10 Best Robot Vacuums in 2024: Reviews & Top Picks

What was once the subject of sci-fi speculation, robot vacuums have been around a few years now. And, a marketplace that was once dominated by the Roomba has an increasingly large roster of names, albeit still with a firm Roomba spine. There are robot vacuums for roughly the same price as a standard vacuum, as well as those that cost significantly more.

Below, you will find reviews of the 10 of the best robot vacuums, as well as a guide to help you buy the one that best meets your requirements.

A Glance at Our Winners in 2024

Rating	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		Roborock S4 Max Robot Vacuum	Compatible with Alexa devices and Roborock app Plenty of mapping functions and capabilities 180-minute runtime	CHECK PRICE
Best Value		WYZE Robot Vacuum	2,100 Pa suction power Affordable price Automatically charges and returns to its job	CHECK PRICE
Premium Choice		iRobot Roomba s9+ & Braava Jet m6 Robot Mop	Robot vacuum and robot mop combine for a total clean Corner brushes ensure the whole room is clean Keep-Out Zones let you decide where the robot and mop shouldn’t venture	CHECK PRICE
		Shark iLife V5s Pro Robot Vacuum and Mop	Very affordable Offers vacuum and mop features Mopping features have been improved to ensure better water dispersal and cleaning	CHECK PRICE
		Roborock S7 Robot Vacuum and Mop	2,500 Pa suction is powerful Vacuums and mops according to surface and your requirements 180-minute runtime means it will finish most jobs in one go	CHECK PRICE

The 10 Best Robot Vacuums

1. Roborock S4 Max Robot Vacuum – Best Overall

The best overall robot vacuum is the Roborock S4 Max Robot Vacuum. It has 2,000 Pascal pressure unit (Pa) suction power and uses low-light LiDAR navigation, which means that it can accurately map and navigate at day or night.

It can map and store four levels of your home and you can program up to 10 no-go zones, 10 no-mop zones, and 10 invisible walls for each of those four levels, so it can handle all but the largest and most complex of houses. This is backed up by 180 minutes of runtime, automatic charging, and as well as having its own app that lets you control programs and other settings, it also works with Alexa devices. It also has a 460 millilter (ml) dustbin, which shouldn’t need emptying too often, although isn’t the biggest by any means.

It is around the average price, but it can be difficult to get hold of because it is an Amazon exclusive and dividing rooms into areas can prove a little trickier than with some devices.

2. WYZE Robot Vacuum – Best Value

The WYZE Robot Vacuum is another robot vacuum that can be controlled using its own app and is compliant with Alexa devices. It costs quite a bit less than the Roborock and has a little extra suction power at 2,100 Pa.

The battery will run for 110 minutes and either finish its course before recharging or, if the charge is nearly depleted, it will return to the docking station to recharge before heading back out into the room to finish the job. It has seven sensors to help avoid objects and drops, and it can transition up from hardwood floor to carpets while changing its suction setting between quiet, standard, and strong.

The low cost and reasonable features of the Wyze make it our choice as the best robot vacuum for the money, but it currently only allows the mapping of one level, and it struggles to offer good room division.

3. iRobot Roomba s9+ & Braava Jet m6 Robot Mop – Premium Choice

The iRobot Roomba s9+ Robot Vacuum & Braava Jet m6 Robot Mop is a bundle that includes a robotic vacuum and mop. The vacuum has an estimated 2,500 Pa, which means it has one of the most powerful suction actions in a robot vacuum. It has a 500 ml bin which, according to iRobot, won’t need emptying for up to 60 days.

While it does have a short runtime of just 75 minutes, it also has Smart Charge And Resume feature which means that if the battery is getting low, the Roomba will head back and recharge before picking up where it left off. Once it’s finished, the Roomba will then communicate with the Braava robot mop which will then mop the hard surfaces.

The devices can be controlled using the iRobot app or by using Alexa enabled devices. This is a premium bundle and is the most expensive on our list by some way, but while other cheaper cleaners do offer a mopping function, the Roomba s9+ and the Braava Jet m6 combine to provide deep cleaning.

4. Shark iLife V5s Pro Robot Vacuum and Mop

The Shark iLife V%s Pro Robot Vacuum and Mop is an inexpensive robot vacuum that does also have mopping capabilities built in. It only has 850 Pa suction power, which means that it can struggle to pick up especially ground in dirt, and it lacks the intelligent mapping features of more expensive models, so you are left relying a little on luck that the automatic sensors will detect and plot a course right through the area you want cleaned.

The dustbin has a volume of 300 ml, which means that it will need more regular emptying than other models. And, although the mopping feature is reasonable if used regularly, it does necessitate swapping over the dust tank for a dedicated water tank before letting the mop get to work. While there are limitations to this device, if you have a simple area that needs cleaning, want a mop and vacuum, and are on a restricted budget, the Shark iLife V5s Pro Robot Vacuum and Mop is one of the best devices available for the money.

5. Roborock S7 Robot Vacuum and Mop

The Roborock S7 Robot Vacuum and Mop is another device that combines the features of a mop with those of a vacuum. In this case, the Roborock S7 Robot Vacuum and Mop uses a sonic mop to clean floors and automatically lifts the mop when it detects that it is on carpet or rugs, ensuring that it offers the best cleaning method for every surface.

The vacuum has a suction power of 2,500Pa, which is powerful, and Roborock claims that the sonic mop mops up to 3,000 times per second. It is compatible with Alexa devices, which means that it can be voice controlled, and it includes a mobile app. It will also operate for 180 minutes on a single charge and includes multi-level mapping.

The device is expensive, although not as expensive as the iRobot Roomba bundle that includes two devices rather than one. As well as being quite pricey, the mop does have a tendency to catch on some rugs, although it generally does a good job of automatically lifting when approaching full carpets.

6. Eufy RoboVac X8

The Eufy RoboVac X8 is a medium-priced robot vacuum that works with Alexa devices and includes an app for your mobile device. It offers up to 2,000 Pa suction power and has a runtime of 180 minutes as well as an automatic recharging feature. It offers multi-level mapping so you can program No Go Zones and other areas over two or more floors and has a 400 ml dustbin.

The device is reasonably priced, and its twin turbines do a good job of clearing up most dust and debris. The 400 ml dustbin could certainly be bigger, but the mapping and multi-level options are robust.

7. Shark IQ Robot Vacuum XL

The Shark IQ Robot Vacuum XL is another robotic vacuum from Shark which doesn’t seem too transparent with actual specifications. They do state that the dustbin will only need changing roughly every 45 days, but you will get differing results from this according to the size of your home and how much work the robot has to do on a typical day.

The suction power isn’t listed, either, and Shark simply says that it has powerful enough suction to be able to lift large and small debris as well as pet hairs. It does do a decent job of cleaning, but it would be nice to see actual specifications as provided by most other manufacturers.

The device is compatible with Alexa, Google, and Vera devices, and comes with an app to assist with mapping and scheduling. Although the mapping is decent, Shark does not currently offer multi-level mapping with its devices. That may change in the future, but for now, it offers single-level mapping only. The 90-minute charge is also less than the high end models tend to offer.

8. iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO Self Emptying Robot Vacuum

In terms of price, the iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO Self Emptying Robot Vacuum is approximately medium priced, making it one of the cheapest Roombas available. It is compatible with Google and Alexa assistants, so it offers voice control, and it also comes with its own app. Unlike the more advanced Roombas, it can’t clean a specific area after a spill, and it will sometimes get caught on wires and smaller obstacles because it can’t detect them.

iRobot doesn’t list the actual suction power and just says that it is ten times more powerful than the Roomba 600 Series, which suggests approximately 1,800 Pa of suction power. The i3+ doesn’t include a HEPA filter and iRobot says that it will hold up to 60 days of dirt but doesn’t give a precise volume of dirt held by the dustbin and it has proven to be smaller than expected.

9. Eufy BoostIQ Robovac 11S

The Eufy BoostIQ Robovac 11S is a really inexpensive robotic vacuum with 1,300 Pa suction power, 100-minute runtime, and 600 ml dustbin capacity. The “S” in the name also stands for “Slimline,” and at just 2.85 inches thin, it is the slimmest model on this list and is especially useful for those with low settees and other low obstacles because the Eufy will be able to navigate under them.

Although 1,300 Pa isn’t the most impressive suction power, this is a low-cost device, and the 600 ml dustbin capacity and 100-minute runtime are good value for money. There are no mapping features, and all the dust is stored in the vacuum itself rather than emptying into a larger dustbin, but that shouldn’t be a problem. The device is operated by remote control and does not have any app or assistant voice control features.

10. iRobot Roomba j7+ Self Emptying Robot Vacuum

The iRobot Roomba j7+ Self Emptying Robot Vacuum offers multi-level mapping, compatibility with Alexa and Google assistants, and a 400 ml dustbin capacity with 75-minute runtime. It is an expensive device, but iRobot claims that it has advanced technology that helps it avoid items like socks and even pet mess. In fact, iRobot offers a P.O.O.P promise, so if your Roomba does attempt to clean up pet poop, they will replace it free of charge.

The device does a reasonable job of identifying obstacles and avoiding them, although it does have a smaller dustbin capacity than other high-end models. It also offers multi-level mapping and advanced features via its app, and it can be used to target small areas to immediately clean up spills and messes.

Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Robot Vacuum

Although we have not quite reached a stage where a robot vacuum completely replaces the need to get the upright out and give the house a good once-over, advances in robot vacuum technology mean that we are closer than ever before. Some of the more advanced vacuums include intelligent features, such as automapping and auto sensing, and can even be controlled using voice assistants like Google Assistant and Alexa. Below are some of the most important features and factors to consider when shopping for your next robot vacuum.

Battery Life

Robot vacuums are self-charging. They will complete their cleaning cycle and then head back to the docking station and essentially plug themselves in. With some of the less-featured models, if the cleaning routine wasn’t complete before the vacuum had to recharge, that’s it—a section of your home is left uncleaned.

Some use a system so that after the robot has charged it will return to where it was and finish the job. Others have extensive battery life that means unless the vacuum gets stuck, it should have ample battery life to finish the job in one go. Runtime can vary from around 75–180 minutes and matters if you have a large house or extensive cleaning requirements, but is less important if you don’t have a lot of space to clean.

Dustbin Capacity

While some robot vacuums hold the dust they collect in their own internal dustbin or bag and need emptying when they are full, others are self-emptying. Self-emptying robot vacuums have a larger dustbin at the base unit and, when they return to recharge or because they have finished a vacuuming cycle, they will empty their onboard dustbin into the base unit dustbin.

Again, dustbin capacity is especially important if you have a lot of space to vacuum. If your cleaner cleans every night and only has enough capacity for a single job, it will need emptying every morning. Some models, especially those with dustbins of 600 ml or more, can go weeks or even months without having to be emptied.

Suction Power

The suction power of robot vacuums is measured in pascal, denoted as Pa. The higher the suction power, the more dirt the vacuum will be able to pick up and the better equipped it is to be able to pick up large debris and get deep into even the most challenging carpets.

Some of the cheapest devices only have suction power less than 1,000 Pa. These can still do a reasonable job on hard floors and where only light cleaning is required, but the 2,500 Pa of high-end and expensive machines may be necessary to tackle more difficult cleaning requirements.

Mopping Functionality

An increasing number of robot vacuums include mopping functionality. These have a mop head that is wet from an internal water tank and then mops the surface under the robot. Different manufacturers offer mopping functionality in different ways. Some manufacturers provide two units: one that vacuums and one that mops. Others have automatically raising mop heads and a vacuum that can detect whether it should be sucking up debris or mopping the floor underneath. A good mopping vacuum can really clean and tidy a floor and make manual cleaning requirements less frequent.

Voice Assistant Compatibility

Consider how a robot vacuum is controlled. Most include a remote control, although these usually only offer random or straight-line cleaning and do not provide any mapping features. Those with voice assistant control can offer Alexa and Google Assistant voice control so that you can tell the vacuum to start cleaning. You may also be able to control which room the vacuum cleans or even tell it to clear up a mess that has been made in a specific area.

Mobile App

Mobile apps tend to offer the greatest functionality and access to the most advanced features. They enable you to schedule cleaning programs and they can allow you to manually change mapping areas by setting no go zones and clean zones. They can also display exactly where the vacuum cleaned during the last cycle, enabling you to determine if something is preventing the vacuum from getting around the whole floor of the house.

Mapping Features

Automatic mapping means that the robot senses the dimensions of a room, determines any obstacles, and works out the most efficient path so that it cleans as much of the floor as possible. While some devices allow a single map, others can create maps for each room, and some devices even have multi-level mapping so that you can move the robot cleaner to the upstairs and have it clean that floor too.

Scheduling and Spot Cleaning

There are different methods used to start your robot vacuums. Some have controls on the docking station and others include a remote control that lets you start the device. Scheduling features let you determine how often and at what time the cleaner should do its work, and if the device also includes advanced mapping features, you can set up different schedules for different rooms and different areas of the property.

However, dirt doesn’t occur on a schedule, and if something gets spilled or you spot some dirt on the floor, you will want to set your device to start cleaning straight away. Those devices that allow you to set areas and segment rooms into sections make it possible to spot clean very specific areas as and when required.

How Long Do Robot Vacuums Last?

Exactly how long a robot vacuum will last depends on a number of factors, including the quality of the device and how often it is used, but you can expect a good-quality one to last for around 5 years before it might need replacing.

Do You Need Wi-Fi for a Robot Vacuum?

Some robot vacuums do require Wi-Fi to operate. Others use Wi-Fi for more advanced features but can still be operated by pressing the button on the device itself. Some, typically the cheaper and less-featured models, do not offer any Wi-Fi features at all, so they do not require and will not benefit from a wireless connection.

Should I Run My Roomba Every Day?

How often you run your Roomba or other robot vacuum depends on how dirty your house gets. If you or any of your family suffer from asthma, it is also worth running the vacuum on a daily schedule. Otherwise, it may only be necessary to have yours run every few days.

Can a Robot Vacuum Completely Replace a Traditional Vacuum?

Robot vacuums cannot and aren’t meant to completely replace a traditional vacuum. For a start, they can’t tackle stairs yet, and it’s unlikely that this feature will be tackled for years. And, because of their size, they simply do not have the same suction power as a normal vacuum, so some dirt and debris are likely to be left behind. However, they can be set to run on a schedule and keep on top of the cleaning, leaving you to conduct a deeper clean every week or two rather than every few days.

Conclusion

Robot vacuums have come a long way in the last few years, and modern iterations have many advanced features. There are even a growing number of these devices that can mop as well as vacuum. There are even those that are operated by voice assistants like Alexa and that can store two months’ worth of dirt.

While Roomba was once the only viable option, many more manufacturers now make these devices, and while compiling the reviews above, we found the Roborock S4 Max offered the best combination of modest price and decent features, especially the 180-minute runtime and 2,000 Pa suction power. The Wyze Robot Vacuum is an inexpensive robot vacuum but still offers mapping features, although only single-level mapping at this time.

Featured Image Credit: Kowon vn, Unsplash