Today’s robot vacuums can’t clean up as much dirt and debris as traditional upright vacuums. “I think you’d still need a stick or upright vacuum for spots that the robot vac can’t reach,” Ferro said. I’ve tested 30 robot vacuums to find the best ones and consulted health experts and engineers on how to use them properly.
If you want a smarter robot, take a look at our top two picks, the Roomba i3 and Roborock S4 Max. The Roomba i3 is also a better cleaner than most robot vacuums—at any price. We also tried the opposite, running the i3 before the Roborock S4 Max, and found that the S4 did not come back with much debris in its bin, likely because the Roomba i3 grabbed it all first.
Some of the most advanced robot vacuums, such as the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo T8 AIVI, feature artificial intelligence technology to automatically identify and avoid obstacles like shoes and toys. Premium models may also feature a camera, letting you view live video of your home from wherever you are. That said, one of the best innovations in the robot vacuum space in recent years has been the development of models that can empty their own dustbins. dyson robot vacuum Beyond offering greater convenience than traditional models, they significantly limit your exposure to dust, a big plus if you suffer from allergies. As recently as a couple of years ago, you’d be hard-pressed to find a sub-$1,000 self-emptying robot vacuum, but the price on these models has been coming down. Several excellent options, including the iRobot Roomba i3+ and Shark IQ Robot Self-Empty XL, are now available for less than $600.
Early models use only flashing lights to indicate specific problems, while later models use a synthesized voice to announce a problem and a suggested solution. Here, listed in alphabetical order, are eight standouts from CR’s rigorous irobot vacuum cleaner robotic vacuum tests. For complete test results and even more options, see our robotic vacuum ratings; and check out our vacuum cleaner buying guide to find out how robotic vacuums compare with other types of vacuum cleaners.
This will depend on the amount of dirt that they have to pick up and the power that the vacuum uses. Look for a Roomba that will pick up where it left off in its cleaning routine, even if it does need to return to the base to recharge. A few models do have a longer runtime of 120 minutes on a single charge. This shark cordless is another excellent budget model, and one of the slimmest profiles in robot vacuums, at 12.8 x 2.8 inches. It’s the perfect solution for getting under low-clearance furniture. IRobot, the iconic robot vacuum manufacturer, has many robots in its midrange 600 series and E series that are all about $300 or less.
It came within 2 inches in corners and picked up more than 60% of the flour on both the carpet and hardwood. The 240mL water tank was large enough to complete at least two passes over the 500-square-foot test floor. With the app, you can choose from four water-flow levels to reach a balance of moistness and quick drying and two mopping patterns. The deep scrubbing option provides thorough cleaning, and the quick scrubbing is for routine mopping. On the plus side, the RoboVac 15C Max only got stuck during its cleaning cycles about a quarter of the time, which is impressive in my messy home.
The robot vacuum will run up for up to 90 minutes before heading back to its charging station. All of this and more can be controlled via the iRobot Home App, where you’ll be able to easily schedule cleanings, too. We’ve found that as long as a robot has a brush roll and a side brush, it’ll pick up crumbs, tufts of pet hair, and other common debris from bare floors and low-pile rugs.
Instead of the classic puck shape, it has a D-shaped body and extra-wide brushes to improve its edge-cleaning and corner-cleaning abilities. It also has four times more raw suction than the already-strong Roomba i3, i7, or j7. That helps it consistently pick up larger debris like cat litter or yard waste better than most robots, though it still doesn’t come close to deep-cleaning dust from a rug like a traditional vacuum. We don’t like the s9 because it’s one of the clumsiest navigators we’ve tested. It’s like the developers left in a bunch of code that makes it think it’s still round.