Do most robot vacuums handle tile and low-pile carpet well?

Yes, as long as you’re not buying the absolute cheapest model, it’ll transition automatically between tile and low-pile carpet. Modern robots use drop sensors and cliff sensors to ramp up suction on carpet and back off on hard floors. The real issue is height difference, not the surface change—low-pile carpet is thin enough that normal wheels roll right over. Just avoid thick shag or high-pile rugs, and watch for cheap threshold strips if you’re on a budget model.