IRobot’s Roomba i7+ makes our best robot vacuum list because it has a base with its own dustbin, so you can go multiple cleanings without having to empty out the bin. It edged out the Shark Ion R85 on our pet hair test, picking up just over 90 percent of all the fur on both hard floors and carpet. It was slightly quieter than the average from our tests as well, shark cordless with a reading of 62.6dB. Roombas before the seventh-generation models do not map out the rooms they are cleaning. Instead, iRobot developed a technology called iAdapt Responsive Cleaning Technology. This relies on a few simple algorithms, such as spiraling, room crossing, wall following, and random walk angle changing after bumping into an object or wall.
A self-emptying (or auto-emptying) robot vacuum comes with a big charging dock, which sucks debris out of the robot through a trapdoor in the dustbin, and stores it in a disposable bag or bagless bin . Instead of emptying your bot’s bin after every cleaning session, you only have to empty the dock every month or two. The Eufy RoboVac X8 seems to be a fine laser-nav robot vacuum based on our testing, but it’s relatively expensive and doesn’t offer meaningful improvements over the cheaper models. Its defining feature is supposed to be its strong suction, with two turbines pulling 2,000 pascals each (whereas most laser-nav bots have a single turbine and less than 2,500 pascals of suction total). That’s fine, but it’s still a tiny fraction of the suction you’d get from a traditional vacuum and only makes the X8 a marginally better cleaner than a much more affordable robot, like the Roborock S4 Max.
We try to update this guide a few times a year to keep up with the latest noteworthy models. If you think we’ve missed one worth covering, let us know—though we may already be testing it. Dirt Detect™ Technology only from iRobot, allows all Roomba® robots to detect dirtier areas of your home and clean them more thoroughly. Only iRobot brings you Imprint® Smart Mapping allowing you to control and schedule which rooms are cleaned and when, while storing multiple maps for easier cleaning on each level of your home. Wi-Fi® Connected Robot Vacuum that identifies and avoids obstacles like pet waste and charging cords to get the whole job done.
The Samsung JetBot AI+ is packed full of features to say the least. This intelligent and gentle cleaner almost acts as a security camera as much as a robot vacuum cleaner. It can patrol your home while you’re away and livestream what it can see straight to your phone. It can also recognize objects and offer alternative cleaning patterns, so you can choose the route you want it to take. Costing just $159, this model is the winner of our best cheap robot vacuums.
Stark’s Vacuums has grown to be one of the largest independent vacuum cleaner retailers in the country, with nine locations and more than 250 vacuums to choose from. The top-end Braava m6 provides more adjustments, custom mapping and can even integrate with certain Roomba models so the two can clean in tandem. The Roomba i7 adds to the i3’s functionality by using a camera to map your house, allowing you to tell it to clean a specific room or even a specific area of a room (like “under the couch”) as needed. Like the i3, an elevated a “plus” version equips that lower-touch self-emptying dock. IRobot’s 600 series encompasses its basic models, with the Roomba 614 being the most affordable.
Keeping a constant eye out for pet waste didn’t seem to slow the Roomba J7 down. Pet hair on carpets wasn’t much of an issue for the Roomba either. This Roomba robot vacuum left about half of the material on the floor during this test. That said, the Roomba S9 Plus removed an average 71% of sand from our medium pile carpet while vacuuming, which is the best result that we’ve seen on this specific test. It also cleaned up more dog hair, pet dander and allergens than any other vacuum in this test group.
The Roomba Dirt Dog contained sweeping brushes and a larger dust bin, but lacked the vacuum motor, using the space that would be required for the vacuum for additional dust bin volume. The Roomba Model 401 was similar but had a standard-size dust bin and vacuum system. All models have dyson robot vacuum a patented design using pair of brushes or rollers, rotating in opposite directions, to pick up debris from the floor. In some models, the brushes are followed by a squeegee vacuum, which directs the airflow through a narrow slit to increase its speed in order to collect fine dust.
Canine-behavior expert and trainer Shelby Semel recommends Neato robot vacuums to her clients because of their zoning features. “You can block off and control sections of a room from your phone,” she explains, marking virtual no-go zones for the vacuum to avoid. Ryeon Kim, co-founder of pet e-commerce retailer Little Beast, also loves the vacuum’s ability to focus on specific areas in a home. And Dr. Jamie Richardson, veterinarian and chief of staff at veterinary start-up Small Door, says the unique D-shape helps this robot vacuums get into all the nooks and crannies of her house where pet hair can accumulate.