Top Rated Robot Vacuums
A robot vacuum will keep floors clean enough to decrease the frequency you have to manually vacuum. Select a vacuum that is well-trained in navigation, can clean stairs and corners and also has large bins that will need to be emptied periodically.
There are also models that can mop and charge on their own, a feature that may be essential for those who have pets or kids. The top performers in our tests offer decent obstacle-avoiding capabilities.
1. IRobot Roomba i3+ EVO
The i3+ EVO and its i3 EVO sibling the i3 EVO, are identical robots that differ only in that the i3+ comes with self-emptying features. The i3+ is a good option for those who want a fully automated, hands-off cleaning experience, but want to manually empty the dustbin of the robot when it is full.
Both robots do well picking up surface debris on carpets and hard floors and they're very adept in getting around furniture and other obstacles. iAdapt navigation software makes a smart map of your home to aid the i3+ in its navigation and clean up efficiently. The i3+ does not have obstacle avoidance capabilities like the i7+ or other top-rated robots we have tested. It may get stuck on power cords or socks, and may have trouble navigating between surfaces, such as rug and hardwood.
iRobot recommends you clear out areas where the i3+ EVO will vacuum before you use it, and include putting away any clutter or toys it may encounter. It's also a good idea to keep the dust bin and filter clean so that they aren't clogged by dirt. When the i3+ EVO's internal bin is empty or the battery is not fully charged, it returns to the docking station and automatically takes the dirt out of the docking station's external dustbin. Then it continues cleaning from where it left off. The battery's lifespan is around an hour-and-a-half of continuous use. It takes 3 hours to fully charge.
2. IRobot Roomba i7+
The iRobot i7+ is a top model from iRobot’s flagship line, and it comes with the latest features. It's self-charging, self-navigating, and the most crucial feature of all -- it has self-emptying bins that eliminate one of the most important sources of maintenance for any robot vacuum.
The Roomba I7+ is able to better map rooms with Imprint Smart Mapping. It also integrates with iRobot Home to schedule cleaning jobs, and you can direct your robot using the app or by voice.
In our testing, the i7+ was more agile and faster than our runner-up, the eufy RoboVac G30, and it removed large chunks of pet hair from all surface kinds including carpeting. The biggest benefit over the eufy, is its self-emptying dustbin which eliminates a major source 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 start, stop, or pause cleaning sessions and also to move around the room, and to vacuum a particular area. The iRobot Home App made it easy to connect the i7+ to these services. After being connected, to voice commands to the i7+ for example "Hey Alexa vacuum the master bedroom." The iRobot Home app also provides options for managing the i7+'s settings and monitoring its performance.
3. Dyson Cyclone V10
This tiny Dyson model is an all-sports car in a world of vacuums with cords that feel like minivans and buses. It is powerful enough to replace a traditional stand-up vacuum in a majority of homes, yet it is also small enough to fit on the bookcase or coffee table.
The V10 is powered by a 7-cell energy-dense lithium-ion battery which produces energy that is not faded for 60 minutes. The advanced whole-machine filtering system traps allergens, then releases fresh air into your home. Its cleaning head is specially designed and drives bristles of nylon that are stiff and deep into carpet to suck up large dust and crumbs. It has three suction modes that can be adapted to the task. It quickly converts from handheld to floor vacuum and back.
This model also has a dock that charges to 100% in about 3.5 hours and offers easy access to two attachments and an wand clip. This is a huge improvement over the older Dysons models, which take a long time to charge and are a pain to store.
The V10's biggest drawback is its short run time. The tests conducted by CR show that its advertising claims of up to 60 minutes are not true. This is a typical, not exceptional, battery-powered vacuum's run time. This is enough time to vacuum the average-sized home, but not enough to get into every corner. (A second pass usually works). This model has its own advantages however: it's lighter and more maneuverable than earlier Dysons cordless models and its ability to vacuum is significantly better on low-pile floor carpet.
4. iRobot Roomba 694"
The 694 is a basic robotic vacuum that's an excellent choice for those who don't have lots of money to invest in a robot. It could pick up most types of debris in our testing and often went over the same area multiple times for a thorough clean. Its flat front end helps to get into corners and along the edges of walls which is a nice feature.
Its navigation system is smart and uses iAdapt technology to avoid obstacles and guide you through your home. It's not equipped with the mapping capabilities of more advanced models, like our top picks, the i3+EVO and j7+ Series. It may get stuck on cords for phones or furniture that is low and is often unable to supply power before returning to its home base.
The Xiaomi Mi robot vacuum is superior to the Roomba 694 in many ways in that it has fewer parts that require regular maintenance It also comes with an allergen-trapping HEPA filter, incurs lower costs for recurring maintenance, has more advanced automation capabilities and is more efficient in moving itself. It also has a larger dustbin and charges quicker.
The eufy RoboVac X8 has a superior battery life than the Roomba 694. It also has physical boundaries strips and can be controlled with your smartphone's voice assistance. It also feels better-built and has a more powerful motor, and performs notably better on floors that are bare and carpets with low pile, while offering a wider range of automation options.
5. Samsung Jet Bot AI+
Samsung is a well-known brand in the field of home electronics. It's no surprise, then, that they are one of the top makers of robot vacuum s and mop. Jet Bot AI+ has the most advanced onboard technology to navigate and avoid obstacles.
The app provides a range of options for customizing your robotic cleaner. This includes virtual barriers, mopping levels and behavior modifications docking frequency settings, and more. It's easy to understand and user-friendly, as is the case with other Samsung devices.
In our tests of the Jet Bot AI+ excelled on hard floors and handled dog hair (on carpet) quite well, clearing up 86 percent of it. However, it didn't do particularly well in avoiding larger objects, like cords and socks which was disappointing. It's also a bit more expensive than the other models we tested which could be a problem for some buyers.
The smart vacuum comes with an onboard camera that you can access through the app, and you can also set up a live stream from the robot's cleaning station. This feature allows you to monitor your children or pets while you are away. The filter and the dustbin can be cleaned to ensure a quick, painless clean-up. The Jet Bot AI+ also comes with a clean and tidy station that self-empties, which helps keep the robot's dustbin clean and optimizes its suction power for each cleaning run.
6. Black & Decker Robot Vacuum
Black and Decker robots have been designed specifically for hard flooring. They have a wider cleaning path as well as a large dust bin that can hold 2X more debris than competitors to keep the cleaning area clean for the longest time. They also include two side sweepers that can be used to clean along edges and corners. The POWERSERIES model comes with AutoSense, which automatically adjusts the power level depending on whether it's collecting surface dirt or embedded dirt. The vacuum also comes with an app that lets users to see a virtual map, control functions, and set schedules. You can also track the status of the vacuum and then send it to the dock for charging at the touch of a single button. The app also lets you to customize the lights on top of the vacuum using different colors, so you can easily tell what areas it's focusing 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 can trip up some of the other robots I've tested. However the HRV 425BL kept moving across the border, without registering it as a cliff. The ability to create weekly cleaning schedules is a great time-saving convenience.