I've tested over 20 robot vacuums — here are the top 5 to shop on Prime Day

Who it's for:

The Roborock Qrevo Master is a worthwhile investment for people who are picky about their cleaning — picky enough that they'd rather pay close to a grand than walk into a freshly swept room just to see that there's still a tuft of pet hair hanging out in the corner.

With self-washing and self-drying mopping pads, very strong suction power, and two extending side arms (one for vacuuming, one for mopping) that reach out several inches to dig into corners, Roborock's second-most expensive option is a full-fledged floor care suite that does the most in terms of cleaning and maintenance.

Why we picked this:

Though the Qrevo Master isn't Roborock's absolute most expensive vacuum (that's the $1,799.99 S8 MaxV Ultra), it still packs almost every single fancy feature that the S8 MaxV Ultra does — just for way less money, especially when you can find it on sale for under $1,000.

These standout features include two FlexiArms. The vacuuming one extends out from underneath the vac several inches further than the average crappy robot vacuum side brush, sweeping directly in corners and along wall edges. The mopping one is a spinning dual pad that reaches out underneath to mop outside of the robot vacuum's circumference, allowing it to mop scrub areas that the full height of the robot vacuum may or may not fit, like under the lip of kitchen counters. It's still not the same level of detailed edge cleaning that I can achieve with my Dyson, but it's lightyears ahead of bots that just skim the edges and hope for the best.

The Qrevo Master dishes out the same 10,000 Pa suction power (which automatically increases when the vacuum is going over carpet) as the S8 MaxV Ultra and, wait for it, has the same pet camera that gives you the POV of the vacuum as it's cleaning. Pet parents in the market for a robot vacuum to keep up with shedding could also be getting a livestream pet camera out of their purchase, which is actually a really comforting tool for checking on pets when you're not home.

Who it's for:

The Eufy X10 Pro Omni would be a stellar find for shoppers who are willing to spend more than a few hundred bucks to bring home a more hands off experience, but who still draw the line at $1,000. With small obstacle avoidance and a self-washing and drying mopping system, this Eufy offers more bang for your buck than the similarly-priced Roomba Combo j7+ or Roborock Q8 Max+. This particular Eufy robovac also has some of the best battery life on the market (even on its highest suction setting), making it an even easier choice for homes with lots of square footage or multiple stories.

Of all the X10 Pro Omni's advanced features, the small obstacle avoidance can't be understated, especially in homes that are, well, lived in. If you could bet money that there's a rogue sock, kid or pet toy, or phone charger on the ground at any given moment (it's the mountain of crap shoved under my bed for me), you'll appreciate the AI-powered small obstacle avoidance, which lets you confidently run the robot vac when you're not home to tidy up first.

Why we picked this:

Eufy's most elaborate robot vacuum (it's the brand's first self-emptying hybrid that self-refills the water tank and self-washes and dries the mopping pads) was also somehow the most affordable robot vacuum that debuted at CES 2024. That plus small obstacle avoidance are features we usually see in only the priciest vacs in the competition, so the fact that the X10 Pro Omni's resumé has both is seriously impressive.

Props to Eufy for not skimping on wet or dry floor cleaning here. Its official suction power ranking of 8,000 Pa is beastly on paper and proved proficient IRL on messes like spilled dry rice on both medium and flat piles. For wet or sticky messes, it's a rare sub-$800 model with dual spinning mopping pads to actually scrub more than gloss.

Who it's for:

The desire to buy a robot vacuum ultimately stems from wanting to be off the hook from cleaning. But if you also want to ensure that you're off the hook from tidying up the floor before sending out your robot vacuum, the Roomba j7 is the most affordable way to do that. It has been rocking a jaw-dropping 50% discount at Amazon for most of spring 2024, dropping it from its usual $599.99 to $299. (You can also opt for the self-emptying and mopping Combo j7+.)

If you live in a space that just needs light daily cleaning (not hardcore shedding cleanup that would fill a dust bin quickly), then losing out on mopping and automatic emptying won't be a huge deal. Rather, small yet cluttered spaces will benefit much more from the j7's ability to dodge the phone charger or laundry accidentally left on the ground.

Why we picked this:

I'd argue that a robot vacuum's ability to get to the place it needs to clean without any blips is just as important as the cleaning performance itself. The j7 ensures a smooth trip in two ways: super accurate room-to-room smart mapping and a front-facing camera that helps it steer clear of items that a less-advanced robot vacuum would surely try to eat, like cords, socks, or pet waste.

The mastery of this capability, which first wowed me when testing the Combo j7+, is still a rarity in the current robot vacuum market. It's particularly hard to find for under $500, as most vacs that come with this tech require you to pay for all of the other bells and whistles. So even by skipping mopping and self-emptying to stay affordable, the Roomba j7 is still one of the best robot vacuums for most people.

Read our full review of the iRobot Roomba Combo j7+.

Who it's for:

The standalone Shark Matrix obviously forgoes the optional self-emptying dock to keep the price point low. The ideal buyer would be someone who cares more about spot cleaning and mapping than manually emptying the dust bin.

Why we picked this:

Shark made serious moves with its 2023 lineup of vacuums. The most affordable of those is the standalone Shark Matrix, which defies the outdated stereotype that cheap robot vacuums' navigation abilities are limited to blindly bumping around and hoping for the best.

This $299.99 vacuum (or $199.99 on sale) packs essentials like LiDAR-powered home mapping and virtual boundaries, plus Shark's newest claim to fame: its Matrix spot cleaning technique that vacuums in a crosshatch pattern to grab any debris missed during the first pass.

Who it's for:

Too many robot vacuums make impromptu spot cleaning much harder than it needs to be. If that's a pain point on your radar, you'll appreciate the straightforward approach of Shark's Matrix line. In particular, the model that mops is one of the best for quick tackling of spills or daily upkeep of a certain high-traffic spot, like near a door, with no clicking around in the app required past simply dragging a box to the desired area. Groundbreaking.

While the Shark Matrix 2-in-1 would be fine in fully carpeted rooms, it's probably best for homes without a heavy rug situation, as the bot requires you to manually point out rugs or carpets in the app and can't vacuum while the water tank is attached.

Why we picked this:

No tea, no shade: Shark wasn't a huge threat in the robot vacuum market until it overhauled its 2-in-1 line in the winter of 2022. Now, if you come across a robot vacuum with "Matrix" in the title, you know you're in good hands.

You can think of the Matrix Clean system as the robot vacuum embodiment of the "and one for good measure" approach when it comes to cleaning. This applies to both the versions of the Matrix line that mop and the ones that don't. In Matrix mode during regular vacuuming, these Shark models dish out 30% better carpet cleaning than the older RV Shark models by vacuuming in a crosshatch pattern to loosen and grab debris from multiple angles. In Matrix mode during mopping, the mopping pad vibrates 100 times per minute to scrub at stains that hybrid models with stationary cloths would gloss over.

Read our full review of the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 (previously called the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1).