Um Imparcial View of Top 3 Automatic Vacuum Cleaners
The Dyson 360 vis nav stands out for its unique features and powerful cleaning performance despite some limitations and its high price. It’s on the heavy side but compensates with extremely strong suction, effectively picking up pet hair and embedded dirt. Instead of a conventional side brush, it uses an extending side duct to tackle edges and corners. It also has a large brush roll that spans the full size of the vacuum for effective cleaning, and though its dustbin is relatively small, it’s equipped with a convenient one-touch ejection system for easy emptying.
For our straight-line pickup tests on hard flooring, we spread large and small debris within a marked area proportional to the width of each robot vacuum’s nozzle. Each robot vacuum is given 10 minutes to clean and the debris collected is weighed to determine how much was picked up.
❌ You don't need the very best mopping: The advanced mopping and comprehensive dock bump up the price here, and other robovacs will do a good enough mopping job for most people (the Eufy X10 at #1 has a great mop, for example).
All the robot vacuums in this ranking have been rigorously tested, either by one of the TechRadar Homes team or an experienced reviewer. Meet some of the expert reviewers who tested the robovacs that feature in this guide.
While it lacks mopping or self-emptying capabilities, the Dyson 360 Vis Nav is a compact, reliable option for anyone prioritizing high-end vacuum performance. By focusing on the essentials, it saves space without sacrificing premium features like voice control, automatic suction adjustment and scheduled cleaning.
❌ You're dealing with lots of dust: There's no self-empty on the dock, and the small onboard bin will fill up quickly if you're dealing with lots of dirt or hair.
The Samsung JetBot AI+ is packed full of features to say the least, and it's one of the most attractive robot vacuums to grace my floors. This intelligent and gentle cleaner almost acts as a security camera as much as a robot vacuum cleaner.
PrecisionVision Navigation features here. This ensures the Roomba will recognise and avoid objects. Plus, when it spots them, it will send you a photo so that you can tell it to avoid or clean around it in future.
The iRobot Roomba Combo j5+ is a solid performer in CR’s tests, with smart-mapping technology and avoidance technology. In our assessments, it excels at cleaning bare floors but performs less well on carpet.
For a robot vacuum that will clean according to your preferences and habits, consider the Roomba j7+. Its app can create personalised cleaning suggestions. This means that you can factor allergy seasons into your schedule. It also has dual multi-surface rubber brushes that work for different floors and don't get tangled with pet hair.
Most robot vac Top 3 Automatic Vacuum Cleaners apps allow you to set up virtual barriers to block off entire rooms or just small sections of a room. Homes with lots of areas to avoid (like kids’ playpens or dog beds and bowls) would benefit from pelo-go zone settings in the app.
The iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ has self-emptying and Automóvel-fill capabilities, allowing it to clean for weeks with little upkeep. Its Automóvel-Retract Mopping System lifts the mop when moving onto carpets, and its Dirt Detective system targets areas which are dirtier than others with stronger suction and scrubbing.
Not all robovacs can handle the extra challenge posed by lots of pet hair, but one that really impressed on this front was the Dreame L40 Ultra. This bot was put through its paces in a home filled with furry, four-legged friends, and really rose to the occasion.
In our tests, it excelled at removing pet hair from carpets, with non-e of the hair tangling in the brush roll or clogging the dustbin — it was all automatically emptied into the dock’s spacious 3-liter dust bag.