Best Robot Vacuum Cleaners

Based on 1,686 reviews
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Price
$100 to $4,000
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Hobot Legee

Hobot Legee 🏆 2026

4.0 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $845 to $2,200
  • Bin Capacity0.5 L
  • HEPA FilterNo
  • Running Time 120 to 240 min
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MaxineQLD6 posts
 

The contact number for this company is disconnected. I should have researched the reviews on the D8 before I made the purchase, it seems anybody that… Read more

has had a problem with their Legee D8 vacuum has had no satisfaction with their customer service and been left with a lemon they can not get fixed.

iRobot Roomba 600 Series

iRobot Roomba 600 Series

3.8 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $149 to $499
  • Bin Capacity0.6 L
  • HEPA FilterNo
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tamNSW20 posts
  Verified

Worst company to deal with under warranty. Refuse warranty for reasons they technically made up. The machine with mop is extremely faulty. Just… Read more

google the complaints from 100s of people all around the world. Facebook, redit ect hundreds of the exact same complaint. Then after your machine leaks on day one, they exchange it for another faulty unit then exchange it for another faulty unit. To then blame you when that one is also faulty. Because the company is in receivership and going broke because their product is so faulty. The mops leak from day 1, they send out seals to help that leak after a few months, then apparently its our fault and deny warranty so they can save money.

They know their product is faulty, hence the seal kit that needs replacing over and over again.

Do not buy this product or anything from this company.

Roborock Q7 Max

Roborock Q7 Max

4.1 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $999
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Robyn W.QLD
 

I would strongly advise against purchasing a Roborock vacuum. We spent a significant amount of money on what we expected to be a premium, reliable… Read more

product, only for it to stop working properly within just nine months. The vacuum was sent away for repairs twice, and on both occasions it was returned with the exact same fault still present. It still does not empty properly and now doesn’t suction anything/actually vacuum, making it unusable.

To make matters worse, each repair took 4–6 weeks, leaving us without a vacuum cleaner for over a month every time. That is completely unacceptable, especially for such an expensive product.

Despite multiple attempts to resolve the issue, the customer service team has offered no meaningful resolution. We have wasted months sending the product back and forth, only to receive it in the same faulty condition each time.

This has been a complete waste of money, time, and effort. Instead of standing behind their product, Roborock has left us with no option but to spend even more money purchasing a replacement from another company.

I would not recommend Roborock to anyone. Save yourself the frustration and buy from another brand, such as Ecovacs, that offers better reliability and customer support.

Roborock
Roborock    

Dear Customer, first of all, we sincerely apologize for… Read more

Roborock Qrevo EdgeC

Roborock Qrevo EdgeC

4.3 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $2,199
  • Bin Capacity2.5 L
  • HEPA FilterNo
  • Running Time 180 min
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Jodie v.VIC3 posts
  Fair Incentive Verified

Love love love our Qrevo! Neat looking unit, easy to use and run. Very reliable. Makes our life so much easier!

Roborock Qrevo Edge

Roborock Qrevo Edge

4.3 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $2,799
  • HEPA FilterNo
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Madison K.3 posts
  Verified

Absolutely love my Roborock Qrevo Edge! It vacuums and mops brilliantly, navigates around furniture with ease, and the anti-tangle brush is a game… Read more

changer. The app is simple to use, and the self-cleaning dock makes maintenance almost effortless. Worth every cent!

Roborock Qrevo MaxV

Roborock Qrevo MaxV

4.4 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $2,199
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IreneQLD3 posts
  Verified

This thing has basically changed my life. We didn't know what we were missing out on with a vacuum only model before; having it vac+mop every other… Read more

day (tiles and hardwood flooring, 2 cats) has been a major step up. The floors are literally always clean, even after we've been away.

The auto mop washing is awesome. Filling/emptying the tanks rolls around more often than I expected but I don't actually mind as it just reminds me how much cleaning it's done; I do suggest putting the dock somewhere near a bathroom so it's easy to top up and empty.

The vacuum + mop works better than expected, I kind of thought I'd have to vacuum *then* mop but it works well as one mode. Super happy with this purchase.

Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra

Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra

4.0 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $2,999
  • HEPA FilterNo
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Emma Fisher4 posts
  Fair Incentive

Wouldn’t be without our S8 Roborock now! It is a massive time-saver and has replaced daily manual hoovering up after pets. Also we have noticed an big improvement on older models in terms of collision detection.

Dreame D20 Pro Plus

Dreame D20 Pro Plus

4.6 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $999
  • Bin Capacity0.5 L
  • HEPA FilterNo
  • Running Time 285 min
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John HarrisQLD
  Verified

Really good value for money. Does a really good vacuum and App is easy to use. Mopping is not as good but if you want to get a good Mop and Vacuum combination you will be looking at about 3 times the price. Show details

Roborock Q Revo

Roborock Q Revo

4.0 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $1,999
  • Bin Capacity2.7 L
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Raj C.QLD3 posts
 

I purchased the Roborock Q Revo Max expecting a premium, reliable robotic vacuum, but my experience over the past 14 months has been frustrating and… Read more

disappointing. Within the first 9 months, the unit had to be sent for repair. Again, at around the 14-month mark, I had to send it back for service a second time. Both interactions with the service team were far from customer-friendly. After each repair, the product initially works, but within a few months the same issues return. Currently, the vacuum has significantly lost suction power, the mopping function has become ineffective, and the noise level is excessive—it sounds like multiple vacuum cleaners running at once. Dealing with customer service adds to the frustration. When you report an issue, you are often treated with skepticism and asked to provide video evidence. After submitting the requested videos, you are issued a courier label that must be printed manually (for example, at Officeworks), and you are required to pack and ship the entire unit yourself via the post office. The turnaround time is typically 7–10 days, after which the product is returned with no clear explanation of what was repaired or what caused the issue. Unfortunately, within a few months, the same problems tend to reappear, leading to a repeated cycle of inconvenience. Based on my experience, this product may only perform reliably for 6–8 months before issues begin. I would recommend considering this carefully before purchasing.

Roborock
Roborock    

Thank you for sharing your detailed experience – and I'm… Read more (+1 reply)

Roborock Saros 10

Roborock Saros 10

4.4 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $2,999
  • Bin Capacity2.7 L
  • HEPA FilterNo
  • Running Time 220 min
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Greg F.3 posts
  Fair Incentive

I like the vacuum. It was easy to set up and get running and it dies a prettu good job of the cleaning. Its impressive how it moves from carpet to… Read more

rugs to hard floors. What lets Roborok downnis their spare parts availability on their web site. I find i have to go to other sites to get spares. Also their support is non existant. I wtote to them twice about issues and never heard back.

Roborock Saros 10R

Roborock Saros 10R

3.9 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $2,899
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MilaWA
 

Terrible reliability and non-existent customer care – Moving away from Roborock for good! We have been incredibly loyal customers to Roborock, having… Read more

owned 3 different vacuum and mop models over the years. They are far from cheap, so you expect a premium product and premium service. Instead, the amount of time these machines spend in repair is absolutely unacceptable. I am a mum to a toddler and we have two Labradors. Vacuuming manually every single day is exhausting, and it is infuriating to have to do it when we actually own an expensive robot vacuum that just constantly sits in a repair centre. Our previous model was sent away for repair twice, spending over 6 weeks there each time, and it suffered from a known defect with the charging sockets. Shockingly, our latest model is now having the exact same issue with the charging sockets. It is incredibly frustrating to see how little this company cares about its loyal customers. They completely lack accountability. We will absolutely never buy another Roborock product again. Save your money and buy from a brand that actually values its customers and builds reliable machines.

Roborock
Roborock    

Thank you for sharing your experience – and I am truly… Read more

Roborock Qrevo Curv

Roborock Qrevo Curv

4.3 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $2,799
  • HEPA FilterNo
john
  Fair Incentive

The Roborock Qrevo Curv is a high-end robot vacuum and mop that cleans well on hard floors and carpets thanks to strong suction and its self-cleaning… Read more

mopping system. Its standout feature is the ability to lift itself over thresholds and raised edges, which helps it move between rooms and floor types more smoothly than most rivals. The main drawbacks are the premium price and the bulky dock, so it suits people who want top performance and are happy to pay for it.

Roborock Qrevo C

Roborock Qrevo C

4.3 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $1,699
  • Bin Capacity2.7 L
  • HEPA FilterNo
Jodie B.QLD
 

I love this Robot, I have two very hairy Golden Retrievers, and this Robot does and awesome job keeping the hair off the floors. The Team in… Read more

support a very helpful and recently I went through a warranty claim and it was a such an easy process, I had my robot back in 10 days.

Replaced by Ecovacs Deebot Neo 2.0 3.5 
Ecovacs Deebot Neo

Ecovacs Deebot Neo

3.6 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $799
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LeeannVIC2 posts
 

Ecovacs Customer Service – Can’t work with 5G, no info on any printed or published info about this when buying. Just says works off wifi. After troubleshooting failed,I emailed… Read more

customer service who wasted another week fluffing around telling me to check if I’ve plugged it in & turned it on, you all know the score with the runaround! I finally got a phone number & rang. First question was do you have 5G? Yes I said. I am then informed that it won’t work on the 5G network. Told me to contact service provider to change my service to a mix of 5G & a 2.4G. Are they joking?? We don’t even have 3G anymore. I have no idea if this machine is good or bad as I cannot get it to function. It needs wifi to be shown its route it will take after the initial use. This revue is for the company and there handling of my problem. I can’t have a refund because it is not a quality issue.

Roborock Qrevo L

Roborock Qrevo L

5.0 
Summary
$1,499RRP
Hld01NSW7 posts
  Fair Incentive

VERY easy to understand set up instructions! Great quality. Only just opened the box yesterday and had the first run and am very happy. Show details

Roborock Q5 Pro

Roborock Q5 Pro

4.2 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $699
  • Bin Capacity0.77 L
  • HEPA FilterNo
  • Running Time 240 min
jghainesNT14 posts
  Verified

Does a decent job of a daily clean. Doesn't do a perfect clean, particularly in corners, but collects a great amount of dust and dog hair for a daily… Read more

tidy up.

Reliability has been poor. At around 7 months the right wheel jammed and needed manual intervention to free it. Then at around 14 months the unit developed a charging fault: it started reporting low battery mid-cycle and returning to the dock, before eventually losing the ability to power on at all. I went through Roborock's full troubleshooting process which didn't help

Roborock's support was polite but unhelpful: since the 12-month warranty had expired, they'd only offer a paid repair with the cost to be confirmed after inspection. No acknowledgment that a $699 appliance failing outright after 14 months of normal use falls short of reasonably expectation.

I ended up resolving it through Amazon rather than Roborock, who processed a full refund once I raised it as an Australian Consumer Law claim rather than a warranty request.

Roborock Q8 Max+ Plus

Roborock Q8 Max+ Plus

4.3 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $1,299
  • Bin Capacity2.5 L
  • HEPA FilterNo
  • Running Time 240 min
Yuba Raj Panta2 posts
 

Worst Customer Service Experience I've Ever Had I had the absolute worst customer service experience with this company. My robot was held for five… Read more

months due to their incompetence and poor communication. The initial repair process was a nightmare: • They took three months just to send the AusPost label for the assessment. • I was initially told the repair was covered under warranty, only to be told later that it was not. • They erroneously claimed my warranty period had finished and quoted a repair cost of around $600. This was demonstrably their fault on paper. To top it all off, I had to pay the delivery cost myself just to get the unrepaired robot back. The only silver lining is that I had an extended warranty through Harvey Norman, and I luckily got a full refund from them. I strongly advise against dealing with this company based on their incredibly poor service, lack of accountability, and deceptive communication.

Roborock
Roborock    

Hi Yuba, we’re sincerely sorry to hear about your… Read more

Ecovacs Deebot T50 Pro Omni

Ecovacs Deebot T50 Pro Omni

3.7 
Summary
  • Bin Capacity0.26 L
  • HEPA FilterNo
  • Running Time 255 min
SteveVIC4 posts
  Verified

I purchased the vacuum around 12 months ago, the first 8 or so months went well. Then the problems started. Initially the vacuum started not… Read more

making it back to the base station under low states of charge. I contacted Ecovacs and was asked to run through a bunch of different procedures that failed to rectify the issue. I sent the vacuum in for repairs (by sheer luck I had kept the original box). I was surprised by the quick turn around (around 7 days) Ecovacs replaced the battery and sent it back.

After setting the vacuum up again I was met with the same issue. At this point I asked for a replacement. Ecovacs requested a second chance to repair the vacuum, which I obliged. I was told it would be sent for expedited repair, it took 2 weeks.

After the second repair the vacuum was sent back to me in a different box and was wet.

Again I set the vacuum up, this time I was presented with a different issue, well to be honest I don't know if the first issue was resolved because the vacuum wouldn't clean instead it just wandered aimlessly. I set up the vacuum multiple times remapped the house multiple times just to have it continue to wander aimlessly.

Again I contacted Ecovacs at this point I was told to clean the sensors and reset the vacuum. I did so with the same issues presenting.

At this point I asked for a full refund or a new replacement with full warranty. I was offered a refurbished vacuum with the balance of my existing warranty. Given the issues I had with my unit I was not willing to accept a refurbished unit especially one without a full warranty. At this point Ecovacs offered me a new unit again with the balance of my existing warranty.

Given the issues I had with my vacuum, anything less than a full warranty is unacceptable. So I asked for a full refund as Ecovacs were unwilling to provide me with a full warranty.

At this point Ecovacs offered me a 50% refund as a "gesture of good will". I advised Ecovacs that this was unacceptable and that under Australian Consumer Law I was entitled to remedy of my choosing, which was a full refund of the original purchase price.

Ecovacs got back to me and offered a 70% refund of the purchase price stating that they were taking into consideration that it was no longer a new machine and had provided a nearly a year of service and the value of the product had changed with the release of newer models.

Again this is unacceptable. I have lodged a complaint with consumer affairs. I'd suggest you avoid Ecovacs if you expect them to honor your consumer rights.

Roborock S8 Pro Ultra

Roborock S8 Pro Ultra

2.9 
Summary
  • HEPA FilterYes
  • Running Time 180 min
Lisa K.WA
  Verified

My roborock has changed my life, cleaning up after a big slobbery dog has never been so easy! Show details

Lubluelu SL60D

Lubluelu SL60D

4.1 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $399.99
  • HEPA FilterYes
  • Running Time 120 min
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Colleen MilesQLD3 posts
 

I must admit this seemed good for the money when I bought it but quickly disappointed. It kept dropping the WiFi network and was a pain to get back on. Have since upgraded to something different, and yes more expensive, but well worth it. Show details

Lefant M1

Lefant M1

4.0 
Summary
ElaH.
 

PLEASE DON'T BUY. Vacuum stopped working with persistent wheel drive errors. 2 months back and forth with support, with suggestions that I open up the machine and replace electrical components. Machine under warranty and they will not replace it. Show details

Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller

Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller

3.3 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $2,999
  • Bin Capacity0.22 L
  • HEPA FilterNo
Emily LambkinNSW
  Verified

Love this product even when it has its moments and gets stuck in places it’s not been under before. lol disappointed though it doesn’t vacuum my muscle mat as it’s too soft. Show details

MyGenie ZX1000

MyGenie ZX1000

2.4 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $599
  • Bin Capacity0.9 L
  • HEPA FilterYes
  • Running Time 90 min
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rob
  Verified

I purchased the MyGenie two years ago from Harris Scarfe. While it was still under warranty, they redirected me to the manufacturer when, after… Read more

roughly eight months, the vacuum started running in circles. After a lot of emails and fault-finding efforts, I eventually received a replacement unit at no cost, which I appreciated.

Unfortunately, about six months later, the same issue occurred. This time, I couldn't get a replacement since the warranty had expired. Additionally, the battery runtime is quite short, and it often gets stuck in areas where my other robot vacuum doesn't (yes, I have two—clean freak here!).

Roborock Qrevo Master

Roborock Qrevo Master

4.5 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $2,699
  • Bin Capacity0.22 L
  • HEPA FilterNo
  • Running Time 180 min
ZedVIC15 posts
 

⚠️ these robots are not too bad in terms of cleaning, however when they break down, it’s an absolute nightmare! ROBOROCK customer service is one of… Read more

the worst. They are incompetent and I would rate their communication 0/10 ROBOROCK requests the broken goods to be posted to them. They will not notify you at any stage, so you will be in the dark during the repair process. You won’t even know if they have received the goods! After a few weeks, when your robot is returned, you will find that the exact same problem still persists. The repair was an absolute waste of time. The second time around, they can’t even manage to send the right Aus post repair labels. It has been 2 weeks and I am still waiting for them to send me the correct post return labels And don’t even think about asking for a refund, oh my god

Roborock
Roborock    

Thank you for sharing your experience — and I am truly… Read more (+3 replies)

Roborock Q10V+

Roborock Q10V+

4.0 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $1,299
  • HEPA FilterNo
CurmudgeonNSW2 posts
  Fair Incentive Verified

Have had the Q10V+ for about 3 weeks. Everything fine until yesterday. Had set up for 2 passes for kitchen, which it did perfectly with cross hatch… Read more

paths. Yesterday it did one pass correctly, then meandered aimlessly until I sent it home (via the app). It got near the dock, but could not make it and started meandering aimlessly again. Will try a few options, maybe recreate map. Haven't given up yet, as has mostly performed very well

Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni

Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni

3.5 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $2,499
  • Bin Capacity0.22 L
  • HEPA FilterNo
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Jess11 posts
 

Pretends it’s vacuuming (and makes a lot of noise while doing so) but leaves behind a heap of pet hair and crumbs. The mopping is terrible. It leaves… Read more

filth all over my tiles and drops spots of water everywhere, all over my floor boards and tiles, and sometimes little puddles. The floor cleaner doesn’t seem to have a scent, so my house smells like a wet dog after it’s been mopped. It’s nice that it empties itself and refills its tank but the whole point of having it is for it to do a proper job of vacuuming and mopping. I’ve gone back to using my old Roborock instead.

Ecovacs
Ecovacs    

We're sorry to hear you haven't had the best experience.… Read more

Ecovacs Deebot X11 Series

Ecovacs Deebot X11 Series

3.9 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $2,699 to $2,999
  • Bin Capacity0.22 L
  • HEPA FilterNo
  • Running Time 254 min
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JonQLD3 posts
  Verified

I recently upgraded from an ECOVACS X1 to the X11 expecting a significant improvement, but after living with the robot I have been left disappointed.… Read more

The X11 is marketed as a major step forward, particularly in its AI capabilities, navigation and roller mop system. However, in day-to-day use I have not found these improvements to translate into a better cleaning experience.

The biggest issue for me is the software. The X11 offers less flexibility than my older X1 when it comes to customising cleaning behaviour. I can no longer easily set different suction levels and cleaning preferences for individual rooms, which was a feature I used regularly.

Floor type detection has also been unreliable. The robot often misidentifies surfaces and does not consistently detect carpet correctly. This affects cleaning performance and means the robot does not always apply the most appropriate cleaning settings.

The AI assistant has been particularly disappointing. It struggles to understand basic instructions and simple questions, making it feel more like a marketing feature than a genuinely useful tool.

Navigation has also failed to impress. Despite the newer technology, I have not noticed any meaningful improvement over my X1 in how the robot moves around the home or plans its cleaning routes.

The roller mop system was another feature I was excited about, but in practice I have not found it to be a noticeable improvement. The cleaning results have been comparable to my X1 and certainly not enough to justify upgrading on that feature alone.

Overall, while the X11 is not a bad robot vacuum and mop, I do not feel it delivers the level of improvement expected for a flagship upgrade. Based on my experience, the X1 provided a better balance of customisation, usability and overall satisfaction.

Ecovacs Deebot T90 Pro Omni

Ecovacs Deebot T90 Pro Omni

5.0 
Summary
  • Bin Capacity0.25 L
  • Running Time 120 min
$1,595Bing Lee
RachBryNSW2 posts
  Fair Incentive

As a busy mum of 3 with 2 dogs, the Deebot T90 PRO Omni has been a lifesaver. The vacuum picks up all the crumbs and pet hair easily, but the… Read more

standout is definitely the mopping, it cleans properly, not just a quick wipe plus it vacuums while it mops. The self-cleaning feature is a game changer too. I don’t have time to maintain it constantly, so it basically runs itself. Perfect for busy households!

Roborock Saros 20

Roborock Saros 20

5.0 
Summary
  • Price (RRP) $2,999
  • Bin Capacity0.18 L
  • Running Time 180 min
Keyvan A.NSW
  Fair Incentive

Great robot vacuum! It cleans very well, is easy to use, and saves me a lot of time. Highly recommended.

Ecovacs Deebot T80 Omni

Ecovacs Deebot T80 Omni

5.0 
Summary
  • Bin Capacity3 L
  • HEPA FilterNo
  • Running Time 223 min
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Ingrid Engevik4 posts
  Fair Incentive

This product was provided to me free of charge for review by the brand. All thoughts and opinions are my own and reflect my genuine experience of the… Read more

product in my home. We had a robot vacuum from a different brand for a long time, and we had some many issues with it. It wouldn’t charge properly, the dust bin would get full and we forgot to empty it, the hair would tangle around the wheels, it would eat socks half way into the cleaning and then stop because they were stuck and so much more. This DEEBOT T80S OMNI vacuum and mop is INSANE. Hair doesn’t tangle, it goes around obstacles instead of eating them, it self cleans the mop and empties the dust bin (crazy good) and it has been an absolute game changer in our house. It is also so amazing that you can control everything from your phone, so if you have visitors coming over and you’re not home you can just quickly go on the app and make it start mopping and vacuuming your house. Highly recommend!

A black robot vacuum cleaning a hardwood floor

Are robot vacuums really worth it?

While robot vacuums can be expensive, the benefits can far outweigh the initial cost.

On hardwood and tile floors, as well as regular carpets, robot vacuums can work as well as a standard stick or barrel vacuum. They have powerful suction and clean open areas effectively. The biggest benefit? You won't have to lift a finger.

Reviews showed that the #1 reason Australians bought a robot vacuum cleaner was convenience. A good robot vacuum rewarded reviewers with clean floors, which made their lives easier by eliminating a daily chore. Pet owners in particular liked that they saved a considerable amount of time they would normally spend picking up dog and cat hair.

Consider buying a robot vacuum cleaner if you:

  • Love having clean floors, without having to do the physical labour.
  • Work throughout the week and don't want to vacuum when you get home at night.
  • Have pets and have to vacuum more often to pick up animal fur.
  • Your house or apartment has even floors, as a robot vacuum can cover your entire home without supervision.
  • Your family brings dirt and dust into the house, and you want an easy way to clean it up.

Can a robot vacuum cleaner replace my normal vacuum cleaner?

Unfortunately, you won't be able to throw away your existing vacuum after buying a robot vacuum cleaner. Robot vacuum cleaners are handy, but some tasks are better left to a traditional vacuum cleaner. So, in short, you'll still have to vacuum - but much less frequently than you usually do.

Best uses for a robot vacuum cleaner:

  • Open-plan rooms with a lot of floor space.
  • Rooms with heavy foot traffic that accumulate dirt, dust, or crumbs.
  • Carpets that need regular cleaning because they're common living areas.
  • Sucking up pet hair, especially in hard-to-reach places.
  • Cleaning while you're at work or otherwise out of the house.

Best uses for a traditional vacuum cleaner (stick, barrel, or handheld):

  • Cluttered areas that require precision vacuuming, especially if you have cables or cords lying around. Robot vacuum cleaners like to eat cords, and they can easily damage them.
  • Thin, narrow areas, and corners where a robot vacuum cannot fit.
  • Any vacuuming that is off the floor (couch cushions, stairs, skirtings, ledges, etc.).
  • Dark carpets that robot vacuums often mistake as stairs or drop-offs and won't vacuum.
  • Areas that need a lot of visual inspection and heavy-handed vacuuming to ensure they are clean.
  • Recreation vehicles, campers, boats, etc. that don't have enough flat space to use a robot vacuum cleaner.

According to reviewers, the best vacuuming strategy was to let their robot vacuum handle daily vacuuming across a wide area. Users would then touch up weekly with a stick or barrel vacuum in the areas the robot vacuum couldn't reach.

Factors to consider when buying a robot vacuum cleaner

It's helpful to think about the purposes you're buying a robot vacuum cleaner for. Having a basic understanding of these purposes, as well as the following buying considerations, will help you know what to look for when you’re reading product info or scrolling through reviews.

Floor type

Most robot vacuum products will specify whether the model is suitable for carpet, hardwood and/or tiles.

Hard floors

While many robovac brands state that their models are safe for hard floors, we noticed after reading reviews that reviewers thought otherwise. And while some robot vacuum cleaners were advertised as friendly for hardwood floors, some users reported that their new robot vacuums scratched their floors. That's why you should make sure you read reviews to see how a vacuum works on your floor type before buying.

Tiles and carpet

Most robot vacuums will work on tiles and carpet. Rugs may be difficult to manoeuvre around for cheap robot vacuums, especially if they're thick, shaggy, or have tassels.

When reading reviews, also take note of comments about the robot vacuum's transition from carpet to tiles, vinyl or hardwood floors. While many robot vacuums transition smoothly, others may get stuck or even spit out an error message.

Room mapping with a robot vacuum

Robot vacuums are designed with a self-navigation system that allows them to map a cleaning route – ideally without intervention. Your robot vacuum cleaner will work the most effectively when it maps your house correctly, which might take a few attempts in the beginning, but operate more smoothly as it gets ‘used to’ its surroundings.

Map navigation works by using navigation sensors. These usually include optical sensors, which judge the distance to a wall, along with features like anti-drop or cliff sensors and obstacle detection. The quality of navigation sensors may be particularly important if you live in a multi-storey house or have plenty of furniture for your robot vacuum to navigate around.

Suction power

This is determined by how powerful and reliable a robot vacuum’s motor is. While barrel and stick vacuums generally have stronger suction power, a good robot vacuum is sufficient for quickly cleaning up dirt, dust, crumbs and short pet hair. Many reviewers were happy with the suction power of their robot vacuums for these purposes.

It's common for robot vacuums to change the level of suction depending on the surface (e.g. carpet or tiles), which can be done automatically or after you adjust the settings. A robovac with a variety of cleaning modes can also offer more suction for specific purposes, for example the Samsung Powerbot X70’s power pet cleaning mode for pet hair.

Battery life

A robot vacuum’s battery life will largely determine its running time. Most robot vacuums can last up to one and a half to two hours, during which they’re able to clean an entire home. Battery life matters more if you have a large home.

For two-storey houses or relatively large areas with plenty of ‘obstacles’ to navigate around such as furniture, a robot vacuum with a short running time might die in the middle of a cleaning session, and travel back to the docking station for charging before completing the cycle.

Some reviewers commented that their vacuums reset after returning to the docking station. This meant the robovac started at the beginning of its cleaning cycle instead of picking up where it left off, taking even more time.

This might not be a problem, but if your priority is getting a quick clean, you’re about to have guests over, or you prefer to supervise your robot vacuum (especially at the start), then insufficient battery life could quickly prove inconvenient.

Ability to handle obstacles, long pet hair and getting stuck

Eufy obstacle detection
Image credit: Eufy.

Reviews showed that robovac users with wide open rooms and minimal rugs or clutter experienced the best results. For families with more items on the floor, more management was required to use their robot vacuum cleaner. Items included cables, children's or pet's toys, throw rugs, stools and tables.

Robot vacuums are often effective at avoiding obstacles so they don't bump into them. However, the safe space a robovac keeps around obstacles means it cleans less surface area if a space is cluttered. Manual vacuuming is then needed in these areas.

Robot vacuums can also struggle with picking up excessive or long pet hair, which can clog the brushes and jam up the wheels. If you have a lot of pet hair, you could be rescuing your robot vacuum often. For some families simply clearing away potential obstacles will solve the problem. For others, the amount of clutter on the floor can prompt them to question whether a robot vacuum cleaner will actually save them time.

Sometimes robot vacuum cleaners get stuck because there’s not enough space for them to continue moving. You can keep your robot vacuum from getting stuck under furniture like chairs or beds by blocking off the area.

Dustbin size

The size of the dustbin will determine how often you have to empty your vacuum. Robot vacuum cleaners are smaller than other types of vacuums, and so have smaller dustbins, but there are still noticeable differences in size between models on the market.

Look for a bin size of at least 0.6 L if you have an average-sized house and don't want to constantly be emptying your vacuum. If you foresee your robovac’s dustbin filling up quickly, look for models with larger dustbins.

Features

There are a variety of features to look out for that can help make a robot vacuum easier to use and more effective at cleaning. Just keep in mind that the more features, the more expensive a robovac will usually be.

  • Remote control: This lets you control your robot vacuum with a remote from the comfort of your couch.
  • Wi-Fi connectivity: A features that lets you connect to your vacuum with Wi-Fi, so you can turn your robovac on remotely or adjust settings via your smart device. Read reviews to see how easy the mobile app that connects to the vacuum you want is.
  • Mopping function: For those with hard floors, a robot vacuum with a mopping function can make it easier to keep dirt and grime at bay.
  • HEPA filter: A HEPA filter can capture smaller particles that otherwise might not be trapped by your vacuum.
  • Self-emptying: This handy feature means that instead of your robovac switching off when its dust bin is full, it’ll head to the docking station and empty the contents into the container.
  • Voice assistant: Some robovacs (usually those with Wi-Fi connectivity) have an in-built voice assistant such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, letting you issue voice commands to get your vacuum to work.

Final tips

If you're planning to buy your robot vacuum in store, research which specific brands stores carry before venturing to the shops. Many of the larger retailers carry robot vacuum cleaners, but only stock a few brands or models.

Also make sure to inspect the coverage of the warranty before buying. Some negative reviews commented that parts wore out quickly but were not covered under warranty, making them expensive or not practical to replace.

The bottom line

What the best vacuum cleaner for you is depends on your lifestyle, cleaning preferences and your home’s design. These include your floor type, the size of your home, and how many extra features you'd like. We hope this guide helps you select a robotic vacuum cleaner that’s designed with the functionality and features best suited to you. Click here to read all reviews of robot vacuum cleaners.