You won’t find any shortage of robot vacuums on the market, but not all of them are equally effective. To help you pick the best one for your needs and budget, we test dozens of robot vacuums each year, in our actual homes, and evaluate them on criteria such as battery life, design, ease of setup and use, navigation, obstacle avoidance, suction power, and performance. We use those results to determine the strongest options at every price level, as well as to decide which models are worthy of a spot in our highly competitive roundup of the best robot vacuums. With nearly 100 robot vacuum reviews under our belt, we know exactly what makes a model worth buying. For a better understanding of how and why we perform our tests, this is what we look for when making an evaluation.
Robot Vacuum Setup and App Experience
The testing process begins from the minute we unbox a new robot vacuum. We start by evaluating how easy it is to set up, program, and control. Most of the time, the setup process is fairly easy: you install the side brushes, turn the robot on, and place it on a charging station to juice up before its first run.
Some robots require just a few inches of free space around the charging station, while others need several feet clear to the left, right, and front of the base to successfully dock after cleaning or when they need to recharge. If you live in a small home or apartment or want to keep the docking station out of sight, pay close attention to these space requirements; we include these details in each review.
If the vacuum supports Bluetooth or Wi-Fi (most new models do), we also evaluate its app experience and other smart features, such as scheduling, virtual boundaries, and area cleaning. For connected robots, the app design and reliability of the Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection can have a major impact on your experience.
If supported, we create a cleaning schedule in the app and make sure the robot adheres to it. The same goes for virtual or physical boundaries: we set those up and verify that the robot stays away from any no-go zones. We also check to see if robots that support area cleaning accurately navigate to the spot we designate in the app.
Testing Navigation and Cleaning Performance
Chances are that you don’t want to babysit your vacuum. We helicopter-parent each model we test to make sure you won’t have to worry about whether it’s doing its job.
Over several days, we send a robot vacuum on multiple test runs and assess its performance across a variety of surfaces, such as laminate, tile, area rugs, and low- and medium-height carpeting. We pay close attention to whether it can easily traverse different floor types, maneuver around furniture, and wiggle its way out of a jam without human intervention, making sure to note any deficiencies (or exceptional performance) in our reviews.
Some robots boast advanced AI obstacle avoidance capabilities, which should allow them to identify and steer clear of common pitfalls such as socks, shoes, power cords, and pet toys. We test that technology by intentionally scattering these objects on the floor and verifying that the robot successfully routes around them.
We also check whether the robot cleans in a random or methodical pattern. Many new models feature a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) laser (the same technology that self-driving cars use) to map your home and plan an efficient cleaning route. But some vacuums still haphazardly ping-pong from wall to wall, inefficiently crossing over the same space multiple times as they clean.
Finally, we note whether the robot successfully navigates back to its base station before its battery runs out. After the robot completes a test run, we walk around and examine its work, checking for any missed spots, especially along corners, edges, and high-traffic areas. We make sure the robot sufficiently removes standard household detritus such as dust bunnies, dirt, and hair (from both pets and humans).
After each run, we remove the dustbin to see how full it is. If a manufacturer says that a robot can empty its own dustbin, we verify that claim, too. Models with self-emptying abilities typically cost more upfront, but are easier to maintain and significantly reduce your exposure to dust (a big plus for allergy sufferers).
Evaluating Design and Battery Life
A robot vacuum’s size and shape can also affect its performance. Most models are round; they typically measure at least 12 inches in diameter and between 3 and 3.5 inches in height. Depending on its size, a robot vacuum might be too tall to pass under your low-profile furniture, or too wide to clean under your dining chairs. In our reviews, we always note a robot’s dimensions and whether it got stuck under furniture during test runs.
Some models are shaped like the letter D, with one flat edge that manufacturers claim allows them to clean deeper into corners. When testing a D-shaped model, we pay special attention to its performance in tough-to-reach areas.
Battery life is also an important factor to consider based on the size of your home. Most robot vacuums can run for at least 60 to 70 minutes, which should be enough to tackle smaller homes and apartments. If you have a bigger living area, make sure to choose a robot vacuum that lasts at least 90 minutes.
To test a robot’s battery life, we fully charge it, start a cleaning cycle, and record how long it runs before it needs to dock. We then note the approximate square footage it cleaned. Some robot vacuums can automatically pick up where they left off if they’re unable to complete a full pass, a useful feature for large homes.
How We Test Robot Mops
Modern floor cleaning robots can do more than just vacuum. A robot mop, for example, can help you keep your hard floors looking shiny and new without any elbow grease. The best robot mops support cleaning solutions, not just water, allowing them to sanitize your floors while removing grime and smudges. Some can even avoid carpeting while mopping, so they won’t accidentally get your rugs wet. We test robot mops in much the same way as vacuums, though obviously we’re looking for different results in terms of cleaning performance.
Like vacuums, we check to see how well a robot mop cleans in real-life conditions. We take into consideration factors such as whether or not it uses a cleaning solution or water only. We also see how well it tackles dry stains versus wet on a variety of surfaces. We make sure it doesn’t scuff tile or wood, and at the end of every cleaning session, we check its microfiber cloth (or other cleaning surface) to see how dirty it gets.
Ultimately, the best ‘bot for you comes down to your budget, home size, flooring type, and cleaning needs. For the lowest-maintenance option, consider one of our favorite self-emptying robot vacuums. If you’re on a tight budget, we have a list of the best sub-$300 models. And if you have a dog or cat, check out the best robot vacuums for pet hair.
