Your floors

Tallest threshold between rooms, in inches
inches

Measure the highest step the robot must cross: a door strip, a rug edge or the lip between two floors.

inches

The gap from the floor to the underside of the sofa, bed or cabinet. Leave it empty to skip this check.

Floors

Hard floors with rugs or some carpeted rooms.

Carpet and rug pile

Low or medium pile: a mop that lifts on carpet is enough for the finder.

What it should do

Mopping

Models that only vacuum do not fit.

Dock

The dock empties the robot's bin into a larger bag, so you empty it less often.

Pets at home

Pets add a note on models whose dock does not empty the bin. No model fails on it.

More checks: floor area, levels, dock space, budget

Only for coverage: a model that covers less on one charge gets a note, never a failure.

Levels to clean

Carrying the robot upstairs needs a map for each level. Models that store fewer maps get a note.

inches
inches

Few makers publish dock sizes, so a dock that is too big adds a warning and never rules a model out.

USD

The most you would pay, in USD. A model without a published price for the US stays in the list with a note.

See the results

Results

Of 37 robot vacuums sold in the US: 26 fit, 0 are tight, 10 need a check and 1 does not fit.

The working

Tallest threshold
0.39 in (10 mm)
Climb for a clear pass
0.47 inyour threshold plus 0.08 in; a climb from 0.39 in up to that is tight
Floors
mixed, low pile
Mopping
wanted
Dock
self emptying

The margins are rules of thumb: 2 mm (0.08 in) over a threshold, 5 mm (0.2 in) under furniture. The methodology states each check.

Lowest US price first, then the larger threshold margin, then the lower robot. Models without a US price come after priced ones. Suction never decides the order: makers measure it in different ways.

Botsize may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. It never changes the math or the ranking.

Fits26

Every check passes with room to spare, and nothing rules the model out.

Roborock

Q7 M5+

Fits
ThresholdClearClimbs 0.79 in, 0.39 in above your 0.39 in threshold.
Height3.9 in tall.
DockDock empties the bin
MopVacuums and mops with a fixed mop pad
  • Mop lift height not published, and the maker does not say the mop detaches on its own. Check how it treats carpet.

Needs a check10

Nothing rules these out, but the maker does not publish the climb height or robot height a check needs.

Roborock

Q10 X5+

Needs a check
ThresholdNot publishedThe maker does not publish a climb height.
Height3.9 in tall.
DockDock empties the bin
MopVacuums and mops with a fixed mop pad
  • Mop lift height not published, and the maker does not say the mop detaches on its own. Check how it treats carpet.
ThresholdNot publishedThe maker does not publish a climb height.
Height4.1 in tall.
DockDock empties the bin, washes and dries the mop
MopVacuums and mops with a roller mop
  • Mop lift height not published, and the maker does not say the mop detaches on its own. Check how it treats carpet.

Does not fit1

Each line gives the reason in numbers.

Counts cover the 37 robot vacuums in the Botsize dataset that are sold in the US.

What the finder checks

Checks and when a model passes
CheckPasses when
Thresholdthe published climb height is at least 2 mm (0.08 in) above your tallest threshold
Furniturethe robot is at least 5 mm (0.2 in) lower than the gap under your lowest furniture
Moppingthe model mops, when you want mopping
Dockthe dock empties the bin, or empties the bin and washes and dries the mop, as you asked
Budgetthe price in your region is at or below your budget

The four verdicts

  • Fits: no check fails and the robot climbs your threshold with 2 mm (0.08 in) or more to spare.
  • Tight: the robot climbs your threshold, but with less than 2 mm (0.08 in) to spare.
  • Does not fit: the climb is below your threshold, the robot is too tall for your furniture, it has no mop when you want mopping, its dock does less than you asked, or its price is above your budget.
  • Needs a check: nothing rules the robot out, but the maker does not publish its climb height, or its height when you entered a furniture gap.

Mop lift on carpet, dock size, area per charge, stored maps for several levels, pets and a missing price add notes to a card. They never rule a model out.

The order of the results

Inside each group the lowest price in your region comes first, then the larger threshold margin, then the lower robot. Models without a price in your region follow the priced ones. Whether a link can earn a commission never changes the order.

Suction figures appear in the specifications but never decide a result, because makers measure suction in different ways; the suction guide explains. The methodology lists every check, and the measuring guide shows how to take the two numbers that matter most.

Questions about the vacuum finder

What does tight mean for a robot vacuum?
The maker's climb height reaches your threshold with less than 2 mm (0.08 in) to spare. On paper it crosses; with a worn wheel or a millimeter of measuring error it may not. Measure the step again before you choose a tight model.
Why are some well known models under needs a check?
Their makers publish no climb height (11 of 42 records) or no robot height (5 of 42). The finder does not guess a missing number, so it lists those robots with not published in the row for you to check in the manual.
Does mopping rule out robots on carpet?
No. On mixed floors or carpet the finder shows how far the mop lifts, warns when the lift is not published and the mop stays on, and warns on thick pile unless the mop comes off at the dock. A robot without a mop fails only when you ask for mopping.
Why is the floor area optional?
Floor area only adds a note on coverage per charge, and few makers publish an area per charge (4 of 42 records). The note says whether the robot covers the area, carries on after a recharge, or does not say.
What happens when the dock is too big for the space?
The finder warns when a published dock dimension is larger than the width or height you entered, and notes when the maker does not publish it. Dock size never rules a model out, since few makers publish all of it. The dock guide covers what to measure.