The best robot vacuum cleaners we’ve reviewed

Before answering which robot vacuum is best, it's worth returning to the question of whether or not you really need a robot vacuum in the first place. That might not be the question that led you to this page but it's worth asking for such a big-ticket item. None of the robot vacuum cleaners we've reviewed has replaced the need for a handheld vacuum (and definitely haven't replaced our mops). Don't get us wrong, the extra support a robot vacuum offers is welcome, particularly if you live in a house or apartment that needs to be vacuumed more regularly (especially if you regularly tangle with pet hair) than most but a robot vacuum is a luxury item that typically comes with a luxury price tag.

Okay, still with us? Now that you're certain you want or need a robot vacuum in your life, let's take a look at some of the very best models we've reviewed.

With powerful suction, handy maintenance features, excellent mapping, and advanced obstacle detection, the DEEBOT X1 PLUS is a robot vacuum cleaner that lives up to the promise of saving you time on your chores.

Despite some weird home monitoring features, the in-built camera in the X1 Plus significantly improves object detection and avoidance. Ecovacs calls it Strategic Cleaning, but I call it Not Having To Pick Up Cords. AIVI and TrueDetect 3D 2.0 allow the cleaner to recognise and maneuver around objects in the space in real time, as opposed to entirely relying on a precomposed LiDAR map. In practice this means I spend less time pre-cleaning for the vacuum, and releasing cords from its jaws.

It occasionally tries too hard to be something else but as a robot vacuum cleaner, the DEEBOT X1 Plus is hard to fault.

The only thing that's not easy to love about the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra is the price. If you can live with the cost involved however, the results and ease of use that come with this particular robovac are well worth it.

For those with larger flat spaces in their home, it'll absolutely do the trick. Those who live in a smaller residence will likely come away just as thrilled with the experience that the S8 Pro Ultra offers, though it may feel like overkill from time to time.

The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra isn't perfect, but its hard to argue that the kitchen sink approach here isn't the next best thing.

Ecovacs Deebot X1 Turbo is a great machine, and exceeded our expectations in a few instances, but the price tag will deflect some to cheaper models, and fair enough. Most of the extras and enhancements are great additions, but none of them are essential.

The extra suction makes for a better cleaner and the extra grunt means the X1 cleans in more places. In general, the improved mapping and software mean we haven't had to rescue it from under a coffee table or bed even once. That might seem like a low bar, but it's suprisingly uncommon for a robovac to flawlessly clean an area without needing a human to help it get home.

Its got sharp looks, is packed with features and does a great job of vacuuming the floor. But it's also a pricey proposition. With an asking price of $2,099 (often heavily discounted), there are few other competing models in this price range. The X1 is more like an Audi than a Toyota Corolla.

Xiaomi is easily one of the best brands for budget tech and the Viomi V3 is a powerhouse performer in its mid-range price bracket. It’s a powerful vacuum with versatile dust bin and water tank options and electric water flow for mopping. The hardware is solid but you might struggle with the day-to-day operation thanks to the lacklustre Mi Home app and navigation that needs improvement. The Viomi V3 is far from our top choice but the fact you can find it for less than $500 still makes it an incredibly appealing choice in such an expensive market.

Like the Viomi V3, the Ecovacs Deebot U2 isn’t going to replace your upright vacuum. It suffers most of the same issues as Xiaomi’s affordable robot. It gets lost and confused easily and the lack of an auto-lift mop function left us with a wet rug or two. But for its entry-level price tag, it’s smart enough and capable enough to give your home a solid once-over and drastically reduce your workload around the house. It’s nowhere near as powerful as most of the other robot vacuums on this list (1600pa) but even so, it never struggled to devour any of the general dust and debris in the apartment we tested it in.

The Roborock S6 Pure is a mid-range robot vacuum cleaner with the work ethic of something twice its price. There might be a few sacrifices to be made (like dirt/dust detection and a full bin indicator) and the mopping feature is just nice to have, not a game-changer. Still, what you don’t get is outweighed by the fact that the Roborock S6 Pure is more discrete, more powerful (and thorough) and longer-lasting than a lot of the competition in the same price bracket. Roborock’s superior navigation technology alone makes the $699 price tag all the more appealing.

The S7’s price tag puts it between a (robo)rock and a hard place. If you’re open to spending over $1,000 on a robot vacuum cleaner, Roborock is one of the most reliable brands on the market and your money will be well spent. It’s got just about all the bells and whistles you’d hope for, including advanced mopping features (like a vibrating mop pad), auto mop-lifting over carpets, electric water flow and a big 300ml water tank that’s easily replaced. You’ll also save money in the long run thanks to the S7’s washable and reusable pads. But that doesn’t change the fact that spending an extra $100 will get you the equally adept Ecovacs Deebot T9+ (which is sold with an auto-empty dock) and spending almost half that price will get you the trusty S6 Pure.

If you had asked us last year what the best robot vacuum cleaner was, the Deebot Ecovacs T8+ would have been a front-runner. Though it’s just been replaced by our top pick (the newer T9+), the Deebot OZMO T8+ is still one of the best robot vacuum cleaners available in Australia and now at a more affordable price. It vacuums, mops, empties itself and can map your entire home for easy navigation and stress-free cleaning. It’s not the cheapest model on the market, and we’d like to see the mop play better near carpet, but otherwise, it’s a solid choice for any household.

At $1,299, the Eufy RoboVac Hybrid X8 is on the more premium side for a robot vacuum cleaner. Your money gets you great cleaning performance, an excellent battery, and some pretty reasonable smarts with features like zoning and spot cleaning.

It's just a shame the lack of proper object detection means the mopping functionality becomes a bit tricky if you have a mix of floorboards or tiles and carpets. If that's you, I'd step down to the standard Eufy Robovac X8 over the hybrid model, save yourself $200, and get a larger bin.

The list of robot vacuum cleaners above only covers the products we’ve had the opportunity to review ourselves. We’ll continue to update our list of recommendations as we review more products. With that said, our team has had some first-hand experience with Eufy’s range of more affordable robot vacuum cleaners (like the Eufy G10 Hybrid Robovac and Eufy RoboVac35c) and have had nothing but positive experiences to report. We can’t fully recommend these products without putting them through the wringer but they are definitely a brand worth considering in your travels.

Then there’s iRobot Roomba, the most recognisable name in the robot vacuum cleaning market. Roombas have made a name as a reliable robot vacuum option but in our initial analysis and spec comparison, iRobot’s range was typically priced a lot higher than the competition while offering the same or fewer features. When it comes to Roomba, a big part of what you’re paying for is the brand name and not so much the features packed inside. Still, iRobot Roomba didn’t build such a reputation from nothing so it’s also a worthy alternative to consider if you’ve got the funds.

Whether you opt for the more affordable Roborock S6 Pure or the premium Ecovacs Deebot T9+, buying a robot vacuum won't completely replace your upright or handheld vacuum but we can guarantee you'll appreciate the extra support. It's the same story with robot mops, none on this list will completely replace a handheld mop but some like the Roborock S7 come close. If mopping is an important feature for you and you can afford to splash out, we recommend spending the extra dough on advanced mopping features like carpet detection, auto-lift and electric water flow control.

Every robot vacuum on our list has a companion app for scheduling and remote control as well as Google Home and Amazon Alexa support for smart home integration and if you set up everything to fit around your own routine, you'll barely even notice the robot vacuum's presence in your home. If you're anything like us, you might even grow attached to your new robot buddy.

For the longest time, suction power was the key feature that brands marketed for their latest vacuum cleaners. Remember the old bowling ball tests? Remember this guy? Suction power is still an important metric to consider but you’ll be stretched to find a model that doesn’t offer enough suction to handle most household detritus. In the realm of smart vacuum cleaners, there’s a whole range of more important factors to consider. Do you need a mopping function? What technology does it use for navigation? What’s the battery life like? And how much space will it cover in a single clean?

Here’s a quick list of some of the most basic features to compare when shopping for a standard robot vacuum cleaner:

We consider all of these features and more when reviewing and scoring robot vacuum cleaners.