The Roomba i3+ EVO is usually the most affordable way to get a great self-emptying robot vacuum system. The only Roborock model that works with an auto-empty dock is the high-end Roborock S7+, which is quite expensive. The Roomba j7+, which has a lot of the same advanced navigation features as the Roborock, actually costs less than the S7 and dock combo. The Eufy RoboVac X8 seems to be a fine laser-nav robot vacuum based on our testing, but it’s relatively expensive and doesn’t offer meaningful improvements over the cheaper models.
While praised by some, there are a number of users that have noticed problems with the mapping and navigation as well. For starters, it can empty its own dustbin, wash its own pad after mopping, and refill its water tank when it runs out. Your trusty bot carries out all these actions with minimal intervention from you. We’ve worked diligently to gather up and present to you the truly best of the best currently available on the market today. Through a combination of diligent, thorough research and rigorous testing, we’ve managed to separate the good from the bad and bring you the greatest options out there that cover a wide variety of homeowners’ needs.
The best models to choose are ones that have rubber brushes that are free from bristles, so the pet hair doesn’t get trapped around them. Although that’s not to say robot vacuums with bristled brush bars aren’t as effective at collecting the hair. If you choose one of these, look for a design with a tool to help remove pet hair that’s got tangled to make your irobot vacuum cleaner life easier. Like other types of vacuums, many of the best robot vacuums on this list and other models we’ve tested are effective at collecting pet hair, fine dust, and larger debris from floors. If you want one, we’d recommend getting one of the self-emptying versions of one of our picks, though we’d steer you toward a Roomba instead of a Roborock.
It initially confines the vacuum to one area to be cleaned; then, once the vacuum reports the area has been sufficiently cleaned , it directs it to proceed to the next space to be cleaned, and contains it there. Like every robot—especially one that comes in contact with the grimiest parts of your house—you need to care for it regularly. Error messages may prompt you to empty the bin mid-run, cut the hair off the rollers, or wipe off the cliff sensors.
This makes it a great robot vacuum for cleaning carpets and hard floors, and it even has an edge sweeping brush to take care of corners and edges. When it’s done at the end of a cleaning cycle, the Roomba 692 is smart enough to automatically dock itself and get back to charging. This robot features the company’s smart mapping technology and sensors that are made to scan ahead at a rate of 25 times per second to detect obstacles in its path. This bundle comes with an extra edge-sweeping brush and a filter to keep up in homes with the most pet hair. Avoid letting the Roomba jostle the water bowls in the corner by designating a “keep-out zone” for areas that don’t need to be tackled. Or tell it to make sure to do extra cleaning with a bonus cycle to grab tracked-in grass and dirt in the foyer using a voice-activated cycle via the app.
So the first order of business for any successful robot vacuum is to avoid or at least escape from potential bot traps and hazards. They’re basically fine, but they won’t match the agility of the Eufy or the durability of the Roomba. We’re going to use the Roomba 694 as shorthand to refer to the 600 series throughout the rest of this section. But if it’s a Roomba and the model number starts with a 6, everything you’re about to read applies, except that Wi-Fi capabilities vary from model to model .
Pet owners in particular seem to gain a lot from bots, but lots of owners have told us they are amazed at how clean their floors look and feel after they start using one regularly. If you run your bot a few times per week, or even every day, crumbs and pet hair will never get a chance to pile up—the mess is gone before it becomes a nuisance, with very little effort required. They’re more than a toy or a novelty item, and can be a valuable floor-care tool in most homes. If you’re short on time or just hate vacuuming, a robot vacuum will probably make your life easier. That said, the Roomba S9 Plus removed an average 71% of sand from our medium pile carpet while vacuuming, which is the best result that we’ve seen on this specific test. It also cleaned up more dog hair, pet dander and allergens than any other vacuum in this test group.
And for even more efficiency, Roomba runs for up to 90 minutes before automatically docking and recharging. When compared to the other robot vacuums, its performance was lackluster and did not earn an award in our guide. Through testing, we found that it didn’t do a great job getting stubborn flour “dust” out of crevices between floorboards , and it tended to not grab our “crumbs” of rice very well.
Given its advanced nature, it may not be the best option for those who aren’t tech-savvy or who have poor WiFi. According to manufacturer’s guidelines, you’re only allowed to put pure water into the tank—not a commercial cleaning solution. While the Roborock is pretty good at keeping your home spic and span, imagine how much better it would be if it was designed to be used with a liquid stronger than water.