While we may not be driving hover cars (at least, for now), the Jetsons got it right with Rosie, their robotic maid. Robot vacuums have become a must-have, with many shoppers even naming their appliance to officially welcome it to the family.
Category Expert at Appliances Online, Colin Jones, says robot vacs bring a whole new level of hands-free convenience by working to a specific schedule, and automatically returning to the charging dock before going back to clean. Some models can also empty the dirt into a bin that’s attached to its base station, helping reduce common allergy triggers like pet dander and dust.
“A robot vacuum is great for those that may be time poor as you can simply switch it on and it will do all the work for you,” he said.
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Want to sweep up a discount? The mid-range Dreame D10 Plus Robot Vacuum and Mop is now on sale for $699 (down from $999), and comes with many of the features loaded in its pricier competitors. You can also snag the Ecovacs DEEBOT X1 Plus Robot Vacuum (now $1299, down from $1899)and Ecovacs DEEBOT X1 Omni (now $1997, down from $2499) for $502 off.
How we choose products
To help you find the best robot vacuum for your needs and budget, we asked Category Expert at Appliances Online, Colin Jones for his expert advice and recommendations on what to look for when buying a robot vacuum. In addition, we tested a number of well-known brands at differetn price points. Our shopping team also read hundreds of customer reviews and looked at test results and ratings from product review sites to find the best robot vacuum from premium to budget to help you find the right one for your home.
Our Top Picks
In this article
BEST SELF-EMPTYING ROBOT VACUUM
Dreame D10 Plus Robot Vacuum and Mop with Auto Empty Dock, $699 (down from $999), Dreame
What You Need To Know
Sitting just under the $1000 mark, the Dreame D10 Plus comes with many of the features loaded in its pricier competitors, including a 2.5L dustbin that can hold dirt in the sealed dustbin for 45 days before it needs to be emptied (depending on how often and how much the vacuum picks up). The brand also promises this robot vac can map out your home within at least eight minutes, depending on the size, allowing you to start vacuuming and mopping hands free in no time.
Some other features include LiDAR navigation, 4000pa suction power and voice command.
“Such an incredible appliance! I wish I purchased one of these before! It is a game changer,” praised a shopper.
“I have scheduled it to vacuum at set times each day. And now it has been basically ‘set and forget’. I haven’t had to manually vacuum since making this purchase. It is worth the investment and considering the price range, I am so happy with this purchase!”
BEST ROBOT VACUUM FOR PET HAIR
Ecovacs DEEBOT X1 Plus Robot Vacuum, $1299 (down from $1899), The Good Guys
Tried and Tested by Tahnee-Jae Lopez-Vito, Shopping Writer
Any paw-rent knows pet hair can be difficult to get rid of, whether it’s on your clothes or the floor. And it does help if you or someone else in the house has a pet dander allergy. Robot vacs like the Ecovacs DEEBOT X1 Omni are great because they pick up pet and human hair well, and can be scheduled to run daily and controlled remotely.
It’s also a great robot vacuum for allergies, as is any model that comes with a self-emptying function. These automatically dispose the dust and dirt into a sealed dust bag, ensuring there’s no contact between you and the debris when it’s time to empty the vacuum.
Nicknamed after the YIKO voice assistant, Yiko Ono, the DEEBOT X1 Plus definitely helps with getting rid of my dog’s never ending supply of pet hair. While cleaning the brush, I was surprised to see how much the robot vac actually sucked up and found hair ties, bobby pins and a few other bits and bots I thought would clog the machine.
It doesn’t take too long to clean the house, at least compared to other robot vacs I’ve tested, and it isn’t too loud while it cleans (but definitely noticeable if you’re in the same room).
Yiko Ono doesn’t work well on high pile rugs, but it’s totally fine on short pile. The unit also doesn’t seem to recognise dog bowls and pushes it around, and may give you a bump if you’re in the way and haven’t clean its sensors. But overall it’s a great robot vacuum for the price.
*Product was loaned by Ecovacs for a 100 per cent independent, honest review.
BEST ROBOT VACUUMS FOR MAPPING AND NAVIGATION
iRobot Roomba j7+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum, $1799, The Good Guys
Tried and Tested by Lauren Chaplin, Consumer Technology Writer
Following a long line of popular robot vacs, iRobot’s Roomba j7+ packs 10 times more suction power than some of its predecessors and is designed to avoid cables, work according to your schedule and even give your floors an extra clean during pollen or pet moulting season.
My home consists of three carpeted rooms, one tiled room and one room with wooden floorboards, giving the j7+ plenty to work with. While it has to be said that the suction power on this particular model isn’t very high, especially in comparison to the much more powerful Roomba S9+, it hasn’t seemed to stop it from doing what I need it to,” our tech writer Lauren wrote in her hands-on review.
While you will have to give it a few runs before it stops bumping into furniture, the vacuum’s navigation system is still better than most, allowing it to cruise around and dodge hazards such as cables with ease. The vacuum also does a great job of picking up dust and debris, making it ideal for everyday spot cleaning.
See Lauren’s full review here.
*Product was loaned by Ecovacs for a 100 per cent independent, honest review.
BEST ROBOTIC CLEANERS THAT VACUUM AND MOP
Ecovacs DEEBOT X1 OMNI Robot Vacuum and Mop, $1997 (down from $2499), Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
Want to use voice control but don’t have Amazon Alexa or Google Home? The DEEBOT X1 Omni uses the built-in YIKO Voice assistant as an alternative, which lets you direct the robot vac with commands like “start cleaning”, “clean kitchen” and “clean under the sofa”.
Other impressive features include its obvious stylish design quality build, powerful 5000pa suction power and the 3.2L dustbag capacity that can fit up to 60 days’ worth of dust and debris. The two-in-one robot cleaner also comes with an air freshener, helping leave your home looking and smelling fresh.
“The Ecovacs DEEBOT X1 OMNI Robotic Vacuum is incredible. Its easy to set up, intuitive to use with the app, and it does an excellent job,” a shopper posted on The Good Guys website.
“You can also create a 3D model of your house, complete with furniture so you can tell (yes, speak out loud) the vacuum what to do. But my favourite feature is the video feed. If I’m worried I left the windows open for example, I can use the video feed on the vacuum to check what's happening at home. Plus the house is clean when I get home. This vacuum has given me so much time back in my days. I’ve used it nearly every day and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.”
BEST ROBOT VACUUM FOR CARPET
Roborock S7 MaxV Plus Robot Vacuum and Sonic Mop with Auto-Empty Dock, $1499 (down from $2199), Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
While most other robot vacs need decent lighting to clean properly, the Roborock S7 Max Plus uses light 3D scanning to recognise the location and size of any obstacles and hazards, in both bright and dark or low light rooms. This 3D mapping support also lets you use the app to see where the appliance has been and any barriers it has faced along the way, allowing you to make sure the unit has tidied up where it needs to.
Other functions and features include real-time video call, sonic vibrating mop, multi-layer HEPA air filtration, washable E12 air filter and ScratchSafe wheels and brushes.
BEST ROBOT VACUUMS FOR SUCTION POWER
Roborock S8 Pro Ultra Robot Vacuum, $2699, Godfreys
What You Need To Know
This new Roborock release might be one of our top picks for best robot vacuum for suction power, as well as best multi-floor robot cleaner for carpet and hardwood floors. It’s feature rich with self-washing, self-drying, self-emptying and self-refilling functions, and other tidbits aiming to add convenience and reduce maintenance. These are also handy for keeping the appliance (and the clean) as hygienic as possible, preventing mould growth, bad smells and the risk of spreading dirt as it sweeps floors.
Unlike Roborock’s older models, the S8 Pro Ultra additionally packs new dual rubber brushes to improve suction and reduce hair tangles.
“The Roborock does everything it said it would and more,” praised a reviewer, rating it five stars.
“We had a basic robot vacuum which was great but the step up to a fully automated, self cleaning, mapping robot is next level. The cleaning is very thorough, it is easy to program and will virtually eliminate the need to vacuum manually!”
BEST BUDGET ROBOT VACUUMS
Eufy RoboVac G30 Verge, $495 (down from $499.95), Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
Forgot to turn the robot vacuum on? Eufy’s RoboVac G30 Verge can be controlled straight from your smartphone, and you can check where and when it cleans. Unlike some other models, this unit plans its way around using the Path Tracking Sensor and Smart Dynamic Navigation 2.0.
“Love that I can turn this machine on from my phone. I can be at work and turn (the) Eufy on so when I get home all the crumbs the kids dropped in the morning are picked up,” one happy shopper posted on The Good Guys website.
“Fantastic time saver product. (It) was difficult to set up but once set up it is amazing,” another wrote.
Eufy RoboVac 25C Boost IQ Robotic Vacuum, $319.20 (down from $399), Myer
What You Need To Know
Take care of the daily sweeping with Eufy’s RoboVac 25C Boost IQ Robotic Vacuum. It covers the basics with 1500Pa of suction power and 100-minute runtime. While this model does have voice control, you can alternatively control the unit by using the on-board buttons or the app.
“This has been a real game changer in our house. We have small children and this vac is absolutely perfect for maintaining a dust-free, sand-free, crumb-free floor in between big cleans. For a mid-range product, this ticks all the boxes for us,” praised a reviewer.
“Great machine. We have a dog that sheds on tiles and every morning we turn the RoboVac on and are amazed by the amount of hair and dirt it picks up. Should have bought it years ago,” a second shopper wrote.
Another reviewer simply described the robot vacuum as “easy to use”, “effective” and “a godsend with dog hair”.
BEST PREMIUM ROBOT VACUUM
Ecovacs T20 Omni Robot Vacuum Cleaner and Mop, $1649 (down from $1799), The Good Guys
Tried and Tested by Tahnee-Jae Lopez-Vito, Shopping Writer
Finally, there’s a robot cleaner that can vacuum and mop equally well. The Ecovacs T20 Omni cleaned up dried-in dirt from the kitchen tiles and made my floors look cleaner than when I tackle them myself. It doesn’t feel like you’re trying to make do with a decent vacuum and a lacklustre mop for the sake of convenience. Honestly, this is probably one robot cleaner I could trust to handle the whole house without needing to go over everything again with a stick vac.
The fact I can specifically command this robot vac to avoid carpets and rugs is another bonus and saved me from having to stop what I’m doing to untuck a rug from its wheels.
Read our in-depth review of the Ecovacs robot vacuum and mop here.
*Product was loaned by Ecovacs for a 100 per cent independent, honest review.
WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING A ROBOT VACUUM
How do you choose between the no-frills models and the ingenious mopping, auto-emptying and voice-activated robot vacs? Here are the factors to take into consideration when making your purchase.
Price
The cost of a robot vacuum can vary from the lower hundreds to the lower thousands. Keep in mind you don’t need to spend big to get a decent clean, according to Colin.
“If your home has all tiles and timber flooring then dirt on your floor will be collected by even the most basic robotic vacuum cleaner,” he said.
Battery runtime
A larger battery life will allow your robot vac to get through the whole house on a single charge, so consider that if you have a large space.
Capabilities
Your bog-standard robot vacuum can offer plain and simple suction cleaning, but fancier models offer mopping too – ideal for those with hard floors.
Dustbin capacity
For larger houses, a larger dustbin capacity is preferred, so you don’t have to empty it. Some models, like the Ecovacs DEEBOT T9+, also have auto-emptying functions on their charging bases, where they empty into a larger dustbin that you can dispose of at your convenience.
Smart features
Depending on your spend, you may get additional smart features with your vacuum that allow you to control it remotely via your phone, edit your floor map to choose where it can and can’t vacuum or mop, and even schedule cleans or spot clean specific areas.
Obstacle detection
It’s a good idea to read online reviews on how well a robot vac identifies objects, such as rugs, tables and stairs so you can prevent any potential damage to your furniture and vacuum. Having a model that works well on low-pile or high-pile rugs and carpet will also ensure the unit cleans the surface well and won’t get snag.
“Some models have laser auto mapping capabilities that will allow the unit to scan and analyse your home and automatically adjust to any avoidances in the room, however you can also let the unit know of these avoidances beforehand through app-generated robotic vacuums,” Colin said.
Self-emptying station
These can be convenient since the dustbin can automatically collect the dirt from the clean store it in a dust bag for several weeks, before it needs to be emptied. The dust bag is also often sealed to minimise any contact with the debris. The downside is that models with a self-emptying station are often pricier.
Size of area to be cleaned
“For medium to larger households, you may want to consider purchasing a robotic vacuum that has more features such as sweeping, vacuuming and mopping capabilities. These units with dual functionality are great for those families that have a larger space and perhaps young kids. There are always spills, so having the mopping functionality takes the pain away from having to bring out a large mop and bucket,” Colin recommended.
ARE ROBOT VACUUMS WORTH BUYING?
The hype around robot vacuums is certainly justified, especially if you’re planning on using the unit for daily cleans or want to give your stick vacuum a sibling to help with small tasks. They’re handy for busy households and ageing parents, as well as anyone who wants to make cleaning a little more convenient in a novel way. And while many robot vacs have similar features, each model has a different ‘specialty’ (e.g. strong suction power or mopping functionality) to suit a range of needs.
“The benefits of a robotic vacuum are that they require very minimal effort from the user. Simply switch on the unit and let the vacuum do the rest,” he said.
“However, it will not completely eliminate the need for a regular vacuum as it cannot reach areas such as behind appliances, vacuuming furniture or your curtains but for an everyday clean it is great.”
He also noted that robot vacuums take longer to clean an area compared to stick vacs and other types of vacuum cleaners.
HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU PAY FOR A ROBOT VACUUM?
Robot vacuums usually cost anywhere between $500 and $3,000. You can expect to fork out more for models with advanced features, including mopping functionality or some kind of ‘special’ mapping technology – although most retail for $1,500-$2,500.
You may also need to invest a little extra on accessories if you want to use certain perks, such as the self-emptying function which require an auto empty station.
HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN A ROBOT VACUUM?
The best part of having a robot vacuum is that they’re designed to be left unattended, which is why most models can be controlled remotely and scheduled to clean at your set times. But while robot vacs are intended to be hands free, there are a few things you can do to extend its lifespan and ensure the unit continues to clean efficiently.
- Check the brushes for hair and anything else lodged inside. You would be surprised by what (and how much) can actually be sucked up.
- Regularly empty the robot vacuum to prevent any clogging – if you have an self-emptying model, the unit will automatically transfer the dust and debris into the dust bag.
- Clean the main brush, side brushes and filters. Some of these are washable, while most can be dusted off with an old toothbrush.
- Keep an eye on the wear and tear on your motor – some apps like the Ecovacs app display the health of different parts, so you can keep track of what needs to be replaced and when.
- Carefully wipe the sensors with a dry cloth or cotton bud.
- Make sure the software on your robot vac is updated. You can double check via the app settings.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU RUN A ROBOT VACUUM?
Colin says this is totally a matter of personal preference, especially since robotic vacuums work autonomously and most come with smart scheduling and auto clean functions.
“These vacuums use AI technology and are able to map out the floor plan of your home and clean without any interruptions and when they are finished, the units will automatically return back to their charging port.”
Although online reviews (and our team’s own experiences) suggest robot vacuums generally work better when they’re used daily or every couple of days, or occasionally for smaller sweeps. This prevents big chunks of hair or dust getting tangled inside the brushes, which will likely require you to scoop the dirt out manually more frequently – and no one likes getting their hands dirty, especially when robot vacs are designed to make the chore (mostly) hands-free.
DO ROBOT VACUUMS CLEAN CORNERS?
Robot vacuums can target edges and corners surprisingly well, considering majority of the models have a round build. Some brands pay extra attention with specially designed bristles, like iRobot’s Edge-Sweeping Brush. Other manufacturers alter the shape of the unit itself.
Looking for more gadgets to convert your place into a smart home? Check out our roundups of the best smart speakers, best smart locks, best streaming devices, and best home security cameras.
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Originally published as 9 best robot vacuums 2023 | Top-rated vacuum cleaners
Read related topics:Best Of: CleaningncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7HWrGWcp51jrrZ7wqGcnKOfqsFwtM6mnGaZnpl6qK3RnZynZ5OhsqK6yKeeaKqfl7y1edWamq6tnah8o7HSrWSrp5KkwW7CwJysrqVfo7K4v4ysq6iqqWR%2FcX6UaZufnmlusnh8kZydbmlia4OihMSecGmeYm2CeA%3D%3D