We could all benefit from fewer tasks on our hands. An increasingly popular helper for single folks and families alike? The robot vacuum. Once utterly futuristic, robot vacuums are now mainstream enough to offer reliable, tech-powered cleaning at pricing that’s actually pretty accessible, especially if you really could use a helping hand around the house and know you’d use the device.
Yet with so many robo vacuums now available, it can be difficult — and downright overwhelming — to tell the models apart, much less figure out which one is best suited for your home.
At its most basic, a good robot vacuum will clean your home with limited interference from you — moving about your home and absorbing dirt and debris while avoiding obstacles like stairs and furniture. Models with more bells and whistles may also recharge and empty themselves, remember the specific contours of your home or even mop.
We’ve assembled a list of Amazon’s bestselling robot vacuums, with their key features and differences, to help make the selection process easier for you.
Spoiler alert: If you’re willing to shell out a little extra for a vacuum that’s exceptionally thorough, the Shark Matrix is the one to get, with precision grid cleaning that methodically grabs every last piece of dirt.
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Highlights: Targeted spot cleaning, three cleaning power modes, corner and edge cleaning, automatic recharging, scheduled cleaning, voice command, app control
Amazon’s current bestselling robot vacuum, the Roomba Q0120, is the iRobot brand’s self-described “Essential” vacuum. The device combines smart navigation with a slim body and three levels of powerful suction (that’s 18 times more powerful than previous Roomba 600 models, according to the brand).
At just over three inches high, the robot will fit easily under most furniture, while the device’s sensors help it navigate around objects and stairs. The Q0120 will do the most important things on its own — it’s designed to automatically recharge itself and generates reports that show where the vacuum cleaned while you were out, so you’ll know it did its job.
Drawbacks: No self-emptying of debris, lacks brushes specifically suited for pet hair
Bottom line: The Roomba Q0120 does everything you actually want your robot vacuum to do — effectively clean, including via schedule — with extra spot-cleaning capabilities.
Highlights: Quiet, slim, automatic recharging, edge and spot cleaning, great for carpets, uses a remote control
Amazon’s current number two bestselling robot vacuum, the Eufy 11S Max, is an exceptionally quiet and slim pick: At 2.85 inches high with a microwave-level 55 dB sound, this model is designed to do its job without keeping you up at night or getting stuck under furniture. Designed with obstacle-avoiding, versatile flooring tech, the robot can confidently move between hard and carpeted flooring (including medium-pile!) while avoiding falling downstairs.
A plus for some, the Eufy 11S Max is controlled by remote — so you won’t have to download an app (but, that means you can’t control the vacuum from another room). You can also operate the device manually via the “on” button on the top of the robot, which prompts an automatic cleaning cycle.
Drawbacks: Slightly lower runtime than Roomba models (100 minutes versus 120 minutes), can only be operated manually or by remote control
Bottom line: Notable benefits include its comparatively low sound, thin profile and powerful suction, particularly on carpeting. Its app-free, remote control operation will be a plus for some and a drawback for others. Clip the on-page coupon to get an extra $52 off. Savings will show up at checkout.
Highlights: Auto-emptying, auto-recharging, four cleaning power modes, spot cleaning, voice and app control
Think of the Roomba Essential Vac 2 like a super-charged version of the Essential Q0120: The 2.0 version has twice the suction power, so it’ll deliver a truly spotless clean, and empties its own waste into an enclosed bag for up to 60 days before you have to take the trash out. The Essential 2 takes auto-recharging one step further, too, able to pause cleaning for a re-juice and then return to finish its job.
Drawbacks: Lacks brushes specifically for suited for pet hair, requires a waste bag for self-emptying
Bottom line: If you’re seeking an independent robot vacuum that’ll take even more tasks off your hands, the Essential 2 is a good pick, thanks to its auto-recharging and self-emptying features.
Highlights: Brushless suction (ideal for pets), voice and app control, scheduling in advance, automatic recharging, six cleaning modes, anti-collision sensors
Because the Lefant M210 robot vacuum cleans without a brush, it’s an ideal choice for folks with pets or who themselves tend to shed a lot of hair — the brushless suction means you won’t have to deal with malfunctions due to tangled up hair and tacky fur.
Through the Lefant app, you can customize the robot’s cleaning, scheduling tasks in advance, adjusting suction power and routing and more. (Just be sure that you are using the newest version of the Lefant app, called Lefant, not Lefant Life.) You can also control the robot vacuum by voice. The device’s six modes are especially versatile compared to peer models, and at just under three inches and under a foot in diameter, the robot is well-suited to unobtrusively ducking under your furniture.
Petite and versatile, this robot vacuum is a great starter vac — especially if you can grab it while it’s on sale (for an exceptional 50% off). According to one of our trackers, the price drops regularly.
Drawbacks: Lacks self-emptying feature
Bottom line: The Lefant M210’s brushless cleaning makes it uniquely suited for hair- and fur-heavy households, eliminating the tangling problems characteristic of peer models’ roller brushes. Clip the on-page coupon to get an extra $90 off. Savings show up at checkout.
Highlights: Unique precision-grid cleaning, bagless self-emptying, automatic recharging, spot cleaning, app control with scheduled cleaning and voice control
For folks seeking a truly deep cleaning robot vacuum, the Shark Matrix RV2310AE is an excellent choice: The device cleans each spot in your home multiple times using its precision grid method, which ensures every bit of dirt and grime is accounted for — and not a single spot is missed.
Its deep cleaning prowess is further strengthened by the vacuum’s smart mapping feature, which learns the position of furniture in your home for enhanced meticulous cleaning while helping the vac avoid obstacles.
The device is designed to tackle pet hair without a fuss due to its self-cleaning, anti-tangle brush roll; its suction power can draw out fur and debris from carpets and hard flooring.
Plus, the Shark Matrix self-empties, can hold up to 45 days’ worth of collected debris in its bagless base (which also frees you from having to spend money on disposable bags).
Drawbacks: Use a roller brush (though is designed to avoid hair tangling), slightly higher price point
Bottom line: This Shark model is excellent cost-effective buy for folks seeking a high-powered model at the best price possible — in other words, it’s great bang for your buck.
Highlights: Mopping capability, multi-surface and anti-tangle brushes, smart mapping, app control with scheduling and voice commands, self-emptying, child and pet lock
With a switch of its bin, the Roomba i5 converts from an all-floor vacuum to a mop and vacuum, allowing it to adjust to your cleaning needs while taking less time to get the job done. The device mops with less mess than you’d imagine due to its microfiber mop pad, and is designed to understands more voice commands than other two-in-one robot vacuums, according to the iRobot brand.
Thanks to its smart mapping, you can have the device specific areas and rooms of your home at any time you want; when functioning as a vacuum (with the mop bin swapped out), the i5 can also detect especially dirty areas of your home and treat them to an extra-deep clean.
Plus, the device empties itself and automatically docks to recharge, so you can take its basic care off your plate.
Drawbacks: Will not replace deep-cleaning mopping, requires a waste bag for self-emptying
Bottom line: At under $300 for vacuuming and mopping, this model is impressively cost-effective and an obvious choice for budget-conscious shoppers looking for a robot vacuum that can handle wet floors, too.