About RoboVac HQ
Data-Driven Robot Vacuum Reviews
No sponsored rankings. No hidden agendas. Just objective data helping you find the best robot vacuum.
Why This Site Exists (The Real Story)
I bought a Roborock Qrevo S after reading "best robot vacuum" listicles. It had great specs on paper — LiDAR navigation, strong suction, mopping capability. Seemed perfect.
It gets stuck constantly. Every. Single. Day. Cables, shoes, chair legs, rug edges — it bumps into everything and gets trapped. I have to babysit a robot that was supposed to give me freedom.
The problem? No AI obstacle avoidance camera. LiDAR is great for mapping rooms, but it can't see a sock on the floor. Without a front-facing camera with AI object detection, robots are basically blind to small obstacles.
I built RoboVac HQ so you don't make the same mistake. We clearly mark which robots have AI obstacle avoidance and which don't — because that's what actually determines if your robot works or just gets stuck.
The #1 Thing Nobody Tells You
AI Obstacle Avoidance is not optional. Without it, your robot will:
- ✗Get stuck on cables, charging cords, and headphones
- ✗Push shoes and socks around until tangled
- ✗Get trapped under furniture or between chair legs
- ✗Run over pet accidents and spread them everywhere
That's why we weight Navigation 2x in our scoring and warn you about every robot that lacks AI obstacle detection. We still list them — but we'll never recommend them.
Why We Built This
Try searching "best robot vacuum" — you'll find the same recycled lists ranking whoever has the best affiliate program. Roomba shows up everywhere not because it's the best, but because iRobot pays well.
The reality? Brands like Dreame and Roborock consistently outperform the heavily-marketed options on metrics that actually matter: navigation accuracy, obstacle avoidance, and hands-off operation.
We wanted a site that ranks robots on measurable criteria — not vibes, not ad spend, not "our editors picked."
Our 11-Point Scoring System
Every robot is scored on 11 objective criteria. No subjective "feel" ratings — just facts.
Navigation is weighted 2x because without good LiDAR or camera-based obstacle avoidance, your robot will get stuck 5+ times per day. We've seen it happen with every budget gyro-only robot.
LiDAR / Camera / Hybrid - determines if robot gets stuck
Pa rating and real-world pickup
How well it cleans edges and corners
Hair wrap prevention
Sonic, rotating, or basic pad
Hot air vs passive drying
Auto soap dispensing
Self-emptying base quality
Days between refills
How often you touch it
Mapping, scheduling, controls
Each criterion is scored 0-1 point (navigation gets 0-2). Total possible: 10 points. See full rankings to compare all robots.
How We're Funded (Transparency)
Yes, we use affiliate links. When you buy a robot vacuum through our links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This is how we keep the site running.
But here's what we DON'T do:
- ✗Accept payment to improve a robot's ranking
- ✗Hide negative information about affiliate partners
- ✗Rank robots based on commission rates
- ✗Write sponsored content disguised as reviews
Our top-ranked robots happen to have good affiliate terms — but they're ranked high because they scored well on our criteria, not because of business relationships.
What Makes Us Different
👎 Other Sites
- • "Editor's choice" with no methodology
- • Rankings change when affiliate deals change
- • Ignore navigation tech entirely
- • Focus on suction Pa numbers (mostly meaningless)
- • Don't mention robots getting stuck
👍 RoboVac HQ
- • Published 11-point scoring system
- • Rankings based only on criteria scores
- • Navigation weighted 2x (it matters most)
- • Real-world reliability focus
- • Honest about what robots can't do
Ready to Find Your Robot?
Use our data to make an informed decision — not a marketed one.