At a Glance
- CNET has tested over 100 robot vacuums in their Louisville lab
- They use IEC-standard rooms with sand, pet hair, and obstacle courses
- Best performers score above 60% debris pickup; worst as low as 20%
- Why it matters: Independent testing reveals which $200-$2,000 robots actually clean and navigate your home effectively
CNET’s Louisville lab runs every robot vacuum through identical torture tests-measured sand spills, pet hair tangles, fake pet poop, and furniture mazes-to find the machines worth your money.
The Lab Setup
The IEC-spec room packs couches, cords, low tables, and three floor types: low-pile carpet, mid-pile carpet, and hardwood. Overhead cameras track each bot’s path and generate color heat maps.
- Blue/cyan: barely visited
- Green: light coverage
- Yellow/orange: frequent passes
Pickup Power Measured to the Gram
Technicians spread 5 g of play sand and a groomer’s scoop of pet hair on each surface, then weigh the dustbin after a cleaning cycle. They repeat the run five times and average the results.
| Floor Type | Best Score (Mova V50 Ultra) | Worst Seen |
|---|---|---|
| Hardwood | 80 %+ | ~45 % |
| Low-pile | 60 %+ | ~10 % |
| Mid-pile | 47.5 % | <15 % |
Pet-hair removal is judged visually instead of weighed; top picks leave almost no strands behind.
Navigation & Obstacle Scores
Coverage percentage comes from video analysis of three full-room runs. The current leaders-Mova V50 and Dreame X50 Ultra-both cleared under-furniture gaps and hit more than 90 % of accessible floor. The lagging Eufy E28 missed edges and low-clearance zones, dropping to about 70 % coverage.
For obstacle avoidance, six everyday items (sock, lamp, pet toy, fake feces, etc.) are placed at 90°, 180° and 360° approach angles. No vacuum has yet avoided all six; high-rated models dodge five, while some entry-level bots suck up the sock or smear the fake mess.
What Else Factors Into Ratings
Noise is logged in dBA; a 10 dB span separates the quietest and loudest units, though all sit in a similarly tolerable window. Price, app ease, mopping skill, and extras like self-empty docks also weigh into final recommendations. Awards include Editors’ Choice (best overall or best budget) and Lab Award for top performance in a single metric-recently given to the Dreame X50 for best cleaning coverage.
Key Takeaways
- CNET’s repeatable lab tests show mid-pile carpet is the toughest challenge for most robots
- Measured pickup scores range from 20 % to above 60 %
- No tested robot has yet avoided every obstacle in the six-item course
- Price ranges from $200 basic models to nearly $2,000 flagships
Bottom line: if you want a robot that actually cleans and steers clear of socks and fake poop, check CNET’s data before you buy.
