15 Reasons You Shouldn t Be Ignoring Robot Vac

Top Rated Robot Vacuums

A self-cleaning robot vacuums vacuum is able to keep floors clean enough to decrease the frequency at which you need to manually vacuum. Choose a robot vacuum with good navigation, has the ability to clean stairs and corners and has an enormous bin that only needs 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. The top performers in our tests have good ability to overcome obstacles.

1. Roomba iRobot i3+ from iRobot EVO

The i3+ EVO and its sibling the i3 EVO are the same robots that differ only in that the i3+ has self-emptying capabilities. This makes the i3+ an excellent option for those who want a hands-off, fully automated cleaning experience, but don't mind having to empty their dust bin manually when it is full.

Both robots do well cleaning up surface debris from carpets and hard floors and they're very adept at maneuvering around furniture and other obstacles. iAdapt navigation software creates a smart maps of your home that help the i3+ navigate and clean efficiently. However unlike the i7+ and other top-rated robots we tested the i3+ doesn't have any obstacle-avoidance features and therefore it could get stuck on things such as socks or power cords and it can have difficulty in navigating through transitions between surfaces like hardwood to rug.

iRobot suggests that you clean the area in which the i3+ EVO vacuums prior to using it. This includes putting away any toys or clutter it might come across. It is also recommended to keep the filters and dust bin clear to avoid becoming clogged. When the i3+ EVO's internal bin is empty or the battery is depleted, it returns to the docking station and empties the dirt into the station's external dustbin. Then it continues cleaning from where it started. The battery's life span is approximately an hour-and-a-half of continuous usage. It takes three hours to fully charge.

2. IRobot Roomba i7+

The iRobot i7+ is a top model from iRobot’s flagship line and is packed with the latest technology. It's self-charging, self-navigating, and the most important feature of all -- it comes with an best auto vacuum-emptying dustbin, which eliminates one of the main sources of maintenance for any robot vacuum.

The Roomba i7+ can keep up to 10 floor plans and their names with Imprint Smart Mapping, an application that allows it to map rooms so it can clean them more efficiently. It also works with the iRobot Home app to let you schedule cleaning tasks and direct your bagless robot vacuum by voice or through the app.

The i7+ is more efficient and more maneuverable in our tests compared to the eufy RoboVac G30. It also removed large pet hair pieces from all surfaces including carpeting. Its biggest advantage over the eufy the dust bin is self-emptying, which eliminates a major cause of maintenance and cuts down on the amount of time spent cleaning.

We were also amazed by the i7+'s integration with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant AI services that we used to instruct the robot to begin, stop or pause its cleaning routines, move itself around the room and vacuum a specific space. The iRobot Home App made it easy to connect the i7+ with these services. We were able, 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 settings and monitoring its performance.

3. Dyson Cyclone V10

In a world full of vacuums that are cordless and feel like minivans or buses, this small Dyson model is a sports car. It is powerful enough to replace a traditional stand-up vacuum in the majority of homes, yet it is also small enough to fit on a bookcase or coffee table.

The V10 is powered by a 7-cell energy-dense lithium-ion battery which produces fade-free power for 60 minutes. Its advanced whole-machine filtration system captures allergens and expels clean air back into your home. The cleaning head is specially designed to drive stiff nylon bristles deep into carpets to trap large dust and crumbs. It has three suction modes that can be adapted to suit the task. It can quickly change from handheld to floor vacuum and vice versa.

This model also has docks that charge to 100% in around 3.5 hours and provides an easy access to two attachments as well as the Wand clip. This is a huge improvement over the older Dysons models, which take a long time to charge and are a pain to store.

The main drawback of the V10 is its limited running time. Its claims on the market that it can last up to 60 minutes of running time are misleading, as CR's testing shows. This is a standard, not exceptional, battery-powered vacuum's run time. This is enough time to vacuum the average-sized home however, it's not enough time to reach every area. (A second time is usually sufficient). This model has its own advantages however: it's light and more maneuverable than older Dysons cordless models and its ability to vacuum is significantly better on carpets with low pile.

4. iRobot Roomba 694

One of iRobot's most adored robot vacuums The 694 is a basic model that's an excellent choice for people who don't want to spend too much on a robotic. It was able to remove the majority of types of debris and sizes during our tests and would often go over the same area many times to ensure a thorough clean. Its flat front makes it possible to reach the corners and edges of walls.

Its navigation system is smart and uses iAdapt technology to stay clear of obstacles and navigate your home. It's not equipped with the capabilities for mapping of more advanced models, including our top picks, i3+EVO and j7+ Series. As a result, it can sometimes get stuck on things like phone cords and low furniture, and it frequently is power-depleted before returning to its original location.

The Xiaomi Mi robot vacuum is superior to the Roomba 694 in all aspects in that it has fewer components that require regular maintenance It also comes with an allergen-trapping HEPA filter, incurs lower recurring costs, has more advanced automation capabilities and is more efficient in moving itself. It also has a larger dustbin and can charge faster.

The sleek RoboVac X8 has a superior battery life than the Roomba. It also has physical boundaries strips and can be controlled using the voice assistant on your smartphone. It also feels more sturdy and has a more powerful motor, and works better on both bare floors and carpets with low pile, while offering a wider range of automation features.

5. Samsung Jet Bot AI+

Samsung is a well-known brand in home electronics. It's not surprising that they are also among the top producers of robot vacuums and mop. 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, including virtual barriers mopping water levels, behavior customization docking frequency settings and more. The app is simple to learn and use similar to 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 items such as cords or socks. This was disappointing. It's also a bit more expensive than some of the other models we tried, which might be a problem for some buyers.

The smart vacuum comes with an onboard camera that is accessible through the app. You can also set up a live stream from the cheap robot vacuum cleaner's cleaning station. This feature allows you to check in on your children or pets when you're away. The filter and the dustbin can be cleaned for a quick, painless clean-up. The Jet Bot AI+ comes with an automatic floor cleaners clean station which helps keep the robot's bin clear and improves suction power.

6. Black & Decker Robot Vacuum

Unlike 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 other models to keep the area free of debris for the longest period of time. They also have two side sweepers to clean along edges and corners. The POWERSERIES model also comes with AutoSense, which automatically adjusts the power level according to whether it's collecting surface dirt or embedded dirt. The vacuum also comes with an app that allows users to see an interactive map, control functions, and schedules. You can also monitor the status of the vacuum and connect it to its dock for charging with the touch of a single button. The app also lets you to personalize the lights on top of the vacuum with different colors, so that you can easily identify which areas it's focused on or where it's got stuck.

The app allows you to manually steer the robot when needed. For instance my living room rug has a darkly-colored border that tends to cause confusion for other robots I've tried. However, the HRV 425BL continued to move across the border, but it didn't register it as an incline. The ability to program a weekly cleaning schedule for each week is a time-saving convenience.