Vacuums have come a long way. You no longer have to suffer the indignity of dragging around an unwieldy plastic hose connected to a clumsy, wheeled canister the size of a Galapagos tortoise. In fact, you don't even need to get off of the couch. Though it still feels like a relatively new product category, there are several good robot vacuums available to help you dispose of dust, pet hair, and other debris in your home—without needing to lift a finger. Which is the right one for you? We've rounded up our highest-rated robot vacuums, and provided a few pointers to help you find just the 'bot you're looking for.Unlike more traditional canister or stick models like the Hoover Air Cordless, robot vacuums are autonomous and (for the most part) intelligent. The vacuums we've tested are equipped with lasers, motherboards, sensors, and even Wi-Fi to navigate around your home without the need for assistance. With a few exceptions, you barely have to interact with them at all. Most robot vacuums come with charging docks;

some, like the Roomba 980, can even charge themselves. Just pick a robot-accessible spot for the dock, and the 'bot will return on its own before it runs out of juice. When it does, it will sit there until it has enough energy to go back out and continue to bust dust from where it left off. You can also set schedules for most 'bots to wake up and start a cleaning job, so it can take place while you're out of the house. That means you can potentially avoid all physical interaction until the vacuum needs to be emptied—you still can't take that step out of the equation. Also unlike many traditional vacuums, all of the robots included here don't use bags to hold the dust, hair, and other debris they suck up. Instead, they use an easy-to-remove dust bin you can simply eject and empty into the nearest garbage can. And many come equipped with HEPA filters that prevent allergens from spreading through the air. Also worth noting: Floor-cleaning robots like the iRobot Braava 380t and the iRobot Scooba 450specialize in mopping and sweeping.

They aren't eligible for this list because they don't vacuum up dirt and debris, but they will get your hardwood floors nice and shiny. The Moneual Rydis H68 is the only vacuum on this list that offers wet mop cleaning as well. Convenience vs. CostA robot vacuum is usually higher in price than a traditional vacuum (though not always; the Dyson Cinetic Animal + Allergy costs a whopping $700). The models listed here range from $250 to $900. best steam to clean upholsteryThat's a pretty sizable investment, even on the lower end. leather cleaning products torontoLet's consider just what you get for the price.best way to clean wood floors with vinegar Unless you really love to vacuum, the task itself is pretty mundane.

Depending on the size of your house, a robot vacuum can save you anywhere from minutes to hours of your time every week by taking care of a pretty thankless chore. That alone is reason enough for some people to consider one. In addition, robot vacuums have reached the point where they're basically just as effective and powerful as regular vacuums. The robots rounded up here use filters, side brushes, and spinning brushes that will do an equally good job of cleaning your home as their upright equivalents. They're also fairly compact, so they won't take up much space in your storage closet. And they're able to travel underneath most couches and tables, so you won't have to rearrange furniture. Even if you do, the more advanced robots on this list use memory banks to note where furniture is placed, so as not to bump into anything on a future pass. Also worth mentioning: The latest vacuums, like the Neato BotVac Connected and the aformentioned Roomba 980, can connect to your home Wi-Fi network so you can control them with your smartphone, even when you're not home.

Convenience like this is pricey, but it definitely has its perks. For more shopping advice, including robot and traditional models, be sure to read our buying guide. To see our most recent reviews, check out our Vacuum product page.Who wouldn't want a robot vacuum to take over the brunt of this odious chore? These little droids, which range in price from $100 to more than $1,000, can free up time to do other chores. That's why it's not all that surprising that robot vacuums make up 20 percent of the worldwide vacuum market, according to iRobot's CEO. Before you buy, you need to decide if you're looking for a simple duster of floors or a heavy-duty piece of machinery. This will help determine how much you spend. You'll also want to take into account the size of the dustbin, to determine how often you'll need to empty it. If you're interested in a robot vacuum, this guide will help you find the droids you're looking for. Currently, the Roomba 650, Amazon's top-selling robot vacuum, is on sale for $299, which is almost $100 off its regular price.

Before you purchase a robot vacuum, there are a number of things you'll want to consider, such as room size and what you'll be vacuuming. We've put together a handy robot vacuum buying guide to help you determine your needs. Here are our favorite robot vacuums currently available or soon to be released. There's a reason the brand name "Roomba" has become nearly synonymous with robot vacuums: quality. iRobot's latest model, the Roomba 880, combines top-notch vacuuming and navigation technology. It also comes with a HEPA-filter, which means it can collect and contain particles finer than the width of a human hair.  Using the accompanying remote control, you can set a number of preprogrammed cleaning settings, change them in the middle of a vacuuming cycle or take control for spot cleaning yourself. The Roomba 880 also comes with two devices called Lighthouses that you can put around your house to help guide the vacuum or prevent it from accessing certain areas. Likes: Amazon customers love how well the iRobot Roomba 880 works on almost any surface and that the device has no brush bristles to clean.

They agree that this machine is a great choice for busy people who just don't have time for vacuuming. One reviewer says, "I have finally found a reliable housekeeper!" Dislikes: People like that the iRobot Roomba 880 recharges itself, but complain that the battery doesn't last long enough. Other common complaints include that the device clogs, lacks quality suction and needs to be emptied often, even when not full. One owner says, "If you have dogs that sheds, this unit is worthless." Amazon's top-selling indoor robot vacuum, the Roomba 650 is the company's mid-range model has a 3-stage cleaning system that's good for everything from pet hair to cereal. At 3.6 inches high, it should fit under most furniture, and it can be scheduled to clean up to seven times per week. When it's done, it automatically returns to its dock to recharge. Likes: "Roomba did a good job covering an awkward area. We captured a full bin of hair from the dogs...The bin was full of fur and even captured some large dog food nuggets." said one reviewer.

Another commented "I have 3 kids and 1 chocolate lab. I spent a lot of time vacuuming dog hair up and food the kids dropped. iRobot Roomba has saved me a lot of time!" Dislikes: "It covers the same area a lot while missing others and seems to like to climb obstacles it shouldn't," said one person. Others complained that it would get lost, and not find its way back to the charging station. The iLife A4 has a three-step cleaning system, as well as a side brush that sweeps up dirt and dust from sideboards. At just 3 inches tall, it should be able to easily scoot underneath furniture. A high-capacity 2600-mAh battery will last between 130-150 minutes, and it has multiple cleaning modes for varying levels of dirt and surfaces. You can schedule it to clean when you're not home, and a remote lets you direct it to trouble spots in your home. Its sensors help keep it from getting stuck or falling down stairs, and will return automatically to its base station to recharge. Likes: Amazon customers love that the iLife A4's low profile allows it to go "under couches and other low furniture easily," according to one reviewer.

Others lauded its long battery life, and ability to work on a variety of surfaces. "Two dogs and a cat leave a great deal of fur. The A4 picked it all up in addition to little scraps of paper, dog food, kitty litter-you name it," said another. Dislikes: Some customers have said that the A4's small dust bin fills up quickly, and that its sensors get tripped up on black carpeting. iRobot's smallest and least expensive robot vacuum, the Braava Jet is designed to sweep up spills and dirt from bathroom, kitchen, and hardwood floors. Replaceable pads with built-in cleaning agents will automatically switch the Braava into dry, damp, or wet mopping. The Braava squirts water from a 150ml reservoir, and a vibrating cushion helps the pads scrub up any stains. The Braava Jet will come with six pads, and replacements will be sold in packs of ten for $7.99. Likes: "Best investment ever if you hate cleaning hard-surface floors like I do," says one Amazon reviewer. Customers love that the iRobot Braava Jet's battery lasts quite a while before needing a recharge, and that the robot stops using liquid when it goes over anything that isn't a hard floor.

Dislikes: Many Amazon customers, no matter if they love or hate this device, seem to agree that they hate the series of beeps for error codes and would like the Braava Jet give actual messages instead. A recurring complaint is that you cannot use your own cleaning solutions with the product. Like Neato's Botvac Connected, Samsung's newest robot vacuum, the PowerBot VR7000, works with Amazon's Alexa voice assistant, so you can start cleanings just by speaking. The VR7000, which will be available in 2017 (the price has yet to be announced), is 4 inches tall, and 28 percent slimmer than previous Samsung vacuums, so it should be able to get under furniture more easily. It also has a wide 11-inch brush, which is self-cleaning, so not as much dirt and dust should get trapped in its bristles. Via Neato's smartphone app, you can monitor the D3 Connected's progress and schedule cleanings. Its lithium-ion battery can cover up to 1800 square feet, and the dirt bin is just as large as the $699 Botvac Connected.