best robot vacuum for carpet and tile robot vacuum cleaner on carpet Vacuum Cleaner For Carpet

Many robot vacuums are effective in cleaning hard floors, but struggle with carpet. They can be stuck in thick carpets or get caught in cords.

It's worth analyzing your flooring types, traffic patterns, and tidiness habits before choosing a robot vacuum cleaner to clean your carpet. Our top picks will help you find the ideal match.

1. Powerful Suction

While almost any robot vacuum cleaner will clear your tile or hardwood floors of crumbs dust and hair blowing across them like tumbleweeds, you need more power for carpet. This is the reason that many of the top vacuums in our tests have strong suction, with some boasting up to 8000 Pascals or Pa. This means that the suction is strong enough to eliminate dirt and other debris from carpet fibers.

The best robots come with big bins, an easy-to empty mechanism, and enough battery power to complete the task. You should check if the model you're considering will automatically empty its trash bin when it's full, too. This will reduce your chores since you won't have to empty the bin manually into garbage bags.

Certain robots that have strong suction also offer a max cleaning mode for particularly stubborn grime. However, this feature usually consumes the battery faster than a normal cleaning session, so you'll want to reduce it to an absolute minimum.

A increasing number of robots integrate mopping capabilities and vacuuming. These machines have a tank for water in the chassis or a separate piece you can exchange for the dustbin to sweep the floor. Some, like the more expensive Roborock S7+ and the less-expensive Eufy 11S Max, did well on both hard floors and rugs in our tests, but they weren't as effective as our top picks for carpet mopping modes.

2. Adaptive Navigation

Some robot vacuums can do a fantastic job with rugs, while others have a hard time getting them to move. This is due to the difficulty in combing the power of a vacuum motor with tiny moving wheels, sensors and moveable wheels on a small machine.

There are many ways to enhance a robot's ability to handle rugs. For example, you can roll them up or use tape to secure tassels so they won't get caught in the brushroll. Another option is to restrict the robot's access to physical barriers or a virtual wall (depending on model).

The most affordable option we've come across to handle rugs is the Eufy RoboVac 11S Max. It's a bargain, but it does not compromise on performance. It was able to pick up dry oats from carpets with medium piles and a hard floor. It also was able to maneuver furniture with low clearance. It has a few other useful features, such as an assistant for voice, a remote control, and a smart mapping.

In our tests, it didn't take on carpets with thicker piles as well as some other bots, but was able to do a decent job of cleaning them. It lacks object-avoidance and doesn't self-empty which means you'll have to empty the bin every time.

If you're willing a bit more, the iRobot Roomba X10 is the top choice in this category. This robovac has exceptional mopping and object recognition abilities, easily sucking up Cheerios and piles of oatmeal while skillfully moving through fake dog turds cords, and other clutter. In addition to its powerful Boost IQ mode that boosts power on a carpet and offers multiple cleaning modes and a long running time. It does not have the advanced navigation and mapping technology of the more expensive Roborock S8+.

3. Easy to operate

Although many owners of robot vacuums say they love their vacuums but the reality is they're not a replacement for the full-size upright or canister model. While a robot vacuum does an excellent job at picking up hair and dirt blowing across hard flooring, it falls a bit short when it comes to deep cleaning carpets. This is especially the case when it comes down to removing the fine particles that is embedded in rug fibers, a common problem among low-cost robot vacuums.

To get the most from your robovac you should be sure to choose one that has excellent suction and obstacle-avoidance capabilities as well as suction power. The top carpeting machines in our ratings all meet these requirements and offer a variety of other features that are smart, like programming zones, power levels that are zoned and easy set-up.

You'll need a robot that is able to effortlessly switch between different floor types, such as hardwoods and rugs. Most robots have different levels of suction for various floor types, with lower-pile rugs needing less strength than plush shag and area rug. Some models let you alter the suction level for each room in your home using an app.

A top-rated option in this class is the Eufy BoostIQ, which uses its intelligent sensors to automatically increase suction in carpeted areas, and to reduce noise in non-carpeted areas. This model performed well during our tests, never falling off ledges or bumping into furniture. It also offered plenty of suction on all types of floors. It also offers a generous dust bin, a long runtime and a simple set-up process. Our test participants found it easy to customize settings and schedule cleaning runs through the app. They also said that their floors had become significantly cleaner after three months.

4. Smart Cleaning Schedules

The best carpet robot vacuums have strong suction. Brush roll systems plow into various pile heights, pulling hair and large chunks. At the same time they breathe in fine dust that would be missed by a weaker vacuum. The majority of our top picks have automatic suction adjustments based on the type of floor to maximize cleaning. All of them have self-emptying bins or at the very least, the option to do it, in order to reduce the frequency of trips to pick up garbage.

Some models that can mop and vacuum also come with a dual mode that automatically raises the mops for better performance on carpets. In our tests, hybrids didn't perform as effectively as dedicated vacuums and mop-only robotic cleaners. The exception is the more expensive Roborock S7, which has two modes for mopping and vacuuming and also utilizes mapping technology to help avoid obstacles like stairs.

Mapping tech is a great asset for any robot vacuum, but it is especially beneficial for those who can also mop hard floors and carpets. It lets them create an electronic map of their house and to keep track of obstacles such as stairs or furniture.

This information is used to plan efficient routes for cleaning so that the bot doesn't waste time cleaning areas that are already clean, or struggling to get past an obstacle. This information can also help to avoid accidents like when a robot vacuum carpets becomes tangled in cords or becomes stuck on rugs.

Some robots with mapping capabilities permit you to create no-go zones, so that the robot knows not to venture near certain areas such as the pet's food bowl, or a rug that is expensive. Some models let you set specific rooms in order for the robot to concentrate on a specific space or room within the house.

5. Easy to Clean

If you have children playing in dirt or furry pets, robot vacuums and mops can quickly clean up the petty messes. The best robots are able to quickly remove crumbs and other debris, like pet hair, dander, and other debris on hard floors as well as low pile area rug. Some robots feature automatic carpet recognition and increase suction when they come across a rug. This helps lift dirt and other debris that is embedded in the rug.

Many of the top robots come with a self-emptying feature making them an excellent choice for homes with limited storage. Some models have a dust bin which must be manually empty. It is crucial to check regularly your robot for tangled strands hair and an empty bin. This can impact the efficiency of your robot. If your robot is equipped with apps, you can get maintenance tips and replacement schedules directly from the manufacturer.

Certain models come with features like home mapping and object avoidance, which prevents them from entering areas you'd prefer it not go. For instance, our top pick from Shark is able to draw an outline of its home during each cleaning session, which can be labeled with room names and edit using carpeted areas and no-go zones. It also comes with two laser sensors that detect objects when it moves, and safety technology that can recognize furniture leg cords for windows and other obstacles that are common.

It's not quite as powerful as the Roomba J7 which we have rated as our top robovacuum, but it is still a capable robovacuum if you have a mixture of carpet and hard floors. At a reasonable price, it delivers a good overall performance compared to other midrange robotic vacuums I've tested. Its navigation tools are easily set up and used however it isn't equipped with an additional pair of camera sensors that can detect obstacles in real time or a mopping feature to dampen carpets.