The Biggest Issue With Robot Vac And How You Can Repair It

Top Rated Robot Vacuums

A robot vacuum can keep floors clean enough to reduce the frequency you'll need to manually vacuum. Choose one that has excellent navigation, is able to clean stairs and corners, and has a large dust bin that has to be emptied only periodically.

You can also find models that can mop and charge themselves This feature could be beneficial for those with children or pets. Many of the best performers in our tests have good obstacle avoidance.

1. IRobot Roomba i3+ EVO

The i3+ EVO and its sibling the i3 EVO are the same robots, but they differ in that the i3+ has self-emptying capabilities. The i3+ is an excellent option for those looking for a an entirely automated, hands-free cleaning experience, but are willing to manually empty the robot's dustbin once it gets full.

Both robots excel at picking up surface debris on carpets and hard floors, and they're very adept in maneuvering around furniture and other obstacles. iAdapt navigation software creates a smart map of your home to assist the i3+ to navigate and clean efficiently. However, unlike the i7+ or other top-rated robots we evaluated the i3+ doesn't have obstacle-avoidance capabilities and therefore it could get stuck on things such as power cords or socks, and it may have trouble navigating across surface transitions like from hardwood to carpet.

iRobot recommends you clear out areas that the i3+ EVO will vacuum before you use it, which includes putting away any toys or clutter it might encounter. It's also a good idea to keep the dustbin and filter clear so they do not become blocked by dirt. If the i3+ EVO's internal bin is full or the battery is low, it returns to its docking station and automatically empties its dirt into the station's dust bin and continues cleaning the area where it left off. The i3+ EVO's battery lasts for about an hour and a half of continuous use, and takes about three hours to fully recharge.

2. IRobot Roomba i7+

The iRobot i7+ is a top model from iRobot’s flagship line, and it comes with the latest features. It's self-charging, self-navigating, and 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 using Imprint Smart Mapping, an application that lets it map rooms so it can clean them more efficiently. It also integrates with iRobot Home to schedule cleaning tasks, and you can direct your robot using the app or voice.

The i7+ is faster and more maneuverable in our tests than the eufy RoboVac G30. It also removed large pet hair pieces from any surface, including carpeting. The biggest advantage over the Eufy is the self-emptying bin that eliminates the main sources of maintenance and reduces the cost of maintenance.

We were also awestruck 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 a specific space. The iRobot Home App made it easy to connect the i7+ to these services. Once connected, to voice commands to the i7+ 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 athletic car in a sea of vacuums with cords that feel like minivans and buses. It's powerful and has features to replace a stand-up vacuum in most households, but it also fits nicely on a coffee table or on a bookshelf that you can spin around like the magic tool.

The V10 is powered by a 7-cell, energy-dense lithium-ion battery that produces fade-free power for 60 minutes. The sophisticated whole-machine filter system is able to trap allergens and then releases cleaner air into your home. The specialized head uses rigid nylon bristles to drive deep into carpets and collect large crumbs or fine dust. It comes with three suction settings to suit the task that is being completed. It swiftly switches from handheld vacuum to floor vacuum robot vacuum, and then back to floor.

The model also comes with an accessory dock that can charge to 100% in about 3.5 hours, and gives users easy access to two attachments and an clip for a wand. This is a big improvement over the older Dysons models, that require a long charge and are a pain to store.

The main drawback of the V10 is its short running time. The tests conducted by CR show that its advertising claims of up to 60 minutes are a bit misleading. This is an average and not a remarkable time to run an electric cordless remote vacuum powered by batteries. It's enough time to vacuum the average-sized home but not enough to reach every spot. (A second run is usually sufficient). However, this model doesn't have its advantages: It's lighter and maneuverable than older cordless Dysons, and its vacuuming performance is noticeably better on carpets with low pile.

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 spend too much on a robot. It could pick up most types of debris in our testing and often went over the same area many times for an efficient clean. Its flat front end helps it reach into corners and along the walls' edges and walls, which is a nice touch.

Its intelligent navigation system makes use of iAdapt to avoid obstacles and navigate your home, but it lacks the ability to map that comes with more sophisticated models such as our top picks and the i3+ EVO and j7+ series. This means that it can sometimes get stuck on things like phone cords and furniture that isn't in good condition, and often runs out of battery power before returning to its base.

The Xiaomi Mi robot vacuum is superior to the Roomba 694 in all aspects in that it has fewer components that need regular cleaning, is fitted with an allergen-trapping HEPA filter, has lower recurring costs, has more advanced automation capabilities and is more efficient in maneuvering itself. It also has a bigger dustbin and charges quicker.

The sleek RoboVac X8 has a superior battery longevity than the Roomba 694. It also comes with physical boundaries and can be controlled with your smartphone's voice assistance. It is also more durable, has a more powerful motor, and works better on bare floors and carpets with a low pile, as well as providing a wider array of features for automation.

5. Samsung Jet Bot AI+

Samsung is a household name in home electronics. It's not a surprise, then, that they are also among the top producers of robot vacuums and mop. Jet Bot AI+ has a cutting-edge onboard technology to navigate and avoid obstacles.

The app gives you plenty of options to personalize your robotic cleaner, such as virtual barriers, mopping water levels and behavior customization docking frequency settings and 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 removed 86% of dog hair (on carpet). However, it didn't do particularly well with larger objects, like cords and socks which was disappointing. It's priced higher than other models that we tested, and this could be a problem for some shoppers.

The app lets you access the onboard camera of the smart vacuum. You can also create live streaming from the robot's area of cleaning. This feature allows you to keep track of your pets or kids when you're away from home. The dustbin and filter are washable to make cleanup quick and easy. The Jet Bot AI+ comes with an automatic clean station which helps keep the bin clean smart robot and maximizes suction power.

6. Black & Decker Robot Vacuum

Black and Decker robots have been developed specifically for flooring made of hard wood. They come with a wide cleaning path and a larger dustbin that holds 2X more debris than competitors to keep the cleaning area free of debris for the longest period of time. Additionally, they come with two side sweepers to clean along edges and in corners. The POWERSERIES model includes AutoSense that automatically adjusts the power level according to whether it's cleaning up surface dirt or embedded dirt. It also includes a smart application that lets you view the virtual map and manage the functions and schedules. You can also track the status of the vacuum and connect it to the dock for charging with the press of a single button. The app lets you customize the LED lights on the top rated Robot Vacuum of the vacuum so that you can tell where it is focused or if it's stuck.

The application also allows you to steer the robot manually should you need to. My living room rug for example, has a darkly-colored border that could cause trouble for other robots. However the HRV 425BL kept moving across the border, but it didn't register it as an incline. The ability to program a daily cleaning schedule for each week is a time-saving benefit.