When it comes to household chores, a little help is always appreciated. Cue robotic vacuum cleaners.
These autonomous machines are built to pick up debris of all sorts, including crumbs and pet hair, maneuvering through hard-to-reach places like under the sofa or the bed. But not all robotic vacuums are created equal. And the efficiency of a robotic vacuum can differ depending on the primary type of flooring in your home.
In our robotic vacuum lab, we measure how well each model is able to remove surface debris from bare floors (hardwood and laminate). We also gauge each one’s ability to navigate the nooks and crannies of a room, as well as how adequately it cleans the edges and corners. It’s worth noting that even those robotic vacuums earning high marks don’t quite stand up to the power of upright or canister vacuums. But they’re still a great option for pickups in between full vacuum sessions.
Here, listed in alphabetical order, are the standouts from CR’s rigorous robotic vacuum tests based on performance on hardwood and bare floors. For complete test results and even more options, CR members can see our robotic vacuum ratings, and anyone can check out our vacuum cleaner buying guide to learn more about how robotic vacuums compare with other types of vacuum cleaners.
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