I tested the best robot vacuum cleaners against crumbs, wet messes and pet hair – these are the 6 models that came out on top
These models from Eufy, Shark, Dyson and more convinced me that hands-free cleaning is worth it
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This guide to the best robot vacuum cleaners was written by Ideal Home's Certified Expert for Vacuums, Lauren Bradbury, with contributions from our dedicated product testers.
Imagine this: you wake up in the morning or come home from work, and your floors are spotless. The best bit? You didn't have to lift a finger! This is one of the many reasons why robot vacuum cleaners are more popular than ever, and why I (a former robot vacuum sceptic) have been fully converted to this hands-free cleaning appliance.
But as Ideal Home's Certified Expert in Vacuums, I understand that buying a robot vacuum cleaner isn't the same as buying one of the best vacuums or even one of the best vacuum mops. For many people, these modern, robotic inventions are still a confusing unknown - which is where I come in.
My team and I have spent hundreds of hours testing the best robot vacuum cleaners out there, assessing everything from ease of use, navigation skills, overall cleaning power, obstacle avoidance and more, to break down the jargon and help you choose the best option for you and your home. Below are the models that converted me, and everything you need to know about them.
Quick list
Short on time but still want to choose the best robot vacuum cleaner? This quick list will give you a brief overview of each of my top-rated models, with more information just a scroll away.
Best robot vacuum cleaner overall
This Eufy offering is my top-rated model, as it's a great all-rounder that'll suit every home. With 20,000Pa of suction it's not the most powerful model we've tested on paper, but it's more than enough for everyday (and even much larger) messes. The rotating brush rollers, coupled with the cleaning solution, also leave hard floors squeaky clean. The smart docking station means it's very hands-off, too.
Best budget robot vacuum cleaner
If your budget is a little tighter, or you're looking for an entry-level robot vacuum cleaner and mop to ease you into the hands-free world, I'd recommend the Hoover HG2 Turbo Slim Hydro Robot Vacuum Cleaner. You can buy it with or without a docking station, and while it's not the most powerful at only 5,000Pa of suction, it's enough for a light vacuum or mop.
Best robot vacuum for mopping
If you have a lot of hard flooring and want a robot vacuum and mop that'll leave them sparkling, this Roborock model comes with a rotating mop roller that continuously washes your floors with clean water - and it even has a carpet shield to make sure your carpets don't get wet. The 35,000Pa of suction power also tackles everyday dry debris and hair with ease. Plus, it's one of the most attractive models I've tested.
Best robot vacuum for everyday use
Ridiculously easy to use and convenient for everyday use, this Shark robot vacuum cleaner was made for hands-off, convenient cleaning. The app is super simple, and the eight PowerDetect technologies mean it's incredibly smart and effective. Plus, the UV detection tackles invisible stains with ease. Just be warned that it doesn't have multi-room mapping.
Best robot vacuum for spot cleaning
Dyson's newest robot vacuum has been kitted out with impressive AI technology, allowing it to detect stains and hidden dirt for more targeted spot cleaning. Cluttered homes will also benefit from its obstacle detection, which means it can identify (and avoid) over 190 objects. The 18,000Pa of suction power is also above-average - but so is the size and the price.
Best robot vac for homes with pets
It may be an under-the-radar brand, but MOVA's P50 Pro Ultra Robot Vacuum ticks a lot of boxes. It's affordable, offers impressive mopping power, and handles pet hair and pet movement with the care and attention you want as an animal lover. The 19,000Pa of suction and extendable side brushes are also a massive plus.
The best robot vacuum cleaners 2026
Best robot vacuum cleaner overall
The Eufy Robot Vacuum Omni E25 seriously impressed me during testing as an effective, easy-to-use all-rounder. With 20,000 Pascals (Pa) of suction power, it's not the most powerful model on this list, but I found it to be the Goldlilocks level for everyday vacuuming - and even the cleaning of targeted, larger messes.
As a robot vacuum mop combo, it also features an effective rotating mop roller that provides impressive and hygienic cleaning of hard floors throughout the home. And during testing, it effectively removed tomato sauce from my laminate flooring in a single pass.
The dual water tanks (clean and dirty) also ensure that you're only ever cleaning with fresh, clean water, and the 3L dust bag - which you'll need to buy replacements of, sadly - can hold up to 75 days’ worth of debris. Additionally, the docking station utilises heated air to dry the roller mop after use, preventing odour or bacterial build-up. As a result, maintenance is minimal, contributing to the hands-off nature of the robot vacuum cleaner and mop.
And while it's not the cheapest robot vacuum cleaner and mop on this list, it's also nowhere near the most expensive. In fact, for such a well-rounded model, I think it's well worth the investment. But if it's still too expensive for you, we have tested a cheaper Eufy robot vacuum - the Omni C28. It's not as powerful or as effective, but it is more affordable.
Read my full Eufy Robot Vacuum Omni E25 review for more details
Best budget robot vacuum cleaner
If you're looking for an affordable robot vacuum cleaner, the Hoover HG2 Turbo Slim Hydro Robot Vacuum Cleaner should tick all of your boxes. While I wouldn't recommend it for those who have bought robot vacuum cleaners in the past (although I do think it would make a great second robot vacuum), it's the ideal entry-level model for those looking to dip their toes into the water.
In use, the 5,000Pa of suction power was more than enough to tackle light debris on both the hard flooring and the carpets in my home. And while it's never going to be as effective as a robot vacuum with higher suction power (the small amount of flour left behind during my debris test was proof of that), I found it ideal for quick in-between cleans when I didn't want to use my regular vacuum cleaner.
With such an affordable model, though, you're always going to have to make some sacrifices. And while I'm not overly messy or have kids throwing their toys all over the floor, I still found that the Hoover HG2 struggled with the obstacles in my home. Naturally, the buffer bar took most of the hits, but this is something to consider if you have a busy home and don't want to declutter regularly.
I also found that the navigation system was a bit more higgledy-piggledy than the likes of more advanced models like the Roborock Qrevo Edge 2 Flow Robot Vacuum - but, ultimately, you can't really expect too much with the super affordable £270 price point. You can also pay a bit extra and buy the model that comes with the docking station if you want to make it even more hands-free (at a slightly higher cost).
Read my full Hoover HG2 Turbo Slim Hydro Robot Vacuum Cleaner review for more details
Best robot vacuum for mopping
If you have a mix of hard flooring and carpets in your home and want a thorough clean, the Roborock Qrevo Edge 2 Flow Robot Vacuum is definitely worth considering. The app features and overall capabilities are similar to the Roborock Saros 20 Robot Vacuum and the Roborock QV 35S, but this one looks sleeker and offers one big difference: it uses a rotating mop roller rather than mop pads.
After testing all three, I can confidently say the roller is far superior to mop pads, and my hard floors were sparkling at the end of each vacuum-and-mop session. However, be warned that, for some reason, there's no mop-only mode.
With 35,000Pa of suction power, this is also one of the most powerful robot vacuum cleaners on the market today. And this cleaning power proved its worth during testing, tackling everything from smaller debris to larger debris with ease on all floor types.
The navigation system of this particular robot vacuum cleaner was also excellent, offering clear, confident cleaning lines that are a credit to the smart technology and features that this model offers - and the extendable roller and side brushes meant that it also cleaned right up to the edges of rooms and cabinets.
The hands-off dock also charges, empties, refills, and dries all of the relevant components, so it's always ready to go again. It's near-perfect, and while the app takes some getting used to, the ability to customise so many features is a major bonus for those who truly want to get the most out of their robot vacuum-mop combo. I would just suggest buying some detergent, which, sadly, isn't included.
Read my full Roborock Qrevo Edge 2 Flow Robot Vacuum review for more details
Best robot vacuum cleaner for everyday use
I'm a huge fan of the best Shark vacuum cleaners, and the Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal 2-in-1 Vac & Mop Robot Vacuum is another model to add to that list. It's even better than the Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch Robot Vacuum and Mop I first tested last year.
Not only is this Shark’s first robot with UV light to reveal invisible messes, but it will then clean those invisible messes with the HyperSonic Mopping - and it's very illuminating (in more ways than one). When I tested this model for the first time, its UV technology found four stains that weren't visible to the eye, and I had absolutely no idea that they were there.
Because of this, the Shark UV reveal offers a confident clean - especially when you add on the 8 PowerDetect technologies that allow it to detect floor type and debris, automatically pick up the mop pad, detect objects and more. And during the debris and wet debris tests, it performed excellently and removed everything in just 1-2 passes.
However, my favourite thing about this model is just how easy it is to use - and this is true for all of Shark's robot vacuums. The app couldn't be simpler, and even the bot and dock have instructions on them, so it's quite literally impossible to go wrong.
Just be warned that this Shark robot vacuum cleaner doesn't support multi-floor mapping, so you'll only be able to save one map (either upstairs or downstairs). If you want to clean both, or more, floors, you'll need to either buy another robot vacuum or just let it loose without any map or structure to follow.
Read my full Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal 2-in-1 Vac & Mop Robot Vacuum review for more details.
Best robot vacuum cleaner for spot cleaning
It's been a few years since Dyson first launched their older robot vacuum cleaner, the 360 Vis Nav - and it's fair to say that this new model is a huge improvement. Not only does this new robot vacuum now offer mopping functionalities, but it's also equipped with advanced AI technology to aid cleaning and navigation.
This model is currently being tested by our Senior Digital Editor, Jenny, in her busy family home - and she's been impressed by its cleaning ability, especially when it comes to stubborn stains. She says, 'What stood out for me with the Dyson Spot + Scrub AI is that it actually scrubs my floors properly rather than just giving them a once-over, using its wet-roller to go back over tougher marks until they're virtually gone (bar a few more stubborn marks).'
The 18,000Pa of suction power puts it almost at the same level as our top-rated model, the Eufy Omni E25, and Jenny has found that it can easily pick up everyday crumbs and debris in a single pass. Plus, the obstacle avoidance has been able to detect (and traverse) the toys and everyday objects in its path.
However, the Dyson Spot+Scrub isn't perfect. It's at the seriously expensive end of the spectrum, and it'll primarily suit larger homes due to the fact that both bot itself and the docking station are extremely big and bulky.
Jenny has also noted that the app can be a little buggy and difficult to use, so if you definitely need an easy-to-use robot vacuum, I'd suggest opting for the Shark PowerDetect NeverChange model instead as it's a doddle to navigate.
Our full Dyson Spot+Scrub AI Robot Vacuum Cleaner review will be coming soon.
Best robot vacuum cleaner for homes with pets
The best vacuum cleaners for pet hair can help when you want to get hands-on, but many robot vacuums also offer hands-free hair pickup - and the MOVA P50 Pro Ultra Robot Vacuum seriously impressed our tester, Caroline, who is also a proud cat mum.
The 19,000Pa of suction power, coupled with anti-tangle brushes, meant it tackled everyday debris and cat hair on hard flooring with ease, and the mopping function left it sparkling. She did mention that it wasn't as effective on thicker carpets and rugs, though.
The model's pets-in-the-home setting also proved worthwhile during testing. When it detected her cat nearby during its cleaning cycle, it upped the ante by being more cautious and even capturing animated GIFs of her cat while it continued cleaning.
Even without this turned on, she felt confident in the model's smart navigation that detected and avoided obstacles in her home to reduce any chances of it bumping into her furniture - or her cat. If anything, it was overly cautious and took a wider berth than it perhaps needed to.
All in all, though, she was seriously impressed with this under-the-radar brand and was particularly enamoured with its mopping ability. Plus, the dock could do most of the maintenance for her.
Read our full MOVA P50 Pro Ultra Robot Vacuum for more details
Robot vacuum comparison at a glance
Model |
Price |
Suction power |
Run time |
Charge time |
£899.99 |
20,000Pa |
216 mins (vacuum only), 125 mins (vacuum and mop) |
5-6 hours |
|
£269 |
5,000Pa |
160 minutes |
5 hours |
|
£799 |
35,000Pa |
240 mins |
4 hours |
|
Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal 2-in-1 Vac & Mop Robot Vacuum RV3000XEUK |
£999.99 |
N/A |
180 mins |
4 hours |
£1049.99 |
18,000Pa |
200 mins |
3 hours |
|
£439 |
19,000Pa |
210 mins |
3.5 hours |
Best of the rest
The Ideal Home team and I have tested countless robot vacuum cleaners and robot vacuum cleaners and mops. So, if one of the options above doesn't quite meet your criteria, these are some other options I'd recommend.
How I tested
We take our testing at Ideal Home very seriously, which is why we have a team of Certified Experts. Each Certified Expert is in charge of their own section - for example, Kitchen Appliances - and spends months developing the testing methodology and guidelines for their dedicated section.
As Ideal Home's Certified Expert in Vacuums and Floorcare, I created our testing methodology to help my team and I rate each robot vacuum fairly and consistently.
In brief, we assess the following. For more detail, you can read a full explainer of our robot vacuum cleaner testing methodology.
- Unboxing and setting-up
- Ease of use
- Debris pickup
- Mopping ability (if applicable)
- Obstacle detection and avoidance
- Cleaning and maintenance
- Customer reviews
- Model comparisons
How to choose a robot vacuum cleaner
If you're looking to buy a robot vacuum cleaner - whether it be your first one or a replacement for an old one - there are some things to consider first. This includes:
- Robot vacuum vs robot vacuum mop combo: If you have a mix of hard floors and carpets, a robot vacuum that also mops is well worth the investment. However, it may not be worth it if your home has mostly carpets and rugs.
- Suction power: Although the average robot vacuum suction power of around 6,000Pa should be more than enough for quick, everyday cleaning, many modern robot vacuum cleaners and mops can offer up to (and sometimes more than) 40,000Pa. These generally come with a higher price tag, but are well worth it if you have a high-traffic house or want to ensure a deep clean.
- Docking station vs no docking station: Many of the best robot vacuums now come with docking stations that automatically empty the appliance as soon as it's finished. For robot vacuum mops, it'll likely auto-fill the water and dry the mop out afterwards. This can be extremely handy for hands-free cleaning. However, docking stations take up a lot of space and can be very heavy, so make sure you have room in your house.
- Multi-floor mapping: Some robot vacuums let you save only one map of your home (ideal for flats and bungalows but not larger homes), while others let you save multiple maps for different rooms and floors. It's worth weighing up how many you'll need before purchasing a robot vacuum.
- Cleaning and app functionality: Robot vacuums are controlled by apps that let you customise your cleaning settings. Assess your home environment and decide what matters most to you. Do you share a home with pets and value suction power and anti-tangle technology? Do you have a busy family home and require better obstacle avoidance? Look at each model's specs and read reviews to determine who it's aimed at.
FAQs
When is the best time to buy a robot vacuum?
The best robot vacuum cleaners are a game-changer, but there's no denying that they're an investment. Because of this, knowing the best time to buy a robot vacuum can save you some serious money.
And while robot vacuum cleaners are available to buy year-round, they're typically cheaper than ever during huge peak sales events such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and smaller events such as Amazon Prime Day. These events typically focus on smart tech and home appliances, meaning you can often grab up to 50% off robot vacuums.
Occasionally, retailers will also offer sporadic deals throughout the year, but if you want to guarantee impressive savings, it's best to wait for these big sales events to invest.
Is it worth buying a robot vacuum cleaner?
The best robot vacuum cleaners and robot vacuum mops offer hands-free cleaning that many people find to be a valuable addition to their cleaning routine. After all, you can set your robot vacuum cleaner to clean your floors while you're at the office, walking the dog, sleeping, or watching TV, so you don't have to do the work yourself.
You can also choose from several options, including a vacuum-only robot vacuum or a robot vacuum mop that doubles as one of the best mops for wet cleaning your floors. Because of this, they are hugely popular - and becoming even more popular as the technology advances.
However, it's important to note that a robot vacuum will never completely replace a vacuum cleaner, since these appliances can't reach smaller nooks and crannies. They also require some prep work, since you need to declutter before using a robot vacuum to get the best results.
What are the negatives of robot vacuums?
The biggest negative of a robot vacuum cleaner is the price, as you can spend up to £1,000 for a high-quality, powerful robot vacuum cleaner. Of course, you can buy cheaper robot vacuum cleaners for around £300, but you will have to sacrifice cleaning power and special features for this budget price. Because of this, you need to be certain that you'll use it before shelling out on one.
Another disadvantage is that they're not entirely hands-free. If they get stuck, they'll need saving. If you don't have an auto-empty docking station, you'll need to empty it. And if you have one of the best robot vacuum mops, you'll also need to keep the water tank topped up.
However, the positives of robot vacuum cleaners definitely outweigh the negatives.
What is the life expectancy of a robot vacuum?
Generally, you can expect one of the best robot vacuum cleaners to last anywhere between 4 to 7 years - but the actual number will depend on a few things, including:
- The quality of robot vacuum cleaner you buy. Expensive models from established brands should last longer, while cheaper models from less-established brands will normally not last as long.
- How often you use it. If you use your robot vacuum cleaner multiple times a day in high-traffic areas, you'll find that it won't last as long as someone else who uses it every other day in a quiet home.
- How well you take care of it. If you don't regularly empty your robot vacuum cleaner, clean the filter or follow the other cleaning and maintenance requirements, you'll find that the life expectancy will drop and it may keep stopping during use.