The Best Robot Vacuums for Spotless Floors

For anyone whose floors could use some extra love (or who loathe cleaning), robot vacuums offer a near perfect solution. In our ongoing search for the best robot vacuum that’ll get you one step closer to the smart home of your dreams, the editors and writers at Clever have been testing some of the top picks for robovacs on the market. To take some of the guesswork out of things, we’ve written up what you need to know about these nine robot vacuums, many which are ultra intuitive, easy-to-use, and chic enough to blend in with any modern home.

iRobot Roomba® j7 Robot Vacuum

iRobot Roomba j7+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum Bundle

$1,250 $854 at Amazon

Tester: Nick Mafi, digital features editor

Floor Type: I live in a two-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn, New York, and I’m an avid (borderline OCD) vacuumer. My apartment has both hardwood floors and carpeted surfaces, both of which I vacuum four times a week. I don’t have any pets, but nevertheless, my floors tend to attract and hold everything. This is my first robot vacuum, and I’m already a believer.

About the brand: Of course, I had heard of the brand before (and even seen videos of the robot being used as a DJ at parties while it cleaned the floors). Since I live in a small space (814 square feet). I liked the functionality that the robot could easily detect and quickly swivel out of the many things cluttering around my home.

Setting up: Setup was extremely easy. The application, which is easy to download from the app store, helps make the process as seamlessly as possible using easy, step-by-step instructions. The robot kind of took charge from there, making the process rather enjoyable and almost like something from a futuristic movie.

My experience: All in all, it was a great product. Oftentimes, the more tech-heavy the product, the harder it is to use, but that wasn’t the case here. I liked how the robot vacuum mapped out the layout of my space, knowing which areas to sweep after just one reading. The efficiency of the product is also what stuck out to me. We all live busy lives, and while traditional vacuums require you to be home to clean the floors, the iRobot challenges that convention. I appreciate how I can leave my apartment, turn on the iRobot via the app, and come home later to clean floorboards. The self-empty dock also allows for a seamless cleanup, ensuring that whatever dirt and debris goes into the machine is easily transferred into the trash bin.

The bottom line: I would recommend this vacuum for all types of consumers, but for people like me who host on the fly, it’s particularly great. In fact, one weekend I decided to host a few friends at my apartment—the problem was, these plans were made last-minute, and while I was away from home. So, instead of coming home to messy floors, I was able to order the robot to clean the space (via the app on my phone) so that when I got home, the space was clean. If only everything in life were that easy.

iRobot Roomba i7+

iRobot Roomba i7 Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum

$600 $442 at Wayfair

$550 at Amazon

Tester: Bailey Berg, contributing writer

Floor Type: We recently moved and have hardwood floors, but our last apartment was carpeted. It works just as well on both, but vacuuming on hard floors is pretty loud. We also have two large dogs who shed constantly, so I generally run the vac once a day, while I’m out walking said dogs (they’re terrified of vacuums, big and small, so being able to do that lessens the stress levels for everyone involved).

About the brand: We specifically chose the i7 model because it’s supposed to be iRobot’s best vacuum for pet owners. That’s because it has power-lifting suction, a high-efficiency filter, and AllergenLock bags meant to trap pollen, dust mites, and other allergens, so they don’t escape back into the air. And along with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant connectivity, another cool feature is the iRobot Genius, an app for the robot that helps it detect and suggest clean zones.

Setting up: Setup only took a few minutes and instructions were easy to follow.

My experience: The Roomba is very easy to use and control, all you have to do is push a button and it goes (it usually does a couple laps and is able to navigate around obstacles well). It even does a good job mapping out the space—when we moved it, it realized it immediately and made a new floor plan. The i7 is also “self-sufficient,” meaning when the robot is full, it returns to the docking station to empty. The bag is supposed to hold 60 days of dirt, dust, and hair, but we usually fill the bag once a month (again, we have two extra large dogs, so we’re likely not the average user). My only complaint is the bag isn’t reusable, so you have to order more frequently, which isn’t particularly green, especially considering the opening is made of plastic.

It looked very sleek when we first got it, but after a year it’s looking a bit beat up. There is a gap between the floor and the bottom cupboards in our kitchen and bathroom, and the vacuum is taller than the gap, so it keeps getting scratched on the edge of the cupboards. It definitely gets the dirt and hair from under the cupboard, though, so I guess some dings and dents are worth not having to clean those areas myself. And for the most part, it cleans just as well as our standard vacuum. The only time it doesn’t is when we’ve gone too long between vacuuming sessions and there’s too much dog hair. In that scenario, it tends to get jammed, though if we’d been more proactive, it wouldn’t be an issue.

The bottom line: It’s crazy how noticeably cleaner the floors are whenever I’ve programmed the Roomba to clean while I’m out walking the dogs. We’ve been using this vacuum for about a year and I’m never going back, 100% would recommend it. Particularly if you’re kind of lazy, have multiple animals, or are trying to save a few minutes wherever you can.

Side note: It’s possible to name your Roomba. We’ve yet to think of a good enough pun, so ours has remained unchristened. If you have suggestions, shoot me an Instagram DM at @byebaileyberg.

Roborock S7+ Robot Vacuum and Sonic Mop with Auto-Empty Dock

Roborock S7+ Robot Vacuum with Auto-Empty Dock

$950 at Amazon

Tester: Audrey Lee, commerce writer

Floor Type: As much as I want to be, I’m not wildly fond of vacuuming—but keeping surfaces clean is an important part of making sure my dust allergies don’t act up, which is why I try to give my space a generous vacuum at least once a week. My house has a combination of wood, low-pile carpet, and tile surfaces with an area rug here and there, so having a vac that can take on different types of floors is a must. And though I’ve never used a robot vacuum before, a handy gadget that can take on one of my least favorite chores always seemed desirable, not to mention perfect for someone like me who really wants to do more cleaning.

About the brand: Specializing in both robotic and cordless stick vacuums, Roborock is a popular name in the robovac game that’s been keeping surfaces clean since 2014. With over 900 five-star reviews on Amazon, the brand’s newest S7 model is a two-in-one mop and vacuum designed to tackle any surface and floor plan. Between its mapping technology, which navigates and tracks the most effective floor cleaning routes in any room, as well as intuitive surface detection to distinguish between different floor types to adjust suction power, the brand promises even the smallest dirt and dust particles won’t be left behind. For an added $300 or so, you can also get the accompanying auto-empty charging dock, which empties the robot after any cleaning session and Roborock says you can use for up to 120 days without emptying.

Setting up: Setting up the S7 was as easy as screwing together and plugging in the self-emptying dock, downloading the app, and syncing the vacuum to my Wi-Fi network, which took well under 40 minutes total. If you need any extra assistance or troubleshooting, the physical instruction manuals offer lots of good tips too. As for the Roborock app, I’d call it both very user-friendly and self-explanatory—after choosing your device from a menu and connecting to your home’s Wi-Fi, it’s pretty much off to the races.

My experience: I was immediately impressed by the robot’s LiDAR mapping technology which showed me a rough scan of my space from my phone and began to detail its route, leaving a blue line to show any parts it already cleaned (you’ll want to clear as much of your floor as you can before allowing the vacuum to map). As an extra perk, the app will also calculate the cleaning area and the total clean time of the room it’s currently working on (the vacuum itself has a 180-minute battery life). I was most nervous about how the robot would be able to navigate around furniture—specifically a set of six four-legged bar stools—and an area rug we have, but the S7 was able to zip through everything like a champ and never bumped into a single sofa or chair leg. In fact, the Roborock proved to be incredibly meticulous, moving in efficient zig-zags and straight lines to ensure every spot of your floor gets a proper and thorough cleaning.

What I like most about it is that it’s incredibly adaptable—the vacuum moves between hardwood, tile, and carpet with ease, automatically recognizing any switch to carpet and boosting the suction power for deeper surface penetration (it even knew to avoid stairs and other no-go zones!). Whether it’s vacuuming or mopping you can expect a strong and thorough clean, though if you live in a space with a lot of ground to cover, manual mopping may be the way to go as it can take a long time to get through your whole floor plan (but ideal for midsize apartments and limited floor space).

Pro tip: If you do opt for the dock and notice any issues with the vacuum returning to empty/charge, make sure you have it plugged in an open area with no obstacles.

The bottom line: The S7 really puts the “smart” in smart tech and is perfect for any type of home—especially one with lots of different surfaces to clean. Straight out of the box, you’ll notice the S7 is easy to use, highly adaptable, and has a sleek design that blends in with any modern decor. If you want to work smarter and not harder, you won’t go wrong with Roborock.

Eufy RoboVac X8

eufy by Anker, RoboVac X8 Hybrid

$650 at Amazon

Tester: Kristi Kellogg, senior SEO content manager

Floor Type: We have every kind of floor in our home: carpet, hardwood, and tile. We have two dogs, one of whom sheds like fur is going out of style. We vacuum on a regular basis, every one to two weeks, but with the way that Bella Boo sheds, it would probably be better if we vacuumed every one to two days—and that’s with a traditional stand-up vacuum.

About the brand: The Eufy RoboVac X8 is designed with pets in mind. Most robotic vacuums have a single-turbine engine, but this gem has two. As a result, it picks up 57% more pet hair than the average single-turbine robotic vacuum.

Setting up: Prior to the Eufy, we’d never tried a robotic vacuum. I’m not one to read directions, and setting up the Eufy was no exception. It came packaged very securely but was also easy to unbox (which I appreciated!). After setting it up on its base for a preliminary charge, I returned about half an hour later, pressed the power button, and this wondrous little machine was off.

My experience: I watched in amazement as the Eufy vac cruised around the floor. Our home is three stories, and the living room (where I set it up) is on the second floor. I was a little nervous as the Eufy approached the descending staircase (would it roll right off and fall down the steps?), but Eufy sensed the drop and turned itself right around. That’s when I knew this machine had real promise.

The vac took about 20 minutes to clean the second floor, which is all hardwood. It went under tables and around chair legs like a champ, and moved deftly over rugs, never getting stuck or banging into anything violently. When Eufy completed the floor, it automatically went back to the base to charge itself. Next, I carried it to the third floor (comprised of carpet and tiled bathrooms) to see how the machine would fare. The vac navigated throughout all the rooms with ease and, when it was done, meandered back to the staircase and turned itself off. Nothing was left behind, and the floors looked so fresh. When I emptied the dust bin, I was shocked (in the best possible way) by how much pet hair and dust it picked up.

After its inaugural run, both my husband and I downloaded the Eufy app so we could both access and control the RoboVac. The app shows how long the vacuum has been running, any errors (for example when it can’t find the charging base when it’s not on the same floor), and displays a map of exactly where it’s traveled. We can also control the vacuum with our voice using Google Home.

The bottom line: After having the Eufy in my home for over a month, I am hooked, and don’t anticipate ever using a real vacuum again. Why would I when Eufy does all the work for me? It’s a godsend. Since it’s so easy to use, we run it every other day (which is maybe a little excessive, but really, you can never be too clean!). Oh, and fun fact: we named it George.

Proscenic M8 Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Proscenic M8 Robot Vacuum Cleaner

$369 at Amazon

Tester: Allie Weiss, deputy digital editor

Floor Type: I live in a New York City apartment with hardwood floors. I have a black-and-white striped flat-weave rug from IKEA in my living room that tends to pick up dust and crumbs—it always looks a bit dirty, which I’ve come to accept. I typically vacuum about once a week (okay, if I’m being honest with myself, it’s more like every other week), but the vacuum I have doesn’t really work on the flat-weave. I have to clean it through the very unglamorous process of using a flip-flop sandal to scrape up dust and hair.

About the brand: Proscenic offers several robotic vacuum models. This one is billed as a three-in-one device with both vacuuming and mopping capabilities, and three cleaning modes (auto-cleaning, customized cleaning, and spot cleaning). It also has a suction power of 3000 Pa and promises to take care of many types of stains and debris.

Setting up: Full disclaimer: I was unable to connect this vacuum to the Proscenic app, which allows you to control the device from your phone. Many connected devices require you to use a 2.4 GHz-band connection for setup, but unbeknownst to me, my Spectrum Wi-Fi router does not allow me to manually toggle between the two bands (5 GHz and 2.4 GHz).

I tried several hacks that I read about online to try to get on 2.4 GHz but wasn’t able to figure out how to get it set up. Before you purchase a robot vacuum, I would recommend that you do some research into your Wi-Fi capabilities and make sure that you can manually toggle to your 2.4 GHz band for setup. In any case, I can still use the robot vacuum by pressing the power button on the device, but surely there is benefit to having additional control over your vacuum experience via the app.

My experience: Once I accepted that I wasn’t going to get on the app, I gave my vacuum a whirl around my apartment. Much to my delight, it instantly improved the look of my flat-weave rug, picking up crumbs that my existing vacuum struggles with. I loved that it was able to zoom around under my sofa, an area that’s hard for me to reach and collects dust bunnies. It had no issue transitioning from my carpet to my hardwood floors, and also passed over a threshold between my living room and my bedroom with ease.

While I let it do its thing, there were some areas of my apartment that it didn’t get to before it declared the cleaning to be complete. So, I had to pick it up and guide it towards certain zones in order to ensure my whole apartment got cleaned (though the app experience promises to make this process easier with real-time maps). Since the vacuum gets caught on cords, I had to watch carefully while it cleaned in my living room or near my desk, or otherwise unplug everything from the wall, which is something to keep in mind. When I emptied the dust bin after cleaning, I was amazed at how much dust it had picked up in a short time, plus I like that it is compact, fitting snugly in my jam-packed closet.

The bottom line: After trying a robot vac for the first time, I don’t think you can fully replace your traditional upright vacuum with a connected device (though it’s also great for giving your rugs a deep clean). Sometimes, you just need to be able to give a specific area a deep clean, and it’s difficult to guide the robotic vacuum through that (especially without app connectivity). That said, I love having the Proscenic in my cleaning arsenal, and plan to always use it before guests come over to clean up that layer of dust that you can’t even really see, but you know is there.

Neabot Q11 Robotic Vacuum

Neabot Q11 Robot Vacuum and Mop

$500 $400 at Amazon

Tester: Mel Studach, AD PRO associate editor

Floor Type: Having frequently moved from one compact New York apartment to another, no vacuum has proven as efficient as the good old handheld option. One weekly sweep (or more, as needed) to gather crumbs and other debris, followed by the handheld suction, has become the routine. But now that I’ve moved into a new apartment—one that has a mix of hardwood, vinyl, ceramic tile, and carpeted flooring—I figured it was time I graduate to a better option. I had never used a robot vacuum, but I’ve heard great things from friends. Plus, I liked the idea that it could blend in in the living room and wouldn’t have to take up my sparse storage space.

About the brand: I hadn’t been familiar with Neabot prior to testing the brand’s Q11 robot vacuum, but the company has had several successful Kickstarter campaigns that were helpful in convincing me. The Q11 model has the most powerful suction of all Neabot’s vacuums—not to mention among most that I came across in the market, at 4,000 Pa, which was a big selling point for cleaning my carpeted floors. I also liked that the system has a self-emptying dustbin, a mopping component, and a lean frame at 3.42 inches in height.

Setting up: My preferences lean old-school when it comes to appliances (remember the handheld vacuum?), so when I saw that the vacuum was app-enabled, I did, admittedly, roll my eyes. That said, the company provided simple, straight-forward instructions for set up, and it was seamless to log into the app and pair the vacuum with just my Wi-Fi. (There’s a Bluetooth option as well, should you struggle syncing with Wi-Fi.)

My experience: The vacuum made a great first impression. The rendered smart mapping it made of the apartment was pretty spot on, and I was able to log into the app and make adjustments to the floor plan as needed. The app also had a world of functions, from selecting specific rooms to clean—or ones to avoid—to setting a cleaning schedule. The system had no issues getting under and around our tight floor plan, and I could tell that the suction power would adjust to accommodate the carpet versus the hardwoods. And despite its impressive suction power, the vacuum was relatively quiet. (We only had to increase the TV volume two notches to sound it out.)

Using the mop function requires a bit of extra work, with filling the water tank in the vacuum’s home base and then installing the mop cloth on the vacuum itself. It provides a nice, damp clean while also vacuuming, but I wouldn’t rely on the function for those dried-on stains that take a bit of added grit to remove.

Occasionally, I would get an error message that the anticollision barrier was stuck. Upon clearing the vacuum’s path and checking on the parts, I’d restart the clean only to get the same message a few minutes later. I chalk it up to a tech issue that will eventually be improved, but it does tend to be a nuisance for the time being. The only other negative I’ve found is that a few of the system’s parts, including the dust bag, mop cloth, and brushes, have to be routinely replaced.

The bottom line: For a good clean, it’s a great option. I’m happy with my Neabot Q11 and its quiet 4,000 Pa suction for cleaning my small apartment—a few occasional errors that stop the cleaning here and there and require a restart aren’t a huge headache for me. But if you’re looking for a system that you can rely on to clean while you’re not home, I may recommend another bot.

ILIFE V5s Pro 2, 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo

ILIFE V5s Pro 2 Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo

$180 at Amazon

Tester: Jordan Goldberg, contributing writer

Floor Type: After indulging in one too many cleaning videos on TikTok, I’ve turned into an everyday deep cleaner. As part of my weekday cleaning routine, I spend about 10 to 15 minutes sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming my entire apartment. This may seem like overkill, but it’s necessary to clean the wood-paneled floors in our living room area that trap food crumbs and the white tiles in the kitchen that spotlight even the smallest bit of dirt. In my bedroom, I have the same wood-paneled floors as well as a viscose rug that traps in hair and fuzz, so I use both a vacuum and a mop to tackle the two different materials.

About the brand: I had never heard of ILife before, but while doing a deeper dive, I was impressed by the wide range of prices for their eight different models. The ILife V5 Pro has a two-in-one feature that allows the robot to be used as a vacuum and a mop, which makes it the ideal time-saving solution for the different materials in my bedroom. I was also surprised to learn that the vacuum automatically senses the area that needs to be cleaned rather than requiring programming to navigate the space.

Setting up: The setup process was fairly straightforward and took a little less than 30 minutes. The instructions were clear and concise, but missed a few minor components such as when to use the remote control and how long to charge the vacuum before use. When getting started, I had the issue of the vacuum “circling around a small area,” but was able to quickly solve this by reviewing the troubleshooting guide. Once solved, the vacuum was up and running in no time. I also appreciated the manual’s use of imagery to help showcase all of the parts of the vacuum and the step-by-step guide to cleaning the device.

I was most excited to set up the scheduling feature that tells the robot when to begin cleaning each day. It was pretty easy to set up and took less than a minute—you simply have to set the local time on the remote and pick a time that works best for your schedule. I scheduled the robot to begin cleaning in the morning when I leave for the day and have been pleasantly surprised at how clean my apartment is when I get home.

My experience: After charging the robot overnight, it was ready to go, and I was impressed with how well the vac cleaned my living and kitchen areas when it was on path mode (this setting was most efficient because the robot works on its own to find and attend to areas that need cleaning). The vacuum is dedicated to getting even the tiniest specks of dirt, circling back two or three times until the area is spotless. I did notice that the robot had some trouble transitioning from the wood floor to the carpet. But after a few attempts, it was able to overcome the obstacle by backing up and coming from a different angle. Another perk is that it’s also surprisingly quiet and did not disturb me when I slept in one morning.

The process of transitioning the robot from vacuum to mop took five minutes, and I was happy to see the velcro strip on the back of the mop pad for easy cleaning when not in use. While mopping, the robot performed best on wood flooring, while I noticed it had a bit of trouble navigating the uneven tile. Nonetheless, it was equally persistent when tackling the dirtier areas and didn’t leave the floor too wet to walk around after it was complete. In terms of looks, the robot is not too bulky, and I love the white and gold coloring that matches my furniture. However, the charging station is black, so it does stand out a bit more than I would have liked. 

The bottom line: The ILife V5 Robot Vacuum has cut my daily cleaning routine in half! It’s both very thorough and strong enough to pick up large dust balls or any hair around the apartment. The mop feature is also fantastic for wood floors and very useful for spills while cooking. That said, the robot does get stuck in smaller spaces, so I’d recommend it to anyone who works from home who can keep an eye on it throughout the day.

Shark AI Self-Empty XL Robot Vacuum

Shark RV2502AE AI Robot Vacuum with XL HEPA Self-Empty Base

$650 $599 at Amazon

$650 at Best Buy

Tester: Lizzie Soufleris, associate visuals editor

Floor Type: I share a three-bedroom apartment with three roommates (two human, one cat.) We have hardwood floors throughout, plus a few rugs and tile areas. We certainly do our best, but as three working ladies and one very active feline, our vacuum routine leaves a little something to be desired.

About the brand: At first glance, this vacuum seems to do it all: Wi-Fi connection, smart cleaning, self-emptying, even something called “A.I. laser navigation.” I was especially excited about the ability to set up a schedule for specific rooms. In a world of roommates, being able to target the common spaces of our home on a recurring basis is a massive plus.

Setting up: Setting up the vacuum took a bit of time, but nothing particularly arduous. The vacuum arrived almost entirely assembled, so after unboxing and attaching two small rubber brushes, it was off to the races—sort of. I downloaded the accompanying app and connected to the vacuum with relative ease, following the instructions that popped up on my screen. Then came the true test: the mapping feature. On the first attempt, it only found three of the seven rooms in our apartment, so I gave it another go. After a few failed tries, and an hour or two, a clear map of our apartment was created. This part was admittedly a bit tedious, but still a small price to pay for automatic cleaning.

My experience: So far, this robot vacuum has become an effortless aspect of our apartment upkeep. It’s easy to schedule cleaning times for the whole apartment, or individual rooms, straight from the app. While it doesn’t allow different profiles to connect to one vacuum, my roommates were able to access the app with my log-in information. The vacuum has faced a few obstacles, but it sends an alert to my phone, letting me know exactly what is wrong and how to fix it.
As one would expect, it doesn’t have quite the maneuverability to replace my stick vacuum altogether, especially when it comes to tight corners and small spaces. But for an overall clean, it saves a ton of time and keeps my home looking tidy, even when we are at our busiest!

There is one holdout: Roommate #4, a.k.a. Genny the cat, is not exactly overjoyed by the presence of our new “friend.” While she is no longer adhering to floor-is-lava rules (as she was in the days following the vacuum’s arrival), I can’t say I foresee any viral cat-riding-robot-vacuum videos in my future.

The bottom line: I would definitely recommend it! Despite some early challenges, this vacuum has kept my home tidier than ever, with almost no effort.

Dreametech W10 Robot Vacuum Cleaner and Mop

Dreametech W10 Robot Vacuum Cleaner and Mop

$1,089 at Amazon

Tester: David Kaufman, global digital director

Floor Type: Despite living with two five-year-olds, my mopping and vacuuming habits could always be better. We have a cleaning lady who comes and tackles our entire home on a regular basis but myself, our nanny, and grandma always seem to be wiping or picking up after some spill or another on our hardwood and carpeted floors. In other words, we could use help! Which is why we were so excited to try the Dreametech W10—something we had never done before and something that felt that was thoroughly from the future.

About the brand: The vacuum arrived in a big box and immediately felt novel and compelling. “Oooh, what is this,” was all I could think. Once we got it out of the box, my twins were ecstatic—especially when I told them it was “a robot.” I liked that it’s small—both the storage base and the robot itself, which fit nicely into the base with little fuss or hassle. The Dreametech claimed to be good on all major surfaces— with mop features for our wooden floors and vacuum elements to clean up carpets. In our home, both are crucial, so I was happy with the unit’s comprehensive robotic skill set.

Setting up: The setup did feel a bit daunting for a luddite like me—what with the need to both tackle the robot’s physical elements as well as download and program the accompanying app. Of course, in the end, it wasn’t that hard—just a matter of following the directions. Luckily, my boys’ intense enthusiasm for “the robot” helped me stay focused and get the job done in under an hour. It also helped that there are plenty of online tutorials for the Dreamebox, and I gave them a spin to make sure I was doing everything right. Overall, my feeling during the process was “so far, so good!”

My experience: Buoyed—if not harassed—by my boys, we put the Dreamebox to work. There are two key pieces: the base and the actual robot. The base is bigger, with separate tanks for the clean water used to scrub surfaces and the dirty water the cleaning produces. Those are in the base. On the actual robot, there are a series of scrubbers and dusters and mop-type thingies that do the actual jobs of cleaning surfaces. The robot also fits nicely into the base, so the overall unit is not too large.

On the digital side, the app lets the machine understand the overall configuration of the home—hallways, rooms, corners, closets, et cetera—and determine which spaces need to be cleaned. A series of supercool sensors then help it figure out the actual surface type. Floors are scrubbed using water, while the vacuum sensors instruct the unit to pick up dust and dirt from carpets. The sensors also ensure the machine recognizes potential obstacles such as corners and stairs so that we avoid any crashes or tumbles. For the most part, the sensors definitely did their jobs. All I had to basically do was “tell” the machine which areas to clean, and it pretty much figured out how to tackle the rest. Once the particular cleaning jobs were completed, the cleanup was pretty simple—emptying dirty water, adding fresh, clean water, and checking the scrubbers and wipers to ensure they were in good shape. With no issues there, the robot returned to its home base with little drama.

The bottom line: Overall, the Dreamebox definitely delivered as promised, though with our city-center apartment modestly sized, there weren’t that many spaces to tackle. In other words, the machine offers the most value and utility for folks with larger homes and seemingly endless floors and carpets to clean. But as someone who aspires to eventually move to a larger space, I suspect this will be one home gadget that endures a lifetime of use across many floors and many carpets. I also liked the fact that the Dreamebox added a dose of digital and technical wizardry to our own abode and got my kids excited both about technology (and cleaning!). For folks willing to spend the money, the Dreamebox is a supremely useful and fun addition to any dirty home.