20 Tools That Will Make You Better At Robot Vac

Top Rated Robot Vacuums

A robot vacuum can keep the floors clean enough to cut down on the frequency at which you’ll need to manually vacuum. Choose one that has an easy navigation, can sweep corners and stairs and also has a large dust bin that requires emptying only once in a while.

There are models that can mop and charge themselves, which is a feature important for families with pets or children. Many of the best performers in our tests have good obstacles to avoid.

1. IRobot Roomba i3+ EVO

The i3+ EVO and its sibling the i3 EVO are both identical robots that differ only in that the i3+ has self-emptying features. The i3+ is a good alternative for those who want a a fully automated, hands-off cleaning experience but are willing to manually empty the robot’s dustbin when it is full.

Both robots are adept in removing dirt and dust particles on floors and carpets and are able to navigate around furniture and other obstacles. iAdapt navigation software creates a smart maps of your home that help the i3+ navigate and clean up efficiently. The i3+ isn’t able to feature obstacle avoidance features like the i7+ or any other top-rated robots we tested. It may be stuck on power cords or socks, and may have trouble navigating between different surfaces, like hardwood and 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 other items it might encounter. It’s also an excellent idea to keep the dustbin and filter clean so they aren’t clogged by dirt. If the i3+ EVO’s internal bin is full or its battery is low, it returns to its docking station, automatically empties its trash into the station’s external dustbin, and then continues cleaning where it started. Battery life is about an hour-and-a-half of continuous use. It takes 3 hours to fully charge.

2. IRobot Roomba i7+

The iRobot i7+ is an excellent model from iRobot’s flagship line, and it comes with the latest technology. It’s self-charging, self-navigating and the most crucial feature of all — it has a self-emptying dustbin that eliminates one of the most important sources of maintenance for any robot vacuum.

The Roomba i7+ can remember up to 10 floor plans and their names with Imprint Smart Mapping, a system 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 control your robot with voice or via the app.

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

We were also impressed by the i7+’s compatibility Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant AI services. We used these services to instruct the robot on how to start, stop, or pause cleaning sessions and also to move around the room, and even vacuum a specific area. The iRobot Home App made it easy to connect the i7+ to these services. Once connected, to speak commands to the i7+, like “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

In a world of vacuums that are cordless and are like minivans and buses, this tiny Dyson model is an automobile. It’s powerful enough to replace a stand-up vacuum in the majority of homes, but also small enough to fit on the bookcase or coffee table.

The V10 is powered by a seven-cell, high-energy lithium-ion battery that can provide continuous, non-fading power for 60 minutes. The sophisticated whole-machine filter system traps allergens, then lets cleaner air into your home. Its specialized cleaning head drives bristles made of nylon that are stiff into carpets to trap large crumbs and fine dust. It has three suction modes to meet the task at hand. It can quickly change from floor vacuum to handheld vacuum, and vice versa.

This model comes with a dock that can charge the Dyson to 100 percent in 3.5 hours. It also provides easy access to 2 attachments as well as an handheld. This is a major improvement over earlier Dysons that require a lengthy charge and are difficult to store.

The V10’s main drawback is its short running time. Its claims on the market that it can last up to 60 minutes of running time are not true as CR’s tests show. This is a standard battery-powered cordless vacuum’s run time. It’s enough time to clean a typical-sized home however, it’s not enough time to get into every corner. (A second pass is usually sufficient). However, this model isn’t a good choice It’s lighter and more agile than older cordless Dysons and its vacuuming efficiency is better on carpets with low pile.

4. iRobot Roomba 694″

One of iRobot’s most popular robot vacuums the 694 is an entry-level model that’s a good option for those who don’t want to spend too much on a robot. It’s capable of sucking up most debris types and sizes during our tests, and frequently goes over the same areas many times to ensure a thorough clean. The flat front of the unit allows it to reach into corners and along the walls’ edges, which is a nice addition.

Its navigation system is smart and uses iAdapt to avoid obstacles and navigate around your home, but it isn’t equipped with the mapping capability of more sophisticated models like our top choices such as the i3+ EVO and the j7+ series. It may get stuck on phone cords or furniture and will often run out of power before returning to its base.

The Xiaomi Mi robot is superior in many ways to the Roomba 694 in that it has fewer components that require regular cleaning, is equipped with an allergen-trapping HEPA filtering system, incurs lower cost of recurring costs, is more sophisticated in its automation capabilities and is better able to move itself. It also has a larger dustbin and charges quicker.

The eufy RoboVac X8 has a superior battery life than the Roomba 694. It also comes with physical boundaries strips that can be controlled using your smartphone’s voice assistance. It is also more durable and has a more powerful motor, and works better on floors that are bare and carpets with a low pile, as well as offering a wider range of features for automation.

5. Samsung Jet Bot AI+

Samsung is a name is found on all kinds of home electronics It’s no surprise that they’re one of the top robot vacuum and mop manufacturers. Their Jet Bot AI+ is packed with cutting-edge onboard technology for navigation and obstacles avoidance.

The app gives you plenty of options to customize your robotic cleaner, including virtual barriers mopping water levels, behavior adjustments docking frequency settings and more. It’s simple to comprehend and is user-friendly, which is the case with other Samsung devices.

In our tests of the Jet Bot AI+ excelled on hard floors, and also handled dog hair (on carpet) quite well, clearing up 86 percent of it. It didn’t do very well in avoiding taller items such as cords or socks. This was disappointing. It’s also more expensive than some of the other models we tested, which might be a deterrent for certain shoppers.

The smart vacuum has an onboard camera that you can access via the app. You can also create a live stream from the robot’s cleaning station. This feature lets you to monitor your pets or children while you are away. The dustbin and filter can be cleaned for quick, painless cleanup. The Jet Bot AI+ also comes with a clean and tidy station that self-empties to keep the robot’s trash bin clean and maximizes suction power for each cleaning.

6. Black & Decker Robot Vacuum

Black and Decker robots have been designed specifically for flooring made of hard wood. The robots have an extra-wide cleaning path, as well as a dustbin that is 2X larger than the competition. This allows them to keep the area clean for longer. They also have two side sweepers to clean around corners and edges. The POWERSERIES Extreme model comes with AutoSense technology, which senses the presence of dirt on surfaces or embedded dirt and automatically adjusts the power level. The vacuum also has an app that lets users to see the virtual map, manage functions, and set schedules. You can also monitor the vacuum’s status and send it to the dock for charging with the touch of a single button. The app also allows you to customize the LED lights on top of the vacuum using different colors so you can easily tell which areas it’s focused on or where it’s stuck.

The app also makes it easy to manually steer the robot in the event of need. For example, my living room rug has a darkly colored border that tends to make it difficult for other robots I’ve tested. The HRV 425BL however, continued to move across the border without registering the cliff. Also, the ability to create weekly cleaning schedules is a fantastic time-saving feature.