How we test robot vacuum cleaners at Ideal Home – the key features we look for in a 5-star model
How we determine if this hands-free appliance is worth your money
I may be Ideal Home’s resident Floorcare Expert, but I spend my days deliberately making my floors as dirty as possible. I consciously squirt tomato sauce on my new hard flooring, I scatter rice and oats over my carpets, and I tread pet (and human!) hair onto these surfaces. But this is all for a very good cause: to test the best robot vacuum cleaners.
Yes, while robot vacuum cleaners have been around for decades, they’ve become the must-have appliance over the past few years. That’s why my dedicated testing team and I have spent countless hours testing dozens of robot vacuum cleaners and robot mop combos to see if they’re worthy of your money. And we use our rigorous - and very ruthless - testing process to do just that.
All of the robot vacuums we review have been tested in our homes for at least two weeks at a time, vacuuming (and often mopping) our hard flooring, carpets and rugs. During this process, we assess everything from everyday cleaning to more targeted messes and obstacles we deliberately place in their path. And if you want to understand how we decide on our overall rating, these are the ins and outs of our robot vacuum testing process.
Our testing philosophy
At Ideal Home, we appreciate that most people have at least one of the best vacuum cleaners or the best cordless vacuum cleaners in their home. Because of this, robot vacuum cleaners aren’t a necessity - but these hands-free appliances are a handy addition to your cleaning routine. That's why we base our robot vacuum cleaner testing process on the notion that they have to offer something that these hands-on appliances don’t.
Robot vacuums aren’t exactly cheap, either, which is why we test them at least once a day throughout the two-week review period, using them in various cleaning scenarios and considering the practicalities of buying (and owning) a robot vacuum cleaner for the everyday user.
During our review process, each model is benchmarked against certain criteria. This includes:
- Performance: Does the robot vacuum cleaner successfully vacuum (and mop) both wet and dry debris? How does it cope with obstacles?
- Ease of use: Does it require much setup, and what is the app like to use?
- Care and maintenance: Does it come with an auto-empty dock, and how easy is it to store?
- Price: Is it a worthy investment, or would it be better to choose a cheaper model? Or a non-robotic vacuum cleaner?
Our testing criteria in detail
Below, you can take a detailed look at the real-time assessment we make of each robot vacuum cleaner that lands on our doorsteps.
Unboxing and setting up
When the robot vacuum cleaner box is delivered to its testing site (our house!), we immediately start questioning and assessing the following:
- How heavy is the box, and can one person carry it themselves without any help?
- Is the robot vacuum packaged securely and in recyclable materials?
- Are the instructions easy to follow, and do they aid (or hinder) the set-up process?
- How long does it take to assemble the bot and auto-empty dock (if applicable)?
- How large is the dock, and what are the positioning requirements?
- Does it come with any cleaning solution, or does that require a separate purchase?
- How long does it take to download and connect the app to the robot vacuum?
- Is the mapping process easy and fuss-free?
Everyday cleaning
When the robot vacuum is all set up and ready to go, we dive straight to testing. And we ensure every robot vacuum and robot vacuum mop combo is given a fair chance to tackle everyday debris on hard flooring, carpets and rugs before asking:
- How many cleaning modes does the robot vacuum cleaner offer (and are they effective?)
- Does the vacuumed or mopped area look visibly cleaner after testing?
- Are there any dry or wet messes left on the floor after testing?
- When mopping, how long does it take for the floors to dry?
- Does the navigation system clean in a way that makes sense in a home?
- Are there any other features to aid cleaning, such as side brushes or spot cleaning functions?
- Is the app easy to use and configure for everyday cleaning?
- Does the app offer any special features that make it stand out from the crowd?
Debris testing
As we test a lot of floorcare appliances, we appreciate that our floors might be cleaner than most. Because of this, we also put robot vacuum cleaners through a specific debris test.
To do this, we throw different-sized dry debris - like oats, rice, crushed cereal and pet hair etc. - on both hard floors and carpet. If it’s a robot vacuum mop, we also squirt liquid messes (like tomato sauce) on the floor before assessing the following:
- How many passes it takes for the robot vacuum/mop to remove the debris from the floor.
- Whether it smears or pushes the debris around.
- Whether the special functions (if any) aid or hinder larger messes.
- Whether any lingering odours remain after cleaning.
Obstacle testing
Robot vacuum cleaners are completely hands-off, relying on smart technology to (supposedly) detect and avoid obstacles. This is also something we test when reviewing robot vacuum cleaners, as you want to be confident that the appliance can do its job without human help.
So, we put obstacles in the path of the robot vacuum cleaners and assess how well they tackle them. We focus on:
- Whether the robot vacuum cleaner bumps into the obstacle or detects it in time to navigate around it.
- How close it gets to the obstacle before it adjusts its journey. Is it overly cautious? Or does it clean as close to the obstacle as possible?
- How close it cleans around the obstacle, to ensure a thorough clean.
Ease of use
Robot vacuum cleaners are hands-off appliances that are famous for being incredibly easy to use, but they still require an app to work their magic. Plus, the actual bot and dock require some hands-on attention every so often. Because of this, we question:
- The app: How many maps can it store? How customisable is it? What special features does it offer? Does it feel overwhelming or easy to use?
- Clean water tank: How large is it and does it require frequent refilling?
- Dirty water tank: How large is it and does it require frequent emptying?
- Run time: How long does the battery last?
- Charge time: How long before you can use it again?
Cleaning and maintenance
As most people will buy a robot vacuum cleaner for its hands-off nature, we generally want its cleaning and maintenance to be minimal. That’s why we also consider these things during testing:
- Whether it has an auto-empty dock and what special features this dock offers.
- How large the dust bin is, and how often this needs to be emptied (and how easy this is to do).
- How the mop is cleaned, and whether the dock washes and dries it after use.
- How long the emptying/washing/drying process takes.
- How much replacement parts/bags cost, and how often they’ll need to be replaced.
- The size and shape of the bot and dock, and where it should be stored.
Value for money
Robot vacuum cleaners come in at various price points, often ranging anywhere between £300 - £1,300. Because we want you to buy a robot vacuum you’re proud of, we also assess the value for money of the floorcare appliance. So, we consider:
- Does the build quality and performance of the robot vacuum match the RPP? Or does it feel cheap?
- How does it compare to alternative robot vacuums with similar features?
- Is it an appliance most people could use regularly in order to get their money’s worth?
- Does it offer something a regular vacuum cleaner can’t?
How we come to our star rating
After our ruthless and thorough testing process, every robot vacuum cleaner reviewed by Ideal Home will receive a star rating out of 5 and those that score 4 and above will be given one of our Ideal Home Approved badges. This is what they mean.
A robot vacuum cleaner that offers impressive, visible cleaning power, is easy to use, has durable build quality, is extremely good value for money, and is either impossible or very difficult to criticise.
A well-rounded robot vacuum cleaner that delivers impressive cleaning results but has a few niggles to consider before buying. This could be unreliable cleaning results, poor build quality, or an expensive RPP.
A robot vacuum cleaner that we still recommend, but has some more noticeable negatives that could put some people off. All of these negatives will be clearly outlined in the review, so you know what to expect.
Our expert testing panel
I'm Lauren, Ideal Home's Floorcare Expert. I head up our robot vacuum cleaner testing panel, and I've spent over 400 hours testing all kinds of vacuum cleaners - from cordless models to the robot models I've included in my guide. Because of this, I know exactly what to look for when buying a robot vacuum cleaner or robot vacuum mop combo.
Jenny is Senior Digital Editor at Ideal Home, and has been testing appliances for us since 2023. She lives in Northern Ireland with her husband and two daughters, so she is always on the hunt for hands-free appliances that will allow her to keep the house clean without the fuss.
Rebecca is one of Ideal Home's trusted freelance reviewers. As a busy mum of three, she's constantly on the lookout for quick and easy cleaning tools that'll tackle the mess in her family home. Because of this, she's one of our go-tos for robot vacuum cleaner reviews.