This is a good option if you need a basic bot that will get the job done and don’t mind ditching the fancy features of the higher-end models. It’s a powerful robot that rarely got stuck in my testing, even on my high-pile, fluffy, tasseled living room rug I’ve nicknamed the robot killer. Many models can also map your home using variations on a technology called simultaneous localization and mapping , so they won’t miss spots. You can direct them with a voice assistant or app and have them clean on a schedule or get busy when you’re gone. Take note of the robot vacuum’s battery life, and compare that to your cleaning needs.
In general, all robot vacuums are going to struggle with cords, socks, and small toys. You should try to pick these up, otherwise your robot is very likely going to get stuck. TheRoomba 890 has the same run time as the Shark ION 750 and 720 models . It features a centrally located “Clean” button on the face of the vacuum with a handle, and dust bin release latch. One difference between the Roomba 960 vs. the 980 is the power boost bonus that the 980 model has. This allows the 980 to offer better cleaning performance on thick carpets.
The Roborock S7 is a mapping robot that uses lidar sensors to map your home in minutes. It also gives you the option of room-specific cleaning commands and allows you to set keep-out zones. This is essential as it doesn’t have AI obstacle avoidance, so it will get stuck in regular robot traps such as clusters of cables. It also struggles with tight furniture footprints as it’s quite wide. The Roborock S7 works with Alexa Routines and can be set to run when you leave home, or you can use the app’s scheduling feature.
Other Robot Vacuum CleanersThe Samsung POWERbot R7040 Robot Vacuum, Shark IQ UR1005AE Self-Empty Robotic Vacuum and the ECOVACS DEEBOT 900 Smart Robotic Vacuum Cleaner are some of the best robot vacuums. On top of having strong suction, the Samsung removes the crumbs and dirt from corners of the room and shows you a coverage map of where it has cleaned. IRobot RoombaWith patented Dirt Detect sensors and Wi-Fi connectivity, the iRobot Roomba 671 Robot Vacuum with Wi-Fi Connectivity is one of the best robot vacuums. It features a three-stage cleaning system that thoroughly removes hair, dirt and dust from your floors.
In an open area, some models travel in a grid-like pattern in the area until they encounter obstacles. Mediocre suction capability, random navigation and difficulty finding its base made this a nonstarter for us. While the vacuum has features such as voice control and in-app scheduling, it didn’t function half as well as the similarly priced Eufy 11S. That’s one feature I was happy I never got to test, as my cat kept all of her activity to her litter box.
When the j7+ is done cleaning, it returns to the base and empties itself into a bag in the larger dustbin at the back of the base. You need to change that bag every two months or so, but other than that, you likely won’t have to interact with it very much at all. What wasn’t so easy for me at first was connecting the S7+ to the Roborock app. The vacuum had trouble connecting to my home’s WiFi network, but I was able shark pet hair vacuum to connect it to the Mi Home app, which is Xiaomi’s main smart home companion app . There aren’t a ton of differences between the two apps when it comes to robo-vac controls, but the S7+ is designed to work with Roborock’s program. After troubleshooting with a Roborock representative, I was able to fix the problem by factory resetting the vacuum and that allowed me to connect it to the Roborock app properly.
From what I have read, no Roomba vacuums have a HEPA filter, all that say HEPA in your chart are marketed as having High Efficiency filters, not HEPA. Removed / updated info, especially with models being phased out. TheRoomba 980 still offers solid cleaning performance and a 120-minute run time with Recharge & Resume capabilities. TheShark ION R75 is self-charging and comes with Wifi-connectivity—allowing you to start, stop, or schedule a cleaning cycle remotely from your smartphone at any time. More expensive than many Shark robots, but also comes with more features. Wifi-connectivity allows you to control the vacuum with your smartphone or voice control.
Roomba i3+ also has a map, but it doesn’t save the map between cleanings and you can’t use that map to set up zones. Even more basic, the Roomba e5 does not have digital mapping capabilities at all. That makes this highly-versatile floor-cleaner a top value pick, and an easy recommendation for the very top of our list. Compared to an upright no, they don’t have the suction power or capacity.