This Is The Ultimate Guide To Robot Vac

Top Rated Robot Vacuums

A robot vacuum cleaner best vacuum will keep floors clean enough to reduce the frequency with which you have to manually vacuum. Pick a robot vacuum that is well-trained in navigation, has the ability to clean corners and stairs and also has large bins that will need to be emptying every so often.

There are models that mop and charge themselves, which is a feature important for families with children or pets. Many of the best inexpensive Robot vacuum performers in our tests have great ability to overcome obstacles.

1. IRobot Roomba i3+ EVO

The i3+ EVO and its i3 EVO sibling the i3 EVO, are identical robots, but they differ in that the i3+ comes with self-emptying features. This makes the i3+ a good choice for people who want an automated vacuum cleaner, hands-free cleaning experience, but aren't afraid of having to empty their dust bin manually when it fills up.

Both robots do well cleaning up surface debris from carpets and hard floors and they're very adept at getting around furniture and other obstacles. iAdapt navigation software creates intelligent maps of your home that help the i3+ EVO navigate and clean in a way that maximizes efficiency. However unlike the i7+ or other top rated robots we test the i3+ does not have any obstacle-avoidance features, so it may get stuck on things such as power cords or socks, and may have issues traversing transitions across surfaces, such as from hardwood to rug.

iRobot recommends clearing areas where the i3+ EVO will vacuum prior to when you use it, including getting rid of any clutter or toys it might encounter. It's also an excellent idea to keep the dust bin and filter clean so that they don't become clogged with dirt. If the i3+'s internal bin is empty or the battery is not fully charged, it returns to the docking station and empties the dirt into the station's external dustbin. It then continues cleaning where it began. Battery life is about an hour and a half of constant usage. It takes 3 hours to charge.

2. Roomba by iRobot

The iRobot Roomba i7+ is the most powerful model of the flagship line from iRobot and is equipped with the most recent features. It has self-charging and self-navigating. But the most significant feature is its self-emptying bin. This eliminates the need for regular maintenance.

The Roomba i7+ can keep up to 10 floor plans and their names thanks to Imprint Smart Mapping, a system that lets it identify rooms to clean them more efficiently. It also works with iRobot Home to schedule cleaning tasks, and it can control your robot through the app or voice.

The i7+ is quicker and more agile in our tests than the eufy RoboVac G30. It also picked up large pet hair pieces from all surfaces, including carpeting. The biggest benefit over the eufy the dust bin is self-emptying that eliminates a major cause of maintenance and reduces recurring costs.

We were also impressed by the i7+'s integration with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant AI services which we used to instruct the robot to start, stop or pause its cleaning session and move around the room and sweep an area. The iRobot Home App made it easy to connect the i7+ to these services. When connected we were able to use the i7+'s voice commands such as "Hey Alexa, vacuum the master bedroom." The iRobot Home App also offers options for managing i7+ settings and monitoring performance.

3. Dyson Cyclone V10

This tiny Dyson model is an athletic car in a world of vacuums powered by cordless that resemble minivans and buses. It's powerful and has features to replace a stand-up vacuum in many households and can fit nicely on the coffee table or a bookshelf that you can spin around like a magic wand.

The V10 is powered by a 7-cell, energy-dense lithium-ion battery that produces energy that is not faded for 60 minutes. Its advanced whole-machine filtration system traps allergens and releases clean air back into your home. Its specialized cleaning head drives bristles of nylon that are stiff and deep into carpets to trap large dust and crumbs. It has three suction modes that can be adapted to suit the task. It quickly converts from floor vac to handheld automated vacuum cleaner, and then back to floor.

This model has a dock which charges the Dyson to 100% within 3.5 hours. It also gives the ability to connect two attachments and the wand. This is a major improvement over older Dysons that require a long charge and are difficult to store.

The V10's main drawback is its short running time. The tests conducted by CR show that its advertising claims of up to 60 minutes are not true. This is a typical, not an exceptional, time for a battery-powered cordless vac. It's still enough time to vacuum the majority of an average-sized house, but not quite long enough to cover every spot (though an additional run-through often will suffice). However, this model isn't a good choice: It's lighter and agile than older cordless Dysons, and its vacuuming performance is noticeably better on carpets with low pile.

4. iRobot Roomba 694"

The 694 is a standard robot vacuum that's a great choice for those who don't have lots of money to spend on an expensive robot. It could pick up all kinds of debris and sizes during our tests and would often go over the same area many times for an extensive clean. Its flat front allows it to reach corners and the edges of walls.

Its intelligent navigation system makes use of iAdapt technology to avoid obstacles and guide you through your home. It's not equipped with the mapping capabilities of more advanced models, like our top picks, the i3+EVO and the j7+ Series. As a result, it is sometimes stuck on things like phone cords or low furniture, and it often will run out of battery before returning to its home base.

The Xiaomi Mi robot is superior in many ways to the Roomba 694, as it has fewer components that require regular cleaning, comes with an allergen-trapping HEPA filtering system, incurs lower costs for recurring expenses, is more sophisticated in its automation capabilities and can better maneuver itself. It also has a larger dustbin and can charge faster.

The eufy RoboVac X8 has a superior battery life than the Roomba 694. It also comes with physical boundaries and can be controlled using your smartphone's voice assistant. It also feels more sturdy, has a more powerful motor, and performs notably better on both bare floors and low-pile carpet, while providing a wider array of automation options.

5. Samsung Jet Bot AI+

Samsung is a name that is found on all kinds of home electronics It's no surprise that they're also one of the top robot vacuum and mop manufacturers. Their Jet Bot AI+ is loaded with cutting-edge onboard intelligence technology for navigation and obstacle avoidance.

The app offers a wide range of options for customizing your robotic cleaner. These include virtual barriers, mopping levels and behavior adjustments, docking frequency settings and many more. The app is simple to navigate and use as are other Samsung devices.

In our testing of the Jet Bot AI+ excelled on hard floors and handled dog hair (on carpet) very well, picking up 86 percent of it. It was not as successful in avoiding taller items like cords or socks. This was disappointing. It's also a bit more expensive than the other models we've tested and could be a deal-breaker for certain shoppers.

The smart vacuum comes with an onboard camera that you can access through the app. You can also create a live stream from the robot's cleaning station. This feature allows you check in on your pets or children while you're away. The filter and dustbin can be washed for quick, easy cleanup. The Jet Bot AI+ also has a clean station that's self-emptying and helps keep the robot's dustbin clean and maximizes suction power for each cleaning run.

6. Black & Decker Robot Vacuum

In contrast to other robotic vacuums which are designed for both hard floors and carpets, Black and Decker robots are specifically designed for hard floors. They come with a wide cleaning path and an extra-large dustbin that holds 2X more debris than competitors to keep the area clear for maximum runtime. Additionally, they come with two side sweepers to clean along edges and in corners. The POWERSERIES Extreme model also includes AutoSense technology, which can tell the presence of dirt on surfaces or embedded dirt and automatically adjusts the power level. It also comes with a smart app that lets you view the virtual map and manage functions and schedules. You can also track the status of the vacuum and then send it to the dock for charging at the touch of a single button. The app lets you alter the LED lights on the top of the vacuum so that you can discern where it is focusing or if it's stuck.

The app allows you to manually steer the robot, if necessary. For example my living room rug has a darkly colored border that can make it difficult for other robots I've tested. However the HRV 425BL continued to move across the border without registering it as a cliff. The ability to program a cleaning schedule for each week is a time-saving convenience.