Best Robot Vacuums with Mapping Technology 2022

Earlier we've talked about the 4 of the most powerful mid-range smart robot vacuum cleaners. Since it's been a while, since some manufacturers released new models that are worth to be mentioned, we decided to dive deep into the 5 best smart robot cleaners of 2022.

What is mapping in a robot vacuum?

Mapping is a feature that allows the robot to know better where it should clean making navigation more efficient. A created map allows for creating the most effective path for cleaning your house so the robot does not miss any areas when cleaning. Having a map created, the robot knows where it has already been cleaned and where it should clean.

Unlike cheaper robots that run around bumping into things until the battery dies, the ones that have mapping methodically cover a cleaning area following the created map. Another pro is the robot does not go over the same spot twice which saves battery life and makes cleaning more efficient so the robot finishes the job faster. Most of the cleaners with mapping allow seeing the created map in the app, with some you can even track it in real-time. Most of them have the following features: virtual boundaries that block the robot from certain areas, zoned cleaning, cleaning a particular room, etc.

What kind of mapping technology exists?

Usually, robot vacuums with mapping are more expensive than robot vacuums with a random cleaning pattern. Such devices use a special sensor that helps to create an accurate map. I would break all robot vacuums with mapping into the following categories:

  • Lidar-based mapping. A “tower” on the top of the device rotates and scans the surrounding with an LDS (Laser Distance Sensor) and creates an accurate map of the surrounding. Robot vacuums with Lidar create the most accurate map and have the most precise navigation compared to devices with other mapping technologies.
  • Camera-based mapping. A camera or ToF sensor (time-of-flight sensor) takes shots of the surroundings and creates a map of a house. This technology is pretty accurate, but it has a significant disadvantage: it doesn’t work in dark conditions.
  • Gyroscope/accelerometer-based mapping. A cheaper technology that uses sensors such as a gyroscope and accelerometer to measure distance and object orientation in your house. Robot vacuums with a gyroscope usually create an inaccurate map, and navigation is not as good as a camera or Lidar-guided devices.
  • Combined sensors. Some devices use a combination of two or three sensors mentioned above.
  • Extra sensors for object recognition. Premium robots nowadays are equipped with extra sensors like DToF, front camera, or other types of sensors that help to recognize small objects on the floor. Those robots have the most advanced navigation.

I’ve picked up the top 5 best-featured robot vacuum cleaners with mapping ever existed on the market. Each of these models would perform well on bare flooring and carpeted surface. Choose the one that would suit you the most depending on your budget, needs, and preferences.

Specs & Features
Dreame Z10 Pro
Dreame Z10 Pro

Roborock S7
Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra

iRobot Roomba j7+
Roomba j7+

Ecovacs Deebot X1 OMNI
Ecovacs Deebot X1 OMNI

Ecovacs Deebot X1 OMNI
Roborock Q5+
Mapping technology   LDS + DToF LDS + camera camera LDS laser LDS
Front camera / Objects recognition & avoidance   yes yes yes yes no
Multimapping   yes yes yes yes yes
Battery life (min)   150 180 75 120 180
Battery capacity (mAh)   5,200 5,200 2,210 5,200 5,200
Suction power (Pa)   4,000 5,100 N/A 5,000 2,700
Dustbin capacity (ml)   400 400 400 500 470
Self-empty charging base   yes yes yes yes yes
HEPA filter   yes yes yes yes yes
Mopping feature   yes yes no yes no
Vibrating water tank no yes - yes -
Auto mopping pads washing no yes - yes -
Water tank auto refill no yes - yes -
Lifting mopping pad no yes - no -
App   Mi Home Mi Home / Roborock iRobot Home ECOVACS HOME Roborock
Amazon Alexa / Google Home support   yes yes yes yes yes
Recharge & Resume   yes yes yes yes yes
Virtual boundaries   yes yes yes yes yes
No-Mop zones   yes yes - yes -
Electronic water tank   yes yes - yes -
Selected room cleaning   yes yes yes yes yes
Empty water tank alert   no no - yes -
Rising mopping attachment no yes no no -
Dirt detection   no no yes no no
Carpet identification   yes yes yes yes yes
Full bin indicator   no yes yes no no
Scheduling   yes yes yes yes yes
Water tank capacity (ml)   150 200 - 80 -
Height (in / cm)  3.8 / 9.6 3.78 / 9.6 3.62 / 9.2 4.06 / 10.3 3.8 / 9.65
Climbing ability (in / mm)   0.79 / 20 0.79 / 20 0.79 / 20 0.79 / 20 0.79 / 20
Warranty 12 months 12 months 12 months 12 months 12 months
Price $599.99 Amazon
$408.42 Aliexpress
$859.99 Amazon $599.0 Amazon $1040.77 Aliexpress $699.99 Amazon

Which robot vacuum is better for large homes?

Each robot vacuum with mapping in our list has a recharge & resume feature, which means the robot automatically returns to the charging dock when the battery is running low. It juices up the battery and automatically resumes cleaning where it left off. But recharging may take a few hours so it is much more convenient when the device finishes the job in one cleaning cycle, so consider the battery capacity and max working time when choosing a robot vacuum for a big house.

120 minutes of battery life is enough to cover a 100-150 sq. meters area, basically, it's enough to clean a ~200 sq. meters house. If you live in a small house, any of these devices will suit your needs. It would take less time to finish the cleaning. On average, these robot vacuums clean 1 sq. meter per minute, so you can easily calculate the necessary cleaning time. Keep in mind that some space in your house is taken up by furniture, so the cleaning area will always be smaller than the actual size of your house.

One of the advantages of those robots is the self-emptying charging dock, it may be very useful for larger houses since the robot will collect more dust, and the ability to automatically empty the dustbin is very convenient in this case. The object recognition function is good too as it makes the robot navigate smarter avoiding small things on the floor.

Are these robot vacuums good for carpets?

All the robot vacuums in this list perform pretty well on carpets. Remember the robot vacuums can't clean high-pile carpets, they just can't climb on such carpets or struggle to move on. But if you have mostly low-pile carpets or middle-pile carpets, there should be no problems. Some do a bit better job than others but in general, all of them are suitable for carpets.

Some people are curious if these robot vacuums can provide the same cleaning performance as a regular vacuum cleaner or a powerful upright vacuum such as a Dyson. The truth is that robot vacuums have significantly weaker suction compared to a good upright vacuum cleaner. Are they useless then and maybe better to buy an upright vacuum cleaner? Definitely no. You can run robot vacuums daily without any effort just by pressing a button or even scheduling a robot to clean at a specific time (for example, when you are at work). You will be very surprised by how much dirt it collects even if you have manually vacuumed your floors before.

Which robot vacuum is better for bare floors?

Cleaning bare floors such as hardwood, laminate, or tile floors is an easy task for robot vacuums. Only the Roomba j7+ does not have mopping that would help make the floors cleaner.

The Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra lifts the water pad on carpets which makes it the most convenient robot to use on a mixed surface. Besides, the pad also vibrates. I would say it does the job just fine. Maybe not the best compared to mopping only robots but in my opinion, the S7 MaxV Ultra is the best hybrid robot on the market. Additionally, its self-cleaning base has two large water tanks that fill up the water tank and wash the mopping pads after mopping. This adds value to the product.

The Roborock Q5+ is good for hard floors but only if you do not require mopping.

The Dreame Z10 Pro has the smallest water tank so mopping is not able to cover a big area of the hard floor without having to refill the tank.

The Ecovacs DEEBOT X1 OMNI is the newest and most advanced robot vacuum that combines a self-cleaning bin and auto-refilling water tank features. Basically, the base is able to suck up the dust and wash the mopping pad. It also refills the water tank with water so you don't have to do so manually. Compared to the Roorock, the OMNI has a smaller water tank.

I would say they all do the job mopping the floors just some of them are more convenient to use in homes with a mixed surface or in terms of not refilling/washing the pad manually.

Which one to choose for pet owners?

The Dreame Z10 Pro is no worse or better than any other on the list. It does prone to hair tangling but nothing crucial that can't be dealt with in no time.

The Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra is equipped with a new rubber roller that is considered to be the best in terms of hair tangling and maintenance.

The same goes for the Roomba's patterned dual rubber rollers. Best for pet hair.

As to ECOVACS, the two have a standard roller that is similar to the one found in most robots nowadays. The robots also pick up pet hair and have issues with maintaining the rollers.

Since all of them come with a self-cleaning base, they all are good for pet owners as you don't have to deal with stuffed dustbins especially if you run the robot more than once a week.

Which one has better filtration

All of them are equipped with a HEPA filter and are safe for allergy sufferers

Self-Emptying Charging Base

The innovative charging base empties the robot’s dustbin automatically, and you don’t need to clean the bin for up to 30 days if you use the robot vacuum daily. It is becoming a standard in the premium robot segment as well as mid-range price robots. 

However, the Ecovacs Deebot X1 OMNIand Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra have a 2-in-1 self-cleaning base that additionally washes mopping pads and refills the water tank on its own.

Voice control by Alexa/Google Assistant

If you own an Amazon Echo or Google Home, you can control your robot vacuum by voice commands. All robot vacuums picked in this article support both, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. You can start and stop cleaning, and send the robot to the dock by voice command.

What you can do with the app?

One of the biggest pros of a robot vacuum with mapping is the ability to see and interact with the map of your house in an iOS/Android app. All the robot vacuums picked here have a bunch of advanced app features, let's see what you can do with each of these robots.

Objects recognition: camera vs. 3D sensor

All of them support an object recognition function. The robot can see small objects the Lidar or camera can not and avoid them on the way. The difference between a camera and a 3D sensor is that the robots with a camera might take shots of the avoided objects which you can see on the map. The 3D sensor does not leave spots on the map.

How to prevent the robot from crossing certain places where it can get stuck

There are two solutions for that: the no-go & no-mop zones.

Virtual boundaries (no-go zones)

The virtual boundaries keep the robot from going to specific places where the robot struggles to navigate.

Digital boundaries prevent the robot from crossing certain areas

Every other robot on our list supports this feature. Usually, it means you can draw a rectangle on the map to mark a forbidden zone.

No-Mop zones

This option helps the robot to stay away from carpets in mopping mode. For example, you can draw a rectangle on the map in the Roborock app to mark a carpet and the S7 MaxV Ultra will avoid this area when mopping. As soon as you remove the mopping pad, the no-mope zone becomes "inactive" for the robot. This feature is also supported by others except for the Roomba i7+

The Deebots and Roborock can automatically detect a carpet and avoid it when working with the mopping pad attached. Even though the others can detect carpets as well, they can't automatically mark carpets as no-mop zones, the carpet recognition only works to boost suction when the robot is on the carpet.

No-Go zones vs. No-Mop zones

The no-go zones are stable and active in vacuuming and mopping mode while the no-mop zones disappear once the mopping attachments are removed.

Why buy a robot vacuum with an electronic water tank

The electronic water tank allows setting the amount of water dripping depending on mopping tasks. This ensures better mopping results. Some robots also allow shutting off suction in mopping mode.

Is it possible to send the robot to clean a specific place or a room?

You can achieve that with a zoned cleaning feature and room cleaning.

Zone cleaning is useful if you want to clean a specific area without having the robot clean the whole home.

Make the robot vacuum clean within a certain area using zoned cleaning

The selected room cleaning is similar to the zone cleaning. The room cleaning normally means you have to click on a section while with zoned cleaning you have to draw a rectangle.

When the map is created, and the rooms are set, you can choose one or more rooms to clean by using the app. You can also schedule the robot to work in the kitchen at a specific time.

Can I see where my robot has already been cleaned?

In the app, you can track some robot's movements in real-time. Watching your cleaner create a map is magnificent.

Can I control the vacuum’s movements?

To control your robot vacuum like a radio car, you can use your smartphone. Supported by all the models except for the Roomba j7+.

Can I use the robot in my two-level house?

The ones in the list are able to recognize their location if being placed manually in the middle of the room it has been mapped before.

Maintenance

Quick Guide Through Every Robot Cleaner

Quick Summary

Dreame Z10 Pro on Amazon — $599.99; on Aliexpress - $408.42.

The best value. If you want all the features of expensive models without paying the same money. Not suitable for big areas of hard floors if you want to use mopping.

Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra on Amazon$859.99.

The most convenient to use on a mixed surface. One of the most featured.

Roomba j7+ on Amazon — $599.0.

One of the best object recognition performance is on par with the smallest self-emptying base. Because of a small battery, the j7+ is not suitable for big homes.

Ecovacs Deebot X1 OMNI on Aliexpress - $1040.77.

The most-featured and expensive one. For those who want to have good cleaning performance not spending time on maintenance.

Roborock Q5+ on Amazon — $699.99.

If you want Roborock features and performance but don't want to pay for the S7 MaxV Ultra.


Do you have any questions left? Still not sure which robot vacuum cleaner with mapping to buy? Ask us in the comment section down below, and we will try to help you figure out what option would be best for you.

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13 comments
Logan Brown ⋅ 3 years, 1 month ago #

Thank you for your very thorough and illuminating article. Could you please give me your thoughts on the following needs:

My wife and I are in our 70's no pets, 2 level house (3500 sf) with average amount of furniture about 1/3 hardwood and 2/3 low pile oriental rugs
I would like a robot vacuum with the following characteristics
1-Mapping so i can assign robot to exhaust itself in 1 designated area to insure cleanliness and get near 100% coverage - this would seem it indicate a lidar machine
2-Easily definable rooms and no go zones
3-Ability to be used on 2 levels ideally so i don't have to buy 2 machines
4-Short enough to get under the furniture
5-Dependable and relatively easy to program (we have wifi throughout)
6-<$400

Based on my research it seems the Roborock S4 Max appears to be my best choice-But i am wondering if I should consider another type of mapping system so the machine is shorter and can get under more of the furniture.
If in your opinion i should choose a different machine, which one should it be and what sort of mapping system do i need ?
Some of the Amazon reviews on Robobock indicate wifi connection and battery issues. I dont know whether this is a widespread issue with them or a few defective machines. Can you please give me your opinion

Natalie Red ⋅ 3 years, 1 month ago #

Hello Logan, thank you so much. Based on your needs, I would recommend the Roborock S4 Max indeed, it is the best in class. A shorter robot with mapping would be something based on a camera like a Roomba but the cheapest mapping Roomba would cost more.

On the other hand, you need a robot with a large battery that would be able to cover your floor on one charge so I would not recommend anything else other than a Roborock since all camera-guided robots have a smaller battery.

If you are ready to trade off height for a bigger battery, good cleaning performance, and overall best quality, go for the Roborock S4 Max. I would not recommend looking at something else as this one is simply the best in class.

Does that help?
Natalie

Logan Brown ⋅ 3 years, 1 month ago #

Yes, thanks very much for your trouble. In your opinion are the issues raised by negative reviews such as below from Amazon, a major cause for me to be concerned about the S4 Max ?
"Let me start by saying this is my first robot vacuum. I read a million reviews and did my research. I am less than impressed! The first day it didn't map my house correctly so I mapped it again no biggie. It worked great on my tile floor the first couple of days but not so much on my large area rug. There was alot of debris left after two cycles on max mode. The suction is awful on rugs we are about a week in and it's the same with my tile. I would like to mention I have cleaned the dust bun and untangled hair from the rollers after every cycle. Now it doesn't even clean the rooms I set for it to clean. It is currently in my master bathroom running into the cabinet although it was set to clean the kitchen. I also had issues with it going in circles running into walls. It literally runs into EVERYTHING it is constantly stuck under the dishwasher. Even after I set it as a no go zone! I tried to contact support but they haven't responded. Highly disappointed as I have heard good things about roborock. I would look elsewhere save your money!"

"The mapping, and cleaning are still amazing however I've only owned this thing for two weeks and it will no longer connect to my wifi. The device is listed as offline on the app. It not being connected to wifi prevents it from initiating scheduled cleanings automatically. It will still clean, I just have to manually hit the clean button on the device every time I want it to clean. I've tried everything to get it to reconnect to wifi that you can research online. Swapped apps, reset router, factoryn reset on the device, etc., etc with no luck. An error like this two weeks after owning the product is indicative of a product that will not last long. I was very optimistic that I finally found a robot that worked well and was reliable, but clearly that is not the case. I now would no longer recommend this vacuum due to the connectivity issues I've had."

Natalie Red ⋅ 3 years, 1 month ago #

I have not tested the Roborock S4 Max, I did test the S4 tho. I didn't have any issues with none of my Roborock robots nor with a WiFi connection or navigation. I don't think there is anything better on carpet than a Roborock for a such price. And to be honest I don't remember any other robot vacuum that would not have reviews complaining about a WiFi connection.
For <$400 a robot vacuum that would have a large battery, mapping, support multi mapping, and not have issues with anything does not exist :) Don't want to be that guy tho

But again I didn't have any of these with my Roborock robots.

Myrna Hunt ⋅ 3 years, 5 months ago #

Have you had a chance to test the Eufy L70? Any feedback on its performance?

Myrna

Natalie Red ⋅ 3 years, 5 months ago #

Hi there, I have no had a chance to test the eufy L70 but one of our readers has. You can read about his experience with the L70.

Julie ⋅ 3 years, 8 months ago #

Great, thanks.

Julie ⋅ 3 years, 8 months ago #

Are any of these able to fit under low furniture? I’ve noticed the better mapping models seem bulky.

Natalie Red ⋅ 3 years, 8 months ago #

Hi Julie, I have added a "height" raw. The Lidar-guided robots have a tower on top so that's why they are taller. Those with a built-in camera normally have a short body.

Rebecca Magee ⋅ 3 years, 10 months ago #

Could you please recommend a robot vaccum for a home that is:

1. Medium sized (3k square feet) and single story. Bedrooms carpet, rest rug (not very thick) and wood/tile.

2. Lots of pet and ppl hair

3. Goes around furniture/objects nicely and in corners (where pet hair tends to pile up) *this is key as we have lots of baby stuff around*

4. Isnt too loud (or will scare the dogs)

5. Is easy to use/program

6. Is no more than $500/$550

7. Can be programmed to clean certain rooms/areas at a time

8. Mopping function a plus but not required

Thank you!!!

Natalie Red ⋅ 3 years, 10 months ago #

Hi Rebecca, thank you for the addition information, very helpful!

1. You need simething with a large battery. I would say a Roborock or the Eufy L70. I would not recommend buying anything with a smaller battery because it will take forever to clean the whole home.
2. Considering we are talking about a Roborock or a Eufy, both are good at picking up pet and human hair without having it too wrapped around the brush.
3. None robot vacuum would clean your corners perfectly well but they are trying their best :). A Roborock has the best navigation in the industry.
4. Most powerful robots are loud. The quietest Roborock yet is the S6. I find the noise really not distracting at all.
5. Never used the Eufy app but the Roborock/Mi Home app is very user-friendly.
6. You can find some Roborock robots within this price range. Do not go for the Roborock S4 tho as you have carpets and this robot can not work on medium-pile carpets.The Eufy is ~$500
7. A Roborock and Eufy have this option.
8. A Eufy and Roborock have a mopping function. The Roborock S4 does not but as I said before it would not suit your floor surface.

P.S. The Roborock Xiaowa Series and Roborock E4 have a bigger battery but they are not lidar-guided. I would recommend getting one with a camera or Lidar for such big space.

Feel free to ask any more questions :)

Rebecca Ann Magee ⋅ 3 years, 10 months ago #

Thank you so much!!

Which roborock do you think would work the best? Also, what about the 360 S7? Looks like it has less battery capacity but it is also about $200 less

Appreciate it!

paula ⋅ 3 years, 4 months ago #

Where can I buy the Eufy L70? Amazon sells in CAD$1,300.... and $500

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