How We Research
Each guide on Pick My Click answers one question: which robot vacuum fits the home of the person reading this page? That depends on your floors, the size of your home and how hands-off you want cleaning to be.
Here is how we reach an answer.
1. We start with your home
A one-bedroom apartment with hard floors needs a different robot from a two-story house with thick rugs. So we begin with the rooms, the floors and the mess.
We check how a robot finds its way, whether it saves a map of more than one floor, and how well it suits carpet, hardwood or tile.
2. We compare the details that matter
We look at navigation type, suction, brush design, run time, bin and dock size, mop type, height and what comes in the box. For docks, we check whether the base uses bags or is bagless and how long the maker says it holds.
iRobot, Shark, Roborock and other makers describe their robots in their own words. We name the brand whenever we repeat one of its claims, and we note the warranty it lists.
3. We read what owners report
We look for patterns in buyer feedback, like hair wrapping the brush, robots getting stuck under furniture, mapping errors, weak batteries or app trouble.
One bad review doesn't rule a robot out. A problem that keeps coming up does.
4. We give each robot a score
Our score weighs specs, features and buyer feedback against what you're shopping for. The same robot can score lower in a guide written for a different need.
Scores are spread out on purpose, and a 10 is rare.
5. We keep guides current
Robot vacuum makers release new versions and bundles under very similar names. We check model numbers and what's in the box, and we only link new units, never renewed ones.
We skip robots with a known recall. When we change a guide, its "Updated on" date changes too.
What our picks are not
Our picks come from research, not lab tests. We don't claim to have used every robot we write about.
Robot vacuums run on lithium batteries and move around on their own. Follow the maker's manual for charging and care, and we never call a robot safe around every pet or child.