We Put the Best Robot Vacuums to the Test to Find the Best Bot for Every Job
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Remember when robot vacuums first debuted a decade ago? They were haphazard pseudo-sweepers that did an okay job. After years of tweaks and upgrades the “robot vacuum” category has evolved to become a multipurpose floor-cleaning system consisting of self-emptying bots, 2-in-1 combos that double as moppers and even models that clean, refill and maintain themselves.
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That constant innovation means that when you’re shopping for a robot vacuum, whether it’s one of the best Roombas or a Roomba alternative, there are lots of choices. In fact, we’ve even written about the ongoing robot vacuum arms race on SPY before.
So how do you choose the best robot vacuum for your household?
That’s where the SPY team comes in — we’ve done extensive testing to bring you the best robot vacuums of 2023. Given that the holidays are right around the corner and we’re sure you’re looking to buy the best Christmas gifts to buy, you’ll need to know the best robot vacuums to consider. Remember, SPY before you buy.
BEST OVERALL
Ecovacs Deebot X1 Omni
Buy Now On Amazon $849.99
$1,550 at best buy
$1,200 at ecovacs
Why It’s the Best: Not only is it an excellent and intelligent robot vacuum, but it even cleans itself.
Full Review: Ecovacs Deebot X1 Omni Robot Vacuum
Key Specs:
Suction Power 5000pA
Obstacle Avoidance Yes
Obstacle Crossing Ability: Not disclosed, but was never caught on any tall transitions in my testing
Carpet Detection Yes
Battery Capacity 5200 mAh
Working Time 240 mins
The Ecovacs Deebot X1 Omni’s premise is bold: A robot vacuum that can mop (using spinning mopping plates, no less), as well as handle all its own maintenance, emptying, and refilling. This all-in-one floor-cleaning crew truly does it all.
It has a powerful and adjustable vacuum that cleans extremely well. It also has an effective mop and, when the robot needs to empty its onboard dustbin or refill its water tank, it will head back to its base station for maintenance. When it finishes cleaning your floors, it will wash and dry its mopping pads to avoid any lingering funky smells. After testing a lot of the robots you are about to see head-to-head, this one comes out on top for me.
In addition to being the best at cleaning, it’s also one of the nicer designs. Plus it comes with a surprisingly effective built-in voice assistant named Yiko, which can hear where you are when you call its name and head right to you for spot cleaning. Did I mention it made our Best of CES list? The future is now!
Pros
Effective cleaning
Dual vacuum and mop
Spinning mopping plates are effective
Adjustable suction
Wash, dry and refill
Carpet detection
Cons
Very expensive
Must remove mopping plates to vacuum carpets
RUNNER UP
Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra
Buy Now On Amazon $1,399.99
$1,400 at Target
$1,400 at roborock
Why We Chose It: Extra-long battery life ensures that every inch of your home is cleaned properly.
Full Review: Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra
Key Specs:
Suction Power 5100Pa High Power Suction
Obstacle Avoidance Yes
Obstacle Crossing Ability 20 mm / 0.79 in
Carpet Detection Yes
Battery Capacity 3300 mAh
Working Time 180 mins
This floor-cleaning system is part of a new legion of robots that go the extra mile, not just cleaning but maintaining themselves too.
Roborock has delivered with the Roborock S7 Max V Ultra robot vacuum and moping combo (it’s been notoriously hard to find on some shopping sites. This bot vac will both vacuum and mop, and it’s smart enough to lift its mopping plate a few millimeters off the surface when it rolls onto carpets to keep from dampening rugs. So far, even the best wet/dry vacuum combinations have been disappointing, but this smart household bot is up to the challenge, setting it apart from even the best robot vacuums of 2023.
When it finishes vacuuming and mopping, it will return to its base station and empty the dust bin, refill the mopping water tank and wash the mopping pad with clean water. Advanced obstacle recognition rounds out this multi-talented bot. This bot was only marginally less effective with the vacuuming and mopping, which is why it’s our runner-up.
Pros
Dual vacuum and mop
Lifting mopping plate
Handles emptying and refilling with ease
Good mopping capabilities
Big battery, long runtime
Cons
Struggles a bit vacuuming carpets
Base station looks more utilitarian
Expensive
BEST ROOMBA
iRobot Roomba j7+
Buy Now On Amazon $595.49
$599 at Home Depot
$599 at walmart
Why We Chose It: This robot vacuum has the intelligence to avoid most pesky obstacles while cleaning.
Full Review: The Best Roomba Vacuums of 2023
Key Specs:
Suction Power Not Declared
Obstacle Avoidance Yes
Obstacle Crossing Ability 16 mm / 0.63 in
Carpet Detection Yes
Battery Capacity 2210 mAh
Working Time 75 mins
iRobot is the inventor of the original Roomba robot vacuum and while they cornered the market for many years, in our experience, there’s less innovation coming from the brand today. With that said, they still make solid devices with advanced software. The iRobot j7+ is the newest offering and while many manufacturers are opting to add mopping capabilities to robot vacuums, iRobot has stubbornly held on to its dedicated vacuum-only and mopping-only robots, and they do not yet offer a dual-purpose bot.
The j7+ has a redesigned dirt disposal base that’s shorter and gives it a nicer look. The robot can vacuum the house and then return to its base to empty its onboard dustbin into a sealed vacuum bag. Where iRobot spent its development budget is on obstacle detection and avoidance technology.
With massive upgrades over its previous bots, this Roomba will avoid cords and cables, socks and shoes and all manner of other hazards that tend to tangle up and shut down average botvacs. The iRobot team also put a lot of work into poop detection, meaning if you have a pet that’s prone to accidents, the vacuum won’t roll into it and make it worse.
Pros
Good cleaning power
Smart mapping
Industry-leading obstacle recognition
Can be teamed with iRobot m6 mop
Small battery, short runtime
Cons
Vacuum only
Very expensive
BEST HOME SECURITY BOT
Samsung Jet Bot AI+
Buy Now On Amazon $1,285.00
$1,000 at samsung
$1,300 at target
Why We Chose It: Peace-of-mind assurance with its built-in home security camera that can watch out for intruders and keep eyes on pets.
Key Specs:
Suction Power 30 Watts
Obstacle Avoidance Yes
Dustbin Capacity Set 0.2L/Station 2.5L
Carpet Detection Yes
Dimensions 13.8 x 13.8 x 3.9-inches
Working Time 90 mins
Samsung elevated itself with the release of the Samsung Jet Bot AI+, featuring a self-emptying docking station, AI-assisted software and the cool feature of patrolling your home. It’s an excellent robot vacuum for tackling carpets and hard floors, but we were also impressed by how well it avoided obstacles given that previous Samsung robot vacuums performed poorly in this area.
What makes it truly stand out is its ability to patrol our home when we’re away. Through the Samsung SmartThings app, we’re able to receive notifications about motion it detected while patrolling a pre-determined route we created. It effectively doubles as a handy home security camera.
Pros
Excellent performance on carpets
Doubles as a home security camera
Avoids many obstacles
Cons
Bulky design
SLEEK DESIGN
Ecovacs Deebot N8 Pro+
Buy Now On Amazon $449.99
$505 at ecovacs
Why We Chose It: For the price, you’re getting an excellent 2-in-1 combo that features a camera to let you see what it’s cleaning.
Key Specs:
Suction Power 2600Pa
Obstacle Avoidance No
Obstacle Crossing Ability 20 mm / 0.79 in
Carpet Detection Yes
Battery Capacity 3200 mAh
Working Time 110 mins
Ecovacs is making some pretty solid vacuum and mopping bots. Its N8 Pro+ model has an auto-empty dustbin and a large mopping tank with a plate that has a washable pad. The Ecovacs app lets you schedule a cleaning or see where the robot is cleaning in real time. You can also use the app as a virtual remote control.
The N8 Pro+ includes what’s called TrueDetect, an intelligent 3D obstacle avoidance technology. It avoids objects like shoes and cords so you don’t need to worry about stray fallen objects tangling up and shutting down your Deebot.
I tested this out by deliberately placing shoes, cords and socks in its path. The Deebot N8 Pro+ never got stuck or tangled up and it handled flooring transitions extremely well. It can handle transitions of up to 20mm.
Pros
Dual vacuum and mop
Sleek design
Cleans well
Object recognition & avoidance
Bot will avoid carpet altogether if mopping plate is installed
Cons
Can’t vacuum carpet with mopping plate on
BEST MOPPING ROBOT
iRobot Braava Jet m6
Buy Now On Amazon $344.95
$350 at best buy
$350 at target
Why We Chose It: Other robots rely on water, but this one uses a special solution that doesn’t leave streaks.
Key Specs:
Weight 4.85 lbs
Obstacle Avoidance Yes
Dimensions 10.6-inches width x 3.5-inches high
Carpet Detection Yes
Battery Type Lithium Ion
Working Time 150 mins
If you look at most 2-in-1 bots that vacuum and mop, you’ll find that the majority rely on water to clean floors. The iRobot Braava Jet m6 takes it to the next level by spraying on a cleaning solution made specifically to tackle hard floors.
We paired it with the iRobot Roomba J7+, so that when it finished cleaning the iRobot Braava Jet m6 mopped the floors. The proprietary cleaning pads we attached to the bottom did a much better job at removing superficial messes, while also leaving fewer of the streaks that are common with water-only moppers. Our feet noticed the difference.
Pros
Uses cleaning solution to mop floors
Navigates in straight lines for efficient mopping
Smart mapping for multiple floors
Cons
Uses proprietary pads
Not a wet/dry vacuum
BEST BAGLESS OPTION
Shark AI Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum & Mop
Buy Now On Amazon $379.99
$500 at best buy
$600 at Kohl's
Why We Chose It: You won’t have to spend extra money on buying bags with this self-emptying robot vacuum.
Full Review: Shark AI Self-Empty XL Robot Vacuum
Key Specs:
Suction Power N/A
Obstacle Avoidance No
Obstacle Crossing Ability N/A
Carpet Detection No
Battery Capacity 3300 mAh ??
Working Time 120 mins
Shark’s entry into the robot vacuum plus self-emptying base station category is a surprising hit. Though priced in the more affordable range, it has a lot of power and smart features. While it won’t win any design awards for its utilitarian looks, it cleans well for a vacuum-only robot. It offers cleaning time estimates in the app. Simply choose any rooms you want to be cleaned and the app will tell you how long that will take.
Pros
Cleans well
Smart, accurate mapping
No extra vacuum bags to buy
Large
Cons
Some may not like the lack of dustbags
Can only handle one floorplan (for now)
No carpet detection
BEST SPLURGE
iRobot Roomba Combo j7+
Buy Now On Amazon $899.00
$899 at best buy
$900 at irobot
Why We Chose It: iRobot’s newest robot vacuum is its first ever 2-in-1 combo that does both vacuuming and mopping.
First Look: iRobot Roomba Combo j7+ Perfects the 2-in-1 Vacuum and Mop Design
Key Specs:
Suction: 10x power-lifting suction
Avoids pet accidents
Dimensions: 1.3 x 3.4 x 13.34-inches
Weight: 7.35 lbs
Battery Type: Lithium Ion
It took a long time, but iRobot finally came out one product that vacuums and mops — the Roomba Combo j7+. While the wait was indeed a longtime coming, but it was worth it because the Roomba Combo j7+ offers one of the best performances.
Most notably, we loved how its mopping pad arms would lift up the pad off the floor whenever it decided to go back to vacuuming carpets. Unlike other moppers, the Roomba Combo j7+ uses special cleaning solution to mop floors, rather than just water that other 2-in-1 bots offers. Topping off the premium experience, we loved how it intelligently navigates rooms with ease and comes with the same, sleek self-empty dock as its sibling in the Roomba j7.
Pros
2-in-1 robot that vacuums and mops
Mopping arms moves out of the way automatically
Good suction performance
Uses cleaning solution instead of water
Sleek self-empty bin
Cons
It’s a bit loud at vacuuming
BEST FOR CARPETS
iRobot Roomba s9+
Buy Now On Amazon $799.00
$799 at best buy
$799 at home depot
Why We Chose It: The suction power is superior and can remove dirt to give carpets that deep-clean feel.
Reviews: The Best Self-Emptying Robot Vacuums for 2023
Key Specs:
Suction Power 2200pA
Obstacle Avoidance Yes
Obstacle Crossing Ability 20 mm / 0.79 in
Carpet Detection Yes
Battery Capacity 3300 mAh
Working Time 120 mins
Until the iRobot j7+ came along, the iRobot Roomba s9+ was the king of robot vacuums. With its D-shape and dual corner brushes, this bot stands out because of its design. With an auto-empty base station that doubles as a charger, it’s able to keep the bot at the ready. This was one of the first robot vacuums to incorporate smart-mapping technology and it’s still one of the best. It does take a bit longer than some other bots to map your space, but what it lacks in processing speed, it makes up for in cleaning power.
The iRobot s9+ is an effective cleaner on both carpet and hard floors with the ability to boost suction on carpets when they are detected. With wider than average roller brushes on the underside, the s9+ is made to power dirt off floors and out of fibers. iRobot also touts its dirt detect technology as being able to see and attack dirtier spaces.
Pros
Smart navigation and mapping
Can be teamed with iRobot m6 mop
Spot clean button
Perfect Edge tech cleans corners and edges very well
Long runtime
Cons
Vacuum only
ALSO CONSIDER
Yeedi Vac 2 Pro
Buy Now On Amazon $399.99
$300 at walmart
$300 at newegg
Why We Chose It: It cleans carpets well and hard floors even better with its innovative scrubbing mopping plate.
Full Review: Yeedi Vac 2 Pro
Key Specs:
Suction Power 200 to 3000 Pa
Obstacle Avoidance Yes
Obstacle Crossing Ability 9-16 mm
Carpet Detection Yes
Battery Capacity 5200 mAh
Working Time 220 mins
Yeedi is one of those brands that doesn’t get a lot of headlines but makes robot vacuums that are affordable and have most of the features shoppers are looking for. While the vacuum’s designs tend to mimic other brands, the technology is all there and they have bots that can vacuum, or vacuum and mop, like the Yeedi Vac 2 Pro.
This robot’s unique innovation is its scrubbing mopping plate that can power off dried-on dirt from hard floors. This oscillating plate is extremely effective at powering dirt and stains from hard floors. As great as the mopping is, it does have a few quirks to be aware of, namely that it will drag the mopping plate across the carpet if it’s left on, and it struggles to empty its dustbin sometimes.
However, at this price point, you won’t find a better vacuum for fighting stubborn stains.
Pros
Amazing scrubbing mop
Good cleaning power
Adjustable water flow and suction
Cons
Struggles to fully empty onboard dustbin
Mopping plate gets dragged across carpet and rugs
EFFICIENT CLEANER
DreameBot D10 Plus
Buy Now On Amazon $319.99
Why We Chose It: It’s an affordable combo that offers an efficient cleaning process with detailed maps.
Key Specs:
Suction Power Up to 4,000 Pa
Obstacle Avoidance Yes
Obstacle Crossing Ability Not declared
Carpet Detection Yes
Battery Capacity 5200 mAh
Working Time Not declared, but claims 2,900 square feet
I didn’t have the best experience with the Dreame D9, but I’m happy to report the new dual vacuum and mopping DreameBot D10 Plus is a major improvement with strong cleaning power, long-lasting battery and runtime and efficient emptying. It will clean nearly 3,000 square feet on a single charge then return to its base and recharge and empty its onboard dustbin.
While the mopping technology is nothing special, it does a good job of wiping up small spills and keeping dust at bay. It also has extremely fast mapping prowess and claims to be able to do a mapping run to create a smart map of your home in about eight minutes (my home took 15 — still fast!). From there you can label your rooms, create dedicated intensive cleaning zones and adjust water flow, suction and noise level.
Pros
Covers a huge amount of space on a single charge
Very fast
Detailed mapping of the home
Cons
Could be better at cleaning carpets
BUDGET PICK
OKP K5 Robot Vacuum
Buy Now On Amazon
Why We Chose It: You won’t spend a fortune on this one, but it’s best reserved for hard floors.
Key Specs:
Suction Power Up to 2,100 Pa
Anti-Collision Protection Yes
Battery Runtime 120 mins
We have our own reservations on cheap robot vacuums, especially when they’re under that $300 threshold. After testing out the OKP K5 Robot Vacuum, we have to admit that it has the merit to tackle hard floors with ease.
With its dual-sweepers and brushless design, it funneled all the debris it picked up along its route. We were even surprised that it actually navigated on a more efficient “Z” shaped cleaning path, instead of the random bump and shift movements we tend to see in bots around this price range. And while there’s the option to add Alexa or Google Assistant controls, we still found it super easy to use manually by pressing the single button on its chassis.
Pros
Affordable cost
Long-lasting battery life
Quiet performance
Cons
Can’t handle carpets that well
How We Chose the Best Robot Vacuums: About Our Testing Process
Every robot vacuum on this list has been thoroughly tested. I’ve had them in my home, run them on carpet, rugs, and hard floors. I’ve seen firsthand what they are and are not good at and we set up testing criteria and score each robot vacuum according to our criteria and then rank them. Below is how we test robot vacuums.
Cleaning power & suction: How well does it pick up dirt, dust and debris? Bots that pick up more or cover areas better score higher.
Mopping: Does it have a mop (bonus points if it does) and is it effective?
Auto Emptying station: Can the robot dump its internal dustbin?
Obstacle avoidance: Does it get stuck on hazards like charging cords, socks and common household items? Robots that can avoid getting tangled score higher.
Easy-to-use app: Robot vacuums should be easy to use and hassle-free to set up, control and set scheduled cleanings.
Click here to read more about how we test and review products.
![best robot vacuums review roundup]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/6gGRDxGDVAaebfH9Gso_Ow--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU0MA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/spy_453/521bb386a349086cb602c87ef12a0465)
About The Author: Erin Lawrence
Erin has over 20 years of experience as a journalist in the media and news industries, with time both on-camera and behind the scenes in network TV production, plus years of writing for blogs, websites, magazines and newspapers. A winner of two Edward R Murrow Awards for Journalism, Erin has covered everything from daily news to technology, food, travel and architecture and loves to share what she’s working on through her blog (techgadgetscanada.com) YouTube Channel (YouTube.com/ErinLawrenceTV) and across social media. Erin has a Master’s Degree in Journalism from Western University in London and has been named to a Top 40 Under 40 by Avenue Magazine.
Editor’s note: SPY’s tech editor John Velasco also tested prodcuts for this shopping guide.
Why Trust SPY when Shopping for Robot Vacuums
So far in 2023, the SPY product testing team has tested and reviewed hundreds of products. In particular, we’ve tested dozens of robot vacs to find the best robot vacuum in the world — and we believe we succeeded. All of the products featured in this shopping guide were rigorously tested by experienced product reviewers, and use used an objective scoring system to ensure we were fairly comparing the top models.
When reviewing tech products like the best robot vacuums, we are always honest about the benefits and flaws that we find. We would never recommend a product to SPY readers that we wouldn’t buy ourselves, and so we do take price and value into consideration when determining our product rankings. We will continue to update this shopping guide as we test new robot vacuums, and we will always disclose any sponsored relationships with brands featured on SPY. Brands cannot pay SPY for product reviews, and we choose products for our shopping guides based solely on our editorial reviews and testing.
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1. Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo N8 Pro+
What’s better than a robot vacuum that vacuums? How about one that can also mop hard floors for even a cleaner feel? That’s exactly what the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo N8 Pro+ offers as a two-in-one combo robot vacuum and mopper. No longer do you need two separate devices for the tasks since this one covers them both with ease.
The Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo N8 Pro+ does a handy job of vacuuming efficiently thanks to its LiDAR-based navigation, which allows it to intelligently avoid most objects it comes across. We really enjoy how quiet it performs while vacuuming. In fact, you’ll still be able to watch your favorite shows on TV without being disturbed too much — unlike other robot vacs that can be deafening. With its mopping function, it can mop floors while it’s actively vacuuming at the same time so that you technically don’t need to do the two tasks separately.
Lastly, the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo N8 Pro+ comes with a self-empty dock that empties the bot’s contents.
Pros: Vacuums and mops. Navigates with LiDAR to avoid obstacles. Vacuums quietly.
Cons: Some options are more economical.
Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo N8 Pro+
2. iRobot Roomba j7+
Never one to disappoint, iRobot’s offering focuses on tackling one of the biggest challenges that robot vacuums face — the dreaded charging cable left on the floor. It trips up the best robot vacuums. While this continues to be an ongoing problem, the iRobot Roomba j7+ specializes in being able to not only detect them but also intelligently avoid them.
When it comes to cleaning well and efficiently, the Roomba j7+ doesn’t disappoint in this department. It’s great on carpets too with its tangle-free underside brush and strong suction power. The built-in camera on the front helps this bot to navigate around the hazards around your home. Not only larger pieces of furniture, but also other things like charging cables left hanging on the floor and other articles of clothing. It’s very rare that you’ll ever have to rescue this bot from being stuck either because iRobot is continuously improving its avoidance detection.
When it’s all done cleaning, the Roomba j7+ heads back to the self-empty charging station to empty its contents out. We also love that it features the sleekest self-empty, so it can be better placed out of sight since it’s rather short in height.
Pros: Smartly navigates around hazards and cables. Sleek design. Self-emptying design.
Cons: Some options are more economical.
iRobot Roomba j7+
3. Dreame Bot L10 Pro
The brand may be unfamiliar, but the Dreame Bot L10 Pro does surprisingly well cleaning without costing too much. You could make an argument that it offers one of the best values in the category since it also happens to double as a mopper.
Boasting twin lasers and LiDAR technology, the Dreame Bot L10 Pro does nicely to avoid most obstacles while it’s cleaning. It’s not 100%, but at least it doesn’t get stuck as frequently as other bots. It’s pretty good at scooping up debris off hard floors, but its suction could be better for carpets. But hey, we find that it offers sufficient pressure with its mopping pad when it goes off to mop — which it can do while vacuuming at the same time. And just like many other recent bots, this one also comes with a self-empty charging station so you don’t need to empty it out yourself each time it’s done cleaning.
Pros: Good economical option. Self-emptying. Also works for mopping.
Cons: Some options are more powerful on carpets.
Dreame Bot L10 Pro
4. Roborock S7
Roborock has been making a serious push into the robot vacuum space for the last couple of years and this model takes mopping more seriously than others. Yes, the Roborock S7 is an incredible bot that’ll vacuum carpets well and scoops up debris with ease off hard floors, but it uses sonic vibration technology to remove tough stains off floors with fewer passes.
Unlike traditional combo robot vacuums that simply push or pull an attached mopping pad to mop floors, the one here in the Roborock S7 vibrates back and forth at a dizzying speed while it’s roving around to break up and clean tough stains on floors — leaving just a clean surface your feet can tell is squeaky clean. This LiDAR-based robot vacuum is also an efficient cleaner that doesn’t waste time either because it cleans in zig-zag patterns to reduce its runtime.
Pros: Sonic vibrations technology works on set-in messes. Uses LiDAR to avoid obstacles. Also functions as a mop.
Cons: No auto empty base.
Roborock S7
5. eufy by Anker Boost IQ RoboVac 15C MAX
For smart home completists, this RoboVac is a worthy addition. Remarkably quiet, the eufy has a super-low, three-inch profile which allows it to sneak under low ottomans and couches, yet its slightly larger wheels allow it to navigate door ledges and those borders between hardwood and carpet rooms. The native app allows you to create a set-it-and-forget-it cleaning schedule, and it’s also easily linked with Alexa or Google Assistant for voice commands. This self-charging smart vacuum has 2,000pa of suction power and is much quieter compared to budget options. If you're looking for the best smart vacuum outside of the Roomba line, the eufy is the robot helper for you.
Pros: Compatible with different voice assistants. Self-charging option. Compact and runs quietly.
Cons: Doesn't mop.
