Roombas with mapping capability can also recharge and resume a cleaning job, enabling them to clean large areas that take more than one full battery of charge to complete. Roombas except for first-generation models also support scheduling, allowing cleaning to start at the time of day and on days of the week that the owner desires. Most 500-series models support scheduling through buttons on the unit itself, and higher-end models allow the use of a remote control, smartphone app, or smarthome irobot vacuum cleaner automation integration to program schedules. If you’re looking to spend even less on a robot vacuum and don’t want or need much in the convenience features, the eufy RoboVac 25C is an uncomplicated, relatively well-rounded option. It comes with a remote control that allows you to issue a wide range of commands without needing an internet connection, which is great if you have spotty Wi-Fi coverage at home. Its companion app is relatively easy to use and exhibits minimal lag.
The robot makes 60 decisions every second, navigating under furniture and around clutter to thoroughly clean your floors. The G20 has a 600-milliliter capacity, which is at the higher end for Eufy vacuums, and uses smart-mapping technology that allows it to tackle large spaces in a series of smaller zones. If the battery does get low, the vacuum will stop, take itself back to the charging station, and when fully charged can resume where it left off. It also has a voice — and will announce if it has run into any problems while cleaning.
The main thing that makes the Roomba 600 series stand out from other affordable robot vacuums is that it’s more durable and easier to repair . They generally don’t break, spare parts are always in stock, and you can swap in everything from a new filter to a new transmission with nothing more than a screwdriver. You’ll usually pay more for the Roomba 694 than you would for our other budget pick, the Eufy 11S, or other super-cheap bots with random navigation. But the Roomba can easily pay off in the long run because it’ll last longer.
It’s not great at getting pet hair out of plush rugs, but it’ll work fine for keeping bare floors and short rugs pretty tidy. The RoboVac 11S was even the top pick in this guide irobot vacuum cleaner for a couple of years. However, over time we’ve realized that, unlike the basic Roomba 600 series models, the basic Eufy series isn’t durable, nor is it built to be repaired.
Speaking of recharging, the 960 and flagship 980 are the only models of Roomba which can carry on with a cleaning job after recharging. However, you’re likely to find its bin gets full long before the battery winds down, which in the 980, is about two hours. But if we set the Roomba to clean every day then this could be extended. Second, while robots have sensors to make sure they don’t smash into things or roll down the stairs, there isn’t much stopping them from sucking up small items. You’ll need to make sure objects like cables, shoelaces, and hairpins are off the floor before each cleaning session, as well as anything that might get caught in rollers, like tassels. The i3 is available with or without the Clean Base charging station and, according to iRobot, it has the same suction power as the older i7.
Then, you pair it with a companion app (either Xiaomi Home or Roborock’s own app—their features vary slightly, and we find the latter to be simpler). It’ll take some time to get used to the icons and sub-menus, while the imperfect border-drawing tool means you’ll be doing a little trial and error to get some of your zoned cleaning really dialed in. For a lot of people, the app’s robust controls are worth the fiddling and occasional frustration.
Another robot vacuum, the Jet Bot AI Plus, is also billed as being able to avoid pet waste. Unfortunately, the robot consistently failed to recognize one out of our three gag poop objects. Often the machine would push the piece of fake poop from one end of our test pen to the other. Unless you really love to vacuum, the task itself is pretty mundane. Depending on the size of your house, a robot vacuum can save you anywhere from minutes to hours of your time every week by taking care of a pretty thankless chore. A robot vacuum is usually higher in price than a traditional vacuum .
Replaced iRobot Roomba 981 with Roborock S7 as ‘Best Robot Vacuum For Bare Floors’ pick. Removed Roborock S6 MaxV from recommendations due to current availability. Your browser is not supported or outdated so some features of the site might not be available. It combines this data with information from its infrared and object sensors to inform its movements. I’ve covered appliances and other major household fixtures for more than a decade, and I’m excited to help CR’s readers find the right goods for their homes. If you ever get me talking, I’ll probably have a story about some wacky side effects of appliance regulations, or the journey to fully electrify my 100-year-old house.