> At a Glance
> – 24 robot vacuums tested; none avoided all six common household obstacles
> – Best cleaner (Mova V50) scored 65% pickup but missed half the hazards
> – Best avoider (Yeedi M14 Plus) dodged five items yet cleaned 15 points lower
> – Why it matters: Buyers must choose between powerful suction and pet-safe navigation
Robot vacuums keep getting stronger motors and smarter cameras, yet exclusive News Of Los Angeles lab data shows the industry still forces shoppers to pick one superpower: deep cleaning or reliable obstacle avoidance.
Cleaning Champions Fall Short on Safety
The Mova V50 Ultra Complete leads with 65.14% average pickup-the highest in the test-and an unmatched 47.54% on mid-pile carpet. Its downside: only three of six obstacles avoided.
- Dreame D10S Ultra (62.32% pickup) avoided four items
- Dreame X50 Ultra (58.64% pickup) also missed three
- Roomba 205 topped hardwood at 99.27% yet dodged just one item
Seven models avoided nothing at all:
- 3i S10 Ultra
- Narwal Flow
- Eureka J15
- 3i P10 Ultra
- Monsga MS1 Max
- Roomba 705 Max
- SwitchBot S20 (non-auto-fill)
Best Avoiders Lose Suction Power
Four robots tied for best navigation, sidestepping five hazards:
- Yeedi M14 Plus – 50.03% pickup
- Eufy E28 – 44.49% pickup
- SwitchBot S20 Auto-Fill & Drain – 25.17% pickup
- Eufy E25 – 44.49% pickup
Only the Yeedi M14 Plus cracks the 50% pickup mark while still costing $600, less than half the $1,399 Mova V50.
Why Robots Must Choose
Engineers say suction and sensors fight for the same battery and processing budget.
Adrian Dunkley, AI researcher:
> “Pet modes deliberately prioritize cleaning over caution. Increased suction pulls in lightweight objects before sensors can react.”
Ahmed Harhara, Ph.D., engineer:
> “Real-time clutter recognition requires a fusion of lidar and vision plus faster onboard processing.”
Pick Your Priority
Buyers should decide which risk they can manage:
- Deep cleaners: Clear floors of cords, socks, pet waste before each run
- Avoidance pros: Accept lower pickup and schedule multiple passes
Key improvements come from reducing home clutter rather than waiting for tech breakthroughs.
Key Takeaways
- No robot vacuum combines top-tier suction with full obstacle avoidance
- Mova V50 cleans best; Yeedi M14 Plus balances both skills for $600
- Seven popular models ran over every test hazard, including fake pet waste
- Engineers say hardware limits force software to choose power or caution, not both
