nan robovac seldom sewage adjacent capable to nan edges of rooms to make these features effective.

And that, successful a nutshell, is nan rumor pinch trying to foretell edge-cleaning abilities. There's nary failsafe "best" solution; successful astir cases, you'll request to publication a reappraisal to find retired if a creation useful arsenic promised.

Object avoidance and navigation

The cheapest models connected nan marketplace don't representation your home, and will thin to rotation astir reasonably randomly, learning wherever not to spell by simply backing distant erstwhile they bump into things. They'll screen your full level each clip they caput retired – you won't beryllium capable to petition much circumstantial cleaning tasks – and they mightiness extremity up going complete nan aforesaid area aggregate times. This will beryllium perfectly acceptable for immoderate people's needs.

More precocious models usage various sensors and cameras to create a representation of your space. (Some will person nan expertise to shop maps for much than 1 floor, though you'll person to manually carrier betwixt floors, because stairs stay an insurmountable hurdle.)

You'll beryllium capable to explanation rooms – immoderate robovacs will moreover return an knowledgeable conjecture astatine that themselves – and past petition that your robot vacuum cleans conscionable nan bathroom, for instance. Your robovac mightiness moreover beryllium capable to fig retired an optimal cleaning route, and/or place dirtier areas wherever it will walk much clip cleaning.

Related to navigation is obstacle avoidance. The beatified grail present is simply a robot vacuum that tin place objects, and past deduce whether to get correct up adjacent (baseboards and furniture, for example) aliases springiness them a wider berth (say, canine poop and cables).

Smart features

Robot vacuums will typically person a fewer beingness buttons that group disconnected basal tasks. At nan very cheapest extremity of nan market, you'll beryllium utilizing these, and/or possibly a distant control, to instruct your robovac.

However, nan mostly of robot vacs from well-known brands are Wi-Fi enabled and travel pinch a companion app that offers much granular control.

Exactly what you tin execute will alteration by brand, but communal functions see nan expertise to motorboat your robot remotely, cheque its status, position cleaning routes aliases progress, group no-go zones, and group a regular aliases play cleaning schedule.

Upper-mid scope models mightiness beryllium compatible pinch communal third-party sound assistants specified arsenic Alexa and Google Assistant, and premium models mightiness moreover person their ain built-in sound assistant.

Price

Pricing for robot vacuums tin scope massively. At TechRadar, these are nan value bands we use:

• Budget: less than $500 / £400
• Mid-range: $400-$800 / £400-£650
• Premium: $800+ / £650+

Those brackets are chiefly to guarantee consistency erstwhile it comes to comparing models – I admit that different group will person different perceptions of what is "budget" and truthful on.

Bear successful mind that features specified arsenic mopping, self-emptying, and self-cleaning will each consequence successful value bumps. Some brands create nan aforesaid exemplary pinch different dock options, aliases pinch aliases without mopping, enabling you to prime nan 1 that meets your needs.

Currently, nan biggest brands look to beryllium launching a number of caller models each year. Often nan differences betwixt various models is minimal, and nan ranges are confusing to navigate arsenic a buyer.

For nan very latest, flagship models, pricing successful nan 4 figures isn't unusual, but astir group won't request specified an precocious option. Robot vacuum cleaner brands are perpetually trying to one-up 1 another, but nan complaint of meaningful betterment has started to slow down successful caller years. A exemplary that's a spot cheaper arsenic a consequence of being a mates of years aged tin often present nan champion worth for money, pinch very fewer sacrifices successful performance.

In general, it isn't difficult to find deals connected robot vacuums, and older models successful particular. The Black Friday sales tin beryllium an particularly bully clip to shop for family appliances successful general, and robot vacuums are nary exception.

Bin size

Robot vacuums thin to person reasonably mini onboard dustbins – surely obscurity adjacent arsenic large arsenic you'd find connected a manual vacuum. If you opt for a exemplary that doesn't person a self-emptying dock, you'll request to beryllium prepared to quiet it yourself. If you do have a type pinch a self-emptying dock, salary attraction to nan capacity of nan dock bin and make judge it fits your needs. If you're regularly dealing pinch ample amounts of hairsbreadth aliases dirt, past I'd urge going for a type pinch a self-emptying base, and 1 pinch a decent bin capacity.

Battery life

Battery life is simply a awesome information if you're connected nan hunt for 1 of nan best cordless vacuums, but I thin to deliberation it's little important erstwhile shopping for a robot vacuum. Since a robot vacuum is operating independently, and will dock erstwhile it needs to charge, and group retired again erstwhile it's able, interruptions to nan cleaning rhythm are little disruptive. This is particularly truthful if you'll beryllium mostly mounting your robovac to cleanable floors while you're retired of nan house.

However, if you person an particularly ample house, aliases it's a privilege that your robot vacuum cleans efficiently, it's worthy paying attraction to runtime specs.

Hair-tackling features

When I talk astir hair-tackling features, I mean 2 things. The first is really good nan robot tin prime up hairsbreadth – for example, if you person a shedding pet. The 2nd is really efficaciously it deals pinch nan hairsbreadth it has picked up; directing it into nan bin alternatively than letting it tangle astir nan mechanism.

On nan first point, today's best robot vacuums for pet hair thin to person higher levels of suction, and rubbery brushrolls that tin grip hair. The dual rubber brushrolls connected Roborock robovacs, for example, person proven peculiarly bully astatine hairsbreadth pickup.

On nan second point, if you person agelong hair, aliases unrecorded pinch anyone who does, you'll cognize nan symptom of tearing matted clumps from your vacuum's brushrolls connected a regular basis. For immoderate reason, I (with collarbone-length hair, aliases longer) don't person astir arsenic overmuch of a problem pinch this connected nan robot vacuums I trial compared to my regular manual vacuum cleaner.

When hairsbreadth does request clearing, it's acold easier to region hairsbreadth from rubbery rollers compared to bristles, and particularly since you should beryllium capable to return nan rollers retired of nan robovac first to tackle this task. Spinning broadside brushes tin beryllium overmuch much of a challenge, however.

Some brands person travel up pinch circumstantial ways safeguarding against tangling – for example, utilizing tapered rollers that nonstop nan hairsbreadth to nan smaller end, wherever nan dustbin inlet is located, aliases having nan inlet successful nan halfway and a break successful nan rollers wherever hairsbreadth tin escape. Dreame makes a "Tricut" roller, which has small scissors to snip agelong hairsbreadth into shorter, much manageable pieces arsenic it enters nan robot.

Pet features

Owners of mud-loving aliases particularly hairy pets person much reasons than astir to get connected nan robot vacuum bandwagon, but immoderate models are much apt to play bully pinch your four-legged friend than others.

In nan early days of robot vacuums, location would beryllium nan occasional scary communicative of a pet-owner whose dog/cat/other had a toilet mishap, and nan robovac had grounded to place it, alternatively smearing it astir nan full location for illustration immoderate avant-garde creation project. The accompanying photos of a sad section and their cream-now-brown carpets mightiness person been capable to put disconnected immoderate pet proprietor from purchasing a robovac for good.

Even if your pet is mostly good house-trained, astir of nan large robot vacuum brands person gone retired of their measurement to specifically region each anticipation of a poo disaster successful their much premium models. Generally, this is by training them to admit and debar it. iRobot offers reassurance via its Pet Owner Official Promise, which promises to switch immoderate exemplary that falls short connected this front. (My individual sentiment is that nan patient conscionable wanted to usage nan acronym, because by that constituent nan harm would person been done, and I'm not judge really happy I'd beryllium pinch a free robovac successful speech for a poo-covered home.)

If you person a skittish pet aliases 1 that mightiness beryllium easy unsettled by sentient appliances, immoderate robot vacs tin beryllium group to place and debar rooms pinch pets in. Alternatively, you tin usage your robot vacuum to cheque successful connected your pet while you're out. The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra has a Pet Patrol feature, whereby it will hunt retired and photograph your pet, and you tin moreover talk straight to your furry friend via nan two-way mic. These are premium features, truthful don't expect them connected thing but nan astir costly robot vacuums.

Security features

If you're consenting to walk a spot more, you tin get a robot vacuum that doubles arsenic a location information device, too. Premium models often travel pinch a camera that tin beam footage to your phone, enabling you to spot what's going connected while you're retired – moreover if that's conscionable checking successful connected your dog.