Latest news with #Dyson360VisNav
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Telegraph
Dyson 360 Vis Nav review: It's still the best robot vacuum cleaner you can buy
This article contains affiliate links. The products or services listed have been selected independently by journalists after hands-on testing or sourcing expert opinions. We may earn a commission when you click a link, buy a product or subscribe to a service. What is the Dyson 360 Vis Nav? The Dyson 360 Vis Nav is a high-end machine that was named the Best Buy in our round-up of the best robot vacuum cleaners. It's not a do-it-all robot vacuum, like the Dreame X50 or Shark PowerDetect models, but it instead combines powerful suction with intelligent navigation. Its standout feature is a 360-degree vision system that maps rooms in real time, allowing for methodical, edge-to-edge cleaning. Unlike many of its competitors, the 360 Vis Nav has a unique D‑shaped body engineered to reach into corners, a full-width brush bar that stretches across the front of the machine, and a side-edge duct that captures dust along skirting boards and in corners. The device connects to the MyDyson app, which provides an interface for viewing maps, adjusting no-go zones and scheduling cleans by room and power mode. It also lets you monitor battery life, bin status and the filter condition. While its premium price may give pause, especially given its lack of self-emptying and mopping capabilities, the 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum cleaner is one of the few that can match the performance of even the best cordless vacuums. A cheaper alternative however is the Hoover HG4 robot vacuum, which was named the Best Value buy in our round-up. JUMP TO: How we test I tested the Dyson 360 Vis Nav by assessing its vacuuming performance across my entire home over a two-week period. I set up one dock downstairs to test it on the wooden floors in the living room, kitchen and utility room, and the second one upstairs, where the rooms are carpeted. It didn't just have different floor types to contend with: it had to navigate a one-year-old with a tendency of throwing food, a greyhound that takes up as more space than your average piece of furniture, and a high-pile rug that has successfully bewildered some of Dyson's competitors. As with all of our robot vacuum reviews, we assessed the Dyson 360 Vis Nav's performance across five key metrics. I considered whether its design was fit for purpose, how easy the companion app is to navigate, whether the battery life can see it through a full-home clean and whether it matches up to Dyson's lofty claims when it comes to vacuuming performance. Why you can trust Telegraph Recommended Our thorough, real-world tests will always help you find the best product. No manufacturer ever sees Telegraph Recommended reviews before publication and we don't accept payment in exchange for favourable reviews, nor do we allow brands to pay for placement in our articles. All opinions are based on independent expert opinion and our hands-on testing. Visit our Who We Are page to learn more. Design and build Score: 9/10 The 360 Vis Nav is immediately recognisable as a Dyson machine thanks to its striking blue chassis and the chunky cyclones that sit on top of the dust canister. It's perhaps not instantly recognisable as a robot vacuum, though, as its unique D-shaped body – which Dyson has engineered to better fit into corners for edge-to-edge cleaning – is unlike anything else on the market. It is also different in that it lacks the rotating side brushes you typically see on robot vacuums. Instead, it features a bar brush that spans the entire length of the vacuum's body and a novel extending side duct that automatically redirects suction to capture dust and debris right up to the wall. While these features are impressive, my favourite thing about the 360 Vis Nav's design is its small footprint and the fact that two docks are included as standard, which proved incredibly practical during testing. I placed one upstairs and one downstairs, making multi-floor cleaning far less of a hassle as there was no lugging the vacuum or base between levels. I'm also a fan of the smooth action of the vacuum's bin-emptying mechanism, though it's somewhat disappointing that it doesn't come with a self-emptying function, especially given its luxury price tag. Performance and results Score: 9/10 At the core of the Dyson 360 Vis Nav is a motor that spins at up to 110,000 rpm, generating an impressive 65 air watts of suction. This is significantly stronger than most robot vacuums on the market and makes the Vis Nav particularly effective at lifting embedded dirt, fine dust and pet hair, even in low power modes. It's one of the few robot vacuums we tested that rivals the cleaning performance of a full-size cordless model – I only ran to my trusty Dyson V8 for the stairs. For more power, consider a stick vacuum, such as the Dyson Gen5Detect instead. I was impressed by its cleaning performance on all floor types, efficiently handling scattered food crumbs and half-eaten bits of pasta on my laminate flooring, and leaving the high-pile rug in my living room looking refreshed and thoroughly cleaned, which is something that other models have struggled to achieve. But it is on carpets where the 360 Vis Nav really shows off. Thanks to the full-width brush head, which has stiff nylon bristles that remove deep dirt in carpets, the robot vac left our upstairs floors looking spotless, even along edges and skirting boards. I tested the vacuum mostly in Auto mode, which means the 360 Vis Nav automatically crank up the suction when it encounters a particularly dusty area (read: my whole home). Connectivity Score: 9/10 After a couple of months of testing various robot vacuums, the Dyson 360 Vis Nav was a breath of fresh air when it came to set up. Assembly took just minutes, and from there I simply had to plug in the charging dock, fire up the MyDyson app (yes, the same app where you manage the warranty for your hair dryer) and enter the Wi-Fi password. The Dyson then set off on its maiden voyage. It first performs a mapping run, using its 360-degree fish-eye camera to see its surroundings, rather than a laser-guided LiDAR system like most of its rivals. This was completed quickly, and the map was pretty accurate though you do have to manually divide the space into rooms and add in any 'no-go' zones. The MyDyson app is incredibly basic, perhaps due to the limited functionality of the robot vacuum itself (its lack of mopping capabilities, for example). There's no option to watch the vacuum as it moves around your home, for example, with the app instead offering a retrospective look at its last activity that tells you how long it cleaned for and highlights any particularly dusty areas it encountered. The Dyson 360 Vis Nav offers alternative ways to interact with it, though. You can manually set it to clean via the onboard display, or with voice control using Amazon Alexa or Google Home. Usability Score: 10/10 If a technophobe friend or family member is in the market for a robot vacuum and you're already dreading the late-night phone calls asking for help – 'my vacuum cleaner says it's stuck on a cliff!' – the Dyson 360 Vis Nav could be an excellent option. Not only is it easy to set up, but it's incredibly easy to use, so much so that I often forgot it existed. The simplicity of the app means it's ideal for even non-tech-savvy folk; you can simply press a button for the vacuum to start cleaning, or set a schedule for it to clean your home at the same time each day. Perhaps most impressive is the fact that, in the two weeks I tested it, I had no issues; no warnings that the vacuum was stuck, and no nasty run-ins with loose Apple Watch chargers. Just press a button and off it goes, easily navigating obstacles (like greyhounds) and gliding under furniture to provide a deep clean. Battery life and recharge time Score: 9/10 The vacuum offers four operating modes – Quiet, Auto, Quick and Boost – each tailored for different tasks and energy consumption. Battery life ranges up to about 50 to 65 minutes in Auto mode, according to Dyson, dropping to around 15 minutes in Boost mode. When power runs low, it autonomously returns to its dock to recharge and resume cleaning where it left off. During all my tests the vacuum didn't once run out of charge mid-clean however, even in Boost mode, though perhaps that's owing to the modest size of my home. According to Dyson, the Vis Nav takes just shy of three hours to recharge to full from zero (again, not a problem I've encountered during my time with the robot vac). Technical specifications Dyson might be the biggest name in vacuum cleaners, but how does it compare to Roomba, a brand synonymous with vacuums of the robot kind? Should you buy the Dyson 360 Vis Nav? On paper, the Dyson 360 Vis Nav isn't the most capable robot vacuum cleaner on the market; it's over a year old, it doesn't mop and you have to empty the dust canister manually. However, it remains the best performance-wise and left my carpets looking cleaner than ever. If being able to mop is important to you, the Dyson Wash G1 is a dedicated hard floor cleaner, though it is on the pricey side. Yes, if: You want a powerful robot vacuum for different floor types that gets into the edges You don't want a bulky robot vacuum taking up space You have pets and/or allergies No, if: You want a robot vacuum that self-empties You want a robot vacuum that also mops Dyson 360 Vis Nav FAQ Does the Dyson 360 Vis Nav self-empty? No, the Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum cleaner does not feature a self-emptying capability. Unlike some premium models equipped with auto-empty docks, the 360 Vis Nav requires manual intervention to empty its dustbin. It utilises a hygienic one-touch ejection mechanism, allowing users to dispose of collected debris without direct contact. While this design maintains Dyson's commitment to cleanliness, it may be less convenient for those seeking an entirely hands-off cleaning experience. How well does the Dyson 360 Vis Nav navigate and map homes? The Dyson 360 Vis Nav excels at navigation and mapping, thanks to its 360-degree vision system and intelligent Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM) technology. It creates detailed floor maps in real time, enabling precise, systematic cleaning rather than the erratic paths of cheaper models. The robot avoids obstacles and adjusts to different floor types, while its MyDyson companion app shows users cleaning reports and offers the chance to set room-specific routines. Overall, its navigation is among the most advanced in the robotic vacuum category. How effective is the Dyson 360 Vis Nav on different floor types and with pet hair? The Dyson 360 Vis Nav performs impressively across various floor types, from hardwood and laminate to carpet and even high-pile rugs. Its powerful suction is among the strongest in the robot vacuum market, with Dyson's Hyperdymium motor spinning at up to 110,000 rpm, generating an impressive 65 air watts of suction. The motorised full-width brush bar effectively lifts debris and embedded pet hair. While impossible to test, Dyson claims the vacuum is capable of trapping 99.99 per cent of particles as small as 0.1 microns thanks to its whole-machine HEPA filtration, making it well suited to allergy sufferers and pet owners.
The Verge
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Verge
Dyson's purple, powerful robovac is on sale for its lowest price ever
Let's face it: Dyson is better known for vacuum innovation than for selling budget-friendly products. Thankfully, the Dyson 360 Vis Nav — the company's first robot vacuum in more than a decade — is now available from Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Dyson for around $799.95 ($200 off), which is easily the best price we've seen. For some people, the 360 Vis Nav's short battery life, missing AI-powered obstacle avoidance, and lack of an auto-empty dock are real deal breakers — something our own resident smart home reviewer, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, was quick to point out in her hands-on of the D-shaped vac last year. However, Dyson's latest robot vacuum isn't as focused on high-end features as it is on mere power and precision. For starters, the vacuum touts a whopping 65 air watts of suction, rendering it one of the most powerful models available and the best robot vacuum for carpets we've ever tested. It's also outfitted with a massive roller brush that's situated at the front, allowing it to reach the edges of your rooms and into corners, along with a large 500ml dustbin that can easily be removed using the integrated handle. You're only going to get about 65 minutes of runtime, though, and because of its navigation shortcoming, it's best suited for homes with relatively simple floor plans. Still, if you fall into that bucket, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more powerful model at this price. More midweek deals and discounts JBL's excellent Go 4 is still matching its all-time low of around $39.95 ($10 off) at Amazon and Best Buy. The ultra-portable speaker is a great budget buy, with up to seven hours of continuous playback, the ability to pair in stereo mode with a second JBL speaker, and a commendable IP67 rating for water and dust resistance. Plus, unlike a lot of its Bluetooth rivals, it's available in an array of fun colors, from teal to crimson to camo. If you've been hankering to spend more time in a galaxy far, far away following the season 2 finale of Andor, Star Wars Outlaws is currently on sale at Best Buy for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X for $34.99 ($35 off), nearly matching its best price to date. I will admit that the immersive open-world title was a little frustrating out of the gate due to very tedious mechanics — I would know, having put it down for several months — but it has vastly improved post-launch thanks to a series of welcome patches that addressed everything from stealth to shooting mechanics. Read our review. Another of our backyard favorites — the Thermacell E65 Rechargeable Mosquito Repeller — is down to $31.98 (about $8 off) at Amazon, matching its best price to date. The E65 is similar to Thermacell's other rechargeable spatial models in that it can provide up to 6.5 hours of protection from mosquitoes when paired with a repellent cartridge; however, the latest model also comes with a charging dock to ensure it's always ready when you need it.
The Sun
28-04-2025
- The Sun
Dyson 360 Vis Nav review: is the £1.2k robot vacuum worth it?
HAVING a robot to clean up while you put your feet up once seemed like the stuff of Back to the Future. But now robot vacuum cleaners are becoming commonplace in British homes, with more than half of owners loving them so much, they've given them pet names. Dyson 360 Vis Nav Robot Vacuum, £1,199.99 from Dyson They're affordable too, with prices starting at around £200 for models from leading brands like Eufy, Beko, Hoover and iRobot. But at the opposite end of the scale, at a whopping £1,199.99, is the Dyson 360 Viz Nav — and in this review, I'll be weighing up whether the extra £900 is worth it. Surprisingly, it's the iconic cleaner brand's only robot model, launching in the UK in September 2023, 30 years after the prototype for James Dyson's revolutionary bagless DC01. The company claims the high price tag is justified by being the most powerful robovac on the market, with six times more suction than competitors at 22,000Pa (Pascals). It also has a unique D-shape, 27 sensors giving 360-degree vision to aid mapping and navigation, a full-width brush and a lifelong HEPA filter. Dyson seems to have put all of its eggs in one basket with this high-spec model. But how well does it keep on top of the daily dust and dirt generated by my family while I get on with cooking the kids' tea? I put it to work to find out. Pros: Supercharged, dust-responsive suction Up to 65 minutes run time Full-width roller brush User-friendly app Four cleaning modes Lifetime HEPA filter Mapping and zoning capability Scheduled cleaning function Effective charging station Visible dust box so you can spot when it's full Bright light for dark areas and night cleaning Cons: Mapping can be patchy Struggles with smaller homes No physical or app-based remote control Too bulky for some corners Sloppy edge cleaning function Expensive No mopping Rating: 5/10 How I tested the Dyson 360 Vis Nav 1 Dyson 360 Vis Nav Robot Vacuum, £1,199.99 from Dyson As the mum of two messy boys (and the wife of one messy husband), I used the 360 Vis Nav most days over several weeks, for general cleaning and picking up the never-ending crumbs under my sofa, dining table and kitchen counters. I set it loose on mud from trainers and even pot plant spills, with my Victorian terraced house offering a mixture of surfaces for the vac to tackle — wood, tiles, vinyl, rugs and good old carpet. To see how it fared in a more modern property with less pokey rooms, I also took it on a weekend trip to my parents' detached house, which has predominantly laminate floors. Dyson 360 Vis Nav review: Quickfire Q&A How much is the Dyson 360 Vis Nav? At an eye-watering £1,199.99 for a model with one charging dock and £1,249.99 for two, this high-end vac is a big investment. Who's it best for? Families who have to vacuum daily to keep on top of crumbs, dust and pet hair, and have large open-plan houses without tricky, tight corners. What we loved: The extra strong dust-busting suction, slick app that guides you through fixing faults and effective charging station. What we didn't: The sloppy edge cleaning, glitchy functions (so frustrating!) and lack of mop. Dyson 360 Vis Nav review: The Nitty Gritty First impressions Dyson 360 Vis Nav Robot Vacuum, £1,199.99 from Dyson Having previously tested six budget robot vacs with mixed results, I was excited to get my hands on the 360 Vis Nav. I've had one of Dyson's cordless vacs for seven years without complaint and am a fan of its innovative WashG1 wet floor cleaner. Given the hefty price tag (the G1 is a 'mere' £599 in comparison), I was expecting Dyson's robot vacuum to leave my floors sparkling with no more effort than lifting my phone. I also assumed that the irritating glitches I'd experienced with cheaper models — poor mapping, sloppy suction, difficult navigating between surfaces — would've been ironed out by the brand's world-leading boffins. Dyson 360 Vis Nav Robot Vacuum, £1,199.99 from Dyson BUY HERE Like all Dyson products, the vacuum arrived with the 'wow factor' in a smart box with no assembly required. While its competitors tend to be boring black and occasionally white, this is an eye-catching blue and grey, with a pop of red. I'm a fan, but if you favour a neutral home aesthetic, this won't blend in. While it looks hefty, it's surprisingly light to lift, weighing 5kg, with a handle on the dust box. The box includes the machine and dust box, charging deck, plug and HEPA filter. There's no instruction pack, just a QR code to set up the MyDyson app, which was simple to install and start using — the vac synced with my phone immediately (an instant win given I'm not very tech savvy). It took time to crack certain functions, though, so an old-fashioned paper guidebook would have been helpful. Before it could get cleaning, the robot needed to map the floors, and I hit my first hiccup. It needs to be 'launched' from the charger to do this, with an unobstructed position crucial to help it navigate home. On the ground floor, I only had one suitable socket that wasn't behind furniture or posing a trip hazard. Upstairs, there were none, and I had to create a temporary solution in my son's bedroom. When it works, the mapping is incredibly accurate, letting you set zones to send the vacuum to specific places and schedule cleans. But on both floors, the first maps were wrong — part of the kitchen was left out downstairs, and an entire room was omitted upstairs, despite the robot launching from there. I also have a step breaking up each floor, meaning my bathroom and the kids' playroom could not be mapped unless I moved the charger again. Instead, I resigned myself to tackling these manually by moving the vacuum to these areas and pressing the screen on top, with no option to operate via the app. Does it deliver? Dyson 360 Vis Nav Robot Vacuum, £1,199.99 from Dyson There are things the Dyson does incredibly, and others it's surprisingly poor at. The main pro is unparalleled suction. It's a cut above the competitors — you can see the results when you empty the dust trap, which is packed with fine particles, not just surface crumbs. I favoured Auto mode, which adapts to the dirt level and could hear it boosting as it hit rugs and heavy-use areas. It's not unbearably noisy, though, even in Boost mode. There's great battery life, with 65 minutes in Quiet, 60 in Auto, 50 in Quick and 12 in Boost. That meant it never ran out as my average-sized rooms took between 12 to 20 minutes each in Auto. A full charge takes up to 75 minutes. I also liked the dust box, which has a 0.5l capacity. It's positioned at the front when charging and is see-through, so you can observe the dirt level. When you detach it, there's a carry handle with a button to flip open the bottom for emptying. You can remove the base and sides for handwashing, but cleaning the filter and lid was tricky. I'd have liked a brush included, as cheaper models have. Now the downsides, which are significant and all the more irritating given the high price. For a start, the edge cleaning function – where the robot goes round the edges at the end of a room to clean – was sloppy, quite literally cutting corners. Other robovacs I've tested are round and have one or two spinning brushes that stick out and flick dirt out of corners into their path. Dyson 360 Vis Nav Robot Vacuum, £1,199.99 from Dyson But the Dyson is D-shaped to allow a full width roller at the front, with a retractable sucker on the left for edge cleaning. The machine is so bulky that it misses spots, particularly if there is furniture or an alcove. Unfortunately, it was the same problem when I took it to my parents' bigger property, and I had to get a dustpan out after it had finished. While it did get under things like our sofa and freestanding bath with no trouble, and had a strong cliff drop response, it sometimes got stuck navigating a chunkier rug and had to be rescued. And although the app is straightforward, there were many times when it couldn't get the robot to do what I'd ask. Even though my bedroom was mapped, the vacuum would fail to travel there when instructed or scheduled. This wasn't a one-off — it happened with my kitchen and living room too, with no error warning or explanation. It meant I wasted a long time trying to resolve the issue before having to settle for a manually operated clean. Not the point of the product. How much is the Dyson 360 Vis Nav? The Dyson 360 Vis Nav is an eye-watering £1,199.99 with one charging station and £1,249.99 with two. Buying two might seem unnecessary, but as you can only use the mapping and app functions by launching it from a station, it saves you the hassle of moving it from floor to floor. Dyson 360 Vis Nav Robot Vacuum, £1,199.99 from Dyson If you're already dropping over a grand on such a fancy labour-saving gadget, what's an extra £50, right?! Look out for deals as Dyson recently had an Easter sale with £200 off, while John Lewis is offering it for £949.99 as of late April 2025. Is it worth it? They say you get what you pay for, but for me, the 360 Vis Nav doesn't offer good value compared to other robot vacs. Yes, it has strong suction, but the edge cleaning is sloppy, and for all the 'cutting edge' tech, it just didn't get on with my run-of-the-mill terraced house. I'd expect immaculate results and glitch-free cleaning for all that cash. Nor does it offer mopping, unlike much more affordable hybrid competitors. Where to buy the Dyson 360 Vis Nav The Dyson 360 Vis Nav can be bought directly from the brand's website, but it's also stocked by high street retailers like John Lewis and Argos. Here's a full list of stockists: Dyson 360 Vis Nav alternatives Given the hefty cost, you may want to consider cheaper alternatives to the Dyson, especially if you've not used a robot vacuum before. The Hobot Legge Q10 also has mapping and scheduling, with six cleaning modes, for £299. While suction is a fraction of the Dyson, at 5,000Pa, the extendable side cleaning brush gets into crevices in a way that shamed the Vis Nav. It has effective mopping and isn't too noisy either. More affordable still is the £159.99 Ultenic D10, which has effective and fast mapping, heading to the rooms you request without issue. There's automatic suction increase on carpeted spaces, with up to 4000Pa of power, but the battery life isn't as good as advertised. If you're looking for something similarly priced to the Dyson, check out the Dreame X50 Ultra, which comes with robotic legs to help it climb small thresholds. I set out to see whether the Dyson 360 Vis Nav is really worth an extra £900 compared to a budget robot vacuum cleaner — and to be blunt, it's not. For such a large investment, you'd rightly expect a stress-free, user-friendly experience with superior suction. While it does have superb suction, the shape of the robot actually makes for poorer cleaning coverage of floors. A £1200 vacuum should not miss crumbs you can see from space. The mapping and app functions are also too glitchy to let you forget about the bot while you get on with more important jobs, which surely isn't the point of one of these machines. My advice is to stick to a cheaper model, which may not be perfect but won't leave you out of pocket.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Yahoo
The best robot vacuum and mop to keep your house clean in 2025
Surely, you've heard the expression, "It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it." If the job in question is vacuuming or mopping, guess what: Nobody has to do it! Leave it to robot vacuums instead. These gadgets have improved considerably in recent years, offering more suction, smarter navigation and even mopping features. Many can empty their own dustbins and wash and dry their mops, too. (I know, it's a short step between that and a complete robot uprising, but I'm willing to risk it if it means I can skip floor chores.) Of course, with prices starting around $700, these premium cleaners aren't exactly as budget-friendly as our favorite cordless stick vacuums. So what's the best robot vacuum to keep your house clean? And which one is worth the money? Read on. First things first: manage your expectations. Over the past year we've tested several high-end models, most of them vacuum/mop combos offering varying levels of self-cleaning and the promise of robust, AI-powered navigation. Not one of them is perfect; a model that's good at vacuuming falls short at mopping, another that's good at mopping gets tripped up on cords. Put simply, if you're expecting Rosey the Robot-level efficiency (that's a Jetsons reference, kids, look it up), you're going to be disappointed. Just how effective these machines can be in your home depends a lot on your home. Do you have carpet, rugs, hard floors or some combination of the three? Do you have a pet that sheds or a kid that smears jelly on every surface? What's the clutter situation like? Ultimately, the more obstacles and mess and floor variety a robot vacuum has to face, the more likely it is to get stuck or fail to clean well. That said, when you come home from a long day and find freshly vacuumed carpet and shiny kitchen floors, it's a thing of beauty. And you didn't even have to fight with a surly teenager to make it happen. Best robot vacuums for 2025 Factors to consider when choosing a robot vacuum How we tested these robot vacuums Other robot vacuums we tested Robot vacuum FAQs Read more: The best vacuum cleaners of 2025 The best handheld steam cleaners The best air purifiers Update, Mar. 21, 2025: We checked all product prices and availability and included new reviews for the Ecovacs Deebot T30S and Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1, which we added to our top picks. Our pick for the best robot vacuum overall remains unchanged. (back to top) Good news: Even inexpensive vacs do a pretty good job sweeping floors, and many of them now offer what was previously a premium feature: a self-emptying bin, a nice time-saver. Without it, you need to manually dump the debris after every cleaning or two. (Looking at you, Dyson 360 Vis Nav.) With it, you can often go a month or more before emptying. Don't focus too heavily on the suction rating (expressed as "Pa," short for "Pascals"). Although a higher number translates to greater cleaning power, it doesn't necessarily mean "better at cleaning," as there are other variables at work as well. iRobot, makers of the famed Roomba robots, doesn't even specify a Pa number for its products. That said, I'd look for a minimum of 5,000Pa, which should be enough to suck up Cheerios (arguably the most important measure of vacuum acumen). What else should you look for? These are some key features to consider when evaluating robo-vacs: App-based mapping and scheduling: Once upon a time, you had to deploy special sensors or even strips of magnetic tape if you wanted to keep your vac out of certain spaces. Modern models will use smart mapping to scan your entire space, label individual rooms and allow you to create virtual "no-go" zones. (For example, my desk chair sits on a plastic mat that's curled up at the edges, so I've established a small zone to keep the vac away from it.) Mapping capabilities happen in a companion app, which also allows for scheduling, spot-cleaning, smart-assistant integration and much more. Self-cleaning mop dock: I already mentioned the self-emptying dustbin, which is great, but most of the models here can also self-wash their mops. Without this feature, you'll have to manually remove/clean the mop pad on a regular basis — not fun. Some also self-dry. Auto-rising mop pad: Speaking of mop pads, you don't want a wet one dragging across the carpet, do you? Look for a vac with an auto-rising pad, one that will lift up when sensors detect carpet. (If you have medium- or high-pile carpet, though, it may not raise high enough.) Smart obstacle-avoidance: Got pets? Cords? Curtains? Kids? Newer, smarter vacs can avoid toys, socks, pet accidents and other items that would trip up other models. Take note that this feature sometimes relies on a camera, one that may be able to stream a live feed to your phone through your WiFi. It's also a potential (but tiny, in my humble opinion) security risk, something to consider if you think hackers are interested in what's on your floor. Battery life: Ideally, any robot vacuum should be able to sweep your entire floor in one cleaning session without needing to recharge along the way. But this depends on the size of your home (or, at least, the size of the selected cleaning area), the size of the included battery and the overall power of the vac. (The higher the Pa, the higher the battery demand.) How much runtime is required to completely clean your house? Hard to say, but take note that most robot vacs have a rated runtime of anywhere from 90-210 minutes. If you live in an apartment, a shorter time may be fine. If it's a big place, consider a longer-lasting battery. (back to top) After unboxing the vacuums, we studied the instruction manuals and checked reviews from real-life shoppers. We evaluated how easy the vacs were to set up then put them to work in our homes, making sure they traveled into various rooms and over different surfaces. We dropped extension cords in their way to see if they got tripped up (bad news: most did). If the vac offered mopping capabilities, we tested those out, too, against everyday dirt and grime. (back to top) Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra Robot Vacuum & Mop ($1,800): It's great at vacuuming and good at mopping, but at this price, it should have a better map editor and be able to avoid something as simple — and common — as an extension cord. Read my full Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra review to learn more. Dyson 360 Vis Nav Robot Vacuum ($1,199): Even if you can afford it, the Dyson 360 Vis Nav isn't a smart buy. While it does an admirable job sucking up dirt, it's quite limited overall. (It's just a vacuum — no mopping — and it doesn't even self-empty its dustbin.) It's bright blue-purple, so it hard on the decor, too. Read my full Dyson 360 Vis Nav review to learn more. Ecovacs Deebot T30S ($650): This sophisticated robot zips around quickly and efficiently, and you can even control it with your voice. But it frequently got caught up in low- and medium-pile rugs, and the instructions tell you to block off stairs so it doesn't fall down them, which is surprising considering how techy it seems. The app is very detailed, but the instruction manual was a bit confusing, which made setup more complicated than it needed to be. FYI it also comes with a separate handheld vacuum with three attachments that fit into the dock, which is a nice bonus. Too bad it makes the dock massive. (back to top) They absolutely do, and usually without a problem. However, if your vacuum is also a mop, it's possible that wet mop pads will drag over the carpet, especially if it's high-pile. While many modern robo-vacs can automatically raise their mops when carpet is detected, in my experience they don't go high enough. The DreameBot L20 offers a potential solution to this problem — it can automatically detach its mop pads before heading out — but it's not smart enough to mop hard floors first, go back to the dock, drop its mop, then head back out. (You have to configure it manually if you want to do that.) I'm not sure there's a "best" place, but ideally the dock should live somewhere out of the way, the better to preserve your decor and avoid tripping over it. For example, I have ours parked in our laundry room next to the washing machine; I just have to make sure the door stays open so the robot can roll out to the rest of the house. I also recommend placing the dock on a hard floor instead of carpet, if possible, especially if there's a mop involved. Absolutely, though with a few caveats. First, if you have a large dwelling, it may need to return to the dock to recharge before whole-house cleaning is complete. Second, these things obviously can't climb stairs (yet), so if your home has more than one floor, you'll have to manually move the robot up or down. (back to top)
