If you want a basic robot vacuum without the features that make other models, this is a great option. It is capable of picking up pet hair, cat litter, and Cheerios on hardwood floors. It even sucked up sand in my tests.
It is fast and accurate in mapping rooms, and it avoids obstacles well. It can be operated manually using the remote included.
1. Roomba iRobot s9+
The s9+ robot vacuum is the best we’ve ever tested to clean hard floors and carpets. It has the strongest suction of any robot cleaner available and does an excellent job of eliminating pet hair. It can also be programmed to perform multiple passes or adjust the amount of suction based on the size of the room, which is something we haven’t yet seen on other models. Its app allows you to customize how it works and also choose when it begins working, so that you can be present in the room while it whirls away.
Smart mapping generates a precise home map that can assist the S9+ in navigating efficiently and plan routes. It also self-empties so you don’t need to be there to help. It can also recharge itself mid-clean. The s9+ was able to move around obstacles like tables and power cables with any issue. It never lost its charge and never got stuck. However, it lacks the hazard-avoiding capabilities of newer models and can get tangled up on rug tassels or other obstacles that are difficult to see.
The s9+ has an uniform front, which is not the case with most circular robots. It also has a squared-off front that makes it easier to reach corners than models with rounded fronts. It’s also quieter than our previous iRobot robot and is smaller than the Neato Botvac D7. Its price tag isn’t cheap, but it’s an excellent value for the price given how well it performs and the fact that you don’t have to worry about cleaning the trash afterward. Plus, it’s often available during Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Amazon Prime Day.
2. IRobot Roomba J7+
The j7+ robotic vacuum is among the most intelligent vacuum cleaners on the market. It’s equipped with iRobot Genius technology that gives it the ability to detect obstacles and move around them, which means that you don’t have to worry about it smacking into furniture or walls. It also slows down when it comes close to an object, so that it can gently scrub edges. This is particularly useful for pet owners with small animals that leave a mess behind.
The j7+ can also mop and vacuum thanks to a mopsitter. When it notices that you’re on a surface that requires mopping it will switch to the normal cleaning mode and activates an arm that is a tiny robot with an attached pad. It swept the floor gently and left my floors feeling and looking like they had been thoroughly cleaned.
The j7+ recharges itself when it has finished cleaning. It then drives to the point where it left off and continues cleaning. It can run for around 85 minutes in my home with a plus or minus few minutes. It’s not as long as the s9+, but it’s nonetheless impressive for a device that does both vacuuming as well as mopping.
Like other iRobot Roomba 675: Smart Vacuum with Alexa cleaners, the j7+ identifies obstacles in its way and is able to avoid them. It also features what iRobot calls Cliff Detect technology, which helps to prevent it from falling down the stairs. It’s a great security feature for families.
The j7+ has an extremely small onboard bin and will require to go back to the dock and empty itself frequently if you have an enormous home. However, the j7+ is extremely simple to store. The Clean Base acts as an external charging dock and also an external dustbin, as well as an internal bin where the j7+ is able to deposit dirt.
3. Shark iQ
This sleek robot vacuum cleaner and sonic mop carpets and hard floors at the same time. It also comes with Matrix Clean Navigation, which makes use of a grid to offer a complete home cleaning coverage. The vacuum automatically emptys itself after each run. You can also check the battery’s status and the current life of the vacuum by looking at two lights on the top. To empty the dirt receptacle just push a button that removes the bin. It holds up to a week’s worth of trash, and the procedure is easy enough to complete from anywhere in the home.
Despite its impressive performance on plain flooring, this model has certain issues on carpets with low pile and struggles to suck up large pieces of debris as its dirt compartment fills up. It’s robust and long-lasting battery life. You can extend this by using the energy-efficient ‘Eco mode’.
The Shark IQ is compatible both with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant which means you can control it by speaking. Its app allows you to name your robot (mine is Sharky Shark), remotely activate and schedule its runs, and view your cleaning history, as well as any errors that are notified. You can also create a map of your home and create zones that are not accessible to the public.
The Shark iQ costs more than the iRobot Roomba j7+ but it has superior mapping and app features and also superior performance on all surfaces. It also charges faster and gets caught less often on tassels of rug, which reduces recurring costs. Unfortunately, this model can’t avoid areas that have pet bowls or furniture, and you’ll need to use physical boundary strips to keep it from certain objects.
4. iRobot Roomba 694
With a sleek, premium design that is a perfect match for your home’s decor the Roomba 694 is a fantastic robot vacuum for those who want an easy to use set it and forget it device. It learns your cleaning habits to create a customized schedule and also works with Google Assistant or Alexa voice assistants to enable you to begin cleaning with the sound of your voice. It uses a full suite of sensors to navigate the obstacles in your home. A smart bumper cushions the impact when it crashes into furniture legs or walls. Four “cliff” sensors on the sides and front let it know if it’s about to approach the edge of a dropoff, such as stairs or a balcony and it’s able to back away.
This model is a great option for the robot vacuums under $300 price range. It features a three stage cleaning system and dual multi-surface brushes that help get rid of dirt from carpets and hard floors, while an edge-sweeping brush is used to clean edges and corners. This robot vacuum has many features for convenience including Dirt Detect that spends more time cleaning areas that are heavily soiled. It can be set to clean at certain intervals of time and has an app for remote control.
The iRobot Roomba is not as advanced, however, as the i7. It does not include a mapping feature, nor the ability to create virtual boundaries. It is, however, more durable and incurs fewer recurring costs than the more eufy RoboVac G30, has a larger dust bin, charges faster, and can navigate around obstacles like electrical cords with ease and is more effective on floors with no pile and carpet than the iRobot Roomba 614.
5. Eufy 11s
The Eufy 11s is an incredibly small, attractive robot vacuum that gives an excellent value for the money. It has a large dirt container and can run for extended periods of time, and is effective at taking out pet hair. It’s difficult to maintain and navigate, which is a problem. It’s not equipped with an app companion to it and voice control, but it does have a user-friendly remote. It doesn’t let you know when the trash bin is full. You’ll need to check it often.
The eufy is more efficient than the bObsweep Bob Pro in most ways however it’s not as good as the iRobot Roomba 694 in a lot of others. The iRobot Roomba 694 is more constructed, has fewer components to keep in good condition, a HEPA filter that lasts longer on a single charge and offers better cleaning capabilities for floors that are bare, low-pile and high-pile. It also comes with a smarter navigation system that can maneuver around obstacles and more advanced automation features, like boundary strips.
While the eufy is an acceptable option I would recommend the iRobot Roomba 900 Series for most users. The iRobot Roomba 900 Series is easy to maintain, better built and has a larger dust bin and is more effective on all surfaces. It’s also quicker to recharge and offers a longer maximum battery life.
The eufy is also an excellent alternative to the ILIFE A4s, but it’s not as good as a top-end robot such as the Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra. The iRobot is more durable and has a larger dust bin, and incurs fewer recurring costs. It also has a more sophisticated automation capability, such as boundary stripes, and a navigation algorithm that is more intelligent. The iRobot is also more efficient in sucking up pet hair, and easier to maintain than the eufy.