The specialized technology allows this model to detect dirtier areas in the home and clean them more thoroughly. When the sensors detect a larger collection of debris, the machine will work harder to clean the same area until it identifies fewer particles in that specific area. Like the s9+ and the i3+ EVO, this model works cohesively with the Braava jet m6, which means it can tell the mop to start working as soon as it has finished a cleaning project.
It also has the longest battery life of any robot vacuum we’ve tested, cleaning for up to 170 minutes on a charge. For even greater convenience, Ecovacs makes an Auto-Empty Station (sold separately) that allows the Deebot Ozmo T8 AIVI to empty its bin into a disposable dust bag without your help. If you’re looking to upgrade from a basic robot vacuum to one with self-emptying abilities, the Shark IQ Robot XL is an excellent choice. Thanks to its bagless self-emptying system and self-cleaning brushroll, it’s one of the lowest-maintenance robot vacuums we’ve tested. That said, allergy sufferers might prefer the comparably priced Roomba i3+ EVO, which empties its bin into an AllergenLock bag so you’re not exposed to dust.
That’s a great score, but the Roomba scoffs at it, because in our previous test setup, the Roomba S9 Plus sucked up 71%, which was significantly better than any other cleaner we had ever tested. Like I said, the two figures aren’t technically comparable to each other, thanks to subtle changes in our test setup over the years, but bissell crosswave cordless still, if we reran the tests now, I’m highly confident that the S9 Plus would retain the top spot. Aided by multiple sensors and lasers, efficient navigation is the S7’s other strong suit. The vacuum cleaner covered the entire floor of our test room without missing any spots across multiple runs in an average of just 16 minutes.
The Shark’s water–and-solution based cleaning abilities are basic but much better than having to schlep out an old-school mop and bucket yourself. My mix of hardwood and tile floors appeared noticeably cleaner after the Shark passed over them with its mopping pad. I know I’ll have to whip out my floor steamer every once in a while to really get a deep clean, but the Shark’s capabilities are more than enough for biweekly runs – and it’s hard to beat the convenience of not having to do it yourself.
This makes it less intrusive since it doesn’t try to clean the whole house on every run — so I didn’t find it dead in a corner as often after an annoyed family member shut it off. While most mapping robots allow you to create virtual keep-out zones — areas the robot shouldn’t venture into — this Roomba uses its AI smarts to suggest trouble spots, making creating keep-out zones a one-tap job. The Roomba j7 is a mapping robot that can learn your home’s floor plan and identify the furniture and appliances in it.
According to the Wyze customer support forums, a beta version of the Wyze app supports multiple maps, and it’s supposed to be released widely at some point. If that doesn’t matter to you, or if you’re willing to believe that Wyze will actually release that multi-level update soon, the Wyze robot seems like a decent-enough option. 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 (traditional vacuums are often 70 dBc or louder because of their much stronger suction). And since the 11S stops short of most obstacles, it avoids creating many of the bonking impact noises that the rougher Roomba 694 makes.
Try to buy from a retailer with a return policy of at least a dyson robot vacuum few weeks in case a robo vac isn’t a fit for your lifestyle.
Some robot vacuums, including versions of our pick, the iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO, and our also-great pick, the Roborock Q5+, are self-emptying (or auto-emptying). They each come with a big charging dock that sucks debris out of the robot through a trapdoor in the dustbin and stores the debris in a disposable bag or a bagless bin (it depends on the model). We’ve tested the docks on these and other robot vacs, and they work and prove useful, though they fall a little short of life-changing.
When in mopping mode, this vacuum automatically avoids carpet, so you won’t have to worry about it accidentally sudsing up other areas of the house. This is partially thanks to the mapping technology, which learns the layout of your home and helps it to clean more efficiently. The map is even editable, so you can block off rooms from being cleaned or tell it which areas of the house to focus on. Built-in object sensors and a camera at the front of the vacuum help it to avoid obstacles directly in front of it, making it great for avoiding small objects, like toys and laundry on the floor. During testing, the Ecovacs robot vacuum was able to maneuver around the socks and faux pet messes we laid out in our obstacle course, but it did suck up a USB cord in its path.
And like the Roomba i3 EVO, the Q5 does allow you to ask Siri to clean specific rooms. For instance, you can say “Hey Siri, go clean the kitchen,” and the bot will do just that. As we mentioned earlier, Siri Shortcuts does not provide the ability to create Automations.