6 Robot Vacuums That Do All the Work for You

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Man, fuck vacuuming. Okay, it’s actually pretty satisfying to see all the dirt and pet hair that come up out of your favorite rug after a few passes of a cordless vacuum. But given how long it can take to decide which vacuum to get, figure out how to set it up, and find a time to get to work, do you really want to do it every day? No. Guess your beautiful home is just going to be covered in dust, because vacuuming isn’t that satisfying.

Luckily, there’s a gadget for that. From coffee to air conditioning to TVs, everything has gone smart. The robots are taking over. Smart vacuums do all the hard work for you. The only issue, as with any piece of tech, is that there’s no way the average person knows the minute differences among models. So our home-tech nerds put the most popular robot vacuums to the test to give you a definitive list. These are the six best robot vacuums you can buy right now.

Roomba i3+

Considering all factors—price, performance, and ease of use—iRobot's Roomba i3+ gets it all right by being a master of none.

At around $600 retail, it's not cheap, but it is right in the standard price range for a robot vacuum. Its performance is better than most. For the actual act of vacuuming, it was in the top tier of all robot vacuums. For smart mapping and avoiding furniture, it was about average. For self-emptying it was one of the better options.

None of it wowed us, but as a whole, this was just the most pleasant little robot vacuum to use. You never had to think about what he was doing, if he got stuck, if he'd die unexpectedly, or if he'd make make it home to his charger. Turn it on and forget it's cleaning. That's what robot vacuums are supposed to be like.

360 Vis Nav Robot

If you really want to replace a vacuum with a robot vacuum, this is the model to do it. The Dyson 360 Vis Nav is the newest addition to the Dyson lineup, and it is, sadly, chronically sold out. If you happen to find it when it's stocked, scoop it up immediately.

The claim to fame here is that it's got more suction than any other robot vacuum on the market. Krista Jones, our commerce editor and expert on all things Dyson, got to try the 360 Vis Nav early and has been using it since official launch. The verdict? It's as good as Dyson says it is. The suction power is as close as any robot vacuum has gotten to that of a classic cordless vacuum. Plus, it has a classic spinner brush, instead of the circular bristles that most robot vacuums have. This means it stirs up dirt and dust, but it immediately pulls it into the vacuums suction path instead of scattering it across the floor.

All that adds up to a robot vacuum that handles pet hair, food, and crust infinitely better than anything on this list. While the mapping isn't as good as on other models, in terms of pure vacuuming performance, this is as good as it gets.

ION AV753

There's not a ton of robot vacuum options down below the $400 mark. Much less below the $300 mark, and most of them are not worth the savings. This Shark Ion definitely is, though.

Unlike all the more expensive models on this list, this one doesn't do any smart mapping. That means it's not going to run around your room, measuring where all your furniture is. It has depth sensors, so it roams across your room until it hits an object, then moves back and forth as it finds its way around said object.

When using this model, you have to pick up any furniture that might make its life difficult. Though, the only thing we had to move were dining chairs, since all the legs could trap the vacuum into a loop it couldn't exit.

While that sounds like a big issue... it's really not. You quickly get used to moving certain pieces of furniture, and your vacuum goes about its day. It's smart enough to avoid drop-offs, and it won't physically bump into anything. It's a great little vacuum. And we find it especially convenient for smaller spaces, since you don't need to worry about smart mapping or large messes.

Q5+

If the idea of that little Shark vacuum (who I love) bumbling its way through your living room pisses you off, go for something ultra-smart. For practical robot vacuums, Roborock has the best smart mapping technology.

This Q5+ was the standout, knowing every nook and cranny of the space after one initial mapping session. With the app, you can create invisible walls for the Q5+, and use that to create daily schedules for the vacuum. Hit the kitchen at 9am, after everyone leaves and before the dog can get to whatever crumbs are on the floor. Do the living room at noon, and the entryway in late afternoon for a fresh welcome home.

Q Revo

For a vacuum and mop in one, it's back to Roborock, specifically the Q Revo. Despite the big price tag—all robot vacuums are expensive, sorry—it really is worth the investment. Like the Q5+, the mapping is great. It never misses an area, and it never gets into any trouble where you have to come help it.

The mop portion is great, it has zero trouble with any stains on wood or tile, smooth sailing there. The real draw, though, is that the mop cleans itself, and it does so incredibly well. That old mop smell never comes around because after the dock auto cleans the mop it gives it a hot air dry. Your floors stay fresh, and the dock doesn't smell like a janitor's closet.

As for the vacuum, it's similar to the other smart mapping options on the list. It won't get stuck on anything, and the self-emptying dock will keep you worry-free for seven weeks.

Jet Bot AI+

Samsung's Jet Bot just looks more serious than all the other options. That big triangular tread could move through sand if it wanted to.

Only problem is that makes it really tall. Like, too tall to go under a lot of low-rise furniture.

It's it a strange problem, but it's one that if Samsung fixes will lead to an undisputed best-in-class robot vacuum, because everything else is near perfect. The really fantastic thing about Samsung's Jet Bot is how accurate its smart mapping is. It will go up—fast at first, slowly as it nears—and get within millimeters of a surface. It edges all the way up to walls and furniture, and it makes quick work of even the trickiest of corners.

The vacuum itself is phenomenal, but the height makes it a near miss from Samsung. However, if you don't have any low-clearance furniture, this is a great investment.

What We Looked for in Robot Vacuums

Don't just trust our picks, see how we made them.

Smart mapping - A feature exclusive to the higher end models, this is what makes a smart vacuum truly efficient. Roborock and Samsung were the standouts, as these vacuums measured rooms to within millimeters and always took the most effective routes.

Scheduling - Another high-end feature, the best robot vacuums let you set a room-by-room cleaning schedule. Whether they are actual rooms or rooms setup with predetermined invisible walls, we want to be able to control which room gets cleaned when.

Vacuuming and emptying - This is what it's all about, so very few options out there are going to be bad at both. Every option on this list is great at picking up dust and hair. The ones that do self empty have big waste bins that hold about seven weeks of garbage on average. (We wouldn't go for anything that holds less than five or six weeks.)

App Control - How easy is it to set everything up on the app? All of these excel in that department.

Battery Life - It's got to stay awake long enough to do some serious cleaning.

Are Robot Vacuums Really Worth It?

Depends on who you ask.

For us, they're great tools for parents and people that struggle to find time to diligently clean their homes. But truthfully, no robot vacuum is going to be as powerful as a cordless or upright model.

The name of the game here is convenience. If you have multiple pets, young kids, or any other reason you need a powerful vacuum, buy a real vacuum. If you want convenience, buy one of these robots.

Why Trust Esquire?

Because we are your internet home experts. We've been testing robot vacuums since the category was birthed. Everything on this list has been vetted by our editors, and the current selection is what we're loving right now. No matter what type of robot vacuum you're looking for, we've found one for you.

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