Robot vacuum cleaners
We've tested a range of robot vacuums to see how well they clean hard floors and carpet, and remove pet hair.
Looking for a top-rated robot vacuum to keep your home spotless? Find the best robot vacuums in New Zealand with our comprehensive buying guide and test results. We've tested over 20 models to help you find the perfect vacuum for your needs.
Buy the best robot vacuum for your home
Robot vacuums are clever, self-operating machines that make cleaning your home easier. They automatically vacuum your floors, and some models can also mop. We test these vacuums to see how well they perform on:
• Hard floor cleaning
• Carpet cleaning
• Pet hair removal
• Ease of use
In-depth robot vac trials
In our detailed in-house trials of robot vacuums, we assess their performance, noting what they do well and where they fall short.
Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra review: Is this feature-packed robot vacuum worth the hefty price?
Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Ultra review
Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid robot vacuum review
iRobot Roomba Combo j7+ in-home trial
Roborock S7 Plus robot vacuum review
Ecovacs Deebot X1 Plus robot vacuum review
Ecovacs Deebot T20 Omni robot vacuum cleaner review
Midea M7 robot vacuum review
Roomba 692 vs j7+: Which robot vac delivers the sucker punch?
What you need to know when buying a robot vacuum
With so many robot vacuums on the market, choosing the right one can be tough. Check out our guide to find out what features to consider, key questions to ask, and how to pick the best model for your needs.
Charging and runtime: All robots tested will return to the charging dock when the battery is low, but as it can take many hours for them to recharge it's worth paying attention to our recorded runtimes, so your vac has enough juice to do the rooms you want cleaned on a single charge.
Size: Some vacs are bigger than others. Pay attention to the diameter measurements on our test results. Bigger vacs may not fit into tighter spaces, such as around furniture or next to your toilet.
Mapping: Do you want a more customisable cleaning experience? Smarter models create a map of your home, which you can access via an app to select specific areas for cleaning.
How to properly clean and maintain your robot vacuum
Robot vacuum cleaners don’t clean or maintain themselves. We take a look at the tasks required to keep yours working properly.
Can't decide what you're looking for?
No matter if you're tackling carpets, wooden floors, or pet fur, we explain which type of vacuum is right for your home.
Which type of vacuum is best for cleaning your home?
We look at the pros, cons, and cleaning test results for battery-operated stick vacuums, standard corded vacuums, and robot vacuum cleaners to help you decide which type to buy.
Best retailer to buy small appliances from
Many things can ruin a shopping experience – a pushy salesperson, the product you wanted not being in stock or having to pay more than you intended. We asked consumers to tell us who they think are the best and worst retailers. Become a member to see the best stores to purchase small appliances from.
How we test robot vacuums
Robot vacuums should be able to clean any type of flooring. We test them on hard and soft flooring and around obstacles (chairs and a bench), so that the setup is similar to a home.
Our overall score combines test performance (how well the robot vacuum) with predicted reliability (how likely models from the brand are to remain free of faults) and owner satisfaction (how likely owners of the brand are to be very satisfied).
We've tested 32 robot vacuum cleaners.
Find the right one for you.