We scouted reviews for hints about longevity, and favored bots with easy-to-find replacement parts like filters and brushes, but also batteries, wheels, and transmissions. We also fully disassembled some popular bots to get a sense for the build quality and how straightforward they might be to repair. If you have thicker rugs, or you just feel like owning a stronger bot, then go ahead and spend a little more on a bot shark cordless with better brushes or stronger suction. We also tested the EcoVacs T8 AIVI, which did not avoid any objects. It just informed us in the app, after the session was over and the Nutella smeared everywhere, that there were many objects on our floor and that we should pick them up. The Eufy 11S doesn’t have Wi-Fi or any smart-home connectivity, but you can still set a daily cleaning schedule with the remote control.
We tested one, and it works a lot like all the other laser-nav models. The robot itself feels relatively flimsy, but we have no clue what to expect in terms of durability, and our analysis of user reviews didn’t turn up any unusual complaints. The main reason we don’t recommend the Wyze is that the app can’t currently remember maps for multiple floors of a home.
The E5 is a midrange option with five times the suction power of the 600 series, but still slightly less than the i7 and i3. It lacks smart mapping but features advanced sensors to help it navigate around furniture and along edges. Similar to other cordless vacuums, the best robot vacuums have varying runtimes that depend on the battery life. The battery life will generally range from 60 minutes with more basic versions to about 120 minutes at the higher end. Those who want their Roomba to cover more square footage may prefer a model with a longer battery life, or perhaps two robots to cover different zones or floors. The Roomba J7 has all of the features that you need to get your carpets clean, including PrecisionVision Navigation.
This will depend on the amount of dirt that they have to pick up and the power that the vacuum uses. Look for a Roomba that will pick up where it left off in its cleaning routine, even if it does need to return to the base to recharge. A few models do have a longer runtime of 120 minutes on a single charge. This is another excellent budget model, and one of the slimmest profiles in robot vacuums, at 12.8 x 2.8 inches. It’s the perfect solution for getting under low-clearance furniture. IRobot, the iconic robot vacuum manufacturer, has many robots in its midrange 600 series and E series that are all about $300 or less.
Instead of the classic puck shape, it has a D-shaped body and extra-wide brushes to improve its edge-cleaning and corner-cleaning abilities. It also has four times more raw suction than the already-strong Roomba i3, i7, or j7. That helps it consistently pick up larger debris like cat litter or yard waste better than most robots, though it still doesn’t come close to deep-cleaning dust from a rug like a traditional vacuum. We don’t like the s9 because it’s one of the clumsiest navigators we’ve tested. It’s like the developers left in a bunch of code that makes it think it’s still round.
It came within 2 inches in corners and picked up more than 60% of the flour on both the carpet and hardwood. The 240mL water tank was large enough to complete at least two passes over the 500-square-foot test floor. With the app, you can choose from four water-flow levels to reach a balance of moistness and quick drying and two mopping patterns. The deep scrubbing option provides thorough cleaning, and the quick scrubbing is for routine mopping. On the plus side, the RoboVac 15C Max only got stuck during its cleaning cycles about a quarter of the time, which is impressive in my messy home.
The iRobot Home app lets owners have complete control over their cleaning schedule and preferences directly from their smartphone or tablet. Users can activate their Roomba while away from home or schedule it to start cleaning at a specified time. IRobot Roomba 694 is the standard model, which offers up to 90 minutes of runtime before needing a charge and features a reactive cleaning pattern. It also has the ability to create favorite cleaning routines and make personalized cleaning recommendations.
When the iRobot is finished, it stores itself in a recharging station. The dream scenario is that you set your robot to automatically run on a schedule and then empty itself out, so you don’t have to touch your bot or even think about cleaning your floors for weeks on end. But the dream is possible—and even if it isn’t fully realized in your home, it’s still super-convenient to not deal with a messy dustbin every time you use your robot vacuum. The downside with some of these other bots is that you might end up having a hard time getting customer support. It won’t always be clear where you can get spare filters, brushes, or other consumable parts, let alone major components like battery packs, wheels, or LiDAR assemblies. It’s tough enough to find these parts from established brands like Roborock, so it’s hard to imagine the smaller brands will make it any easier.
It offers 10 times the suction power of the e5 and it recharges and resumes cleaning until the job is done. Another benefit of this model is that it cleans in neat rows rather than following a reactive cleaning pattern. And you can purchase a self-emptying dock to go with this robot vacuum, which is something that the other two Roomba models do not have the ability to use. In an ideal world, you’d clear all your floors of clutter before using your robot vacuum.
If you want a smarter robot, take a look at our top two picks, the Roomba i3 and Roborock S4 Max. The Roomba i3 is also a better cleaner than most robot vacuums—at any price. We also tried the opposite, running the i3 before the Roborock S4 Max, and found that the S4 did not come back with much debris in its bin, likely because the Roomba i3 grabbed it all first.