Robot vacuums: what they can really do
Floor cleaners: stairs, thresholds, obstacles, clutter. We track 6 robots here; 4 are in stores. Each one shows what it can do today and the sources that say so.
What can they do?
- Question · Robot vacuums
Can a robot vacuum get over high door thresholds?
Yes, for steps of a few centimeters. The Dreame X50 Ultra lifts itself over raised thresholds, though it won't climb a staircase.
2 sourcesChecked - Question · Robot vacuums
Can a robot vacuum avoid pet poop?
Yes. iRobot guarantees the Roomba j7+ will avoid solid pet waste, or it replaces the robot within the first year.
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Can a robot vacuum clean stairs yet?
Not one you can buy. Roborock showed a stair-climbing prototype at CES 2026, but it has no release date.
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Can a robot vacuum pick up socks and clutter off the floor?
Sort of. The Roborock Saros Z70 has an arm and is on sale, but in a hands-on test it worked only about half the time.
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The robots, most ready first
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Start with your problem
- My home has stairsRobot vacuums stop at the top step. Here's what can get past steps and between floors today, and what's still a prototype.
- I have a dog or catA robot that runs over a pet accident spreads it everywhere. Here's what's built to avoid it.
- The floor is always covered in stuffSocks, toys and cables stop a robot vacuum. Here's what can pick things up, and how well it really works.