In testing, it had no problem traversing hard flooring and carpet, and thoroughly collected dog hair from both, so it’s also a strong budget-friendly choice for pet owners. From its companion app, you can move the robot around and view a live video stream of what’s happening inside your home. It also has the longest battery life of any robot vacuum we’ve tested, cleaning for up to 170 minutes on a charge. For even greater convenience, Ecovacs makes an Auto-Empty Station that allows the Deebot Ozmo T8 AIVI to empty its bin into a disposable dust bag without your help.
Roomba models are the only robot vacuums that employ two brush rolls that rotate toward each other, an arrangement that works well on all surfaces but offers its biggest advantage over other robot vacuums’ brush rolls on rugs. In fact, the “brushes” on the i3 EVO are really rubber-nubbed extractors, which are particularly good at picking up pet hair, especially from thicker and higher-pile rugs, without much hair getting wrapped around the roller. All Roomba bots, including the i3 EVO, also have a dirt-detection system—another feature you can’t find in other brands’ bots. When a Roomba model senses that it’s passing over an area with a lot of debris, it stops and makes a few passes back and forth to pick up as much as possible. It also has smart mapping, so you can tell it to clean or avoid specific rooms. But unlike most of its competitors, the Roomba i3 EVO is actually a sturdy, repairable appliance—and although longevity is never guaranteed, you can reasonably expect to own and use it regularly for years.
The Bissell SpinWave Hard Floor Expert Wet and Dry vacuum may be the answer to all your cleaning prayers. With a triple cleaning system, this tiny but mighty vacuum-mop combo comes with dual spinning brushes and a rotating brush roll. The bissell crosswave cordless powerful suction tackles the worst household debris and pet hair problems. It’s a robotic rival to the Tineco iFloor 3 that we can’t stop raving about thanks to brilliant maneuvering and a unique approach to lifting dirt and set-in gunk.
This feature-rich hybrid vacuums and mops while using AI to successfully detect and avoid many obstacles other floor-cleaning robots would get stuck on. To put its obstacle-evasion technology to the test, we intentionally placed dog toys that have tripped up other robot vacuums in its path. Without fail, the Ozmo T8 AIVI detected the toys in its way and changed directions accordingly. The best robotic vacuums Consumer Reports tested are great for touch-ups and spot cleaning, which can be especially helpful in keeping up with pet hair. Their built-in and app-enabled smarts allow them to find their way out of tight spots and around some obstacles, but keep in mind that connecting any device to an app entails privacy concerns. To learn more, see our full ratings of robotic vacuums, as well as additional CR coverage like our picks of the best robotic vacuums for pet hair and the best robotic vacuums under $300.
The first-generation units comprised the original silver-colored Roomba, the blue Roomba Pro, and the maroon Roomba Pro Elite. The later two models included additional accessories, but all three used the same core robot and cleaning system. To compensate for this, Roombas have a rotating multi-pronged brush on one side which sweeps debris towards the path of the cleaning head, helping to clean a wider path and to reach into edges and corners. First- and second-generation Roombas were not compatible with the Virtual Wall, an accessory used to prevent them from entering an area.
Brian Bennett is a senior writer for the home and outdoor section at CNET. These include everything from cordless and robot vacuum cleaners to fire pits, grills and coffee makers. An NYC native, Brian now resides in bucolic Louisville, Kentucky where he rides longboards downhill in his free time. Liam McCabe is a former senior staff writer for Wirecutter, and has covered the wild world of appliances since 2011. After testing dozens of robot vacuums, he is neither worried about AI nor holding his breath for self-driving cars.
The big downside is that the RoboVac 11S and other bots like it don’t seem to be built to last for more than a couple of years on average, and we’ve heard about plenty of unrepairable breakdowns that happen even sooner. And although the 11S can get your floors much cleaner than if you didn’t vacuum at all, this bot just isn’t built to dig up much debris from rugs, especially softer, thicker types. We chose the best robot vacuum models based on their design, capabilities and overall value—but also their longevity and durability. A good robot vacuum should last at least three to five years without any worries, sometimes far longer.
In 2017 iRobot released the 890 with Wi-Fi connectivity that can be started with an app and various personal-assistant software. Roomba is a series of autonomous robotic vacuum cleaners made by the company iRobot. Introduced in September 2002, they have a set of sensors that enable them to navigate the floor area of a home. These sensors can detect the presence of obstacles, particularly dirty spots on the floor, and steep drops (e.g., to avoid falling down stairs). The Wyze Robot Vacuum’s low price and competitive feature set make it a nice option for first-time robot vacuum buyers.
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 automation integration to program schedules. This top-of-the-line model is suitable for those with deep pockets who are bissell crosswave cordless willing to pay a premium for convenience. With long battery life, strong suction power, and AI-powered obstacle avoidance technology, the X1 Omni is an excellent option for large homes, and those with pets. Some, like the Eufy RoboVac 11S, don’t include Wi-Fi capabilities at all.