Since CNET started testing robot vacuums in the early days of the first Roomba, we've worked hard to craft comprehensive testing procedures to evaluate every robot vacuum for the things that matter for buyers. Our lab experts have tested over 100 robot vacuums and counting, evaluating them for cleaning performance, navigation ability, object avoidance, noise levels and more. Price and special features also play a role in our overall rating and buying advice.
Below, we've laid out our comprehensive set of lab tests that we run on each and every robot vacuum that gets sent to the lab. Our tests are also always being tweaked and refined to generate the most consistent and reliable results, but the current testing procedures are accurate as of this writing.
Awarding the highest performers
We weigh the results of our rigorous lab testing for cleaning performance, navigation and obstacle avoidance with our decades of editorial expertise reviewing robot vacuums. Then we evaluate the total consumer quality by factoring retail price and extra features to assess the overall value of each robot vacuum.
There are a number of awards we may bestow on top performers. Editors’ Choice represents the best of the best products we’ve tested. These robot vacuums represent our top-tier choices for most people. We may offer an Editors’ Choice for a premium model and a different award for the best budget model.
We may also designate a Lab Award, which acknowledges a single product that had the highest performance in a specific and repeatable metric or benchmark that’s meaningful to consumers. For example, the Dreame X50 won the Lab Award for best cleaning coverage. Finally, we will spotlight top-performing products in our best lists.
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Our test room in Louisville lab
Our vacuum testing room features simulated furniture, different types of flooring and other obstacles. Ajay Kumar/CNET
The first trial is to figure out how well a robot covers the floor while cleaning and how well it works to avoid obstacles. We built an industry-standard testing room, as specified by the International Electrotechnical Commission, just for this purpose. The IEC is an international standards body responsible for managing robot vacuum testing procedures, among other things, for vacuum manufacturers.
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