When it comes to people’s favorite activities, vacuuming rarely makes the list. Thanks to robot vacuums, though, you can largely take this chore off your plate.
It’s true that the early robot vacuum models weren’t particularly smart and were prone to getting stuck on obstacles.
However, today’s models are full of advanced technology like smart mapping and self-emptying bins that make them efficient mini-maids.
Read on for our picks for the best smart robot vacuums to clean your home before you buy.
While cheaper models like the Roomba 675 and Roomba 960 have plenty of fans, higher-end robot vacuums have more of these high-tech features.
In this article we focus on the very best smart robot vacuums that will make your life easier.
| Smart Robot Vacuums | Product Information | Check Price |
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Top | iRobot Roomba S9 (9150) Robot Vacuum- Wi-Fi Connected, Smart Mapping | Check Price |
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Top | Shark IQ Robot Self-Empty XL RV101AE, Robotic Vacuum | Check Price |
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Top | Roborock S5 MAX Robot Vacuum and Mop | Check Price |
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Top | Ecovacs Deebot T8 Robot Vacuum and Mop Cleaner, Precise Laser Navigation | Check Price |
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Top | iRobot Roomba 981 Robot Vacuum-Wi-Fi Connected Mapping | Check Price |
The Best Smart Robot Vacuums to Clean Your Home
iRobot Roomba 981
- POWERFUL PERFORMANCE AND POWERFUL PICK-UP - Power-Lifting Suction delivers 10X the air power for improved pick-up performance. Automatically increases suction to clean deep into carpets with Power Boost Technology.
- IT WONT STOP TILL THE JOB IS DONE - Maps & cleans an entire level of your home. Patented iAdapt technology with vSLAM navigation actively captures thousands of precise measurements each millisecond to optimize coverage.
- NAVIGATES IN NEAT ROWS - Purposefully & logically cleans in neat rows & uses floor tracking sensors to navigate your home.
The iRobot Roomba 981 is a high-tech smart robot vacuum cleaner with a multitude of impressive features for its $350 pricetag.
It’s definitely not the cheapest robot vacuum out there, but it has efficient cleaning power that will particularly impress pet owners.
Its powerful suction makes it great for cleaning rougher surfaces including removing pet hair from higher-pile carpet.
The Roomba 981 can be operated from your smartphone with the iRobot app, either manually or with scheduled cleaning times.
It also integrates with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, meaning you can control it with voice commands.
This robot vacuum’s navigation features are impressive, particularly iAdapt technology that helps it move around objects and under furniture.
An AeroForce cleaning system with 10X suction means it’s amazing at sucking up dirt and debris.
And despite the powerful suction it operates so quietly, it won’t interrupt normal daily activities. But it’s not perfect: This Roomba is sometimes prone to getting stuck and beeping until you rescue it.
You also can’t tell it to vacuum a specific room, and it sometimes has trouble making it back to the charging base.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Powerful suction. | Prone to getting stuck. |
| Quiet operation. | Can't tell it to vacuum a specific room. |
| Voice assistant integration. | Sometimes has trouble finding charging base. |
| Best Smart Vacuum Reviews |
Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo T8 AIVI
- Simultaneous vacuuming and mopping: Integrated suction, sweeping and mopping in one go. The large 240ml water tank can cover over 2,000 sq. ft. of mopping. Intergraded OZMO mopping system supports 4 levels of precise water control for your varying mopping need.
- Precision laser mapping and navigation: With advanced TrueMapping technology, T8 maps your home 2X coverage and 4x precision than previous models. It can save maps of your multi-floor home 30% faster, providing enhanced and powerful deep cleaning.
- Intelligent object detection: With TrueDetect 3D environment perception technology, T8 can detect objects such as cables, slippers, and furniture down to the millimeter level, avoiding collision and giving you uninterrupted cleaning.
If you dream of never having to vacuum or mop your house again, the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo T8 AIVI may be a good buy — if you don’t balk at the $800 pricetag.
This robot vacuum is a great two-in-one cleaning solution for your vacuuming and mopping needs. Thanks to AIVI technology, it’s great at avoiding obstacles like shoes and dog toys.
And its “Visual Butler” technology allows you to remotely monitor your home with live video from anywhere through the corresponding app.
The Deebot Ozmo T8 interfaces with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for voice command capability. Or simply schedule regular cleanings through the Ecovacs smartphone app.
Its carpet-detection sensor means it can clean both hardwoods and thick carpet, and it comes with an extra filter and set of side brushes. However, do note that the mopping feature only mops with water.
You can’t use cleaning solution, so tough messes will likely require human intervention.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Visual Butler technology. | High price. |
| Automatically avoids obstacles. | Only uses water to mop. |
| Virtual boundaries. | Auto-Empty Station sold separately. |
| Best Smart Vacuum Reviews |
Roborock S5 MAX
- 290ml electric water tank. App controlled water flow.
- Virtual no-go and virtual no-mop zones, ideal for carpets or rugs.
- Precision laser navigation. Z-shape cleaning path. Selective room cleaning. Faster and better.
Coming in at $599, the Roborock S5 MAX isn’t cheap, but it’s a two-in-one vacuum and mop.
Besides zooming up dirt and dust with its powerful suction, it has a water tank and microfiber attachment to mop up spills and spots.
Sophisticated navigation technology means it’s adept at avoiding obstacles and cleaning around furniture. It maps your home so you can label each room, set up “no-go” zones, and tell it to clean a specific room.
Also, its corresponding smartphone app allows you to set virtual boundaries to avoid certain areas.
A great battery life means it can clean for up to 3 hours at a time without recharging. It also has voice control capabilities via Amazon Alexa.
The dust bin is somewhat small, however, meaning you’ll need to empty it frequently if you have a lot of debris in your home.
Also, its taller design means it won’t fit under very low furniture, which could be a problem for some households.
Overall, though, the Roborock S5 MAX is a great pick for those interested in having a robot mop as well.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Mopping feature. | Dustbin is small. |
| Excellent navigation & mapping. | App is somewhat buggy. |
| Virtual "no-go" zones. | Won't fit under very low furniture. |
| Best Smart Vacuum Reviews |
Shark IQ Self-Empty XL Robotic Vacuum
- FORGET ABOUT VACUUMING FOR UP TO A MONTH: A bagless, self-emptying base holds up to 30 days of dirt and debris.
- POWERFUL SUCTION: Deep-cleaning power to take on large debris, small debris, and pet hair on carpets & floors.
- NO HAIR WRAP: Self-cleaning brushroll removes pet hair and long hair as it cleans - no more hair wrap.
While Roomba largely rules the roost when it comes to robot vacuums, vacuum brand Shark also has a good entrant, the Shark IQ Self-Empty XL Robotic Vacuum.
The Shark IQ is loaded with great features considering its sub-$500 pricetag: Like the Roomba S9, this model has a self-emptying dock, meaning you don’t have to constantly empty the dustbin.
(The matte black design doesn’t look quite as high-end as the S9, but you’ll only have to empty it every 30 days or so.) It also boasts a self-cleaning brushroll that won’t get tangled with pet (or human) hair.
Powerful suction makes the Shark IQ great for sucking up debris on hardwood floors or carpet. Meanwhile, total home mapping gives you the ability to target specific room cleanings via the app.
Connect it to your smart speaker to control it via voice with Alexa or Google Assistant.
And methodical row-by-row cleaning means it’s less likely to miss a spot. One thing to note is this isn’t a particularly quiet robot vacuum. Its regular operation and self-emptying features are quite loud.
Also, the corresponding app can be buggy and is prone to crashing. Overall, though, this is a powerful robot vacuum that does a great job cleaning.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Self-emptying dustbin. | High price. |
| Self-cleaning brushroll. | Loud operation. |
| Home mapping feature. | App can be buggy. |
| Best Smart Vacuum Reviews |
iRobot Roomba S9
- OUR MOST ADVANCED CLEAN: You and your home deserve the best. With groundbreaking technology and a sophisticated design, the s9 is our smartest, most powerful robot vacuum yet
- DEEPEST CLEAN - With 40X the suction power, the superior 3-Stage Cleaning System lifts, loosens, then eliminates debris & pet hair from deep within your carpets. Increases suction to clean even deeper into carpets with power boost technology
- DETAILED POWERFUL CLEAN - PerfectEdge Technology with advanced sensors & a specially designed Corner Brush optimize cleaning deep into corners & along edges. Ideal for homes with pets. 30% wider Dual Rubber Brushes dont get tangled with pet hair
The most expensive robot vacuum in this article the iRobot Roomba S9, is also the most impressive. Priced at over $1,000, the S9 is loaded with sophisticated features that make it pretty incredible at cleaning your floors.
A sleek low-profile design is great at navigating underneath furniture. It has copper accents that give it a high-end look, and it has 4x suction power to get your floors totally clean of dirt and debris.
The Roomba S9 also has an on-board camera and numerous sensors to map your home’s layout and clean methodically and carefully.
A self-emptying dock means you don’t have to worry about emptying the dustbin, except for maybe once a month.
The Roomba S9 isn’t perfect, though. The vacuum is loud enough to inhibit normal conversation or watching TV, and the self-emptying dock feature is even louder.
Also, the battery life isn’t particularly long, probably because of all the high-tech features. Then there’s that high pricetag, which will simply put the iRobot Roomba S9 out of reach for many shoppers.
However, if budget isn’t an issue, the S9 is a fantastic smart vacuum to keep your home tidy.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Self-emptying feature. | High price. |
| Powerful suction. | Self-emptying dock is loud. |
| Learns your home's layout. | Shorter battery life. |
| Best Smart Vacuum Reviews |
What to Look for in a High-End Robot Vacuum
Smart Mapping Technology
The older robot vacuums would just zoom around your house bouncing off obstacles and cleaning haphazardly. But the best robot vacuums have mapping technology that help them map each room of your home.
Using these stored maps, they can methodically clean your house while avoiding obstacles.
Self-Emptying Dustbin
If you have pets or lots of debris that accumulates on your floors, look for a self-emptying dustbin.
This means that instead of manually emptying your robot vacuum’s bin multiple times a day, it will offload the debris into a dock.
All you have to do is periodically empty the dock, usually not more often than once a month or so.
Virtual Boundaries
How do you keep your robot vacuum from spilling your pet’s food bowl? Some have the ability to set “no-go zones” using the corresponding app or using physical boundary strips.
This is a great feature to have if there are particularly areas you need the smart robot vacuum to avoid.
Mopping Capability
If you really hate cleaning, look for a robot vacuum and mop combo. These robot vacuums with added mopping capabilities have a reservoir for water or cleaning solution and rotating brushes to get your floors clean.
Final Thoughts
We hope you found our roundup of the best smart robot vacuums to clean your house helpful. Thanks to modern robot vacuum technology, having to clean your floors can largely be a thing of the past.
And with smart mapping technology and self-emptying dustbins, the annoyances of earlier models are also being mostly mitigated.
You’ll have to cough up a chunk of change for the best smart robot vacuums, but it may be worth it to keep your home clean with less effort. Happy cleaning!
