Robot vacuum cleaners and mops are devices that just a generation ago seemed like pure science fiction. An autonomous robot that diligently cleans the kitchen floor, then vacuums the living room, and returns to base to empty itself; even a time traveler already familiar with the Internet and email would hardly understand it.
I’ve been testing robot vacuums and mops for years and tried the first one ten years ago. During this time I have experienced major changes and of course huge price increases.
And yet, despite the considerable intelligence and cleaning power of today’s best robot vacuums, there is still plenty of room for improvement. This is what I want to see in 2026…
1. A simpler app experience
I don’t want my vacuum cleaner to have a more complex menu system than my car. That doesn’t mean you want to go back to the old app-less robots that only had a “power” button and the amazing ability to crash into any wall, baseboard, or table leg.
But I also don’t want pages and pages of configuration options. Many robovac apps have fallen victim to incessant feature shifting and become excessive messes. Some are full of questionable translations and desperately need an editor, while others confuse configurability with clutter.
Do you want the robot to wash its mop every 19 minutes, or maybe every 23 minutes? Should mops be dried for two, three or four hours?
I would rather the manufacturer tell me what is best and then be done with it. Better yet, use a sensor and let the robot figure it out on its own.
Keep the configurability if necessary, but give me the option to hide everything and just click the big “Clear” button.
2. More reliable obstacle avoidance
This is literally a godsend among the robot vacuums I tested in 2025. Apparently, regardless of price, some dodge obstacles with ballistic precision, while others tangle in wires, push chairs like they’re expecting guests, and eat discarded shoes like a hungry Labrador.
Jokes aside, it’s frustrating to see even four-figure vacuum cleaners crashing into doors, walls, and baseboards, seemingly spinning around instead of using their smart LiDAR sensors and AI-based vision technology. I expect to see smarter, safer navigation from robovacs in 2026, as well as an improved ability to navigate obstacles and get out of dead ends.
3. Edge and corner cleaning that really works
Spinning side brushes have been around on robot vacuums for years, but in my experience, this common setup today isn’t perfect. When they’re not busy throwing food on the kitchen floor, they spin around wildly but often don’t reach corners properly.
Some manufacturers have installed motorized arms to increase reach and others have developed sophisticated folding brushes that extend mechanically to be more efficient. Ultimately, however, a circular robot is not designed to clean a 90-degree corner.
D-shaped robots have helped solve this problem, but in 2026 I would like to see it combined with a more efficient side brush design. An extendable arm that reaches further would be useful, or how about an articulated nozzle to vacuum where needed?
4. Bagless as standard
The bagless design of my Dyson Cyclone V10 stick vacuum seems like a given. So much so that I forgot several times to check the bag in the charging station of my Eufy X10 robot.
Why can’t the self-cleaning stations of robot vacuum cleaners also be bagless? Yes, manufacturers can lose money selling exclusive bags (around £20 ($27) for 10 last time I checked), but Dyson seems to be fine without that particular revenue stream.
In 2026, I would like to see more robot vacuums convert their charging stations to a bagless design. You can still generate ongoing income by selling mops, brushes, rollers, cleaners, and other replaceable parts, but eliminating the bags would allow for a smoother user experience.
5. Confidence to raise thresholds
Before the move, the most common problem I encountered when testing robot vacuums was their inability to clear overhead doorways. I’m not asking them to climb in the garden, but a half-inch height difference between the exposed Victorian floorboards of a living room and the vinyl floor of a kitchen can be too much for even the most expensive robots.
This is less of a problem in newer homes with level floors. But by 2026, I would like to see robovacs approach the increased thresholds with more confidence.
I’ve seen some models fail, then back off and try again at higher speed or from a more favorable angle. This kind of intelligence should be a given, as should the ability to increase engine torque when rough terrain needs to be cleared.
6. The ability to climb stairs (finally)
Maybe I’m being overly optimistic here, but in 2025 we’ve seen Eufy, Dreame and Mova demonstrate stairlift prototypes. Yeah, it looks like they escaped from an episode of black mirrorBut the ability to clean multiple levels is a total game-changer, if anyone can actually bring this technology to market.
I expect to see commercial versions of these robots available for sale in 2026. And while they will undoubtedly be expensive (and almost certainly accompanied by a series of hilarious collections of social media fails), robots that can climb stairs could attract many new customers. I imagine it would work best with two base stations, one on each floor, to make it easier to empty the trash, clean the mops, and charge the battery.
As for cleaning the stairs? This will undoubtedly be the reason why we will be asked to move to generation 2.0.
7. Smart charging during off-peak hours
This one should be easy. We are used to programming our electric cars to charge at night, when electricity is much cheaper.
Why can’t robot vacuum cleaners do the same? I suppose you could unplug the base every morning, but that’s not ideal.
By 2026, I would like to be able to program a Robovac to wait to charge its battery until my cheaper electricity rate goes into effect. The robot itself might continue to operate normally during the day, but the base station waits until nighttime to charge the battery. There may be a manual override if you need more battery charge during the day, or if the robot’s trash bin needs to be emptied, but every little bit helps.
