7 Things About Robot Vac You ll Kick Yourself For Not Knowing

Top Rated Robot Vacuums

A robot best automatic vacuum cleaner will keep your floors clean enough to decrease the frequency of hoovering manually. Choose one that has good navigation, can clean corners and stairs and has a huge dust bin that has to be emptied only every few times.

There are models that mop and charge on their own, a feature that may be important for people with children or pets. The top performers in our tests also have decent obstacle avoidance.

1. Roomba iRobot i3+ from iRobot EVO

The i3+ EVO and its sibling the i3 EVO are the same robots that differ only in that the i3+ comes with self-emptying features. The i3+ is a great option for those who want an automated, hands-free cleaning experience, but want to manually empty the dustbin of the robot when it is full.

Both robots excel at picking up surface debris on carpets and hard floors and they're very adept at getting around furniture and other obstacles. iAdapt navigation software creates smart map of your home to help the i3+ navigate and clean up efficiently. However, unlike the i7+ or other top-rated robots that we tested the i3+ does not have any obstacle-avoidance features which means it can be stuck on things like socks or power cords, and it can have difficulty in navigating through transitions between surfaces like hardwood to carpet.

iRobot recommends that you tidy the area in which the i3+ EVO vacuums before using it. This includes putting away any toys or clutter it might come across. Also, keep the dustbin and filter clean to prevent them from getting blocked. When the i3+ EVO's internal bin is full or the battery is low it will return to its docking station and automatically empties its debris into the station's dust bin, and then continues cleaning the area where it left off. The battery's lifespan is around an hour and a half of continuous usage. It takes three hours to fully charge.

2. Roomba from iRobot

The iRobot Roomba i7+ is the most powerful model of the flagship line from iRobot and has the most up-to-date features. It's self-charging, self-navigating, and the most crucial feature of all -- it comes with a self-emptying dustbin that eliminates one of the main sources of maintenance for any robot vacuum.

The Roomba i7+ is able to remember up to 10 floor plans and their names with Imprint Smart Mapping, which allows it to map rooms so it can clean them more efficiently. It also integrates with the iRobot Home app to let you schedule cleaning tasks and direct your robot by voice or via the app.

In our tests, the i7+ was more agile and faster than our runner-up and the eufy RoboVac G30, and it removed large chunks of pet hair from all surfaces types including carpeting. Its greatest advantage over the Eufy is the self-emptying bin, which removes major maintenance sources and reduces the cost of maintenance.

We were also impressed by the i7+’s compatibility with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant AI services. We used these services to instruct the robot cleaner on how to start, stop, or pause cleaning sessions and also to move around the room and vacuum a particular area. Connecting the i7+ to these services was easy and straightforward using the iRobot Home app. After connecting we were able to communicate with the i7+ using voice commands, such as "Hey Alexa, vacuum the master bedroom." The iRobot Home App also offers options to manage i7+ settings and monitoring the performance.

3. Dyson Cyclone V10

In a world of cordless vacs that feel like minivans or buses, this small Dyson model is a sports car. It has the power and features to replace a stand-up vacuum for most households and can fit perfectly next to a coffee table or on the bookshelf, where you can move it around like the magic device.

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 captures allergens, and then releases cleaner air into your home. Its specialized head uses stiff nylon bristles to drive deep into carpets and pick up large crumbs or fine dust. It has three suction modes to meet the task at hand. It quickly converts from handheld vacuum to floor vacuum and back.

This model also has docks that charge to 100% in around 3.5 hours, and gives users easy access to two attachments and the wand clip. This is a major improvement over older Dysons that require a lengthy charge and are difficult to store.

The main drawback of the V10 is its limited run time. Its claims on the market that it can provide up to 60 minutes of running time are a bit misleading as CR's tests show. This is a standard, not exceptional, battery-powered vacuum's run time. This is enough time to clean a typical-sized home but not enough to get into every corner. (A second run generally works). However, this model isn't a good choice: It's lighter and mobile than the older cordless Dysons, and its vacuuming performance is significantly better on low-pile carpet.

4. iRobot Roomba 694

The 694 is a basic robot vacuum cleaner cheap vacuum that's a great option for those who don't have a lot of money to invest in the latest model of robot. It's capable of sucking up all kinds of debris in our tests, and often goes over the same areas several times to get a really thorough clean. Its flat front allows it to reach the corners and edges of walls.

Its intelligent navigation system makes use of iAdapt technology to steer clear of obstacles and help you navigate your home. However, it isn't equipped with the ability to map that is found in more advanced models, like our top picks, i3+EVO and the j7+ Series. As a result, it can sometimes get stuck on things like phone cords or furniture that isn't in good condition, and often will run out of battery before returning to its base.

The Xiaomi Mi robot vacuum is superior to the Roomba 694 in all aspects, as it has fewer components that need regular cleaning, is fitted with an allergen-trapping HEPA filter, has lower recurring costs, comes with more advanced automation capabilities and is better at maneuvering itself. It also has a larger dustbin and charges faster.

The eufy RoboVac X8 is superior to the Roomba 694 in most purposes, because it has a longer 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 is also more durable and has a stronger motor, and works better on both bare floors and low-pile carpet, while providing a wider array of features for automation.

5. Samsung Jet Bot AI+

Samsung is a well-known brand in home electronics. It's no surprise that they are also among the top producers of robot vacuums and mop. Jet Bot AI+ has a cutting-edge onboard technology to navigate and avoid obstacles.

The app offers a variety of options to customize your robotic cleaner, such as virtual barriers mopping water levels, behavior customization docking frequency settings and much more. It's simple to comprehend and is user-friendly, which is the case with other Samsung devices.

In our tests, the Jet Bot AI+ performed well on hard floors, and it cleaned up 86% of dog hair (on carpet). It didn't do very well in avoiding taller items like cords or socks. This was disappointing. It's also more expensive than the other models we've tested and this could be a deterrent for some buyers.

The smart vacuum comes with an onboard camera that you can access through the app. You can also set up a live stream from the robot's cleaning station. This feature allows you to monitor your pets or the kids if you're away from home. The filter and the dustbin can be cleaned to ensure a quick, painless clean-up. The Jet Bot AI+ also comes with a clean station that self-empties and helps keep the robot's trash bin clean and optimizes its suction power for each cleaning run.

6. Black & Decker Robot Vacuum

In contrast to other robotic vacuums which are designed for both carpets and hard floors, Black and Decker robots are specifically designed for hard floors. They come with a wide cleaning path and a larger dustbin that holds twice as much debris than competitors to keep the area clean for the longest time. They also include two side sweepers for cleaning around corners and edges. The POWERSERIES model also comes with AutoSense, which automatically adjusts the power level depending on whether it's cleaning up surface dirt or embedded dirt. It also includes a smart application that lets you view the virtual map and control functions and schedules. You can also check the best automatic vacuum's status and send it to the dock for charging at the click of a button. The app also allows you to personalize the LED lights on the top of the vacuum using different colors, so that you can easily tell the areas where it's focused or where it's stuck.

The app allows you to manually steer the robot in the event of need. For example, my living room rug has a darkly-colored border that can trip up some of the other robots I've tested. However the HRV 425BL kept moving across the border, but it didn't register it as a cliff. The ability to set up weekly cleaning schedules is a wonderful time-saving benefit.