Eufy makes several RoboVac models built on the same base as the 11S but with extra features. The 11S is quiet enough that you could easily forget that it’s running if you’re home at the time. We measured the volume on the bot’s maximum suction setting and found that it was just 57 dBc, a full 5 decibels quieter than the Roomba 694—that’s a major difference. On its normal suction setting, the 11S operates at just 53 dBc, sounding more like a fan than a vacuum cleaner . And since the 11S stops short of most obstacles, it avoids creating many of the bonking impact noises that the rougher Roomba 694 makes. Other basic Eufy models have slightly stronger suction and can be a couple of decibels louder, but they are still quieter than most competitors.
All Roombas include obstacle sensors, and they can detect areas with dirt and debris. Higher-end models will have more advanced navigation and mapping systems and some can map an entire home, which can then be used to specify cleaning areas through a downloadable app. While all of them have the ability to respond to virtual wall barriers, the company offers an additional device called the Dual Mode Virtual Wall that can create the virtual barriers to fence in a Roomba. One great thing about Roombas is that there’s a model to suit almost every size home and budget.
IRobot is one of the most respected names in the robot vacuum market, and the Roomba i3+ EVO is its most affordable model with a self-emptying dustbin. Beyond offering greater convenience than their more manual counterparts, self-emptying robot vacuums significantly limit your exposure to dust, a big plus if you suffer from allergies. The S7 MaxV Ultra stole the spotlight in 2022, but the year-old Roborock S7+ is still a strong choice. Like its more expensive bissell crosswave cordless sibling, the S7+ boasts Roborock’s VibraRise technology, which allows it to both mop your hard floors and vacuum your carpeting in the same cleaning run. Whereas other hybrid cleaners avoid carpet completely while mopping, the S7+ automatically lifts its mop cloth out of the way and goes on vacuuming, allowing it to complete both tasks more efficiently. Some robot vacuums are more proficient at removing pet hair and some can even detect and avoid pet waste.
First, consider the strong, durable, and smart-enough iRobot Roomba i3 EVO. The best robot vacuum models offer strong suction, quiet motors and hands-free cleaning that makes life easier than ever before. With the app-controlled, WiFi-enabled Shark IQ Robot Self-Empty XL, you can set it and forget it for up to 30 days. It comes with a bagless, self-emptying base and works with Alexa so that deep cleaning can happen with just the sound of your voice.
This robot’s software is designed to enable it to recognize solid pet waste on the floor and steer clear of it. With a competitive price, plus rock-solid performance and intelligent navigation, the Roborock S7 is our new favorite midrange robot vacuum. It demonstrated about the same power to remove sand from hardwood floors (92.8%) as the Roomba S9 Plus (93%) and Neato D7 (95%). Reflects the average time it took the robotic vacuum on its max-clean setting to clean our greater than 600 square foot test room over 3 test runs. This system looks silly, and some people simply can’t stand to watch it.
The 700 series, introduced in May 2011, though largely similar to the 500 and 600 series, included a more robust cleaning system, improved AeroVac Bin with HEPA filter, and improved battery life. Like the 500 series, the 700 series had models with different technologies and accessories. Besides these two bissell crosswave cordless models, Roomba 770 and 782e were available, with scheduling, Dirt Detect, and full bin indicator. Also, the first- and second-generation Roombas can get stuck on rug tassels and electrical cords. Third-generation and newer models are able to reverse their brushes to escape entangled cords and tassels.
Many of today’s robot vacuums are great at thoroughly cleaning every room in a home without getting lost or stuck. You can find tons more laser-nav robots with largely similar specs and appearance, including bots from barely-there brands such as Tesvor, Dreametech, Viomi, and Honiture. Again, our educated guess is that they all probably work okay and are just more prone to app glitches bissell crosswave cordless and less likely to get useful software updates over time than models from the best brands in this category. Another surprisingly useful upside to the basic Eufy bots is their short body. At 2.85 inches, the 11S is almost a full inch shorter than the Roomba 694, enough for it to glide under even lower-clearance furniture, where dust and hair build up but never see the light of day.
Some only require an initial battery charge, while others ask you to install side brushes and batteries. For connected bots, app design and reliable Bluetooth or Wi-Fi are major factors that impact your experience. Self-emptying or not, most robot vacuums also equip small HEPA filters that capture allergens as they run. Most self-emptying models transfer the contents of their bin into a bag, which can hold around 60 days’ worth of debris, depending on how often you vacuum and how dirty your home is. The nice thing is that you never have to come into contact with dust and debris.
Most robot vacuums are equipped with multiroom cleaning features, which allow the device to clean in zones versus one room at a time. An “edge cleaning” mode makes sure dust and debris are picked up along the perimeter and around furniture. Some machines will also include app-controlled custom cleaning preferences, which allow the user to adjust cleaning modes, power settings, number of cleaning passes, and edge cleaning.
Also, we’re not convinced that obstacle avoidance is really the holy grail of robot-vacuum technology. One of the reasons robot vacuums help your home feel so tidy is that they force you to pick stuff up off the floor. Even if advanced obstacle recognition worked well enough to let you skip the pre-tidying, your home would still feel messy. Some high-end robot vacuums now include advanced obstacle recognition in their navigation systems. In theory, these systems should help the robots drive around any floor clutter they find, and even assist them in avoiding hazards like dog turds. Siri Shortcuts worked a little better in our tests since we could customize the wording of our voice commands, but their overall functionality is limited.