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Let your vacuum handle the heavy lifting while you do something else.
Photo:Real Simple
Below are our favorite picks that take vacuuming to a whole new level.
It struggled to find debris in target clean mode.
The only thing we would change is that it’s almost too thorough.
PHOTO: Amazon
It takes alongtime to complete a cleaning, and it seems to go over the same spots several times.
We wished there were a quick-cleaning mode for that reason.
It maneuvered well around obstacles, however, and learned from its mistakes.
It has smart-mapping features and can find its way under and around furniture without bumping into anything.PHOTO: Real Simple
Its well-designed app was simple to configure and use too.
Overall, though, this vacuum exceeded our expectations.
It doesnt have a mopping function, but youll find more on our favorite mop combo below.
The initial setup was more involved than others.
The Roborock S8+ Robot Vacuum Mop has both and cleaned extremely well in both modes.
It also maneuvered great around obstacles during our testing.
Its scheduling function was easy to use and worked reliably too.
It was simple to set up and worked very well during our testing.
It also came with a well-designed app with voice control support available through Amazon Alexa and Google Home.
For a vacuum/mop combo, we also recommend theRoborock S8+ Robot Vacuum.
Always check the product page of the specific model youre considering to confirm the types of flooring it supports.
It also has a NeverStuck feature, which helps prevent the bot from getting stranded on obstacles.
Mopping
Some self-emptying robot vacuums offer mopping capabilities in addition to standard vacuuming.
Many newer models allow you to set it and forget it by scheduling cleanings through a mobile app.
TheRoborock S8+ Robot Vacuum with Auto-Empty Dockalso works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice assistants.
And if you buy a smart bot but dont want to use those features, thats fine, too.
You will still be able to start and stop, program, and control your vacuum manually.
Questions You Might Ask
Are self-emptying robot vacuums effective at picking up pet hair?
That depends on the robot vacuum.
Who should buy a self-emptying vacuum?
If you plan to run your robot vacuum regularly, self-emptying models are a great option.
We also tested the models for up to six months to see if any of our insights changed.
Lastly, we spoke with Lowe’s store managerBrian Shaunfieldfor even more expert advice on robot vacuums.
PHOTO: Amazon
Despite washing the mop pads after every use, they turned (and stayed) a gray color.PHOTO: Real Simple
Real Simple
The filter opens right up for easy cleaning.Real Simple
We thought our floors were already fairly clean, but when we saw how dirty the water was in the tank, we realized we were wrong.Real Simple
