Models will have varying placement of the sensors and will therefore move differently. Robots that have the sensors in the rear will move back and forth when detecting dirt, while those with only front ones may move in a more circular pattern. Since iRobot has several models, it can be difficult to choose the best Roomba to suit your needs. Sometimes a hands-on test is a helpful way to truly know what works in a home, so we tested some of the most popular models in a home environment to find out which ones are the best.
However, the product category is so saturated that it can be difficult to determine which sales are bargains. Cameras and optical sensors can help with obstacle recognition, and LiDAR-based navigation uses lasers to detect objects. These capabilities aren’t perfect, but vacuums are now more adept at finding their way back to charging docks than they were even a few years ago.
When you add up all those little optimizations, the S4 Max saves a noticeable amount of time compared with other bots. I found that the S4 Max could clean my kitchen, dining room, and living room in 30 minutes, which is about 15 minutes quicker than the Roomba i7 . When I talked to engineers at iRobot about a year ago, they told me that there are several ways to measure suction power, but there are no industry standards. They viewed the reported Pa measurements as essentially useless, hence why it’s nearly impossible to find suction power for iRobot vacs. It’s also difficult to find the Pa for Ecovacs, though Eufy and Roborock report the measurements for their models. The Bissell SpinWave Robot Vacuum is created specifically for pet hair and has a 5.75-inch tangle-resistant main brush, a useful mop attachment, and powerful suction.
We wrote a review of the self-emptying Roomba i7+ in 2018, when it was brand new, and called it the best robot vacuum that money could buy. The rest of the industry caught up very quickly, so the i7+ is no longer such a standout. As of late 2021, it’s no longer one of iRobot’s “core” products and won’t be available through as many retailers as other models, but you can still find it in plenty of places for now.
Neato’s Botvac D7 Connected offers interactive cleaning maps, long battery life, and better third-party smart home integration than any other robot vacuum. While the L70 is loaded with smart features, it also knows the fundamentals well. Our testing showed that it picked up 10.8 grams of dirt on average, enough to keep up with a full-sized vacuum over the course of a week. If you’re looking to upgrade to a top-tier robot vacuum, the L70 Hybrid is a solid choice. Our runner-up and pick for the best value robot vacuum is the Eufy Robovac 11S. This is the heir to the much-loved Robovac 11 and a sister model to the older Robovac 30c. This robot vacuum does its predecessors proud, offering excellent, strong suction and improved navigation.
Even setting aside the smart maps, the Roborock S4 Max is still one of the best navigators we’ve used. It rarely misses any accessible areas of your home, like random-navigation robots sometimes do, and it’s not susceptible to the same low-light navigation errors as robots that rely on cameras . Even when it does bump into an object its LiDAR turret didn’t detect, we’ve found that it course-corrects faster and more accurately than other bots.
That’s enough to keep most homes tidy, and most owners seem happy with it. These higher-end models are built on the same basic body as the effective, durable Roomba i3, but with added smart mapping. This feature, enabled through a camera and fast image processor (not a laser, like most other bots with smart-maps), can learn and remember the layout of one or more levels of your home.
Some 500-, 700- and 800-series models are compatible with the Virtual Wall Lighthouse. It initially confines the vacuum to one area to be cleaned; then, once the vacuum reports the area has been sufficiently cleaned , it directs bissell crosswave cordless it to proceed to the next space to be cleaned, and contains it there. For a dependable, versatile, and affordable cleaner, we prefer a bagless upright, but we have recommendations for other types of vacuums as well.