Roomba® Robot Vacuum Cleaners

It also got into a few tangles with power cords and had to be rescued but did a great job scooping up a cat toy that I later found in the dustbin. It’s a solid machine, but at $599, you can get the self-emptying and superior iRobot Roomba j7+ for just a hundred dollars more. If you don’t mind emptying the dustbin after every cleaning run, a standard robot vacuum will work for you. If you’d prefer never to touch the dirt, opt for the self-emptying models that automatically empty themselves into a bag or bin. Similar to other cordless vacuums, the best robot vacuums have varying runtimes that depend on the battery life.

irobot vacuum cleaner

They work and they’re useful, though fall a little short of life-changing. A self-emptying (or auto-emptying) robot vacuum comes with a big charging dock, which sucks debris out of the robot through a trapdoor in the dustbin, and stores it in a disposable bag or bagless bin . Instead of emptying your bot’s irobot vacuum cleaner bin after every cleaning session, you only have to empty the dock every month or two. Shark’s non-laser robots are reasonably priced and look great on paper, but are just okay in the real world. They’re also pretty loud on bare floors, sort of like a two-stroke lawn mower puttering in the distance.

This capable hybrid robot vacuum comes with an all singing, all dancing charging base, which has a whopping footprint of 19.4 x 16.5 inches. So it’s safe to say you need some space if you want to invest shark cordless in this beast. The hefty charging base isn’t just for show though — it comes with the expected self-emptying capabilities , plus it contains two water tanks, one each for clean and dirty water.

It features a single brush design, which impacts some of the potential performance this device could offer. Tired of constantly sweeping up or vacuuming dust, crumbs, and other debris from your floors? The first phase of our analysis starts with testing each robot vacuum to see how effective it is at picking up 20 grams of kitty litter, 20 grams of Cheerios, and two grams of dog hair on hardwood and a medium-pile carpet. We also time how long it takes each to complete each test, as well as how loud the vacuum is as it goes about its business. Mapping — Some robot vacuums can map-out your home using sensors, so they can remember any obstacles, such as the stairs. The map can be displayed on your phone if the robot vacuum has Wi-Fi connectivity, and using this it can plan out the best cleaning path, rather than moving randomly.

Other basic Eufy models have slightly stronger suction and can be a couple decibels louder, but they are still quieter than most competitors. The main thing that makes the Roomba 600 series stand out from other affordable robot vacuums is that it’s more durable and easier to repair . They generally don’t break, spare parts are always in stock, and you can swap in everything from a new filter to a new transmission with nothing more than a screwdriver. You’ll usually pay more for the Roomba 694 than you would for our other budget pick, the Eufy 11S, or other super-cheap bots with random navigation. But the Roomba can easily pay off in the long run because it’ll last longer. If you only need to vacuum a few rooms at a time, and you’re looking to save a few bucks, consider the Roomba 694, or really any model from the 600 series.

Designs that offer a Boost or Turbo mode are ideal if you have thick-pile carpets or rugs as they ensure you can temporarily increase the suction power, ensuring no fur remains after cleaning. There’s nothing worse than having to dash around your home collecting items that have been left around before you set a robot vacuum on a cleaning spree. If you don’t, there’s a chance they will get tangled in the brush roller and cause lasting damage, not to mention the time you’ll need to put in to remove the item.

The shell has a ribbed texture, which looks modern and great and there is a leather pull tab on the lid too, adding to its aesthetic. Our review model of the Roomba J7+ has grey metallic detailing on top, which is a little more subtle than the rose gold lid found on the S9+. It is also purely for decorative purposes as it doesn’t lift up to reveal the bin, which the S9+’s metallic lid does. Instead, the bin is accessed by pushing a button at the front on the edge of the J7+.