In one, we run the bot in a room with several chairs, stray USB cables, a sock, and a medium-pile area rug. Next, we pour about an eighth of a cup of all-purpose flour across an area rug and bare floor and let the bot try to suck it up for a couple of minutes. This dust-pickup test gives us a visual gauge of irobot vacuum cleaner each bot’s raw cleaning power. In addition to all the testing, this guide includes feedback from dozens of bot owners who live in all kinds of homes and households. This tried-and-true robot vacuum is much more durable and repairable than similar bots from other brands and is better at cleaning rugs, too.
Generally speaking, all the vacuums on this list can handle hardwood floors and pet hair without issue. When it encounters potential obstacles that aren’t in its database, the j7+ snaps photos and asks you whether it should avoid those areas in the future. It only takes about a minute to review the obstacle images, and doing so can prove extremely useful. This method allows you to quickly and easily create Keep-Out Zones around areas that typically halt cheaper robot vacuums. With so many different features to choose from, which robot vacuum is right for you?
Rachel Cericola is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter who has been covering smart-home technology since the days of X10. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Wired, Men’s Health, USA Today, and others. She hopes her neighbors read this bio because it would explain why she always has four video doorbells running simultaneously outside her home. Wipe the sensors clean as needed, according to the manufacturer’s guidelines—usually with a microfiber cloth or cotton swab with a little water or rubbing alcohol. We keep finding deals on bots from no-name brands like Amarey, Coredy, Goovi, and Onson, all of which present product dimensions that are barely distinguishable from those of the Eufy RoboVac 11S and similar Eufy models we recommend. Eufy RoboVac models are not meant to be dismantled and put back together—doing major repairs is impossible without breaking parts of the robot.
It can save and customize up to four separate maps, which means I can simply pick it up and carry it upstairs or to the basement. Adding Siri voice commands is simple, and I can yell at it to start from over 50 feet away. We provide a detailed analysis of each of these vacuums in our reviews, and you can see our vacuum product guide for the latest models.
The Roomba 675 is the exact same as the Roomba 614, just with the addition of Wi-Fi features, says the brand. Using the iRobot Home App, you can program the 675 right from your phone to start or stop cleaning, or with your voice through Alexa and Google Assistant. It learns your cleaning habits and suggests schedules to meet your needs, says the brand, and also recommends extra cleaning during allergy season. Robot vacuums are complex dyson robot vacuum machines with more moving parts, electronics and software than ordinary vacuums. Still, with regular maintenance and replacement parts such as batteries, brushes and filters, these devices can last just as long as traditional vacuums. When it comes to vacuuming prowess, we want to know how effective each robot is against common crumbs and other debris, and also how it fares against much smaller particles like dust, dirt and sand.
While the suction isn’t the strongest I’ve seen on devices in this price range, it avoids having hair and carpet threads build up and get stuck in a brush, and therefore helps it pick up more hair and dirt. Two side brushes with three bristles each push hair and dirt into the robot’s path, and do a great job. The dustbin on the 11S needs to be emptied manually, like others in this price range. It’s easy to open and empty, even easier than the higher-end Shark IQ XL. Since there’s no indicator to show when the bin is full, we recommend emptying it each time it returns to the base to recharge. You’ll also get the satisfaction of seeing how much dirt and pet hair the vacuum picks up that you might not otherwise be able to reach. With the iRobot app experience being the same across all Roombas, the s9+ stands out for its subtle premium features like its elegant design, elegant-looking clean base, superior cleaning intelligence and top-of-the-line suction power.
But even if Mr. Mouse caught the edge of the Shark’s wheels now and then, the robo-vac took it all in stride. One thing I look for when testing robot vacuums is how much attention they need from me during cleanings. The best ones require no extra attention at all – once they start a job, they’re smart enough to putter around your home, move around objects and return to their base when they’re finished. With Shark’s robo-vac, I never had to tend to it when it was cleaning.
Now, I did my due diligence and picked up pieces of clothing and charging cables off the ground before running the Shark , so those things were never in the way. Most companion apps will actually remind you to do this before starting a cleaning job. Some do, including a version of our top pick, the iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO, and our also-great pick, the Roborock Q5+.
The X8 Hybrid was in Pure mode the first time I ran it, and I was surprised by not only how quiet it was but also how thoroughly it cleaned considering it was on the lowest suction setting. You may be unfamiliar with Anker’s robot vacuums, but they’re often more affordable alternatives to the iRobots and Sharks of the world. The Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid isn’t a budget machine by any means, but it’s a solid robot vacuum that offers a few key features that many competitors don’t have. They’re smarter, more powerful and better at avoiding chair legs than they ever were before, and you don’t have to shell out as much money to get one either. There are also many more robo-vacs available now than there once were, so deciding which to buy isn’t as simple as choosing the latest model from the biggest brand.
It also did a good job of staying away from a power strip, a power cord, and a USB cable. But it didn’t recognize (or at least didn’t try to avoid) our other obstacles, including toys, a sock, a shoe, and a water bowl. We like this bot for a lot of other important reasons , and the obstacle recognition is almost like a toss-in feature, so it isn’t a bad buy.