The 5 Best Robot Vacuums - Spring 2023 Reviews

The Roborock S7 MaxV is the best robot vacuum we've tested. This high-end robot vacuum has a dual-sensor navigation system, which combines a LIDAR mapping sensor that maps out your home with a pair of 3D scanning cameras at the front of the vacuum that allows it to spot and identify common obstacles like power cords, furniture legs, or even pet waste in real-time. You also look through those cameras while away from home, effectively turning into a roving security camera, and speak to anyone nearby through the onboard speakers. The vacuum's cameras also allow it to identify the type of room it's in based on the furniture within and automatically suggest different cleaning modes for different room types, like bedrooms, kitchens, or bathrooms.

In terms of cleaning performance, it does a great job of clearing away debris on bare floors and does an okay job cleaning carpets. Its ultrasonic mopping system differs from most other passive mopping systems, as its pad vibrates to actively scrub away dried-on stains. The vacuum is fully compatible with Roborock's Empty Wash Fill dock, which further helps reduce hands-on maintenance by automatically emptying its dustbin, refilling its water tank, and washing its mopping pads. However, this is a pretty expensive additional accessory and pushes the already expensive MaxV into a sky-high price bracket.

Check out the Ecovacs DEEBOT OZMO T8 AIVI if you're shopping at an upper mid-range price. Like the Roborock S7 MaxV, it uses front-facing cameras to spot and identify hazards in real time and LIDAR to map out its coverage area. However, while it has a mopping feature, it's a rudimentary passive system, so unlike the Roborock vacuum's Ultrasonic mopping system, it doesn't scrub the ground. As such, it must make a few extra passes to clear away dirt and mud. Otherwise, it still has a pretty advanced set of automation features. You can use its companion app to set up virtual no-go zones, direct it to a specific area within your home, or schedule cleaning sessions for individual rooms. Debris pickup performance on bare floors and carpets is impressive overall, and it's compatible with a self-emptying station to minimize hands-on maintenance. However, like the Roborock, this self-emptying dock is also quite pricey.

If a better stain-clearing capability is important, it's hard to go wrong with the basic Roborock S7. It features the same ultrasonic mopping system as the flagship S7 MaxV to scrub dried-on stains. That said, unlike the S7 MaxV or Ecovacs, it only has a LIDAR sensor, with no cameras to spot low-lying hazards in real-time.

The Roborock Q5 is a good choice if you're shopping at a lower price. While you're missing out on the real-time hazard identification system found on the Roborock S7 MaxV and Ecovacs DEEBOT OZMO T8 AIVI, this relatively affordable vacuum offers good value for money. It has a LIDAR mapping system that maps out rooms quickly compared to most optical sensor-based systems, especially in dimly lit rooms. Its companion app is very easy to use and lets you set up virtual boundary lines that it won't cross or direct it to clean a specific room in your home. It delivers exceptional performance on bare surfaces like hardwood or tile floors and is remarkably effective when dealing with pet hair, though it struggles a little on carpet. Unlike the Ecovacs or Roborock S7 MaxV, it lacks a mopping system for stains. The Q5+ variant comes bundled with a self-emptying station, so you won't have to empty its dustbin manually, though this configuration is considerably more expensive than the base variant.

Unfortunately, despite having a high-efficiency E11 filter, it does a terrible job of sealing in fine particles, which are blown free from gaps in its body and LIDAR sensor. If you have allergies, the Wyze Robot Vacuum is a better option. It also features LIDAR navigation and does a much better job of sealing in allergens like pet dander. However, it has a shorter battery life and a slightly less feature-packed companion app. Unlike the basic Q5, the Wyze isn't compatible with a self-emptying base station.

For those looking to spend as little as possible, the Neato D8 is the best robot vacuum cleaner at a budget price we've tested. It has a much shorter max battery life of 70 minutes than the Roborock Q5, so it'll probably need to return to its base station to recharge when cleaning larger areas. It isn't compatible with a self-emptying base station, which would help reduce hands-on maintenance requirements. That said, it still offers quick and precise LIDAR mapping at a much more affordable price than the Roborock. It allows you to set up virtual boundary lines for areas you don't want the vacuum to enter, but be aware that you need a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network for you to connect to the vacuum. Unfortunately, its squared-off front end is liable to get caught on furniture.

Performance on flat, even surfaces is superb, and it does an alright job of handling debris on carpeted surfaces, though it'll probably need to make an extra pass to collect everything. It's also capable of automatically adjusting its suction power depending on the surface it's on, which is a rare but welcome feature at this price point.

If you suffer from allergies but still want a robot vacuum to handle your light-duty cleaning needs, the iRobot Roomba S9 is among the robot vacuums we've tested. Compared to the Roborock S7 MaxV, it lacks a mopping attachment and has a much simpler optical sensor-based system with no LIDAR mapping and no real-time hazard identification and avoidance capability. That said, this vSLAM system still builds a pretty detailed map of its coverage area, and you can use its companion app to send it to labeled areas or set up boundary lines the vacuum won't cross. It has an onboard HEPA filter, which is highly effective in trapping particles like pet dander. The S9+ variant has a self-emptying dock that can suck debris from its internal dustbin into an external dirtbag without manual intervention, so you don't have to worry about creating a cloud of dust and debris when emptying it.

If you don't mind giving up the onboard HEPA filter, the yeedi vac station offers self-emptying capability at a much lower purchase price. The yeedi also has a passive mopping system, though it isn't especially effective in clearing stains.