Are you unsure which robot vacuum cleaner to buy? With our buying guide, you can find out which robot vacuum cleaner suits you best.
1
Navigation
One of the most important considerations before buying a robot vacuum cleaner is the robot’s navigation system.
Robot vacuum cleaners can be divided into two types: Those with an advanced navigation system and those with a simple one.
Advanced navigation
Robot vacuum cleaners with advanced navigation systems have mapping capabilities, significantly enhancing their efficiency and making them more capable of navigating and cleaning your home. They allow far more cleaning customization and are better suited for cleaning households with several rooms. On the other hand, they also have a higher price than models without advanced navigation.
If you want a robot vacuum cleaner with an advanced navigation system, look for a model with one of the following navigation systems: LiDAR, LDS, camera navigation, or VSLAM.
Simple navigation
Robot vacuum cleaners with a simple navigation system are cheaper but do not clean as efficiently and cannot necessarily clean all rooms. They are not able to create an interactive map in their app and, therefore, have fewer setting options than robot vacuum cleaners with an advanced navigation system.
Overview
LDS navigation
LiDAR navigation
Camera navigation
Gyroscopic navigation
Random navigation
VSLAM navigation
Sensor navigation
Price
High
High
High
Low
Very low
High
Low
Type
Advanced
Advanced
Advanced
Simple
Very simple
Advanced
Simple
Method
Systematic
Systematic
Systematic
Systematic
Non-systematic
Systematic
Non-systematic
Interactive mapping
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
Technology
Laser
Laser
Camera
Gyroscope
Camera
Sensor
My experience: I have had many robot vacuum cleaners, and I have been happiest with the ones with an advanced navigation system (LDS, LiDAR, VSLAM, or camera navigation).
2
Price
The price of a robot vacuum cleaner can vary considerably depending on the features, brand, navigation capabilities, and quality of the robot vacuum cleaner.
When considering the price of a robot vacuum, it is important to think about the features that are important to you. Consider your budget and the size of your home to determine the right price range for your needs.
The best budget robot vacuum cleaner (under £200) is the Honiture G20, which costs £189.
The cheapest robot vacuum cleaner is the Bissell EV675 at a cost of just £100; in comparison, the most expensive model costs £2228.
The following chart shows how the price is distributed across the robot vacuum cleaners:
Updated October 15, 2024
If you are looking for a cheap robot vacuum cleaner, take a look at the following models, which are the five cheapest:
It would be best to consider the suction power, but it must be taken with a grain of salt.
The suction power is given in Pascal (Pa) and provides an idea of the robot vacuum cleaner’s suction power. Still, it is not comparable for all models since the ability to suck up dust and dirt also depends on how close the suction opening is to the floor. For example, iRobot generally has a low indicated suction power but performs well in collecting dust and dirt – and better than many other brands with a higher indicated suction power.
The Eufy X10 Pro Omni has the highest suction power at 8000 Pa.
These are the five robot vacuum cleaners with the highest indicated suction power:
The following chart shows how the maximum suction power is distributed across the robot vacuum cleaners. As the chart illustrates, the robot vacuum cleaner with the lowest suction power has a suction power of 850 Pa, while it is 8000 Pa for the model with the highest suction power.
You have to decide whether you want a robot vacuum cleaner with an automatic emptying station or without.
A robot vacuum cleaner with an automatic emptying station can empty the collected dirt, dust, and debris from the robot vacuum’s dustbin into a larger, sealed container, allowing the vacuum to continue cleaning without manual intervention. But the emptying station takes up significantly more space and is more expensive.
If you want a robot vacuum cleaner with an automatic emptying station, consider one of the following models, which are the five best:
All-in-one emptying stations: Some robot vacuum cleaners have an all-in-one emptying station that empties the dust container, refills the water tank, cleans the mop, and dries the mop after each cleaning cycle.
5
Mopping function
Do you want a robot vacuum cleaner with or without a mop function?
A mop function is a popular feature that is particularly useful for cleaning hard floors, such as tile, hardwood, laminate, and linoleum.
Robot vacuum cleaners equipped with a mopping function have a built-in water reservoir that needs regular refilling with water.
We have tested the ability of different robot vacuum cleaners to wash the floor, and in general, it works very well and makes the floor even cleaner. Below, you can see an example of a test of the mopping function.
6
Interactive mapping settings
Robot vacuum cleaners with interactive mapping offer more opportunities to customize the cleaning in the app. These are some of the customization options for cleaning that are typical of robot vacuum cleaners with interactive maps:
No-go zones: You can set up zones where the robot is not allowed to go.
Room selection cleaning: You can decide which rooms the robot should clean.
Real-time tracking: You can follow the robot in real-time.
Zoned cleaning: You can set up specific zones where you want the robot to clean.
7
Threshold height
The maximum threshold height for robot vacuum cleaners is typically 2.0 cm. It means if your doorsteps or carpets are above this height, then the robot can’t pass it.
If you have high doorsteps, you can buy ramps online so the robot can pass over.
The maximum threshold height for the robot vacuum cleaners is distributed as follows:
Some robot vacuum cleaners are built with object recognition and object avoidance technology, which enables them to recognize and avoid objects. This can be very practical if you have animals or are bad at cleaning up cables.
We have tested the ability of several robot vacuum cleaners to avoid objects, and for some, the technology works almost perfectly,
Below are pictures from a test we did with the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra, where you can see that various objects are almost entirely avoided.
There are many popular robot vacuum cleaner brands on the market. The most popular are iRobot, Roborock, and Ecovacs.
Here is a list of the best robot vacuum cleaner brands, based on the average score of each brand in our comparison:
Rank
Brand
Score
1
Roborock
89
2
Dreame
88
3
Eufy
87
4
Xiaomi
85
5
iRobot
78
Only brands with at least 3 models represented in our comparison are on the list.
Can a robot vacuum cleaner be used on multiple floors?
Most robot vacuum cleaners can be used on multiple floors, but it requires some manual work and specific prerequisites.
Moving between floors: Robot vacuum cleaners cannot move between floors by themselves, so you will need to manually move it from one floor to another.
Multiple maps: Many newer robot vacuum cleaners have a “multi-floor” function, where they can store different maps of different floors. The multi-floor function means the vacuum cleaner will recognize each floor and remember how to navigate it.
Handling stairs: Most robot vacuum cleaners are equipped with sensors that prevent them from falling down stairs. They will not clean the stairs, so you should wash this area separately.
What height should my robot vacuum cleaner be?
When choosing a robot vacuum cleaner, height is an important aspect to consider, as it affects how well the vacuum cleaner can clean under furniture such as sofas, beds, and cabinets. Here are some key points to consider:
Measure your furniture: Before buying a robot vacuum cleaner, it is a good idea to measure the height of the space under your furniture where the robot needs to fit. Measuring the height ensures the model you choose can fit under these areas comfortably.
Typical heights: Most robot vacuum cleaners have a height between 7 cm and 10 cm. Taller models may have difficulty fitting under some furniture.
Features vs. height: Many advanced robot vacuum cleaners have LiDAR navigation, which typically adds an extra 2 cm in height but is one of the best navigation technologies for robot vacuum cleaners. It is worth considering which features are important to you, compared to the ability to fit under low furniture.
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