15 Reasons You Shouldn t Overlook Robot Vac

Top Rated Robot Vacuums

A robot vacuum can keep your floors clean enough to cut down on the frequency of hoovering manually. Find one that has good navigation, can sweep corners and stairs and has a huge dust bin that has to be emptied only every few times.

There are models that mop and charge on their own, a feature that may be important for people with children or pets. Many of the best robot vacuum inexpensive robot vacuum (linked web page) performers in our tests have good robot vacuum obstacle avoidance.

1. iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO

The i3+ EVO is identical to its sibling i3 EVO. They differ only in that the i3+ has self-emptying capabilities. The i3+ is a great option for those looking for a a fully automated, hands-off cleaning experience, but are willing to manually empty the robot's dustbin when it is full.

Both robots excel at picking up surface debris off carpets and hard floors and they are very good in moving around furniture and other obstacles. iAdapt navigation software creates a smart maps of your home to assist the i3+ to navigate and clean efficiently. However unlike the i7+ and other top-rated robots we test the i3+ doesn't have any obstacle-avoidance features which means it can get stuck on things such as power cords or socks, and may have issues navigating across surface transitions like from hardwood to carpet.

iRobot recommends that you tidy the area around the i3+ EVO vacuums before using it. This includes getting rid of any toys or other items it might come across. It's also recommended to keep the dust bin and filter clean so they do not become blocked by dirt. If the i3+ EVO's internal bin is full or its battery is depleted, it returns to its docking station, automatically empties its dirt into the station's external dustbin and continues cleaning the area where it left off. The i3+ EVO's batteries last for approximately an hour and a half continuous use, and it takes about three hours to recharge.

2. iRobot Roomba i7+

The iRobot Roomba i7+ is the most powerful model in iRobot's flagship line and is equipped with the most recent features. It's self-charging and self-navigating. the most important feature of all -- it has a self-emptying dustbin that eliminates one of the primary sources of maintenance for any robot vacuum.

The Roomba i7+ is able to remember up to 10 floor plans and their names with Imprint Smart Mapping, a system that allows it to create maps of rooms so that it can clean them more efficiently. It also integrates with the iRobot Home app to let you schedule cleaning jobs and direct your robot vacuum cleaners by voice or through the app.

In our tests the i7+ was quicker and more maneuverable than our second-placed model, the eufy RoboVac G30, and it picked up large pieces of pet hair from all surfaces kinds including carpeting. The main advantage it has over the Eufy is its self-emptying bin that removes major maintenance sources and lowers the cost of recurring maintenance.

We were also impressed by the i7+'s compatibility Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant AI services which we used to instruct the robot to begin, stop or pause its cleaning routines and to move around the room, and even vacuum an area. The iRobot Home App made it easy to connect the i7+ to these services. Once connected, to speak commands to the i7+, such as "Hey Alexa vacuum the master bedroom." The iRobot Home app also provides options to manage the i7+'s preferences and monitoring its performance.

3. Dyson Cyclone V10

This tiny Dyson model is an athletic car in a world of vacuums with cords that feel like minivans and buses. It's powerful and has features to replace a stand-up vacuum for the majority of households and can fit perfectly next to the table for a coffee or the bookshelf, where you can wave it around like the magic tool.

The V10 is powered by a 7-cell energy-dense Lithium-ion battery that produces energy that lasts for 60 minutes. Its sophisticated whole-machine filtration system traps allergens and releases clean air back into your home. Its cleaning head is specially designed and drives bristles made of nylon that are stiff into carpets to trap large dust and crumbs. It comes with three suction settings to match the task at hand. It quickly switches from handheld vacuum to floor vacuum and back.

This model also has a dock that charges to 100% in about 3.5 hours and provides an easy access to two attachments and an Wand clip. This is a big improvement over the older Dysons models, which take a long time to charge and are difficult to store.

The main drawback of the V10 is its limited run time. As CR's tests show, its claims to run up to 60 minutes are misleading. This is a typical, not an exceptional, time to run an electric cordless vacuum powered by batteries. That's still enough run time to get rid of the majority of an average-sized house but not long enough to clean every spot (though an additional run-through often can be effective). This model has its own advantages however: it's light and more maneuverable than earlier Dysons cordless models, and its vacuuming ability is significantly better on low-pile floor carpet.

4. iRobot Roomba 694

One of iRobot's most popular robot vacuums The 694 is a basic model that's a good option for those who don't want to invest too much on a automatic hoover robot. It was able to remove all kinds of debris and sizes in our tests, and frequently went over the same area multiple times for an extensive clean. Its flat front design allows it to reach corners and the edges of walls.

Its smart navigation system uses iAdapt to avoid obstacles and navigate your home, but it isn't equipped with the mapping capability of more sophisticated models such as our top choices, the i3+ EVO and j7+ series. It is prone to getting stuck on phone cords or furniture and often runs out of power before returning to its original location.

The Xiaomi Mi robot is superior in many ways over the Roomba 694 because it has fewer parts that require regular cleaning, is outfitted with an allergen-trapping HEPA filtering system, has a lower recurring cost, has more advanced automation capabilities and can better navigate its own. It also has a larger dustbin and is charged faster.

The eufy RoboVac X8 is superior to the Roomba 694 for most purposes, as it has a longer battery life, can change its suction power mode manually, comes with physical boundary strips, and is controlled by your smartphone's voice assistant. It's also more durable, has a stronger motor, and performs better on floors with low pile and bare.

5. Samsung Jet Bot AI+

Samsung is a name is found on all kinds of home electronics, so it comes as no surprise that they're also one of the most popular robotic vacuum and mop makers. Jet Bot AI+ has the most advanced onboard technology for navigation and obstacle avoidance.

The app gives you plenty of options to personalize your robotic cleaner, such as virtual barriers mopping water levels, behavior customization docking frequency settings and much more. It's simple to comprehend and is user-friendly, which is the case with other Samsung devices.

In our tests in our tests, the Jet Bot AI+ performed well on hard floors, and cleaned up 86% of dog hair (on carpet). It was not as successful in avoiding taller items such as socks or cords. This was disappointing. It's priced higher than other models we've tested and this could be a deal breaker for some shoppers.

The smart vacuum comes with an onboard camera that is accessible through the app. You can also set up a live streaming from the robot's cleaning station. This feature allows you to keep track of your pets or children when you're away from home. The filter and the dustbin can be cleaned to ensure a quick, painless clean-up. The Jet Bot AI+ also comes with a clean station that's self-emptying to keep the robot's dustbin clean and optimizes suction power for each cleaning run.

6. Black & Decker Robot Vacuum

Black and Decker robots have been designed specifically for hard flooring. The robots come with an extra wide cleaning path and a dustbin that is 2X larger than the competition. This lets them keep the area clean for longer. They also include two side sweepers for cleaning around corners and edges. The POWERSERIES model also comes with AutoSense, which automatically adjusts the power level according to whether it's cleaning up dirt that is on the surface or embedded. It also has a smart app that lets you view the virtual map and control the functions and schedules. You can also monitor the status of the best auto vacuum and connect it to the dock for charging at the press of a single button. The app lets you modify the LEDs on the top of the vacuum so that you can determine where it is focused or if it's stuck.

The app allows you to manually steer the robot in the event of need. For instance, my living room rug has a darkly colored border that tends to trip up some of the other robots I've tested. However the HRV 425BL kept moving across the border, without registering it as an incline. The ability to program a daily cleaning schedule for each week is a time-saving convenience.