Who doesn’t love a good robot vacuum? Tailor-made for the never-resting go-getters and those who hate carting around an upright vac, robot vacs use sensors and other algorithmic tools to seamlessly navigate throughout the many rooms of our homes, spending just the right amount of time in each space to get the carpets, hardwoods, and tiling nice and clean. When it comes to navigational functions, a set of sensors does a decent job at moving your bot around, but there’s nothing better than a vac equipped with mapping technology.
Whether in the form of advanced LiDAR laser-scanning, onboard 3D cameras, brand-specific navigational tools, or a combination of all three, map-making robot vacs bypass traditional infrared cues for real-time, interactive, object-avoiding cleanups. The results are quite astonishing, and there are a number of map-ready robot vacs to choose from.
To help you pick the bot that’s best for your home, we’ve put together this roundup of the best robot vacuums with mapping technology, considering criteria like cleaning features, home security, and overall battery life.
Nick Mokey/Digital Trends
Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra
The best overall
Pros
- Self-emptying, self-cleaning
- Simple setup
- Quiet
- Great mopping performance
- Decent obstacle avoidance
Cons
- Lackluster pet hair pickup on carpet
- Large dock
Why you should buy it: You want a map-making robot vac to beat all map-making robot vacs — plain and simple.
Who it’s for: Those who expect the deepest and most efficient cleaning from their robot vacuum.
Why we chose the Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra:
Roborock doesn’t cut any corners when it comes to designing some of the most powerful and reliable robot vacuums on the market, and the almighty S7 MaxV Ultra is a testament to the brand’s high-impact product line.
In terms of mapping technology, the MaxV Ultra is equipped with a Precision LiDAR navigation system for creating blueprints of the floors and rooms of your homes that the vac uses to navigate, clean, and avoid certain areas of the domicile. That’s on top of Roborock’s ReactiveAI 2.0 Obstacle Avoidance system.
Using an onboard RGB camera and structured 3D light scanning, ReactiveAI 2.0 allows the MaxV Ultra to recognize and avoid common household objects, including things like furniture, sneakers, laptop charge cables, and more.
The MaxV Ultra also delivers up to 5,100Pa of suction power, Ultrasonic Carpet Detection for automatically switching between vacuuming and mopping, and voice assistant compatibility with Alexa, Google Home, and Siri Shortcuts.
Yes, it’s one of the most expensive vacs in this roundup, but in terms of performance, features, and endurance, it’s also our favorite option.
Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra
The best overall
Neato Botvac D10
The best for battery life
Pros
- Up to 300 minutes of runtime
- Intuitive LaserSmart mapping tech
- D-shaped design is ideal for nooks and crannies
- Powerful HEPA filtration
Cons
- No camera
- A little finicky during initial setup
Why you should buy it: The Neato Botvac D10 delivers a map-powered cleaning experience like no other and is capable of operating for up to 300 minutes.
Who it’s for: Homeowners with large residences, complete with multiple floors and numerous rooms.
Why we chose the Neato Botvac D10:
While it’s incredible to have a robot vacuum that tackles a daily sweep using algorithmic 3D blueprints of your home, the bot isn’t of much use if it’s constantly returning to its charging dock during a scheduled cleanup. For the biggest domiciles of our readership, there’s the Neato Botvac D10, an impressive map-making bot that can keep cleaning for up to 300 minutes!
That’s up to 2,700 square feet of total cleaning on a single charge. Keep in mind that this number is going to vary based on what suction modes the D10 is set to, but when you consider that most robot vacs average about 120 minutes of runtime, over double the typical metric isn’t too shabby.
In terms of mapping technology, the Botvac D10 uses Neato’s LaserSmart SLAM Technology with LiDAR for creating those laser-guided snapshots of your home.
These individual maps are logged in the MyNeato app, too, allowing you to customize the D10’s cleaning schedule, create Cleaning Zones and No-Go spaces, and monitor the remaining battery and current whereabouts of your dutiful D10.
Neato Botvac D10
The best for battery life
John Velasco / Digital Trends
iRobot Roomba j7+
The best cleaning tech
Pros
- Good job at avoiding wires
- Lower-profile self-emptying base
- Solid all-around cleaning
- Efficiently cleans in zigzag pattern
Cons
- Deep carpet cleaning performance is lacking
- Somewhat loud while vacuuming
Why you should buy it: iRobot is a tried-and-true name in the world of robot vacuums, and the Roomba j7+ is one of the best when it comes to cleaning features.
Who it’s for: Roomba devotees and households that require a robot vac with intelligent and adaptive cleaning tools and long-lasting performance.
Why we chose the iRobot Roomba j7+:
Roomba robot vacuums are constant chart-toppers in the world of vacuums, and for a number of reasons. A steadfast name in the robot vac sector, iRobot ensures each and every Roomba is designed and engineered with an array of cleaning features, from powerful brushes and motors to adaptive object avoidance systems.
The Roomba j7+ delivers some of the best cleaning features we’ve ever seen from iRobot. On the mapping end of things, the j7+ uses Roomba’s Imprint Smart Mapping and PrecisionVision Navigation to build and store vac-friendly snapshots of all the rooms and floors of your home that the j7+ then uses to navigate its environment.
That’s on top of Dirt Detect, which instructs the j7+ to clean dirtier parts of your home more thoroughly, seasonal and personalized cleaning suggestions, two multisurface brushes for tackling the toughest messes, and handy app controls for the most customizable cleaning experience.
iRobot Roomba j7+
The best cleaning tech
Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid
The best for pet hair
Pros
- Powerful Twin-Turbine suction tech
- 180-minute runtime
- Intuitive companion app
- Vacuum-mop hybrid
Cons
- No camera
- Mopping is only mediocre
Why you should buy it: When it comes to tackling pet hair and other messes, the Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid is equipped to handle animal detritus quickly and efficiently.
Who it’s for: Pet owners with four-legged friends that shed a ton.
Why we chose the Eufy Robovac X8 Hybrid:
When it comes to any kind of vacuuming job, one of the toughest and most abundant messes to tackle is pet hair — especially for homes with multiple cats and dogs. But with its Twin-Turbine suction technology, UltraPack Dust Compression for optimized debris storage, and 180-minute runtime, Eufy’s Robovac X8 Hybrid is one of the best robot vacs for tackling any kind of pet mess.
Billed as a hybrid model because it’s capable of switching between vacuuming and mopping modes in a pinch, the X8 uses Eufy’s iPath Laser Navigation system to effortlessly navigate your home, avoiding obstacles and stair drops along the way. That’s on top of its onboard AI Map 2.0 Technology, a blueprint-building tool that the vac references as it sweeps and mops your residence.
And with all maps loaded into the Eufy app for customization, you’ll be able to assign cleaning duties, create No-Go boundaries, and adjust vacuum settings on the go. There’s even built-in support for Alexa and Google Assistant, allowing you to fire up the X8 using quick and easy voice commands.
Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid
The best for pet hair
John Velasco / Digital Trends
Samsung Jet Bot AI+
The best for home security
Pros
- Home security patrol feature works well
- More efficient cleaning performance
- Good at avoiding obstacles
- Minimal disposal with self-emptying system
Why you should buy it: Those who want the most advanced robot vac available currently.
Who it’s for: Large households that require an intelligent robot vac that can also provide some added security features.
Why we chose the Samsung Jet Bot AI+:
Samsung may not be best known for its small lineup of robot vacuums, but in terms of mapping and home monitoring technology, the incredible Jet Bot AI+ is one of the best vacs to buy if you’re looking to keep tabs on the crib while you’re away for the weekend.
Behind the scenes, Samsung’s LiDAR mapping and Jet AI Object Recognition are the navigational appendages running the show. The former takes a detailed scan of your entire residence, storing the maps of each room and floor in the Samsung SmartThings app for cleaning customizations and vacuum controls. The latter makes use of the Jet Bot’s onboard 3D camera for steering clear of furniture, decor, and the many parts of your home that shouldn’t be vacuumed.
We also love that the 3D camera doubles as a security lens using Samsung’s Home Monitoring feature. With the SmartThings app, you’ll be able to view real-time footage from the cam, giving you a good sense of just how efficiently the vac is cleaning, while granting you some peace of mind while you’re away from home.
On top of its medley of impressive cleaning and filtration features, the Jet Bot AI+ also comes with an automatic disposal system, allowing the vac to deposit debris into the HEPA-guarded charge dock and dirt tank when the vac’s internal dust tank is full.
Samsung Jet Bot AI+
The best for home security
Editors’ Recommendations
