This is how we tested

Mashable’s shopping reporters, editors, and product testers have personally tested dozens of robot vacuums in their own homes, and we’re constantly testing new ones. Senior shopping reporter Leah Stodart has gotten her hands on a number of the top robot vacuum releases of 2024, including the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, Eufy X10 Pro Omni, Roomba Combo j5+, Narwhal Freo X Ultra, Shark RV 2300S, Shark Detect Pro, and most recently, the Yeedi M12 Pro+.

Stodart says: “For now, I’m going to leave the Yeedi M12 Pro+ off our recommendation list. That’s a shame, because on paper it sounds like a high-quality self-cleaning station in the body of a budget vacuum cleaner. In particular, I was speechless when I saw self-washing and self-drying mop pads and 11,000 Pa of suction power (a number that even beats the 10,000 Pa of the $1,799.99 Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra) in a device that sells for under $1,000 – or on sale for under $700.

Unfortunately, the list of premium features didn’t really deliver a premium experience. While suction was adequate on dry dirt like rice, cat litter, and hair on multiple carpets, hardwood, and tile, I don’t necessarily feel like it has the “strongest suction money can buy.” The ultra-low price also makes a little more sense when I have to free the bot from a carpet just to realize how plasticky the design feels. In terms of mopping (aside from a mop pad falling off completely), performance was finebut nothing special. Given its mediocre cleaning performance, general weakness, and unreliable obstacle avoidance technology that kept running over my phone charger, I stick to recommending the $799.99 Eufy X10 Pro Omni as the best budget robot vacuum with a full-fledged self-cleaning station.”

The next vacuum cleaners for Stodart’s home test are the Roborock QRevo Master and the Roomba Combo 10 Max Robot + AutoWash Dock.

How we assess the performance of a robot vacuum cleaner

Our test areas include large single-family homes and apartments with a combination of hardwood, tile, laminate and carpet floors (plus lots of different rugs), as well as cats and dogs. As for the cleanliness of the floors, the vacuums are sent over both fresh messes like intentionally spilled food crumbs and—in the case of 2-in-1 mopping models—intentionally spilled ranch or almond milk. The efficiency of these robot vacuums is also tested against the more stubborn dirt that naturally accumulates in our homes over time, like matted pet hair and shoe stains near the front door.

In addition to technical cleaning performance, we look for robot vacuums that offer a true hands-free cleaning experience. Success depends on how smoothly each robot navigates around walls, furniture and small obstacles, how accurately it maps the room layout and how well it maintains itself through features like automatic emptying. In more advanced hybrid robot vacuums and mops, these also include automatic filling of the water tank and automatic washing and drying of the mopping pads.

And finally, it would be negligent if we did not also consider the value for money: Are the range of functions and the actual cleaning performance worth the price and how practical are these costs for the average household?