Top Rated Robot Vacuums
A robot vacuum will keep your floors clean enough to cut down on the frequency of manual hoovering. Look for one that offers excellent navigation, is able to clean stairs and corners and also has a large dust bin that has to be emptied only every few times.
There are models that mop and charge themselves, which is a feature that is essential for families with children or pets. A lot of the top performers in our tests also offer decent obstacle-avoiding capabilities.
1. IRobot Roomba i3+ EVO
The i3+ EVO and its sibling, the i3 EVO are the same robots that differ only in that the i3+ has self-emptying features. This makes the i3+ an excellent option for those who want an entirely automated, hands-free cleaning experience, but aren't afraid of manually emptying their robot's dustbin when it fills up.
Both robots excel at picking up surface debris off hard floors and carpets, and they're very adept at maneuvering around furniture and other obstacles. iAdapt navigation software makes smart maps of your home that aid the i3+ EVO navigate and clean in a way that maximizes efficiency. The i3+ does not feature obstacle avoidance features like the i7+ or other top-rated robots we tested. It could get stuck on power cords and socks and have difficulty navigating between different surfaces like hardwood and rug.
iRobot suggests cleaning up the area where the i3+ EVO vacuums before using it. This includes putting away any toys or other items it might come across. It's also an excellent idea to keep the bin and filter clean so that they don't become clogged with dirt. When the i3+ EVO's internal bin is empty or the battery is low it returns to the docking station and emptys the dirt into the docking station's dust bin. It then continues cleaning where it started. The battery's lifespan is around an hour and a half of continuous usage. It takes about three hours to fully charge.
2. IRobot Roomba i7+
The iRobot Roomba i7+ is the most powerful model of the flagship line from iRobot and is equipped with the most recent features. It's self-charging, self-navigating, and the most crucial feature of all -- it has an auto-emptying dustbin, which eliminates one of the primary sources of maintenance for any robot vacuum.
The Roomba i7+ can keep up to 10 floor plans and their names with Imprint Smart Mapping, which lets it map rooms so it can clean them more efficiently. It also integrates with iRobot Home to schedule cleaning tasks, and it can control your robot via the app or via voice.
The i7+ is quicker 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 the dust bin is self-emptying, which eliminates a major cause of maintenance and cuts down on the amount of time spent cleaning.
We were also awestruck by the i7+'s compatibility with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant AI services. We utilized these services to instruct the robot to begin, stop, or pause cleaning sessions, as well as to move around the room and to vacuum a particular area. Connecting the i7+ to these services was simple and straightforward through the iRobot Home app. After being connected, to give voice commands to the i7+, such as "Hey Alexa vacuum the master bedroom." best budget robot vacuum provides options to manage the i7+'s preferences and monitoring its performance.
3. Dyson Cyclone V10
This tiny Dyson model is an athletic car in a sea of vacuums powered by cordless that resemble minivans and buses. It has the power and features to replace a stand-up vacuum in many households however, it can also fit nicely on a coffee table or on a bookshelf where you can wave it around like a magic wand.
The V10 is powered by a 7-cell energy-dense lithium-ion battery which produces continuous, non-fading power for 60 minutes. The sophisticated whole-machine filter system traps allergens, then releases fresh air into your home. Its specialized cleaning head drives stiff nylon bristles deep into carpet to collect large crumbs and fine dust. It comes with three suction settings to meet the task at hand. It quickly converts from handheld vacuum to floor vacuum and back again.
This model has a dock that can charge the Dyson to 100 percent within 3.5 hours. It also provides an easy access to two attachments as well as an handheld. This is a significant improvement over previous Dysons that require a long charge and are difficult to store.
The main drawback of the V10 is its limited run time. Its claims on the market that it has up to 60 minutes of run time are not true as CR's tests show. This is a typical, not an exceptional, time to run a battery-powered cordless vac. This is still enough to clean most of a home that's average size but not long enough to cover every area (though a second run-through usually will suffice). This model has its own advantages however: it's lighter and more maneuverable than earlier Dysons cordless models, and its vacuuming ability is noticeable superior on carpets with low pile.
4. iRobot Roomba 694
The 694 is a standard robot vacuum that's a great choice for those who don't have lots of money to invest in the latest model of robot. It was able to pick up all kinds of debris and sizes during our tests, and frequently went over the same area many times to give an efficient clean. Its flat front makes it possible to reach the corners and edges of walls.
Its intelligent navigation system makes use of iAdapt to avoid obstacles and navigate around your home, but it's not equipped with the ability to map that comes with more sophisticated models such as our top selections such as the i3+ EVO and the j7+ series. It can get stuck on cords for phones or furniture that is low and will often run out of power before returning to its original location.
The Xiaomi Mi robot vacuum is superior to the Roomba 694 in most respects in that it has fewer parts that need regular cleaning, is fitted with an allergen-trapping HEPA filter, has lower costs for recurring maintenance, has more advanced automation capabilities and does a better job moving itself. It also has a bigger dustbin and is charged faster.
The RoboVac X8 is a slick RoboVac X8 is superior to the Roomba 694 for most purposes, as it has a better battery life, the ability to change its suction power mode on its own, comes with physical boundary strips, and can be controlled by your smartphone's voice assistant. It's also more durable, has a stronger motor, and is more effective on floors with bare or low-pile.
5. Samsung Jet Bot AI+
Samsung is a household name in home electronics. It's no surprise, then, that they are also among the top manufacturers of robot vacuums and mop. Their Jet Bot AI+ is loaded with cutting-edge onboard intelligence technology to aid in navigation and obstacle avoidance.
The app provides plenty of options to personalize your robotic cleaner, such as virtual barriers, mopping water levels and behavior modification docking frequency settings and much more. The app is simple to learn and use as are other Samsung devices.
In our testing our tests, the Jet Bot AI+ excelled on hard floors and handled dog hair (on carpet) quite well, clearing up 86 percent of it. It did not do well in avoiding taller objects like socks or cords. This was disappointing. It's also more expensive than the other models that we tested, and this could be a deterrent for certain shoppers.
The smart vacuum has an onboard camera that can be accessed through the app, and you can also create a live stream from the robot's cleaning station. This feature lets you monitor your pets or children when you're away from home. The filter and the dustbin can be cleaned for a quick, painless clean-up. The Jet Bot AI+ comes with self-emptying clean stations, which helps keep the bin clean and optimizes suction power.
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, and dust bins that are 2X bigger than the competitors. This lets them clean the area for longer. They also come with two side sweepers for cleaning along edges and corners. The POWERSERIES model includes AutoSense which adjusts the power level depending on whether it's collecting surface dirt or embedded dirt. The vacuum also has an app that allows you to view a virtual map, control functions, and set schedules. You can also track the vacuum's status and send it to its dock for charging with the touch of a single button. The app allows you to customize the LED lights on the top of the vacuum by using different colors so you can easily identify which areas it's focused on or where it's got stuck.
The app also makes it easy to manually steer the robot if needed. For instance, my living room rug has a darkly colored border that tends to cause confusion for other robots I've tried. The HRV 425BL however, continued to move across the border without registering the cliff. The ability to program a weekly cleaning schedule is a wonderful time-saving benefit.