We could all benefit from fewer tasks on our hands. An increasingly popular helper for single folks and families alike? The robot vacuum. Once utterly futuristic, robot vacuums are now mainstream enough to offer reliable, tech-powered cleaning at pricing that’s actually pretty accessible, especially if you really could use a helping hand around the house and know you’d use the device.Yet with so many robot vacuums now available, it can be difficult — and downright overwhelming — to tell the models apart, much less figure out which one is best suited for your home.At its most basic, a good robot vacuum will clean your home with limited interference from you — moving about your home and absorbing dirt and debris while avoiding obstacles like stairs and furniture. Models with more bells and whistles may also recharge and empty themselves, remember the specific contours of your home or even mop. We’ve assembled a list of popular robot vacuums, with their key features and differences, to help make the selection process easier for you.iRobotThe iRobot Roomba 205 DustCompactor, which doesn't require a dockHighlights: Stores debris inside a bagless compartment in the vac, space-saving without a dock, vacuum-mop hybrid with carpet detectionIf you want the power of a Roomba and the flexibility of a mop-vac hybrid, but don't want a dock taking up valuable floor space in your home, the Roomba 205 DustCompactor is for you. This robot's innovative design has a bagless inner compartment that stores debris for up to 60 days, meaning you lose the self-emptying mechanism but you're still going a long time without having to touch or see the debris (and you don't need to replace any bags). You can schedule a cleaning routine through the app, and the vac will learn your home's layout over time, making this a truly set-it-and-forget-it choice.Like other Roomba vacuums, this one has intense suction power with four stages of cleaning, but it also comes with a microfiber mop pad. You can choose from three levels of liquid, depending on how intense a mopping your floor needs. Cleaning modes allow you to mop or vacuum, or do both at the same time.Drawbacks: Not self-emptying, smaller compartment may make it less useful for pet-owning households with more debrisBottom line: This pick is likely ideal for smaller households where floor space is harder to come by, and where not as many people are shedding hair.iRobotThe iRobot Roomba 105 vacuum and AutoEmpty dock, an everyday cleaning superstarHighlights: More affordable Roomba model (especially on sale), self-emptying, the dock doesn't need to emptied for 75 days, maps your homeThe Roomba 105 Vac Robot has three cleaning stages and a self-emptying dock you won't have to touch for 75 days, providing incredible peace of mind. The LiDAR technology is able to map your home so it cleans corners better and steers around furniture. Like other Roomba models, you can schedule a routine through the app, use a voice assistant or use the manual buttons to control it. It can even do spot cleaning on one area for up to five minutes when you need it to.This one doesn't have some of the fancier features like mopping or the more intense suction of the Max 705 (more on that one in just a second), but the self-emptying goes a long way towards giving you time back in your day, and it does pretty much everything else you'd need a robot vac to do.Drawbacks: Fewer cleaning stages than other iRobot models, vacuum-onlyBottom line: This is an everyday winner, particularly at its current under-$250 price. It's a good starter vac if you're new to the Roomba lineup, and has the high-tech cleaning capabilities without the extra bells and whistles you might not need.iRobotThe iRobot Roomba Max 705 vacuum and AutoEmpty dock, for maximum cleaning powerHighlights: 180x more suction compared to the Roomba 600 series, anti-tangle rubber brushes, PrecisionVision AI technology, advanced dirt detection, maps your home, self-emptyingThe Roomba Max 705 isn't for everyone, but it doesn't necessarily seem like it's trying to be — this powerful vac has suction that's 180 times more intense than the Roomba 600 series (for comparison, the 105 and 205 mentioned earlier are both 70 times more intense). It also uses more advanced AI technology to identify and navigate around objects, as well as targeting bigger messes.The dual anti-tangle rubber brushes are great for bigger messes, and like the 105, this one has a self-emptying dock that holds debris for up to 75 days. Right now, it's also $400 off, so if you're hoping to nab it, do it while it's on sale.Drawbacks: Priciest option (though it's currently on deep sale!), vacuum-onlyBottom line: If you know your home needs some serious cleaning prowess, particularly for getting rid of dirt and hair, this is a splurgeworthy workhorse that can replace your elbow grease with smooth cleaning.AmazonThe Eufy 11S Max, a popular remote-controlled option with 10,500 5-star ratingsHighlights: Quiet, slim, automatic recharging, edge and spot cleaning, great for carpets, uses a remote controlThe Eufy 11S Max is an exceptionally quiet and slim pick: At 2.85 inches high with a microwave-level 55 dB sound, this model is designed to do its job without keeping you up at night or getting stuck under furniture. Designed with obstacle-avoiding, versatile flooring tech, the robot can confidently move between hard and carpeted flooring (including medium-pile!) while avoiding falling downstairs.A plus for some, the Eufy 11S Max is controlled by remote — so you won’t have to download an app (but, that means you can’t control the vacuum from another room). You can also operate the device manually via the "on" button on the top of the robot, which prompts an automatic cleaning cycle. Drawbacks: Slightly lower runtime than Roomba models (100 minutes versus 120 to 200 minutes), can only be operated manually or by remote controlBottom line: Notable benefits include its comparatively low sound, thin profile and powerful suction, particularly on carpeting. Its app-free, remote control operation will be a plus for some and a drawback for others.AmazonA unique brushless vacuum that’s ideal for pets or hair-heavy householdsHighlights: Brushless suction (ideal for pets), voice and app control, scheduling in advance, automatic recharging, six cleaning modes, anti-collision sensorsBecause the Lefant M210 robot vacuum cleans without a brush, it’s an ideal choice for folks with pets or who themselves tend to shed a lot of hair — the brushless suction means you won’t have to deal with malfunctions due to tangled up hair and tacky fur.Through the Lefant app, you can customize the robot’s cleaning, scheduling tasks in advance, adjusting suction power and routing and more. (Just be sure that you are using the newest version of the Lefant app, called Lefant, not Lefant Life.) You can also control the robot vacuum by voice. The device’s six modes are especially versatile compared to peer models, and at just under three inches and under a foot in diameter, the robot is well-suited to unobtrusively ducking under your furniture.Petite and versatile, this robot vacuum is a great starter vac — especially if you can grab it while it’s on sale. According to one of our trackers, the price drops regularly.Drawbacks: Lacks self-emptying featureBottom line: The Lefant M210’s brushless cleaning makes it uniquely suited for hair- and fur-heavy households, eliminating the tangling problems characteristic of peer models’ roller brushes.An exceptionally precise deep-cleaning Shark Matrix vacuum that's great bang for your buckHighlights: Unique precision-grid cleaning, bagless self-emptying, automatic recharging, spot cleaning, app control with scheduled cleaning and voice controlFor folks seeking a truly deep cleaning robot vacuum, the Shark Matrix RV2310AE is an excellent choice: The device cleans each spot in your home multiple times using its precision grid method, which ensures every bit of dirt and grime is accounted for — and not a single spot is missed.Its deep cleaning prowess is further strengthened by the vacuum’s smart mapping feature, which learns the position of furniture in your home for enhanced meticulous cleaning while helping the vac avoid obstacles.The device is designed to tackle pet hair without a fuss due to its self-cleaning, anti-tangle brush roll; its suction power can draw out fur and debris from carpets and hard flooring.Plus, the Shark Matrix self-empties, can hold up to 45 days' worth of collected debris in its bagless base (which also frees you from having to spend money on disposable bags).Drawbacks: Uses a roller brush (though is designed to avoid hair tangling)Bottom line: This Shark model is excellent cost-effective buy for folks seeking a high-powered model at the best price possible — in other words, it’s great bang for your buck.