A robot vacuum can keep your floors tidy enough to reduce the frequency of manual hoovering. Look for one that offers excellent navigation, is able to clean corners and stairs and has a huge dust bin that has to be emptied only every few times.
There are also models that clean and charge themselves which can be essential for those who have pets or kids. A lot of the top performers in our tests also have good obstacle avoidance.
1. iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO
The i3+ EVO is identical to its sibling the i3 EVO. They differ only in the fact that the i3+ comes with self-emptying capabilities. This makes the i3+ a great option for those looking for an entirely automated, hands-free cleaning experience, but don't mind manually emptying their robot's dustbin as it gets full.
Both robots are adept at picking up surface dirt on floors and carpets and are able to maneuver around furniture and other obstacles. iAdapt navigation software makes a smart maps of your home to aid the i3+ in its navigation and clean efficiently. The i3+ doesn't feature obstacle avoidance features like the i7+ or any other top robot vacuum cleaner-rated robots we tested. It can get stuck on power cords and socks and have difficulty navigating between different surfaces like hardwood and rug.
iRobot recommends that you tidy the area around the i3+ EVO vacuums prior to using it. This includes getting rid of any toys or clutter it might come across. It's also an excellent idea to keep the bin and filter clear so they do not become blocked by dirt. When the i3+ EVO’s internal bin is empty or the battery is not fully charged, it returns to the docking station and emptys the dirt into the docking station’s external dustbin. It then continues cleaning where it began. Battery life is about an hour and a half of continuous use. It takes about three hours to fully charge.
2. iRobot i7+ Roomba
The iRobot i7+ is the top model in iRobot's flagship line and comes with the latest technology. It has self-charging and self-navigating, but the most important feature is the self-emptying bin. This eliminates the need for routine maintenance.
The Roomba i7+ is able to remember up to 10 floor plans and their names using Imprint smart robot Mapping, which lets it identify rooms to clean them more efficiently. It also works with iRobot Home to schedule cleaning jobs, and you can control your robot through the app or by voice.
In our tests the i7+ was faster and more maneuverable than our runner-up, the eufy RoboVac G30, and it took large pieces of pet hair from all surface kinds, including carpeting. The main advantage it has over the Eufy is its self-emptying garbage bin, which eliminates major sources of maintenance and reduces recurring cost.
We were also awestruck by the i7+'s compatibility with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant AI services. We utilized these services to instruct the robot on how to start, stop, or pause cleaning sessions, as well as to move around the room and to vacuum a particular area. Connecting the i7+ to these services was easy and straightforward through the iRobot Home app. After being connected, to speak commands to the i7+, like "Hey Alexa vacuum the master bedroom." The iRobot Home App also offers options to manage i7+ settings and monitoring the performance.
3. Dyson Cyclone V10
In a world of vacuums that are cordless and are like minivans and buses, this tiny Dyson model is an automobile. It's powerful and has features to replace a stand-up vacuum in the majority of households however, it can also fit nicely on a coffee table or on the bookshelf, where you can move it around like a magic wand.
The V10 is powered by a 7-cell, energy-dense lithium-ion battery that produces fade-free power for 60 minutes. Its advanced whole-machine filter system removes allergens, and then releases cleaner air back into your home. The cleaning head is specially designed to drive bristles made of nylon that are stiff into carpet to suck up large crumbs and fine dust. It has three suction modes that can be adjusted to the specific task. It swiftly switches from floor vac to handheld vacuum, and then back to floor.
The model also comes with docks that charge to 100% in 3.5 hours and provides an easy access to two attachments and an Wand clip. This is a major improvement over previous Dysons that require a lengthy 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 a bit misleading. This is a typical battery-powered cordless vacuum's running time. This is enough time to vacuum the typical home however, it's not enough time to get into every corner. (A second run generally works). That's not to say this model doesn't have its benefits It's lighter and more agile than older cordless Dysons and its vacuuming performance is significantly better on carpets with low pile.
4. iRobot Roomba 694"
One of the most well-known robot vacuums, the 694 is an affordable model that's a great option for those who don't wish to spend too much on a robot. It could pick up the majority of types of debris and sizes during our tests and would often go over the same area many times to give an extensive clean. The flat front of the unit allows to get into corners and along the edges of walls, which is a nice addition.
Its intelligent navigation system makes use of iAdapt technology to steer clear of obstacles and help you navigate your home. However, it isn't equipped with the ability to map that is found in more advanced models, such as our top picks, i3+EVO and j7+ Series. It is prone to getting stuck on phone cords or low furniture and will often run out of power before returning to its original location.
The Xiaomi Mi robot is superior in many ways to the Roomba 694, as it has fewer components that require regular cleaning, is outfitted with an allergen-trapping HEPA filtering system, has a lower cost of recurring costs and has more advanced automation abilities and is able to better navigate itself. It also has a bigger dustbin and charges faster.
The eufy RoboVac X8 has a superior battery life than the Roomba 694. It also has physical boundaries and can be controlled using the voice assistant on your smartphone. It is also more robust, has a more powerful motor, and is more effective on floors with low pile and bare.
5. Samsung Jet Bot AI+
Samsung is a household name in the field of home electronics. It's no surprise, then, that they are also among the top producers of robot vacuums and mop. Their Jet Bot AI+ is equipped with cutting-edge onboard technology for navigation and obstacles avoidance.
The app offers a variety of options to customize your robotic cleaner, such as virtual barriers, mopping water levels and behavior modification docking frequency settings and more. The app is simple to navigate and use similar to other Samsung devices.
In our tests, the Jet Bot AI+ performed well on hard floors. It cleaned up 86 percent of dog hair (on carpet). However, it wasn't particularly well in avoiding larger objects, like cords and socks which was disappointing. It's also a bit more expensive than some of the other models we tried and could be a deterrent for some buyers.
The app lets you access the onboard camera of the smart vacuum. You can also set up live streaming from the robot's cleaning area. This feature lets you check in on pets or children when you're away from home. The filter and the dustbin can be washed for the quick and easy cleaning. The Jet Bot AI+ also comes with a clean and tidy station that's self-emptying, which helps keep the robot's trash bin clean and optimizes its suction power for each cleaning.
6. Black & Decker Robot Vacuum
Contrary to other robotic vacuum cleaner comparison vacuums that are specifically designed for hard floors and carpets, Black and Decker robots are specifically designed for hard floors. The robots come with an extra-wide cleaning path and dust bins that are 2X larger than the competition. This allows them to clean the area for a longer period of time. They also come with two side sweepers to clean around corners and edges. The POWERSERIES Extreme model also comes with AutoSense technology, which can tell the presence of dirt or debris on the surface and automatically adjusts its power level. The vacuum also comes with an app that lets users to see a virtual map, control functions, and create schedules. You can also check the vacuum's status and send it to the dock for charging with the touch of a single button. The app also lets you to customize the LED lights on the top rated Robot vacuum of the vacuum using different colors so you can easily tell the areas where it's focused or where it's got stuck.
The app also makes it easy to steer the robot manually should you need to. My living room rug, for example, has a darkly-colored border that can trip up some other robots. However the HRV 425BL kept moving across the border, without registering it as an incline. And the ability to set up weekly cleaning schedules is a great time-saving convenience.