In our testing, we found that laser mapping was slightly more effective overall (the j7+ needs good lighting to navigate), but the ability to review pictures of obstacles in the app is pretty nifty. And for pet owners, the j7+ can proactively identify pet waste to avoid vacuuming over dog poo and making a bad situation so much worse. IRobot will even replace your Roomba if it fails to avoid pet waste, a common issue with robot vacuums, which seem unable to identify pet poop and tend to run right through it. At 0.6 liters, this Roomba doesn’t have a particularly large canister, so it’s better suited for smaller homes or quick cleanup jobs. It also doesn’t have extra fancy features like object avoidance or a self-emptying canister. However, for the price, it’s an excellent pick for anyone who craves the convenience of a robot vacuum without the hefty price tag.
Of the three, we’ve tested only the AI+, and we wouldn’t recommend it based on its cleaning abilities. We’re confident that the Shark model and the lower-end Samsung bot will work similarly to all the other laser-nav robots described in the previous few paragraphs. Their “everyday” prices are a bit high, but we’ve seen some pretty good deals on the version of the Shark that comes with a self-emptying dock. Since we know that laser-nav bots are all fairly similar to one another, this Shark model could be a good choice if you see it on sale. As for cleaning, we’ve found over and over again that basic Eufy bots are capable of picking up all the most common types of debris off bare floors and low-pile rugs. It’s actually kind of surprising how effective they are, since the advertised suction is so modest, and the single brush roll is small.
However, as with most robot vacuums, you could also set a Schedule to accomplish these tasks. That’s where you’ll connect the vacuum to Wi-Fi so that you can schedule cleanings and unlock support for control by voice commands. The app is also where you can see the map of your apartment the robot is generating with its sensors, and obsessively track how much of your space it’s actually cleaned.
And for even more efficiency, Roomba runs for up to 90 minutes before automatically docking and recharging. We didn’t expect to love the affordable Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 as much as we did, but this hybrid vacuum outperforms other robot vacuums in key ways. First, this two-in-one is the rare robot vacuum that’s equally good at mopping and vacuuming. irobot vacuum cleaner Instead of simply using water and a mop pad to clean your floors, the AI Ultra uses a Shark cleaning solution and sonic scrubbing, and as a result, it offers a deeper clean than similarly-priced robot vacuums. First introduced in 2022, the new Q series from Roborock features improved suction compared to the previous generation.
It works better on hard floors compared to carpets, but even on carpets the performance was decent, scoring an average of just over 90. It also has niceties such as multi-floor mapping, no-go zones, and scheduling. If you’re looking for a robot vacuum that can also mop, the Roborock S7 is worth a look. IRobot’s Roomba s9+ is one of the smartest and most thorough robot vacuums we’ve tested, which is why bissell crosswave cordless for us, it’s the best robot vacuum overall. It has advanced mapping, so it can record and remember a blueprint of multiple floors of your house after just a few trips; you can then specify individual rooms, and tell the s9+ to clean specific rooms on specific days. We suggest scheduling it for when you’re out of the house, as this is admittedly a noisy robot vacuum, particularly on hardwood floors.
Ultimately, this robot vacuum comes at a steep price, but it leaves little room for improvement. If you want a hand with keeping your floors clean, one of the best robot vacuums can help. These appliances come in all shapes and sizes, with prices ranging substantially, but how can you tell you’re getting the best option for your home? Some clues about other methods of data collection come from Giese, the IoT hacker, whose office at Northeastern is piled high with robot vacuums that he has reverse-engineered, giving him access to their machine-learning models. Some are produced by Dreame, a relatively new Chinese company based in Shenzhen that sells affordable, feature-rich devices. Many of the latest models feature a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) laser (the same technology self-driving cars use) to map your home and plan an efficient cleaning route.