8 expert tips for picking the right robot vacuum for your home

Nobody loves vacuuming. That’s why robot vacuums have become the darlings of smart home technology, promising to tackle one of our most tedious household chores.

But with hundreds of models flooding the market, ranging from basic bumper-car cleaners to AI-powered navigators, finding the right one can feel overwhelming.

Here’s how to pick a robot vacuum that actually delivers on its promise of making your life easier. And once you’re ready to decide, browse our favorite robot vacuums and mops of 2024, where you’ll find picks for every budget.

1. Start with your space

Your home’s layout should be your north star when choosing a robot vacuum. A basic model might work fine in a small apartment with an open floor plan. But if you’ve got a larger home with multiple rooms and hallways, you’ll want a vacuum with sophisticated navigation and mapping capabilities.

The best robot vacuums use LiDAR or camera-based systems to create detailed maps of your home. Think of it like giving your vacuum a GPS—it knows exactly where it’s been and where it needs to go. These smarter models clean in efficient patterns rather than bouncing around randomly, which means faster, more thorough cleaning and fewer missed spots.

Wyze Robot Vacuum: Laser navigation on a budget

Pros

• Includes laser mapping and room customization
• Three suction levels
• Budget price

Cons

• Easily gets stuck under low-profile furniture
• No Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant support
• No specialty cleaning modes

Best Prices Today: $274.99 at Wyze Labs

2. Match your vacuum to your floors

Your flooring type can make or break a robot vacuum’s performance. Hard floors are generally easier to clean, but if you have deep carpets, you’ll need a model with extra muscle. Look for vacuums with adjustable suction power that can detect surface changes and boost power automatically when moving onto carpets.

Pet owners, take note: not all robot vacuums excel in handling fur. Models with rubber brush rolls often outperform traditional bristle brushes at grabbing pet hair without tangling. Some even come with special tangle-resistant designs that prevent you from having to regularly cut away wrapped hair from the brush roll—a common hassle with standard vacuums.

Eufy X10 Pro Omni: Great vacuum/mop combo for pet owners

Pros

• Thorough, balanced vacuuming and mopping
• Excellent obstacle avoidance
• Requires little hands-on attention from user

Cons

• Large base station
• Self-cleaning functions are noisy

Price When Reviewed: 799 Euro

Best Prices Today: €799 at OTTO€797.93 at JACOB799,00 € at Eufy

3. Look for smart features that actually matter

While basic app control has become standard across most robot vacuums, the sophistication of smart features varies between models.

Basic apps might only offer simple start/stop controls and scheduling. The more advanced models, however, unlock powerful capabilities like room-specific cleaning zones, virtual barriers, and customizable cleaning scenarios. Want your vacuum to run a quick sweep of high-traffic areas twice daily but deep clean the whole house on weekends? The better smart systems can handle these complex routines.

Voice control through Alexa or Google Home can be surprisingly useful too. Being able to say “Hey Google, clean the living room” when you spot a mess is more convenient than you might think.

4. Remember, self-emptying bins make life easier

One of the biggest innovations in recent years is the self-emptying base station. Instead of requiring you to manually empty the dust bin after every cleaning session, these models automatically dump their contents into a larger bin in their charging base. Many can go weeks or even months between empties, making these robot vacuums truly hands-off.

Yes, you’ll pay more for this feature, but if you have a large home, pets, allergies, or just hate dealing with dust, it might be worth the investment.