Are You Getting The Most Of Your Robot Vac

Top Rated Robot Vacuums

A robot vacuum can keep floors clean enough to decrease the frequency at which you need to manually vacuum. Choose one that has good navigation, can clean corners and stairs and has a huge dust bin that needs emptying only every few times.

There are models that can mop and charge themselves This is an advantage essential for families with pets or children. Many of the best robot vacuums performers in our tests have great obstacle avoidance.

1. iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO

The i3+ EVO and its i3 EVO sibling, the i3 EVO, are identical robots that differ only in that the i3+ comes with self-emptying features. This makes the i3+ a great option for those looking for an entirely automated, hands-free cleaning robots for home experience but don't mind taking the time to empty their robot's trash bin when it fills up.

Both robots are adept at picking up surface debris off carpets and hard floors, and they are very good at maneuvering around furniture and other obstacles. iAdapt navigation software creates smart map of your home to aid the i3+ in its navigation and clean up efficiently. However, unlike the i7+ and other top-highest Rated robot vacuum robots that we test the i3+ does not have a feature for avoiding obstacles and therefore it could get stuck on things like socks or power cords, and may have issues in navigating through transitions between surfaces like hardwood to rug.

iRobot suggests cleaning the area in which the i3+ EVO vacuums before using it. This includes getting rid of any toys or other items it might encounter. It's also recommended to keep the dustbin and filter clear so they do not become blocked by dirt. When the i3+ EVO's internal bin is empty or the battery is depleted, it returns to the docking station, and it automatically emptys the dirt into the docking station’s external dustbin. Then it continues cleaning where it started. The battery's lifespan is around an hour and a half of continuous usage. It takes three hours to fully charge.

2. Roomba from iRobot

The iRobot Roomba i7+ is the most powerful model of the flagship line from iRobot, and it comes with all the latest features. It's self-charging, self-navigating and the most important feature of all -- it has an auto-emptying dustbin, which eliminates one of the most important sources of maintenance for any cheap robot vacuum cleaner vacuum.

The Roomba i7+ can remember up to 10 floor plans and their names with Imprint Smart Mapping, which lets it create maps of rooms so that it can clean them more efficiently. It also works with iRobot Home to schedule cleaning jobs, and you can control your robot via the app or by voice.

In our testing the i7+ performed more agile and faster than our second-placed model and the eufy RoboVac G30, and it picked up large pieces of pet hair from all surface types, including carpeting. The biggest advantage over the Eufy is its self-emptying bin which eliminates the main sources of maintenance and reduces recurring cost.

We were also awestruck by the i7+'s compatibility Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant AI services, which we used to instruct the robot to start, stop or pause its cleaning routines and move around the room, and even vacuum the area. The iRobot Home App made it easy to connect the i7+ to these services. After connecting, we were able to use the i7+'s voice commands, such as "Hey Alexa, vacuum the master bedroom." The iRobot Home app also provides options for managing the i7+'s settings and monitoring its performance.

3. Dyson Cyclone V10

This tiny Dyson model is an all-sports car in a sea of vacuums powered by cordless that resemble minivans and buses. It's got the power and features to replace a stand-up vacuum in the majority of households and can fit in well next to the table for a coffee or a bookshelf that you can spin around like the magic tool.

The V10 is powered by a Lithium-ion battery with 7 cells of energy, which produces power without fading for 60 minutes. Its advanced whole-machine filter system captures allergens and expels clean air back into your home. The cleaning head is specially designed to drive bristles of nylon that are stiff and deep into carpets to trap large crumbs and fine dust. It has three suction modes that can be adapted to the specific task. It is able to quickly change from floor vacuum to handheld vacuum, and vice versa.

This model also has docks that charge to 100% in around 3.5 hours, and gives users an easy access to two attachments and a wand clip. This is a significant improvement over previous Dysons that require a lengthy charge and are difficult to store.

The biggest issue with the V10 is its limited run time. As CR's tests show, its advertising claims of up to 60 minutes are misleading. This is a common, not exceptional, battery-powered cordless vacuum's running time. This is still enough to clean most of a home that's average size, but not quite long enough to cover every area (though the second time around usually does the trick). This doesn't mean that this model doesn't have its benefits: It's lighter and mobile than the older cordless Dysons, and its vacuuming efficiency is better on carpets with low pile.

4. iRobot Roomba 694"

One of the most well-known robot vacuums the 694 is a basic model that's a great option for those who don't wish to spend too much on a robotic floor vacuums. It's capable of sucking up most debris types and sizes during our tests, and frequently goes over the same areas several times to get a really thorough clean. The flat front of the unit allows to get into corners and along the edges of walls which is a nice addition.

Its navigation system is smart and uses iAdapt to stay clear of obstacles and navigate your home, but it isn't equipped with the ability to map that comes with more sophisticated models like our top picks, the i3+ EVO and the j7+ series. It may get stuck on phone cords or furniture and is often unable to supply power before returning to its original location.

The Xiaomi Mi robot is superior in many ways to the Roomba 694 because it has less parts that require regular cleaning, comes with an allergen-trapping HEPA filtration system, incurs lower recurring cost, is more sophisticated in its automation capabilities and can better maneuver its own. It also has a larger dustbin and charges faster.

The eufy RoboVac X8 has a superior battery life than the Roomba. It also comes with physical boundaries strips that can be controlled by your smartphone's voice assistant. It also feels better-built and has a more powerful motor, and works better on both bare floors and low-pile carpet, while offering a wider range of features for automation.

5. Samsung Jet Bot AI+

Samsung is a name you see on all sorts of electronic gadgets for your home So it's no surprise that they're one of the most reputable robotic vacuum and mop makers. Their Jet Bot AI+ is equipped with cutting-edge onboard tech for navigation and obstacles avoidance.

The app offers a wide range of options to customize your robotic cleaner. These include virtual barriers, mopping levels and behavior customizations docking frequency settings and much more. The app is easy to use and understand as are other Samsung devices.

In our tests, the Jet Bot AI+ performed well on hard floors, and it removed 86 percent of dog hair (on carpet). It was not as successful in avoiding taller objects like cords or socks. This was disappointing. It's also more expensive than other models that we tested, and this could be a problem for some buyers.

The app allows you to access the onboard camera of the smart vacuum. You can also set up live streaming from the robot's cleaning zone. This feature allows you to check in on pets or the kids if you're away from home. The dustbin and filter can be washed to make cleanup quick and easy. The Jet Bot AI+ also comes with a clean station that's self-emptying to keep the robot's dustbin clear and maximizes suction power for each cleaning.

6. Black & Decker Robot Vacuum

Black and Decker robots have been developed specifically for hard flooring. They have an extra-wide cleaning path, as well as a dustbin that is 2 times larger than other models. This allows them to keep the area clean for longer. Plus, they include two side sweepers to clean along edges and in corners. The POWERSERIES model also comes with AutoSense that automatically adjusts the power level based on whether it is picking up dirt that is on the surface or embedded. It also includes a smart application that lets you browse the virtual map and manage functions and schedules. You can also track the status of the vacuum and then send it to its dock for charging at the click of a button. The app also lets you to customize the lights on top of the vacuum with different colors, so you can easily tell the areas where it's focused or where it's got stuck.

The app makes it possible to manually steer the robot when needed. For example my living room rug has a darkly colored border that tends to trip up some of the other robots I've tried. The HRV 425BL however, continued to move across the border without ever registering the cliff. The ability to program a cleaning schedule for each week is a time-saving advantage.