Os Top 3 Automatic Vacuum Cleaners Diaries
For even cheaper options, head to TechRadar's best budget robot vacuum guide. If you're in the UK, our favorite budget model is the outstanding Xiaomi X20+.
A HEPA filter is a special high-performance filter that traps 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns in size — too small to see with the naked eye, but not too small to be felt by allergy sufferers. A HEPA filter on a vacuum cleaner is best located on the exhaust, where the air blows out of the vacuum and back into the room.
Mapping is fast and accurate, and we were impressed that the floorplans will automatically update whenever doors are left open and the robovac “discovers” a new part of the house it hadn’t seen before.
The mopping function is basic enough. You need to manually swap in the attachment any time you want to mop, and it will happily try to mop your carpets and rugs given half the chance.
While the app is intuitive, and the mapping good, there is a major issue for anyone with an open plan living space. Namely, you can't separate it into different zones. It won't be a problem for everyone, but if you live in an open plan home, you'll probably want to opt for a different brand.
The market ranges from ultra-simple to extremely capable, with price tags to match, so it's important to pick the right one for your needs. I'm here to help with that.
You want to get your cleaning done while you’re out of the house or doing something else. Robot vacuums use cameras and lasers to map their way around your rooms, so they don’t miss a spot.
Historically, robovacs aren't great at cleaning up to the edges of rooms, but today's best robot vacuums add spinning side brushes designed to flick debris into the robot's suction path.
You have minimal storage space. Most are slim enough to stash in a corner or closet for speedy clean-ups. They come corded or cordless, and in our Cleaning Lab tests, we’ve found rechargeable ones usually run up to one hour, so you’ll need to keep them plugged into an outlet to keep them fully charged and ready to go. Second batteries are also helpful so you always have a backup.
The mop pads spin to scrub floors clean, and the robot seamlessly switches between bare floors and carpet without getting the carpet wet. The only hiccup is that it's pricey.
Ruth is a Homes Editor at TechRadar, and has been reviewing consumer tech for over three years. She's spent the past year focusing on home appliances, and floor cleaners in particular.
Why we love it: This two-in-one model sucks up both dry and wet spills and wash your floors all during the same cleaning session. Its edge-to-edge cleaning gets into corners and along baseboards, and a voice assistant provides cleaning and status updates.
That might not be an issue if you're cleaning on one floor as the bot will just return to its dock to recharge as required, but it becomes more annoying if you're using it on multiple floors.
The mopping tank is small, Top 3 Automatic Vacuum Cleaners so you’ll need to refill it with detergent fairly frequently if you use it routinely. The app lets you reduce the amount of water being used, to help extend the mopping function further between refills.