6 Best Robot Vacuums That Do All the Cleaning for You

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 robots. 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 it was doing, if it would get stuck, if it would die unexpectedly, or if it would make it home to its charger. Turn it on and forget it’s cleaning. That’s what robot vacuums are supposed to be like.

If you really want to replace a vacuum with a robot vacuum, the

Dyson 360 Vis Nav is the model for the job. The newest addition to the brand’s lineup, it is, sadly, chronically sold out. If you happen to find it when it’s in stock, 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 its 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 most robot vacuums have. This means it stirs up dirt and dust, but it immediately pulls it into the vacuum’s suction path rather than scattering it across the floor.

All that adds up to a robot vacuum that handles pet hair, food, and crust infinitely better than anything else 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.

There aren’t a ton of robot-vacuum options below the $400 mark, much less below the $300 mark, and most of them are not worth the savings. The Shark Ion definitely is, though.

Unlike 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. The only things we had to move, however, were the dining chairs, since 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, because you don’t need to worry about smart mapping or large messes.

If the idea of that little Shark vacuum (which 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.

The Q5+ was the standout, as it knows 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 9:00 a.m., 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 the late afternoon for a fresh welcome home.

For a vacuum and mop in one, it’s back to Roborock, specifically the Q Revo. Despite the high price tag—all robot vacuums are expensive, sorry—it really is worth the investment. As with 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, and 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.

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

The only problem? That aspect makes it really tall. Like, too tall to go under a lot of low-rise furniture.

It’s a strange problem, but it’s one that, if fixed, will lead to an undisputed best-in-class robot vacuum, because everything else is almost perfect. The really fantastic thing about the Jet Bot is how accurate its smart mapping is. It will go up—fast at first, slowly as it gets closer—and reach 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.