The Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo is the best all-in-one robot vacuum solution. It has the highest maximum suction of any robot vacuum in this ranking (11,000Pa – matching the maximum we see on any robot vacuum).

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.

✔️ Attachments: The handy attachments that come along with your vacuum are equally important. A motorized power nozzle can help you clean carpets and rugs more efficiently, while a crevice tool can help you reach tough spots that tend to collect dust, such as behind a couch or dresser.

Over the past 10 years, we've tested dozens of robot vacuums, both by performing objective tests as well as real-world setups. Each model we review is first evaluated to see how well it can pick up three types of debris. We measure out 20 grams of Cheerios, 20 grams of kitty litter, and 20 grams of pet hair. Next, we scatter each individually across a hardwood floor, and then weigh the contents of the robot vacuum's dustbin to see how much of each it picked up. We then repeat the same three tests on a low-pile carpet. Afterwards, the robot vacuum receives a cleaning performance score, which is the percentage of debris it was able to collect. After we record each robot vacuum's scores, we let these machines loose in our tester’s home Top 3 Automatic Vacuum Cleaners to see how each holds up in terms of navigation, obstacle avoidance, and coverage in real-world testing.

Who it's best for: This model is a great choice if your floors are mostly wood or laminate, thanks to its large parquet floor brush that safely and thoroughly cleans the cracks and crevices of hardwood floors.

To minimize odors, the disposable dust bag and sealed system keep unwanted debris from escaping while cleaning and the HEPA filter on the exhaust traps microscopic particles for those with allergies.

If you have shedding pets and carpet, look for models with higher suction power (5,000Pa or ideally more), and a boost/Em excesso suction mode option. Models with rubbery brushrolls are also typically good at gripping hair.

So if you just want a capable robot vacuum and are happy to empty it yourself, you'll be able to shop mostly in the budget and lower mid-range brackets.

The j7+ comes with a cleaning base which is hard to fault. It can hold up to 60 days of debris and looks easy on the eye compared to other bases — plus it’s more compact too.

Plus, when the battery is running low, the vacuum returns to its charging base, empties into a sealed large-capacity bag for mess-free disposal and resumes cleaning where it left off.

A big bin means you don’t need to empty it as often. The largest I’ve seen is 800ml, but anything over 500ml is decent. With many bots now pulling double duty as mopping robots, plus the popularity of self-empty dock / charging bases, it’s getting harder to find small robot vacs with big bins.

If you have a lot of carpet in your bedrooms, an upright vacuum cleaner or canister with a rotating brush roll will do the best job, whereas a vacuum cleaner with soft bristles or a brush roll that can be turned off is better suited for hardwood floors.

The app is easy to use and functions well. Our reviewer was also very impressed with the mapping – the X10 accurately mapped their apartment on its first exploratory outing – as well as the navigation and obstacle avoidance.

To assess object avoidance, we lay out a charge cable, a sock that's a similar color to the floor, and some fake pet poop, to see if it can reliably spot and avoid them.