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The best robot vacuums you can buy

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The best robot vacuums you can buy

Robot vacuums are impressive devices that will clean your floors well and — thanks to bigger batteries and better robot brains — rarely get tired of doing their job. Over the last few years, they have gone from being utilitarian devices that sweep your floor to full-fledged home robots that can vacuum and mop your home and then trundle off to clean themselves to be ready for the next run.

I’ve been testing robot vacuums for seven years and have run over 70 robot vacuums all over my house. These are my top picks if you’re looking for the best: a robot vacuum that can do it all with limited intervention from you.

Along with my top picks, I have options to fit specific needs, such as mopping or besting pet hair. The good news is that there are a lot of great options. Whether you have a 3,000-square-foot home and three shaggy dogs or a small, stylish apartment you share with a goldfish, there’s a robot vacuum to suit your needs.

What I look for

I test robot vacuums constantly. At any time, there are seven or eight of these busy little bots roaming my floors. Alongside everyday use, I put them through a gauntlet of specific tests. This includes testing object detection and avoidance with phone chargers, socks, a pencil, and fake pet poop. I throw in Cheerios or popcorn to see if they know to vacuum that up rather than avoid it. I also run them over oatmeal and flour to see how well they pick up fine debris and have them tackle both thick and low-pile carpets. I watch to see how they handle rug tassels, skinny chair legs, and room transitions.For mopping prowess, I test them on hardwood and tile floors with dried milk, fresh OJ, and ketchup. I monitor how quickly they fill up their bin / auto-empty dock and how efficiently they use water and clean their mop pads.I also set schedules, hook them up to voice assistants, and play with any advanced features in the app. I evaluate how well they map and how easy the maps are to edit and use, as well as test and unique features such as home security camera capabilities, AI cleaning programs, and auto-mop removal.

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It’s not all about suction. In my testing, the brush is also a big factor in how well a robot will clean your floors. A large rubber roller brush is much better than a small bristle brush at picking up debris. It’s also less prone to getting tangled up with hair. Two brushes are better than one, and a brush housing that has some flexibility — so it can move with the contours of the floor — is also more effective.It’s hard to find a robot vac that doesn’t have some form of mopping, but not all mops are created equal. I looked for mopping bots that could get up dried-on stains, like milk and ketchup, and scrub up small wet spills without messing themselves up. Oscillating, spinning, or vibrating mop pads clean better than bots that just drag a wet rag around, but the new self-cleaning roller mops that are beginning to appear are even more effective. Auto-carpet sensing is also important since it prevents the robot from accidentally mopping your rug.

A big bin means you don’t need to empty it as often. The largest I’ve seen is 800ml, but anything over 500ml is decent. With many bots now pulling double duty as mopping robots, plus the popularity of self-empty dock / charging bases, it’s getting harder to find small robot vacs with big bins. But they’re worth considering — especially if you have carpets and pets. I love self-empty docks, but sometimes you don’t have space for them, and if you like your robot to be out of sight (living under your bed or sofa), you’ll want a big bin and no dock.Self-emptying docks are becoming standard now and coming down in price (thankfully). A self-empty dock turns the charging base for your robot into a motorized emptying station that sucks out the dirt from its bin. (Warning: this process can be loud!) This saves you from having to pull out the bin after every few runs and empty it yourself. Instead, you’ll have to replace the bag (and buy new ones) when it gets full, generally about once a month. Many robots now have a self-empty dock option you can add later, although buying them together is generally cheaper.

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Another nice-to-have feature, AI-powered obstacle detection helps your robot “intelligently” detect and avoid clutter (and a potential poop apocalypse if it encounters pet waste). These models use cameras (worth noting) to see objects in their path and onboard processors to “decide” how to approach them based on what they see. All AI is not created equal, however, and some are much better at this than others. The end result is that robot vacuums with AI detection are less likely to get stuck when cleaning, so you’re more likely to come home to a clean floor rather than a beached bot.A robot that maps your house will get into every nook and cranny better than one that bumps and rolls around. Mapping also lets you send the robot to clean specific rooms rather than the whole space and add virtual walls to prevent your bot from going where you don’t want it to. These are crucial if you have delicate objects or areas in your home that regularly trap robots. Most robots use variations on simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) technology, such as lidar or vSLAM.

A good app has easy controls to stop and start your vacuum, scheduling options (including do-not disturb hours), plus good mapping features. Nice-to-have features are room-specific cleaning and settings (so you can tell your vacuum to clean the kitchen or have it mop and vacuum the kitchen but only vacuum the living room). My biggest frustration with apps is maps that are fiddly to update and / or crash and must be rebuilt constantly. Most vacuums now have voice control (see FAQs), but some offer more in-depth control, such as telling Alexa to have the robot clean twice under the dining room table.

Nearly all robot vacuums can “recharge and resume” — take themselves back to their dock when they’re low and recharge before picking up where they left off. But a vacuum with at least 120 minutes of runtime (180 is ideal) will clean the whole house in one go. If it takes too long, noisy robots that are constantly running will get shut off by annoyed family members who aren’t about to clean the room for you.Robot vacuums are quite an investment, and it’s important to be able to buy replacement parts to keep them going for longer and have access to good support in case your robot has a serious issue.

$750

The Good

  • Excellent vacuuming performance
  • Good sonic mopping
  • Extendable side brush gets into corners better
  • Very good app

The Bad

  • Dock is still quite ugly
  • Mopping tray is hard to clean
  • Expensive

Dustbin capacity: 270ml / Self-empty dock option: Yes / Auto-refill mop option: Yes / Mop lift: Yes, 20mm / Mop washing: Hot water and heated air drying / Mapping: Yes, lidar / AI-powered obstacle detection: Yes / Suction power: 10,000Pa / Remote check-in: Yes / Keep-out zones: Yes, virtual / Brush style: Dual rubber / Works with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Siri Shortcuts, Apple Home via Matter

Roborock’s S8 MaxV Ultra ($1,799.99) is an exceptional vacuum cleaner and a very good mop. Its dual rubber roller brushes and 10,000Pa suction make it great on carpets; its sonic mopping is very good on hard floors, and its improved AI-powered obstacle detection means it will most likely get the job done without getting trapped or derailed.

The S8 MaxV Ultra is the best in the category of “hands-free” robot vacs, bots that do virtually everything for you: empty their bins, refill their mop tanks, and clean and dry their mop pads. Roborock invented this category with the S7 MaxV Ultra and has been steadily improving it.

The S8 MaxV Ultra brings back the RGB camera last seen on the S7 MaxV Ultra, which makes it much better at navigating obstacles.

The S8 MaxV Ultra brings back the RGB camera last seen on the S7 MaxV Ultra, which makes it much better at navigating obstacles.

That’s the big selling point here; this bot is basically hands-free. Fill the S8 MaxV Ultra’s clean water tank and empty its dirty water once a week and change out the dust bag every couple of months. The robot will take care of the rest.

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For $100 more, you can dispense with dealing with the water tanks entirely and buy the Refill & Drainage System model. This lets you plumb the charging base directly into your home’s water supply. I’ve not tested this on the Roborock, but my experience with the SwitchBot S10 with the same feature leads me to recommend this option if you can swing it.

The S8 MaxV Ultra uses two small appendages to better get into corners and clean along edges.

The S8 MaxV Ultra uses two small appendages to better get into corners and clean along edges.

The S8 MaxV Ultra comes with excellent AI-powered obstacle detection, bringing back the camera it last had on the S7 MaxV Ultra. It’s not quite as good as Roomba’s obstacle detection — it sometimes confused a pile of Cheerios for a charging cable and avoided them — but it’s much better than the Roborocks that rely on non-camera obstacle detection. It deftly navigates around most household clutter, allowing you to get the job done without having to tidy up.

Roborock has caught up to Roomba on cleaning prowess, and the S8 MaxV Ultra’s dual rubber brushes and 10,000Pa of suction power tackled the pet hair on my fluffy carpet and demolished my oatmeal test.

It also did a better job at mopping than Roomba’s mopping bots, though not quite as well as the Narwal Freo X Ultra or Dreame X40 Ultra, though it’s a better vacuum than either.

Its sonic mopping system — which vibrates its mop pad 4,000 times a minute — ably simulated scrubbing and wiped out my OJ and ketchup tests, though I did have to set it to deep scrub. Plus, the addition of a side mop and flexi-arm brush that extends from the bot helped with cleaning edges and corners.

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Roborock’s mobile app is easy to use and comes with a laundry list of features and customizations that give you ample control over your cleaning. The S8 MaxV Ultra also has a built-in voice assistant, which makes getting the bot to clean the mess your kid made after dinner as easy as saying, “Rocky, clean here.”

Roborock also sells the S8 Max Ultra (no V) for $1,599.99. It has the same cleaning hardware as the MaxV but no camera, so its obstacle detection will not be as good. However, you also don’t have to worry about a camera in your house. It has a lower 8,000Pa of suction and lacks a voice assistant, too, which makes it seem overpriced since it’s currently only a couple hundred dollars less than the MaxV.

There are several great vacuum / mop hybrids in this guide. Of them, the S8 MaxV Ultra is the best at vacuuming and obstacle detection, and it’s a very good mop. It can also do both in one run, as it can lift its mop 20mm, which will clear all but the highest-pile rugs. If you have a lot of those, go for the Dreame X40, with its automatic mop removal. Its vacuuming and object detection are a notch below the Roborock’s, but its mopping is a notch above. The Narwal Freo X Ultra is an even better mop than the Dreame, but its obstacle detection isn’t great, and its vacuuming is merely pretty good.

Read my Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra review.
A black robot vacuum on a hardwood floorA black robot vacuum on a hardwood floor

$220

The Good

  • Cheap, even with the auto-empty dock
  • A dual mop and dustbin means no swapping
  • Room-specific cleaning
  • Carpet boost

The Bad

  • Short battery life
  • Slow to recharge
  • Docking can be spotty
  • Basic obstacle detection

Dustbin capacity: 300ml / Self-empty dock option: Yes / Auto-refill mop option: No / Mop lift: No / Mop washing: No / Mapping: Yes, lidar / AI-powered obstacle detection: No / Suction power: 5,300Pa / Remote check-in: No / Keep-out zones: Yes, virtual / Brush style: Single rubber bristle hybrid / Works with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Siri Shortcuts

For around $300, the Tapo RV30 Max Plus is a very capable robot vacuum and mop with some key features usually only found on vacuums that are more than twice its price. These include room-specific cleaning, multiple suction and water levels, smart lidar-based navigation, and an auto-empty dock. With brands like Roomba and Roborock, you’re often paying double for the privilege of not having to empty the bot’s bin.

The Tapo RV30 Max Plus includes a compact auto-empty charging dock.

The Tapo RV30 Max Plus includes a compact auto-empty charging dock.

Thanks to lidar navigation, the RV30 did an excellent job of navigating my house, cleaning the perimeters of the rooms, and then using a mesh grid to clean inside the rooms. I did have to tidy up before it ran, though, as there’s no camera on board or AI-powered obstacle detection — so cables and socks will trip it up.

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Its 5,200Pa suction power is impressive on a bot at this price, and ably sucked up Cheerios and dry oatmeal on hard flooring. It left some of the finer dust and debris, as its single bristle / rubber brush isn’t super effective. It fared less well on carpet. However, in the app, I could set it to clean a room three times for each job, after which it had generally picked up all visible debris.

Mopping was better than average for a mop with no pressure or oscillation. It has a wide mop pad, and the bot has a big 300ml tank (which also incorporates a 300ml dustbin), so it applies enough water to do a good surface clean.

Another unique feature for a budget robot is the ability to set customized cleaning for each room, choosing from five suction levels and three water levels as well as the three rotations.

5,200Pa suction power is impressive on a bot at this price

The Tapo app is very simple to use, with an easy-to-edit map that lets you add virtual walls and no-go zones, add furniture, and designate carpet areas. There’s no carpet sensing, so you need to tell it where carpets are if you don’t want it to mop them. You can even set the cleaning direction and build up to four maps — again, features usually only found on higher-end robots.

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It’s also super easy to start a clean, and I really like that you can just tap on the map to send the robot to that spot. The biggest downside of the Tapo is its tiny battery, which is just 2,600mAh. That is half the size of most vacs, and it couldn’t clean my entire 800-square-foot downstairs without needing to go back and recharge. It also takes a while to charge and occasionally had trouble repositioning itself on its dock. You can get the RV30 without the auto-empty dock for around $80 less if you prefer an even simpler robot vacuum setup. This way, it will fit under a couch or bed, but you’ll have to manually empty its bin.

Best mopping robot vacuum for hard floors

Narwal’s Freo X Ultra against the wall.Narwal’s Freo X Ultra against the wall.

$700

The Good

  • The best mopping robot
  • Also good at vacuuming
  • Very quiet
  • Big water tanks mean less refilling

The Bad

  • Middling laser-based obstacle avoidance
  • Wonky app
  • Huge charging dock

Dustbin capacity: 1L / Self-empty dock option: No / Auto-refill mop option: Yes / Mop lift: Yes, 12mm / Mop washing: Yes, hot air drying / Mapping: Yes, lidar / AI-powered obstacle detection: Yes / Suction power: 8,200Pa / Remote check-in: No / Keep-out zones: Yes, virtual / Brush style: Single, conical rubber bristle hybrid / Works with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Siri Shortcuts

The Narwal Freo X Ultra is one of the best mopping robots I’ve tested — and it’s a good vacuum, too. Its spinning triangular mop pads rotate at 180RPM with 12n of downward pressure. Combined with its ability to swing slightly to get closer to baseboards, the Narwal does a very good job on hard floors. Its dual four-liter water tanks will keep you going longer than most other mopping bots as well, the majority of which feature smaller tanks.

The Narwal has some innovative features, including dirt sense — which analyzes the dirt level in the water and prompts it to remop — and an ability to adapt the pressure of its mop based on the type of floor, applying more pressure to tile and less to hardwood. “Freo” refers to the bot’s ability to make cleaning “decisions,” including going back to clean dirty floors.

Its charging dock is very big, though, giving off a real Wall-E vibe. But despite the size, there’s no spot for an auto-empty dustbin; instead, Narwal’s disposable onboard bin compresses the dust, and Narwal claims you won’t need to empty it for up to 60 days. It wasn’t close to full after two weeks of testing. A bonus here is that there’s no loud noise, as is the case with most auto-empty docks.

Its charging dock is very big, giving off a real Wall-E vibe

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In fact, the Freo X Ultra is one of the quietest bots I’ve tested. Even at full power, it was so quiet that I had to check that it was working. Its anti-tangle brush and 8,200Pa suction did a good job on most carpet, but its 12mm mop lifting isn’t good for plush carpets.

The Narwal can use disposal dustbins that compress dirt, so you don’t have to empty it as often.

The Narwal can use disposal dustbins that compress dirt, so you don’t have to empty it as often.

Narwal’s obstacle detection is also only okay; there’s no camera, and it routinely eats cables. Its three lasers can identify objects as small as a sock and move around them, and it did pass my fake pet poop test.

The app is very hard to follow, making it tricky to access all of the bot’s features. Mapping was fast, but it didn’t recognize all my rooms on the first go. It did better the second time, although splitting up rooms and naming them in the app was painful. The lack of a camera also means its navigation is spotty, and sending it to clean specific rooms wasn’t always successful. But if you’ve got a lot of hard floors to keep clean, it will do an excellent job.

Best robot vacuum / mop hybrid

$650

The Good

  • Self-removing mop pads
  • Mop extension reaches under edges
  • Self-cleaning washboard
  • Dirt detection tech

The Bad

  • Middling AI obstacle detection
  • Single rubber roller brush
  • App can be flaky

Dustbin capacity: 300ml / Self-empty dock option: Yes / Auto-refill mop option: Yes / Mop-lift: Yes, 20mm / Mop washing: Hot water, hot air drying / Mapping: Yes, lidar / AI-powered obstacle detection: Yes / Suction power: 12,000Pa / Remote check-in: Yes / Keep-out zones: Yes, virtual / Brush style: Single, rubber / Works with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Siri Shortcuts

The Dreame X40 is the best robot vacuum / mop hybrid because it can drop its mop pads automatically, extend them, and swing them to get under your cabinets and consoles. I watched the X40 spread its mops wide apart and swing behind my TV console, allowing it to access the dust wedged a good inch under it. That’s impressive.

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The X40 also features an extending side brush arm to reach corners — like the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra — and its dual oscillating mop pads are more effective than Roborock’s thin microfiber pad. If you have a mix of carpeted rooms and hardwood floors with high-pile rugs, the Dreame is the best robot vacuum for you.

The Dreame X30 Ultra shows its splits.

The Dreame X30 Ultra shows its splits.

Its signature feature is its ability to automatically remove and reattach its mop pads, depending on whether it’s vacuuming or mopping. This solves the problem of how to vacuum and mop without getting your rugs wet. The robot will do this procedure multiple times during cleaning to ensure carpets are vacuumed and floors are mopped. Genius.

While it’s a superb mopper, its vacuuming prowess is slightly behind the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra because, despite its 12,000Pa suction power, it still only has a single roller rubber brush. The Roborock’s dual rollers are simply better at getting dirt out of carpets and tackling pet hair.

If you have a mix of carpeted rooms and hardwood floors with high-pile rugs, the Dreame is the best robot vacuum for you

Roborock’s app is also more stable and easier to use than Dreame’s, which often crashes and can take a while to load. While the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra is my top pick overall, the Dreame X40 is a very good vacuum, and the two companies are neck and neck regarding innovative features.

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The X40 can also clean its washboard, something the Roborock can’t. That area can get quite grungy, so it needs a cleaning every few weeks. The X40 has AI-powered smart dirt detection that uses its cameras to identify spills like milk or particularly dirty areas. When it spots something, it will slow down and do a more thorough cleaning. I also like Dreame’s option to vacuum first and then mop, which the Roborock doesn’t offer.

The X40 has AI-powered obstacle detection, although Roborock’s is just a bit better. However, both still get tripped up occasionally by pencils and other small items — something that never happens with the Roombas with this feature.

Best midrange robot vacuum / mop

$500

The Good

  • Good AI-powered obstacle detection
  • Effective mopping
  • Excellent value
  • Nice dock

The Bad

  • Single rubber / bristle brush
  • Lower suction power
  • No heated mop washing
  • Some navigation issues

Dustbin capacity: Unknown / Self-empty dock option: Yes / Auto-refill mop option: Yes / Mop lift: Yes, 12mm / Mop washing: Yes, hot air drying / Mapping: Yes, lidar / AI-powered obstacle detection: Yes / Suction power: 8,000Pa / Remote check-in: No / Keep-out zones: Yes, virtual / Brush style: Single rubber / bristle hybrid / Works with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home

The Eufy X10 Pro Omni combines the Eufy Clean X9 Pro mopping robot vacuum and the Eufy X8 Pro self-empty robot vacuum. It’s the first Eufy with a multifunction auto-empty / wash / fill dock, and unlike many bots in this price range, it comes with AI-powered obstacle detection.

With 8,000Pa suction and oscillating dual spinning brushes for mopping, the X10 has all the same functions as the top-of-the-line, all-in-one bots — but it’s not quite as good at any of them. Which is sort of the definition of “midrange.”

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The X10 has all the same functions as the top-of-the-line, all-in-one bots — but it’s not quite as good at any of them

The Eufy performed excellently in my mopping tests, even eradicating dried stains with its 1kg of downward pressure. Thanks to an onboard water reservoir, it didn’t have to head home to fill up as frequently as some mopping bots do. It also has heated mop drying to help prevent the base from getting stinky — a first in this price range. (There’s no hot water washing.)

An edge-hugging mode makes the robot swing its behind into the baseboards to help mop edges. With its square-ish shape, it got into corners better than most of the round bots. But its 12mm mop pad lift over carpet wasn’t effective, resulting in its pads getting hung up in a few places.

The Eufy uses a single rubber / bristle roller brush that isn’t as good as top-of-the-line Roombas and Roborocks.

The Eufy uses a single rubber / bristle roller brush that isn’t as good as top-of-the-line Roombas and Roborocks.

The X10 has great object recognition, allowing it to suck up Cheerios and piles of oatmeal while deftly navigating fake dog turds and cables. However, its navigation sometimes got screwy; it would go into a corner and stay there for a while, trying to figure itself out.

While its vacuuming is good, particularly on carpet and tile surfaces, the single rubber / bristle roller brush lets it down and is a good illustration of my point that it’s not all about suction power; it’s also about the brushes and how you use them. The Eufy’s brush is supposedly anti-tangle — a cutting tool inside the robot should shred the hair — but this wasn’t effective.

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The Eufy Clean app is very easy to use, and the lidar-powered mapping was fast and accurate, dividing my rooms correctly on the first try. There are many customization options — including room-specific cleaning, zone cleaning, and customized cleaning — but the app is clear and well laid out.

Best robot vacuum for pet hair

$600

The Good

  • Excellent vacuuming
  • Superior AI obstacle detection
  • Smart scrub feature works well
  • Attractive dock that doubles as a table

The Bad

  • Small mop pad
  • Limited cleaning customization
  • Mapping can take a long time
  • Navigation can be buggy

Dustbin capacity: 250 ml / Self-empty dock option: Yes / Auto-refill mop option: Yes / Mop lift: Yes, up and over / Mop washing: Yes / Mapping: Yes, vSLAM / AI-powered obstacle detection: Yes / Suction power: N/A / Remote check-in: No / Keep-out zones: Yes, virtual / Brush style: Dual rubber / Works with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Siri Shortcuts, Apple Home via the Matter protocol.

While Roombas may have fallen behind the competition in terms of features and innovation, there’s one area in which they reign supreme, and that’s cleaning prowess. Their dual rubber roller brushes rotate in opposite directions to effectively dig up dirt from carpets, and they are by far the best at tackling pet hair on all surfaces. They are also one of the most self-repairable robot vacuums you can buy, with spare parts for most of the bot’s bits readily available.

The newest model, the Combo 10 Max, is the best Roomba for pet hair as it ties for the highest suction power of the current Roomba line, plus it can clean its own mop. It also has top-notch AI-powered obstacle detection that is able to tell the difference between pet poop and a pile of popcorn (and vacuum up one while avoiding the other).

While its mopping isn’t great — the pad is tiny, and there’s no swinging to get along baseboards — it does a decent job, and its retractable mopping system is handy if you have a lot of carpets. All of this makes the Combo 10 Max a great buy for pet parents who are in a daily battle with shedding and occasional muddy paw prints.

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The Combo has a redesigned dock that’s very large — to accommodate two water tanks and a dust bag — but it doubles as a table.

The Combo has a redesigned dock that’s very large — to accommodate two water tanks and a dust bag — but it doubles as a table.

The Combo is the first Roomba with a multifunction dock that can refill its mopping tank and self-wash its mopping pad, meaning less hands-on time for you. (The j9 Combo Plus has the same suction power and can refill its mopping tank but can’t wash the mop pad.) The SmartScrub feature that tells the robot to wiggle its butt to scrub your floors works surprisingly well, but it’s really only effective on small areas, making it good to run in hallways and around pet bowls for an extra clean.

The Dirt Detect feature remembers the dirtiest rooms, actively seeking out spots my hairy Wirehaired Pointing Griffon hangs out

The Dirt Detect feature remembers the dirtiest rooms, and I found that meant it actively seeks out the spots my hairy Wirehaired Pointing Griffon hangs out. The 10 Max can also be set to mop only, which is a new option and is handy for deep cleans. But there’s no hot water washing or hot air drying of the mop as there is on similar Dreame and Roborock models, so you’ll want to throw the pad in the washing machine every now and then.

iRobot’s app is also a bit of a pain point. While I appreciate its simplicity, I miss the deeper cleaning customization options that most other high-end robot vacuum apps offer. And it’s recently started popping up ads for Roomba products when I navigate between screens — which is one of the features I did not want to see migrate over from the competition.

The mopping pad is barely there.

The mopping pad is barely there.

While its mapping is very good, it can take a really long time (Roombas use vSLAM, not lidar), and it doesn’t seem to adapt to changes in my home as easily as other robots. (It also doesn’t lose my maps as often as other robots.) I’ve also noticed that the newer Roombas (j9 and 10 Max) suffer from the occasional navigation glitches, occasionally getting confused and needing to be rebooted.

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I really like Roomba’s dock design, which, while large enough to accommodate two rather small water tanks, is the most stylish of all the multifunction docks. Plus, because you access the water tanks from the front rather than the top (as on most other models), it can be used as a table. That’s a small quality-of-life upgrade I enjoy.

Overall, it’s a good-looking robot that vacuums really well and is smart enough to get the job done with limited intervention. If you’re not interested in mopping at all, however, save some money and get the Roomba j9 Plus. It has similar cleaning prowess, a self-empty dock, and no messing with mopping.

Other robot vacuums to consider

Dyson’s newest robovac claims to have double the suction power of any other robot vacuum.

Dyson’s newest robovac claims to have double the suction power of any other robot vacuum.
  • The 360 Vis Nav ($499.99 $999.99), Dyson’s first robovac in the US in almost a decade, is a powerful beast and the best robot vacuum for carpets I’ve tested. But its navigation needs a lot of work. If you have a simple floor plan with a lot of carpets, it is worth considering, but the short battery life and lack of an auto-empty dock are major cons. Read more in this hands-on.
  • The Roomba j7 ($599.99) is a previous top pick that has great AI-powered obstacle detection, excellent navigation skills, and superior cleaning power. It can be a bit rough with furniture, but it is aggressive at getting your floors clean and is a great vacuum-only Roomba.
  • The Dreame X30 Ultra ($399.99 $899.99) is the older version of my top pick for a vacuum / mop hybrid and is a great buy if you can get it on sale. It does most everything the X40 Ultra does, just with lower suction power (8,3000Pa) and no flexi-arm.
  • The Roborock Q8 Max Plus ($659.99) is the bigger brother to the Q5 Pro (my pick for pet hair in my budget robot vacuum guide), adding better obstacle detection (still no camera) and better mopping. However, it has a smaller bin to make way for a much bigger water reservoir for mopping (350ml). If you like the idea of the Q5 Pro but want better mopping, this is a good option, although it’s currently only available without an auto-empty dock at Walmart for $179.99 ($20 off).
  • The Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 ($299.99 $699.99) was my previous runner-up pick for a midrange option that self-empties its bin, vacuums, and mops. It mops very well, but you have to manually fill and attach the mop reservoir and empty the bin.

What I’m testing and what’s coming next

Robot vacuum testing involves all members of my household.

Robot vacuum testing involves all members of my household.
  • The Matic is a $1,095 robot vacuum that doesn’t require a cloud connection and utilizes cameras for navigation. It’s also the first robovac / mop I’ve seen that can suck up both wet and dry spills. It’s easily the smartest machine I’ve tested, one that can mimic human cleaning with impressive precision and excellent mapping and navigation abilities. It’s also easy to operate and maintain, and it’s proven to be remarkably reliable. We’ll be publishing our full review soon, so stay tuned. In the meantime, here’s some video of it in action.
  • DJI’s new Romo robot vacuum / mop comes in three configurations, with the flagship model being the transparent Romo P, which retails for €1,899 (around $2,200). Then there’s the Romo A, which is partially transparent and costs €1,599 (around $1,700), and the white Romo S, which is the most affordable at €1,299 (around $1,500). All three use wide-angle dual-transmitter solid-state lidar — the same tech found in DJI’s flagship drones — along with a pair of fish-eye vision sensors, which allow them to spot objects as thin as a playing card. All three models offer built-in sound suppression and hot air for drying mop pads, although the auto-empty base for the high-end Romo P also features a slot for dispensing a “floor deodorizer solution.” At the moment, all three robovacs are only available in Europe.
  • Roborock’s Saros 10 ($1,599.99) and 10R ($1,599.99) are upgrades to the S8 MaxV Ultra. Both can automatically remove their mop pads when not needed — a new option for Roborock — and feature an AdaptLift chassis to climb high room transitions. The 10R features 19,000Pa suction power, StarSight 2.0 navigation, and oscillating mops. The Saros 10 has 22,000Pa of suction power, lidar navigation, and the vibrating flat mopping pad of the S8 MaxV.
  • Roborock also recently released the Saros Z70 ($1,999.99, $2,599), which is the first mass-produced robovac to feature a robotic arm that can pick up objects like socks and tissues. The arm itself isn’t particularly reliable, but the Z70 still functions as an excellent robot vacuum with 22,000Pa suction power, support for Roborock’s StarSight navigation system, and an AdaptLift chassis. Read our review.
  • In March, iRobot announced a new Roomba lineup that starts at $299 and goes up to $999. All of the robovacs come with lidar navigation and mapping, 7,000Pa suction power, and four suction levels. The pricier 405 and 505 models are the first Roombas to feature dual spinning mopping pads, while the 505 also offers heated mop drying, which is something even the higher-end Combo 10 Max lacks.
  • In April, iRobot also introduced the Roomba Max 705 ($549.99 $899.99), which comes with an auto-empty dock. The Matter-compatible robovac brings back iRobot’s dual rubber roller brushes, which, based on our previous testing, do an excellent job of picking up pet hair; the 705 also features AI-powered obstacle detection, lidar navigation, and 13,000Pa of suction — the most of any Roomba to date.
  • iRobot recently released the Roomba Max 705 Combo ($1,299.99), an upgraded version of the Roomba Max 705. The step-up model comes with a new self-deploying mop cover to protect carpets from getting wet, along with an extendable mop that cleans corners and wall edges for a more thorough clean.
  • The new Eufy Robot Vacuum Omni E28 ($749.99 with code WS24T2352111 $1,399.99) is a self-emptying, self-refilling, and self-washing robot vacuum / mop hybrid. The vac comes with a deep cleaner integrated into the charging dock, which you can use to spray clean water on stains before sucking everything into a separate wastewater tank. It’s also powerful, boasting up to 20,000Pa of suction power, and offers AI-powered obstacle detection and Matter support.
  • The Dreame X50 Ultra ($1,049.99 $1,699.99) adds a “motorized swing arm” that acts like a leg, allowing the robovac to climb a transition up to 6cm tall. Otherwise, it’s a lot like the X40 Ultra, only with higher suction power.
  • The Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni ($839.99 $1,399.99) is the first Deebot with a roller mop. It features an extendable mop that can clean itself, boasts 18,000Pa of suction power, and comes with a redesigned auto-empty fill dock.
  • The Switchbot K10 Plus Pro Combo ($397.09 at checkout $417.99) is an upgrade to the compact K10 Plus, a previous pick for the best robot vacuum for small spaces. It has better obstacle detection and a bump up to 3,000Pa of suction power. Plus, its auto-empty dock incorporates a manual stick vacuum.
  • The Switchbot S20 robot vacuum / mop hybrid ($480 with code BXBX40 $799.99), which looks like the Switchbot S20 Pro announced at CES, launched in early August. It features an extendable roller mop and side brush, as well as 15,000Pa of suction power, which is more than twice that of our previous pick for the best mopping vacuum (the last-gen S10).
  • SharkNinja’s PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro 2-in-1 robot vacuum / mop ($599.99 $999.99) can lift itself over rugs by up to 20mm. Uniquely, its automatic empty /wash / dry cleaning station doesn’t require bags.
  • Roborock’s Qrevo Curv ($999.99 $1,599.99) can raise itself to clear thresholds up to 40mm. The svelte-looking bot gets its name from a curved FlexiArm Arc side brush, which helps prevent hair from tangling as much.
  • Narwal’s Freo Z Ultra ($949.99 with code FRZU $1,499.99) is an upgrade to my current pick for the best mopping bot. It features dual cameras and dual AI chips for seeing and identifying objects, which should help with obstacle detection and vacuuming methods.
  • The Eufy S1 Pro ($799.99 $1,499.99) has a long roller mop that self-cleans as it mops and features a square-ish design that allows it to get into corners more easily. A single rubber roller brush, 8,000Pa of suction, and 3D-powered obstacle detection tackle the vacuuming.

Robot vacuum FAQ

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Suction power is measured in pascals (Pa), and while most vacuums offer between 5,000 and 8,000, we’re starting to see robots with 18,000 and even 22,000Pa. Higher suction power will do a better job getting the fine dust and debris off your floor, but it’s important that it’s paired with effective brushes. The real key to a clean floor with a robot vac is consistency. Run it daily if you can; it won’t keep up as well if it only runs once a week. If you want hands-free cleaning everywhere, you’ll want to budget for one per floor or be prepared to move it around. You can also buy extra charging bases, and most models can map multiple floors.

Yes, every Wi-Fi-connected robot vacuum worth its salt today works with Alexa or Google smart speakers for voice control. However, some are limited to stop, start, pause, and maybe suction level, whereas others can be told to go clean specific areas. Here’s how to set up a bot with Alexa voice control or Google Home voice control. A couple of manufacturers now also work with Siri Shortcuts, so you can use Apple’s Siri voice assistant to command your bot. Robot vacuums are now part of Matter, meaning more opportunities for smart home integration and native Siri voice control for robot vacuums.

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Matter is a new smart home standard that allows connected gadgets to work with any smart home platform, including Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings. When connected to your smart home platform through Matter, you should be able to control basic robot actions including start / stop and changing cleaning modes, as well as get alerts directly in the app, meaning you won’t need to use the manufacturer’s app for these functions.Matter 1.4 added support for cleaning specific areas, so while you will still need the manufacturer app to set up a map, you will be able to use your smart home platform app and / or voice assistant to direct the robot to do things like clean the kitchen or clean downstairs. Samsung SmartThings and Amazon both support robot vacuums in Matter; Apple added it to iOS 18.4, and Google said support is coming soon.While Amazon Alexa and Google Home have supported robot vacuums for years via the cloud, Matter will bring this control locally. It will also bring support to Apple Home for the first time, allowing you to control them with Siri through HomePods and add them to scenes and automation.There are still relatively few robot vacuums that support Matter. As of November 2025, that list includes:Ecovacs X8 Pro OmniEcovacs Deebot X2 ComboSwitchBot S20SwitchBot S10SwitchBot K10 Pro PlusSwitchBot K10 PlusDreame X50 UltraDreame X40 UltraRoborock Saros 10 and 10RRoborock Saros Z70Roborock S8 MaxV UltraRoomba Combo 10

Photos by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge

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Update, November 4th: Adjusted pricing / availability and added some new information regarding the Matic and DJI’s Romo robot vacuum. Sheena Vasani also contributed to this post.

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Amazon Health AI brings a doctor to your pocket

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Amazon Health AI brings a doctor to your pocket

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Most people have had this moment. You feel a strange symptom, open your phone and start searching online. Within minutes, you are deep in medical forums reading worst-case scenarios. By the end, you are either terrified or more confused than when you started.

Health care should feel clearer than that. Yet for many of us, it rarely does. Appointments take weeks. Medical records are hard to understand. You often have to repeat the same health history at every visit. Insurance rules feel like a maze.

According to the American Academy of Physician Associates, many Americans say navigating the healthcare system feels overwhelming and they wish doctors had more time to listen. Now, a new tool from Amazon hopes to change that experience. It is called Amazon Health AI.

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$163K IN FAKE MEDICAL BILL CHARGES, AI UNCOVERS IT FOR YOU

Amazon Health AI lets you ask health questions, review records and connect with care directly through the Amazon app. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

What Amazon Health AI actually does

Amazon Health AI, available at amazon.com/health-ai, acts as a digital health assistant that can answer medical questions and help guide you through your care. The tool lives inside the Amazon app and website.

You start by typing a health question into a chat box. From there, the system can:

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  • Explain lab results in plain language
  • Review symptoms and suggest next steps
  • Help schedule care with a provider
  • Assist with prescription renewals
  • Recommend relevant health products if asked

Health AI connects directly with clinicians from Amazon One Medical when professional care is needed. You can message a provider, start a video visit or schedule an in-person appointment. The goal is to make getting care simpler. Instead of spending time searching for appointments or jumping between different apps, you can move from a question to a provider more quickly. If symptoms suggest a possible emergency, the system may advise you to contact emergency services, such as calling 911.

Amazon is gradually rolling the Health AI tool out to U.S. customers, and availability varies by location.

CyberGuy reached out to Amazon for comment about the new service. Andrew Diamond, Ph.D., M.D., chief medical officer at Amazon One Medical, said the goal is to reduce some of the everyday frustrations people face when navigating healthcare.

“Nearly two-thirds of Americans feel overwhelmed by the healthcare system and wish their doctors had more time to understand their concerns,” Diamond said. “Health AI is designed to handle the logistical and informational work that creates friction in healthcare, so patients and providers can spend more time on what matters most: the human relationship at the heart of healing.”

How Amazon Health AI uses your medical history

Health AI becomes more useful when it understands your medical history.

With permission, the system can access information such as:

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  • Past diagnoses
  • Medications
  • Lab results
  • Doctor’s notes

This data flows through a secure national network called the Health Information Exchange. Health AI can access records from hundreds of thousands of providers nationwide once permission is granted.

For example, imagine someone with asthma develops a cough during flu season. A generic search might treat that symptom like any other cough. Health AI can look at your history and ask follow-up questions based on your specific risk factors.

Health AI can provide general information about someone else’s health question, but personalized answers are limited to the medical history of the account holder.

That context helps the system provide more relevant guidance. Still, the assistant does not replace doctors. When the situation requires medical judgment, it connects you with a real clinician.

CHATGPT COULD MISS YOUR SERIOUS MEDICAL EMERGENCY, NEW STUDY SUGGESTS

Health AI can help explain lab results, check symptoms and connect you with care through your phone. (Amazon)

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How Amazon connects AI with real medical care

The service works closely with Amazon One Medical providers. Prescription renewals can also move through the system, with requests sent to a One Medical provider who reviews the request before approval. You can fill prescriptions through Amazon Pharmacy or another pharmacy you prefer. This approach helps reduce the steps people often face when trying to get care. Instead of spending time searching for appointments or jumping between different apps, you can move from a question to a provider more quickly.

Special access for Prime members

Amazon is also adding a limited introductory benefit. Eligible members of Amazon Prime can receive up to five free message-based consultations with a One Medical provider.

Neil Lindsay, senior vice president of Amazon Health Services, said the goal is to make care easier to access through the tools people already use. “Eligible Prime member accounts get up to five free direct message care consultations with a One Medical provider for any of the 30 common conditions,” Lindsay said.

These visits cover common conditions, including:

  • Colds and flu
  • Allergies and acid reflux
  • Pink eye and UTIs
  • Hair loss and skin care

Outside the promotion, message or telehealth visits typically cost about $29. A full One Medical membership provides broader virtual care and costs less for Prime members than for non-members.

How Amazon says it protects health data

Health information raises serious privacy questions. Amazon says Health AI runs inside a HIPAA-compliant environment with strong encryption and strict access controls. According to the company, personal health data is not used to sell ads. Amazon also says protected health information from One Medical and Amazon Pharmacy is not used for advertising or sold to third parties.

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The system also includes safety guardrails. If the AI cannot confidently answer a question, it directs you to a human provider. Behind the scenes, the technology runs on Amazon’s AI platform called Amazon Bedrock.

Amazon also emphasized that Health AI was designed alongside medical professionals rather than built purely as a technology product.

“This isn’t a chatbot with a healthcare skin,” said Prakash Bulusu, chief technology officer at Amazon Health Services. “It’s a system designed from the ground up to be personalized, trustworthy and useful.”

Bulusu said he personally tested the system with his own health data, and it surfaced lab work he had forgotten to complete after a physical exam.

CHATGPT HEALTH PROMISES PRIVACY FOR HEALTH CONVERSATIONS

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You can ask Health AI about symptoms and receive guidance before deciding whether to seek medical care.  (Amazon)

Why Amazon believes AI belongs in healthcare

Millions of people already search Amazon for vitamins, blood pressure monitors and health products. The company believes AI can help guide those searches and connect them with medical advice. Amazon also partnered with major health systems, including the Cleveland Clinic and Rush University System for Health, to create smoother referrals between primary care and specialists. The idea is continuity. You should not feel like you are starting from scratch every time you see a new provider.

What this means for you

Tools like Health AI show how quickly artificial intelligence is moving into everyday health decisions. For patients, the potential benefits are clear. Faster answers. Simpler records. Easier access to doctors.

Yet it also raises big questions about privacy, data control and how much we rely on automated systems for health advice. AI can help people understand their health. But the human doctor still plays the absolute most important role. The challenge will be finding the right balance.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Healthcare can be frustrating. Long waits, confusing records and disconnected systems often leave you feeling lost. Amazon believes AI can help guide you through that process. If the technology works as promised, it could help millions of us understand our health faster and reach care sooner. Still, any system that handles sensitive medical information must earn trust over time. That trust will depend on transparency, security and how responsibly companies use personal health data.

Would you feel comfortable letting an AI assistant review your medical history and guide your health decisions? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Crimson Desert dev apologizes for use of AI art

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Crimson Desert dev apologizes for use of AI art

Reviews of Crimson Desert have been mixed, but the bigger issue for the game has been the discovery of what appeared to be AI-generated assets in the final release. Now the developer has acknowledged that AI art was indeed used during the game’s creation, but says that it was intended to be replaced before release. In a statement on X, the company said it was conducting a “comprehensive audit” to identify and replace any AI-generated content.

The company apologized for both its inclusion in the final release and for not being more transparent about its use during development. “We should have clearly disclosed our use of AI,” it said.

The use of generative AI in gaming has become a hot-button issue of the last couple of years as it’s made its way into several high-profile titles. While some large studios have embraced it, many smaller developers have revolted against the trend, proudly proclaiming their games to be “AI free.”

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YouTube job scam text: How to spot it fast

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YouTube job scam text: How to spot it fast

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Most of us have received a random text that makes us pause for a second. Maybe it promises a prize. Maybe it claims to be from a delivery company. Lately, another type of message is spreading quickly: the remote job scam.

That is exactly what happened to Peter from New York. He wrote in after receiving a suspicious message about a high-paying YouTube job.

Here is what he sent:

“I received this text today, and I think it’s a scam. How can I tell for sure, and what do I do next?”

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Below is the message Peter received. At first glance, it looks like a job opportunity. However, when you break it down line by line, several warning signs appear. Let’s walk through them.

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FAKE GOOGLE SECURITY PAGE CAN TURN YOUR BROWSER INTO A SPYING TOOL

A suspicious text message promises up to $10,000 a month for boosting YouTube video views. Offers like this are a common sign of a job scam.  (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Red flag 1: A random job offer from a stranger

The text comes from an unknown international phone number starting with +63, which is the country code for the Philippines. Legitimate companies rarely recruit through random text messages from unknown numbers. Real employers usually contact candidates through job platforms, email or professional networks like LinkedIn. When a job appears out of nowhere and promises high pay, it should immediately raise suspicion.

Red flag 2: The pay is wildly unrealistic

The message claims:

  • $200 to $600 per day
  • $10,000 or more per month

Those numbers are a major warning sign. Entry-level remote work, such as “boosting video views” or “YouTube optimization,” does not pay anywhere near that range. Scammers often use unusually high pay to trigger excitement and urgency. When money sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

Red flag 3: No experience required but huge income

The text says “no experience required, free paid training provided.” Scammers often combine high income with zero qualifications. That combination is designed to attract as many people as possible.

Real digital marketing jobs usually require:

  • SEO or marketing experience
  • Analytics knowledge
  • Platform expertise

A company offering $10K per month with no requirements is not realistic.

BE AWARE OF EXTORTION SCAM EMAILS CLAIMING YOUR DATA IS STOLEN

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Scammers often claim no experience is required and that training is provided. The goal is to lure you in quickly before you start asking questions.  (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Red flag 4: The job description is vague

The text claims the job is to “increase video exposure and view count.”

That description is extremely vague. It does not explain:

  • What tools you would use
  • What company you would work for
  • How the work is measured

Scam job offers often stay vague so they can adapt the story later.

Red flag 5: Pressure to respond immediately

The message says: “5 urgent openings available, first come first served.” This is a classic scam tactic. Urgency pushes people to respond quickly before they have time to research the offer. Real companies rarely hire qualified candidates on a first-come basis through text messages.

Red flag 6: The strange reply instructions

The message tells recipients to reply “OK” and then send a numeric code. This step is often used to move the conversation to another messaging platform, such as Telegram or WhatsApp, where scammers continue the scheme. Once the conversation moves there, victims may be asked to:

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  • Complete fake tasks
  • Send cryptocurrency
  • Pay deposits for “training”

These scams are often called task scams, where victims complete simple online tasks and may even receive small payments at first before scammers demand larger deposits for payouts that never come. They have exploded worldwide over the past few years.

Red flag 7: No company information

The message never names a real company. It mentions a “manager” named Goldie but provides:

  • No company website
  • No corporate email
  • No office address

Legitimate employers want applicants to know who they are. Scammers avoid details that can be verified.

How these YouTube job scams usually work

Many of these scams follow the same pattern. First, scammers promise easy money for simple tasks lsuch as liking videos or boosting views. At the beginning, they may even send a small payment to build trust. Then things change. Victims are asked to deposit money to unlock larger payouts or complete “premium tasks.” Once payments are sent, the scammers disappear. The Federal Trade Commission says Americans lost hundreds of millions of dollars to job scams in recent years, and text message recruitment scams are rising fast.

 Google warns about growing job scams and how to verify recruiters

We reached out to Google, and a spokesperson provided the following statement to CyberGuy:

“Google is aware of these job scams happening across the industry and believes they’re growing around the world. We strongly encourage any candidate, or individual receiving them, to exercise caution and report it to the platform you received it on as a phishing attempt and/or spam. Our recruiting team focuses on contacting candidates in official capacities and are very clear about who we are, why we’re reaching out, and do so from legitimate emails or profiles on job sites. Jobseekers should verify anyone contacting them by email addresses, looking up the person online, such as on LinkedIn, and if something does seem suspicious, flag it to the outlet where it was received. Folks can also vet and report these scams to Google at support.google.com. Our Google careers page reflects all of our current job postings, so candidates should check offers against those. Generally speaking, Google also continues to offer a range of tools and insights that help people automatically spot and avoid scams like these whether they receive them via email, search results, text messages, etc.”

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FAKE GOOGLE GEMINI AI PUSHES ‘GOOGLE COIN’ CRYPTO SCAM

Messages that push you to reply immediately or move the conversation to apps like Telegram or WhatsApp are a major red flag.  (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Ways to stay safe from job text scams

If you receive a message like Peter’s, here are some smart steps to take.

1) Never respond to unknown job texts

Replying confirms your number is active. That can lead to more scam messages.

2) Do not click links or download attachments

Scam texts sometimes include links that lead to phishing pages designed to steal login credentials or financial information. Install strong antivirus software on your devices, which can help detect malicious links, block dangerous websites and warn you before you open something risky. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

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3) Reduce how easily scammers can find your information

Scammers often harvest phone numbers and personal details from data broker sites and public profiles. Using a data removal service to remove your information from these sites can make it harder for criminals to target you with job scams and other fraud. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

4) Research the company independently

Search for the company name online. Look for an official website, verified social media or job listings.

5) Avoid jobs that ask for money

Legitimate employers never require deposits for training, equipment or task access.

6) Block and report the number

You can report scam texts directly from your phone.

On iPhone:

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Open the message, tap the phone number at the top of the screen, scroll down and select Block Contact. You can also tap Report Spam under the message. If the option appears, then click Delete and Report Spam, which sends the report to Apple and deletes the message.

On Samsung Galaxy phones:

Steps may vary slightly depending on your Samsung model and software version.

Open the Messages app and select the conversation. Tap the three-dot menu in the upper right corner, then tap Block and report spam, then confirm by tapping Yes. This blocks the number and helps Samsung identify and filter future scam messages.

7) Report it to the FTC

In the United States, you can report scams at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Reports help investigators track large scam networks.

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So what should Peter do next?

The safest move is simple. Peter should not reply to the message. Instead, he should block the number and report it as spam. If he has already responded, he should stop communicating immediately and avoid clicking any links or sending money. If he shared personal information such as his phone number, email address or financial details, it may also be wise to monitor his accounts closely and consider signing up for an identity theft protection service. The good news is that spotting the red flags early can prevent a much bigger problem later. See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at Cyberguy.com.

Kurt’s key takeaways 

Scammers constantly adapt their tactics. Today, it might be a fake delivery notice. Tomorrow, it might be a high-paying remote job. The message Peter received hits many of the classic warning signs: unrealistic pay, vague job duties, urgent language and a request to reply quickly. When a stranger promises easy money through a random text message, pause for a moment. That short pause can save you a lot of trouble.

Now I am curious. If a text suddenly promised you $10,000 a month for simple online tasks, would you recognize the warning signs before replying? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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