We all hate hoovering, so why not get a robot to do it? Allow our favourite robot vacuums to take care of it all
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If there’s one thing we adore about smart home gadgets, it's that they make our lives easier. Whether it’s automatically turning on the thermostat when we get home from a long day, or firing up our favourite tunes on a smart speaker, there's nothing better than uttering a quick voice command and having your whole home responding to your every whim. Completing chores is also no longer the arduous task it once was, and while we would absolutely love it if there was a robot that folds our clothes and packs them in the wardrobe neatly, the one device we can definitely get on board with is a robot vacuum cleaner.
But what is a robot vac and how do they differ from a traditional vacuum cleaner? This mostly comes down to a typically compact size and how well they interact with your smart home devices (are all cordless and bagless to boot), but the key thing you need to know is that you won’t need to physically push anything around your home to mop up dust, pet hair or allergens, and rogue mud stains.
You might remember when Roomba’s stormed the home maintenance world and saved tired house cleaners a job with the wonders of wireless hoovering, but since then the technical wizardry has improved dramatically. Now, these smart devices can be set up to roam specific rooms on schedules, scan the floor for potential obstacles, and pop themselves back in their docking station when they are done. They even have months-long battery lives and larger storage bags so you don’t have to keep topping it up or clearing it out every few weeks. Do we need to go on?
What is the best robot vacuum cleaner to buy?
The best robot vacuum cleaner we've used, the X9 Pro excels at vacuuming and mopping, capable of doing both or either, depending on the surface it's on. Superb navigation skills (aided by the latest tech) wins it bonus points, as does its charging station which automatically cleans the mop heads. The battery life is near-unbeatable, too.
Probably the most attractive robot vacuum we've used to date, the j9+ nails everything. Superb, powerful performance from both the suction and dual-mop front, combined with smart navigational skills and self-emptying tricks make for the complete package. Definitely one to splurge on if you want to treat yourself to one of the best options around.
One of the best bang-for-buck models around, you're getting a self-emptying robot vacuum here, with the capability to mop as well. Throw in laser-guided navigation and one of the cheapest asking prices we've seen, and this could be the answer to your easy-cleaning dreams.
Our full guide to the best robot vacuum cleaners is below, but if you're after a quick taste, we've got you covered…
- Best premium robot vacuum cleaner with mop: iRobot Roomba Combo j9+, £1,249
- Best overall robot vacuum cleaner: Eufy Clean X9 Pro, £899
- Best budget robot vacuum cleaner with mop: Proscenic M9, £299
- Best self-emptying robot vacuum cleaner: Samsung Jet Bot AI+, £1,299
- Best-looking robot vacuum cleaner: Miele RX3 Scout, £899
How do robot vacuums work?
The best robot vacuum cleaners are essentially exactly what you'd expect — small, battery-powered vacuum cleaners that use tread mechanisms and/or wheels to scoot around your home with nothing but dust-sucking on their mind.
How do you charge robot vacuums?
Most, if not all robot vacuums are clever enough to return to their charging station for a battery top-up. Think of it like a kennel, but for your vacuum.
How do you empty a robot vacuum?
The best robot vacuum cleaners tend to have a self-emptying feature that automatically empties their small capacity onboard dustbins into a large sealed dust bag that's in the charging station itself. This means you can go a month or more without ever having to empty anything. Models without this functionality are still easy to empty though, normally just by removing a built-in dustbin and opening it over the bin.
How do you control a robot vacuum?
Their biggest selling point is that they control themselves. For the most part. If you get a good robot vacuum, you should be able to let it do its thing without much intervention, although some models also feature a manual remote control mode. If their sensors are good enough (and they should be), then they can avoid obstacles and collisions automatically.
Can robot vacuums clean stairs?
Unfortunately, much like Dalek's stairs are the mortal enemy of robot vacuums. We imagine there are some very clever engineers working on sol.ving that problem though, and we can't wait to see their future efforts come to fruition.
Shop GQ's full edit of the best robot vacuums for 2024…
iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ Robot Vacuum and Mop
1/7iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ Robot Vacuum and Mop
Pros: Beautifully-designed charging dock | Impressive cleaning power | Prioritises dirtier rooms
Cons: Pricey- Capacity: N/A (onboard) / Charging station holds up to 60 days’ worth of debris
- Battery life: 120 mins
- Mop feature: Yes
The Combo j9+ is, hands down, one of the most handsome robot vacuum cleaner packages we’ve seen to date. Its Auto-Fill Dock charging station has an attractive wooden finish on top which, coupled with its black build and horizontal line detailing, makes for a household appliance that we’re more than happy to have on full display. While we’ve tried to hide away some of the other robot vacuums we’ve tested due to their more utilitarian looks, we have no problem with the j9+ occupying our kitchen/diner, making it one of our best-buys for its aesthetics alone.
It’s no slouch when it comes to performance either — it’s the company’s most powerful robot vacuum and mop released so far, with features like Wi-Fi connectivity and a SmartScrub mode (with consistent pressure and 2x deeper scrubbing) to put an end to stubborn grimy stains. Its clever Dirt Detective function also learns from past cleaning missions, prioritising dirtier rooms and adjusting its settings and power accordingly. Its slick charging station empties debris for up to 60 days (while the water tank refills the vacuum’s liquid for up to 30 days), which makes for hassle-free operation — especially combined with its generous runtime.
It can raise and lower its mop head automatically when it leaves hard floor terrain, avoiding getting your precious pile carpets and rugs wet, and it’ll even play nice with smart assistants like Amazon Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant, for an added touch of hands-free luxury. Advanced navigation means it’ll easily avoid obstacles as well (including any stray pet waste for pet owners), and it can build a tailored floor plan of your home faster than ever, while overlapping cleaning passes ensure that nothing is missed.
Throw in a plethora of cleaning modes, customisable cleaning schedules and an overall cleaning performance that will pick up practically every spec of dust across all floor types, and you’ve got yourself one of the best robot vacuums money can buy…with a suitably premium price tag to match.
Proscenic M9 Robot Vacuum Cleaner with Mop
2/7Proscenic M9 Robot Vacuum Cleaner with Mop
Pros: Well-designed | Smart mapping | Top pick for those after bang for buck
Cons: None at this price
- Capacity: 2.5l (onboard)
- Battery life: 250 mins
- Mop feature: Yes
The Proscenic M9 isn’t the cheapest robot vacuum out there, but it offers an incredible array of features that match rivals that cost considerably more, which makes its price tag very palatable for those still after a premium experience. Its main draw (apart from a rather attractive design) is its dual vacuum/mop functionality, which covers all floor cleaning bases. From medium-pile and low-pile carpets, to underneath sofas (courtesy of its low profile), it can tackle almost anything a regular vacuum can, all on its own accord.
Its dual pressurized rotating mops operate at an impressive speed of 120 rotations per minute, tackling tricky stains like coffee and protein shakes with gusto and ease. If that wasn’t enough, it also goes the extra mile by emptying itself after returning to its cleaning station, which has a built-in UV-sterilised dustbag that can hold up to 60 days of dirt and debris at a time.
Advanced navigation is taken care of by a LiDAR 5.0 mapping system, powered by 27 sensors to easily navigate around obstacles. Enhances 4,500Pa suction makes quick work out of any debris fed to it by its sturdy rotating side brushes, and smart assistant compatibility is another welcome bonus. Throw in customisable no-go zones, virtual walls, schedule cleanings, and the ability to store up to five smart maps, the M9 nails practically everything, for a very decent price.
Eufy Clean X9 Pro
3/7Eufy Clean X9 Pro
Pros: Mops as well as vacuums | Charging station self-cleans mops | Superb navigation skills
Cons: Pricey | Dustbin requires manual emptying- Capacity: 0.41l (onboard)
- Battery life: Up to 240 mins
- Mop feature: Yes
Easily one of the best robot vacuum cleaners we've ever had the pleasure of testing, the Clean X9 Pro Eufy Robovac is everything a serving automaton should be — quick, reliable, powerful, and trustworthy enough to crack on with the task at hand without the need to babysit it, with a HEPA filter to boot.
Its navigational prowess is, in part, due to Eufy's clever iPath laser system, which allows it to map out your entire home near-instantly on its travels, avoiding obstacles and even traversing over 2cm-thick thresholds and rugs without a problem. As with most of its rivals, you can also set no-go zones too.
And while its vacuum is powerful, it's its ability to mop your floors with 1kg of pressure that'll really blow your mind. You can customise how much water and suction is used per run, but we've happily whacked both onto max for the best clean possible. Not only that, but it's clever enough to detect the surface it's on, raising the mops when it's over soft surfaces like carpet. You can also create manual no-mop zones if you fancy.
The best part, though, is the fact that its charging station completely rinses the mop heads clean when finished, and also in between longer cleans to ensure that dirty water isn't being spread around your floors. A truly impressive, life-changing bit of kit, especially when you throw Alexa and Google Assistant voice control and a class-leading battery into the mix too.
Samsung Jet Bot AI+
4/7Samsung Jet Bot AI+
Pros: White finish| Huge self-emptying bag capacity | Can be controlled remotely (with camera feed)
Cons: Expensive- Capacity: 0.2l (onboard)
- Battery life: Up to 90 mins
- Mop feature: No
If you're a fan of white tech, then you might as well stop reading here, because Samsung's white roboknight is the dust-sucking saviour of your dreams.
Looks aside, it's a very capable machine, with powerful suction, plenty of sensors and object-detection smarts, and special anti-hair brush heads for convenience.
Maintenance is a doddle too, as its dustbin is automatically emptied at the charging station, meaning you'll only have to empty it every one to three months, depending on use. Its dustbin is fully washable as well, for added hygienic convenience.
Paired with the smartphone app, you can control it remotely and even use the built-in camera to keep an eye on your furry companions while you're away from home.
Proscenic X1
5/7Proscenic X1
Pros: Affordable | Mop functionality | Self-emptying
Cons: Battery life not the best- Capacity: 2.5l (charging station)
- Battery life: N/A
- Mop feature: No
Despite being the most affordable option on our list, the X1 manages to cram in a substantial amount of features, making it one of the best affordable robot vacuums choices.
Laser-assisted navigation? Check. Self-emptying dustbin (with a total of 2.5 litres in the charging station)? Check. Built-in mop? Check. Alexa support? Check.
It's a staggering feature set for the price, which explains its highly-rated reviews. Its weakest area, if anything, appears to be its smaller capacity battery, which users state lasts around half an hour before needing a charge.
Still, the whole point of a robot vacuum is to let it crack on with its job while you're out and about, so a few recharges mid-clean here and there shouldn't be too much of an issue, especially considering the bang for your buck it offers.
iRobot Roomba s9+
6/7iRobot Roomba s9+
Pros: Slick design | Clewver spot-clean functionality | Self-emptying dustbin
Cons: No mop- Capacity: 0.4l (onboard)
- Battery life: Up to 120 mins
- Mop feature: No
The s9+ is one of the best-looking robot vacuum cleaners around, thanks to its sleek black/light copper paint job. And while functionality is obviously more important, if you're going to have a robot trundling around at home, it might as well be a looker.
More than just a pretty face, it has plenty of tricks to bring the fight to rivals, including a clever spot-clean feature. If your little one has had a rather boisterous time with a pack of dry Weetabix, for example, a simple “Roomba, clean under the kitchen table” voice command with a Google Assistant or Alexa device is all it takes for the s9+ to rush out and take care of business.
Capable of emptying its own dustbin at its charging station, you won't need to worry about emptying it for up to 60 days. With oodles of suction power and wide brushes for edge-to-edge cleaning, there's a reason why Roomba's entry is one of the most recommended robot vacuums around.
Miele RX3 Scout
7/7Miele RX3 Scout
Pros: Premium design | Camera can be used to keep an eye on things remotely | Long battery life
Cons: Pricey | No extra mop functionality- Capacity: 0.4l (onboard)
- Battery life: Up to 120 mins
- Mop feature: No
Rose Gold Pearl is the sort of description you'd expect to read at a jeweller. Or, at the very least, when you're choosing the colour of your next iPhone. But no, it is, in fact, the official colour designation for Miele's entry, which nicely sets an air of premium expectation.
Given Miele's reputation, we'd expect nothing less, and the RX3 scout is well-equipped for its purpose. Two huge rotating sweepers show dust and debris no mercy, while 3D smart navigation takes care of terrain traversal and obstacle avoidance.
A 120-minute battery life is one of the best around too, while the Scout part of its name refers to its ability to let you remotely keep an eye on your house while you're away, courtesy of a built-in camera. Please give Mrfu Meowgi our regards.
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