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3 THE best robot vacuum cleaners can suck up pet hair, mop and clean hard floors even better than some cordless vacuum cleaners.
Dyson, Roomba and Eufy are just a few of the brands in 2024 that can help you clean your home and eliminate pet waste.
Aaron DowlerWe’ve tested a number of the best robot vacuums from Eufy, Roomba and Dyson[/caption]
Robot vacuums on Amazon
Plus, robot vacs are way easier to use than you think as they start and end each clean by returning to the docking station to recharge, replacing the need to store traditional vacuums away.
A well-chosen robot vacuum might not necessarily replace your old-school vacuum altogether – but it’s sure to reduce its usage.
Not sure which to pick or how much to spend? We’ve put several leading robot vacuums and mops to the test.
The Sun’s Shopping team has tested these handy vacs on hard floors and carpets, and in busy homes with a variety of challenges (think dogs and children) to contend with.
Read on for our tried-and-tested pick of the best robot vacuum cleaners.
Best robot vacuum cleaners at a glance:
Best overall robot vacuum cleaner: iRobot Roomba Combo j5+ Best budget robot vacuum cleaner: Eufy Robovac G30 Best vacuum for pet hair: Eufy Robovac X8 Best combo mop and vacuum: iRobot Roomba i5+6 best robot vacuum cleaners
iRobot Roomba Combo j5+, £849
Clara WolseyThe Roomba Combo j5+ is a pricy robot vacuum, but it’s also one of the slimmest on the market[/caption]
iRobot Roomba j5+, £849
Pros: Robot vacuum offers powerful vacuuming and mopping functions, easy set-up, self-emptying, pet function
Cons: Loud when emptying bin, expensive price
Rating: 4/5
You’d be silly not to include industry-leading iRobot in a list of the best robot cleaners, and its Roomba Combo j5+ is exceptional.
Perhaps one of the most advanced robot vacuum cleaners available now, you’ll find the best thing about it is that it vacuums and mops a variety of surfaces so it really works for all spaces.
I tested this on three different floors, two types of carpets and one (awful) vinyl flooring, and if you want a robot vacuum that can do all that, then this is one for you.
All of iRobot’s devices are easy to set up and this one mapped my entire home in only 40 minutes fairly accurately.
It is one of the fanciest robot vacuums at over £800, but its design is excellent quality and is much slimmer than others on the robot vacuums market.
While it did miss some small stops, it managed to nab most of them and has a pet function specifically designed for furry homes (I dog-sit and the robot always picked up dog hair) – it even avoids dog waste with its tracking, which you certainly don’t get with every robot vacuum!
With a robot mop function included that removes hard stains as well, this is definitely the best investment you can buy for your home.
Read the full iRobot Roomba j5+ robot vacuum review here.
Review by Clara Wolsey.
Dimensions: 8.7H x 33.8W x 33.9D cm, Weight: 3.4kg
iRobot Roomba i5+, £649
Kieran AhujaThe Roombo i5+ will map your home to clean more effectively[/caption]
iRobot Roomba i5+, £649
Pros: Perfect for daily cleaning, vacuums and mops, maps house, easy to use and set up,
Cons: Doesn’t vacuum all dirt, can’t reach some spots, pricy
Rating: 4/5
I live in a house of four and as we all cook independently, it can get quite messy in our kitchen.
The iRobot Roomba i5+ is perfect for a house like mine, and it’s a self-emptying robot vacuum, which saves us even more time.
Setting up the smart home appliance was much easier than I anticipated, and before it does the first clean, it maps your home, so that it works to a plan rather than just aimlessly cleaning random spots.
This is one of the best robot vacuums we’ve tested because of this feature and it’s fairly accurate, although you will need to move a few chairs and items around for this.
It’s surprisingly stylish and is a lot lighter than other robot vacuums, which is useful if you live in a house with stairs and need to transport it across different floors (sadly, robot vacuums won’t climb stairs!).
The vacuum function was decent as it cleaned areas like under the kitchen table and hard-to-reach corners.
The mop function also makes the robot a great addition to your home as it cleans spills and stains without any hard effort.
While I’d recommend that you go over carpets and hard floors with a regular vacuum cleaner and mop to make sure you get it extra clean, it is a great, advanced robot to help with everyday cleaning.
Read the full Roomba i5 robot vacuum review here.
Review by Kieran Ahuja
Dimensions: 46 x 38.5 x 38 cm, Weight: 3.18 kg
READ MORE:
Best cordless vacuum cleaners Best corded vacuums Best floor cleaners Roomba i5 robot vacuum review Roomba reviewsEufy Robovac X8, £269 (was £299)
Aaron DowlerThe Eufy Robovac X8 did an excellent job of cleaning the pet hair in our reviewer’s home[/caption]
Eufy Robovac X8, £269 (was £299)
Pros: Easily cleans pet hair and hardwood floors, powerful suction ability,
Cons: Large base station requires space, long first charge, doesn’t fit under low furniture
Rating: 4/5
Eufy is known for its home security cameras, so it’s not surprising that its Robovac X8 is another great device for your home.
The ground floor of my home is 419 square feet and I have a 2-year-old labrador dog that constantly sheds hair all over the floors.
However, I’ve found that this robot works better than any traditional vacuum cleaner I’ve owned thanks to its ability to immediately navigate around your home with no effort and suck up 90% of my dog’s hair from the ground.
I was a bit surprised that the first initial charge took six hours, so do keep this in mind when setting it up, but other than that everything else is quite easy as its app is very user-friendly.
You still need to tidy the home a bit before using the vacuum cleaner as I discovered it chewed one of my shoelaces, but this happens with almost every robot.
It is heavier and larger than other models but it’s one of the best robot vacuums for pet hair.
It cleans almost every room in your home, including rugs and door thresholds and is great if you live in a home with a furry pet.
Read the full Eufy Robovac X8 robot vacuum review here.
Review by Aaron Dowler
Dimensions: 34.5L x 34.5W x 9.8H cm, Weight: 3.5kg
Eufy Robovac G30, £279
Harriet FlookEufy’s Robovac G30 robot vacuum might be a budget option, but it still performed excellently in our test[/caption]
Eufy Robovac G30, £279
Pros: Affordable robot, strong suction power, quiet, long battery life
Cons: Not great map function, can get stuck under furniture, can’t clean corners well
Rating: 4/5
If you’re looking for a robot, but don’t want to fork out a fortune, then the Eufy G30 is the best value vacuum cleaners you can buy.
In comparison to Dyson and iRobot, it’s quite a cheap robot vacuum price-wise at under £300, while other high-end robots can retail for £700 and more.
But despite it being a bit cheaper, it’s far from typical basic robot vacuums and the best feature about it is that you can schedule it to automatically clean, which I did on the days when I was working from home.
It does a good job at sucking up almost every single bit of dirt (I tested it with some rice and found it got every grain), and it allows you to set your vacuum to Turbo suction mode to deep clean carpets.
The battery life is decent and the advantage of a robot is that it returns to its dock to self-charge, but do keep an eye on it as it can possibly increase energy bills.
Although this vacuum cleans your home, its map function needs more personalisation and sometimes gets stuck under tables.
However, it’s saved me lots of time from cleaning, and I’d argue that in itself is pretty priceless.
Read the full Eufy Robovac G30 robot vacuum review here.
Review by Harriet Flook
Dimensions: 32.5L x 32.5W x 7.3H cm, Weight: 2.69kg
Eufy X10 Pro Omni, £799
Sinead McIntyreThe Eufy X10 Pro Omni is a pricier robot vacuum but has a self-emptying bin[/caption]
X10 Pro Omni, £799
Pros: Easy to use, great cleaning, easy set up, picks up cat and dog hair
Cons: Bulky docking station, heavy to carry, still need another vacuum
Rating: 4/5
I’m a total newbie when it comes to the world of robot vacuums, but with a broken Dyson and a busy household of four (plus two pets), I could certainly do with something to simplify my cleaning routine.
The docking station is notably larger than other models like the iRobot Roomba j7+, accommodating two water bins for mopping, as well as a dustbin.
The app is user-friendly, allowing for easy mapping and room-specific cleaning.
The vacuum performs well on wooden floors, effectively picking up pet hair and debris, although I did find that it struggles with rugs and lacks precise manual control.
Despite a few other limitations, such as noise during self-cleaning and its inability to clean certain areas like picture rails or use specialized cleaning solutions, I found the X10 to be a really effective time-saver.
It significantly eased the demands of household cleaning for me – particularly after a messy sleepover for my teenage son’s birthday, when it really came into its own.
Admittedly it won’t fully replace a traditional vacuum for more detailed cleaning tasks, but overall I’m impressed by the robot’s capabilities and convenience: it’s a worthy addition to my cleaning routine.
Read the full X10 Pro Omni robot vacuum review here.
Review by Sinead McIntyre
Dimensions: 327x353x113.5mm Weight: 11.98kg
Proscenic M9 robot vacuum, £439
Pavlina TheodoulouThe Proscenic M9 both mops and vacuums, and performs best on hard floors[/caption]
Proscenic M9 Robot Vacuum, £439
Pros: Easy setup, dual mop pads, powerful suction levels,
Cons: Didn’t accurately map room, can’t mop edges
Rating: 4/5
Most robot vacuums come with a mapping feature and the Proscenic M9 is no exception. The set-up is quite easy and took about 35 mins including pairing it with the app, while the first charge took about two hours.
It did take quite a long time to map out each room, taking 75 minutes, and while it mapped most of my rooms correctly, it recognised my built-in wardrobe and chest of drawers as separate rooms.
However, I managed to fix that easily on the app.
It’s a powerful vacuum with at least three different suction powers and even at level two, it managed to remove larger items.
The highest power made a huge difference on my carpet, which not all robot vacuums can be used on.
It’s not the quickest and took about 32 minutes to clean my kitchen and living room, but it is effortless and allows you to multitask.
The mopping function was very good at removing stains from my hardwood floors.
However, it didn’t quite reach all the corners and had a small tank – I had to fill it up twice to clean my flat.
This robot vacuum is a great addition to any home, plus is the best for hard floors as it’s so easy to use and will provide a thorough clean that’s better than most robots.
Read the full Proscenic M9 robot vacuum review here.
Review by Pavlina Theodoulou.
Dimensions: 34.5L x 34.5W x 8.4H cm, Weight: 7.9kg, Run time: 4 hours and 10 minutes
iRobot Roomba j7+, £399 (was £899)
Qin XieThe Roomba j7+ is another robot vacuum cleaner that will map your home with a laser function[/caption]
iRobot Roomba j7+, £399 (was £899)
Pros: Impressive design, easy smart home control, quiet, automatic disposal
Cons: Not effective on thick rugs, need to replace parts to keep it in good condition, can’t reach certain spots
Rating: 3.5/5
The iRobot Roomba j7+ is one of many robot vacuum cleaners available to buy and is a convenient pick for busy households.
All of iRobot’s designs have a mapping feature in which the robot maps out the layout of your home before its first clean so it can memorise it.
I didn’t move all my furniture out of the way so the device didn’t fully map my home and I had to restart the mapping process.
But once that was done, it was fairly simple and there are some useful features like it teaches the robot to avoid obstacles.
The robot vacuum cleans very easily, picking up most dirt from the ground although it did miss some corners and coffee grounds too, so I had to use a cordless vacuum for a deep clean.
While it did help keep the house tidy, a lot of maintenance is needed to keep it in top condition.
For example, the filter needs to be replaced every 2 months and the wheels need to be replaced every 12 months.
You also need to clean the filters and front wheels weekly, and the sensors and brushes monthly, which is more upkeep than a regular vacuum.
Plus, this robot vacuum doesn’t come with a mop, so I’d suggest looking into the iRobot Roomba Combo j7 if you want both in one.
Read the full Roomba review here.
Review by Qin Xie
Dimensions: 36.5L x 35.3W x 44.3H cm, Weight: 3.24kg
Ultenic T10 Pro Robot Vacuum Cleaner with Mop, £309.99 (was £359.99)
The Ultenic T10 Pro sitting in its docking station in our tester’s living roomJames Hunt
Ultenic T10 Pro Robot Vacuum Cleaner
with Mop, £309.99 (was £359.99)
Pros: Super easy set up, charging station takes up less space than many in this price range, self-emptying and returns to the station automatically after cleaning
Cons: Mopping function is not as straightforward as the vacuum function, struggles with heavy debris, mapping could get complicated for split-level homes
Rating: 4/5
The Ultenic T10 Pro is an affordable and effective smart vacuum cleaner – ideal if you’re after a reliable entry-level model but with advanced features.
I tested it over four weeks in my single-level flat which has both carpeted and hard floors, and was impressed by its strong performance: it effectively picked up dust and smaller debris.
However, I did find that it struggles with larger debris and hair, and the mopping function is less effective as it requires frequent refills and lacks the power to remove dried stains.
Saying that, it’s easy to set up, with a user-friendly app that allows for customisable cleaning options – this includes setting no-go zones and scheduling cleans.
The vacuum’s collision sensors work well and its battery life is substantial, allowing for multiple cleanings on a single charge.
Overall I’d say that while the mopping function is a drawback, the vacuum’s sleek design, compact charging station and overall functionality make it great value – especially when compared to higher-end models.
Read the full Ultenic T10 Pro review here.
Review by James Hunt
Dimensions: 42 x 41.5 x 37.5 cm, Weight: 7.5 kg
How we tested the best robot vacuum cleaners
A team of six individuals tested different robot vacuum cleaners in each of their homes.
The homes tested included households of five, and flats of two, and surfaces included hard floors, vinyl flooring, carpets, rugs, and tiled flooring.
Each of the tests took place over a few weeks with each tester testing out the vacuuming, mopping, battery life, set-up, mapping and overall effectiveness.
This and the price of each robot were considered to see whether it was good value for money or not.
Where can I buy a robot vacuum cleaner in the UK?
Well, a robot vacuum cleaner is a lot easier to shop for now that so many brands have launched their iterations.
You can find robot vacuum cleaners in the cleaning departments of home retailers like Amazon and Argos, or you can shop directly from the brand itself.
Here are some shops where we found the best robot vacuums of 2024:
Amazon Argos Eufy iRobot ProscenicHow much do robot vacuum cleaners cost in the UK?
As one of the most innovative cleaning technologies available, robot vacuum cleaners are a considerable cost and are priced on the higher end of home products.
Expect to spend anywhere from £200 – £900 on a robot vacuum cleaner from brands like Eudy, iRobot and more.
Of all the robot vacuums we tested, the cheapest was the Eufy G30 at £299.88, while the most expensive was the iRobot Roomba Combo j5+ at £849.
A new robot vacuum cleaner will set you back more as the technology is more developed and the Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum is currently £1,249.99 – a serious investment.
Luckily, there are several discounts available that can save you money off the pricy item and be sure to check out Black Friday sales for the best deals.
How do robot vacuum cleaners work?
Robot vacuums work to navigate through spaces with built-in obstacle and cliff sensors.
They automatically use a combination of sensors, motors and algorithms to move around your home and clean the floors.
Whether the robot has vacuuming or mopping features, most will begin by creating a map of your home by moving around and using the sensors to detect furniture and areas to avoid.
The robot also has brushes and agitators to lift off dirt and a motor which creates the suction power.
Robot vacuums get powered by a charging dock and most return to it after each clean to self-charge.
MORE ROBOT VACS
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