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Best Robot Vacuum of 2026: Shark, Eufy, Roborock
I've recently introduced a few friends to the power of a great robot vacuum. One of my friends calls hers a marriage saver, while the other was both thrilled and horrified by how many stains the vacuum’s AI found on her floors. Personally, my robot vacuums keep me from wanting to set the litter box on fire, since my cat is on a mission to create his own navigational trail of litter through my home.
The best robot vacuums these days aren’t just vacuuming your floors, nor are they blindly bumping around your house like they used to. These gadgets are mopping, scrubbing away stains, lifting themselves off obstacles, and even reminding you to clean the dirtier areas in your home more frequently. A good robot vacuum can cost a pretty penny, but it doesn’t have to, depending on what you’re looking for. Curious about what’s the best model for you? I’ve been testing every new robot vacuum I can in my three-story home filled with three adults, a preschooler, and a cat who’s on a mission to get litter all over the house.
Here are the best robot vacuum cleaners I’ve tried this year, and everything we really liked from recent years. Looking for more vacuum ideas? Don't miss our guides to the Best Dyson Vacuums, Best Cordless Vacuums, Best Vacuums for Pet Hair, Best Carpet Cleaners, and Best Vacuums.
Updated July 2026: I’ve added details about the new FCC ban that will affect future robot vacuums.
A robot vacuum is an automated vacuum, usually shaped like a round disc, that moves around your house to vacuum (and mop, as many models these days include mopping) on your behalf. You might’ve heard some refer to these devices as “Roombas,” which is the brand that made the concept popular, but today just about every cleaning brand—from high-end Dyson to affordable Bissell—makes some kind of robot vacuum. They come with either a charging station or a larger docking station that can self-empty.
You can, especially since there are so many mopping models now to better clean hard flooring. You can use these devices on anything from hardwood to LVP and tile, though I wouldn't recommend leaving smaller rugs out for these autonomous gadgets to get stuck on. Large, set rugs are fine, but bathroom and kitchen mats or any thin, easily moved rugs should be cleared out of the way and put in the wash instead of vacuumed by your robot vac.
There are a few things most robot vacuums will need to work properly:
Taking good care of your robot vacuum will help it last. Here’s the debris-removal process you should follow for each robot vacuum style.
Make sure to review your robot vacuum’s manual for any other steps the manufacturer recommends you take regularly to keep the vacuum running for as long as possible. Many brands also have replacement parts, so you can swap out individual pieces like brushes without needing an entirely new vacuum.
The Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, announced in late July that foreign-produced advanced robotic devices will now be included on the FCC’s Covered List. That list includes communications equipment and services that are deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States, and as of this week, that includes robot vacuums (and similar devices like robotic pool cleaners and lawn mowers). While it won’t ban any models already on the market that have FCC approval, we’ll likely see a huge decline in available new models after this year. Models made in the US will be fine, but future vacuums from popular brands like Dreame, Eufy, Roborock, and more will be affected.