Q5+

I actually have two now!! My older Q5+ And my new Saros 10..both are excellent!! I have had the Q5 for many years and just decided to upgrade…so I use the Q5 upstairs and the Saros 10 downstairs!! Can’t go wrong with a Roborock

For small spaces, pick a compact dock and a bot with precise mapping; Roborock Q5+ (vac-only) or Dreame Q Revo (strong mop, mid-size base) are the safe picks. I run a Q5+ in a 500 sq ft studio; the base tucks under a bench and needs \~3 ft clear in front and a couple inches on the sides. Set no-go zones for door swings and chair legs, keep the dock on hard floor, and skip auto-wash mop docks-they’re huge. If you want mop, use snap-on pads and rinse by hand. RedditRecs is useful; I also check Rtings for noise/dock size and Vacuum Wars for pickup, and I’ve used Ask Edgar to time buys around earnings-driven price dips. Bottom line: small dock and accurate mapping matter most for OP’s space.

Carpet? Get the highest suction you can, with dual rubber rollers. Normal brush rollers will just get wrapped with fur, but the rubber ones never have that issue. My Roborock q5+ does a great job.

Unless you pay $1000 for a really good model even the Roborock Q5 is not gonna be that great at toy detection. I have 3 cats and 2 dogs and while I love my Roborock I cannot run it without picking up things left on the floor. You’ll have to get used to picking stuff up no matter what. Roborock I also way better tech than roomba and cheaper! Mine was a Q5+ with self emptying station and cut down the pet hair exponentially. And I have 3 cats and 2 dogs.

I have a Roborock Q5+, I absolutely love it. Did a lot of research before buying. The newer ones have better obstruction detection but as long as I don’t leave things on the floor (toys, socks, etc) it gets everything. I have 2 dogs and 3 cats, it’s a major lifesaver for me. I have it scheduled to run twice a day and it also self empties. It does best running often rather than once a week. If you wait longer between running it—the hair gets overwhelming for it. Roborock is pretty solid as a brand and has only gotten better. Once I have the cash I will definitely be buying their new vacuum mop version.

Newer versions will pick up toys and move them. The tech is much better than roomba or shark. But by “manual” it just means turning it on and letting it run, you don’t actually have to watch it. Automatic scheduling just has it run without you pushing any buttons. But honestly it’s made me better about picking things up off my floor.

Just double check your Roborock model, it will come with the self emptying bin. It’s usually noted.

Roborock Q5+ with self emptying doc. Couldn't live without it.

Could not imagine my life without my roborock q5

Roborock Q5+ if you want pure vacuum power. It is great for pet hair, smart nav, no mop nonsense. If you want mop too, Q Revo or Dreame L20 Ultra, but vacuum takes a slight hit.

Roomba 105 said “docking? never heard of her.” If nav + no-go zones matter, go Roborock Q5 for laser brain, pet-hair beast. Shark Matrix is better than old Shark, but still a bit lost sometimes. Just pick the smart one.

Roborock q5+ here with some animals in the house and does a great job. If it gets stuck you know to clean that area better of cords etc or block it off in app. I’ve had robot vacuums for many years so I’ve come to understand their positives and negatives. Now I don’t vacuum everyday but once a week and only my area carpet!

Switched to a new Roborock q5 from eufy bc it was damaging engineered floors. Eufy does great on hardwoods, beber, and tile.