Roomba® Robot Vacuums

The vacuum uses LiDAR to map and navigate along with infrared drop sensors to detect stairs, but it kept mistaking the base of my cat condo for stairs and asked to be moved away from it. Though it claims a whopping 180 minutes of runtime, it ran down at 110 minutes and died before it made it back to its base. But for staying ahead of dust and dirt buildup, dyson robot vacuum they’re solid investments that will save you time, and as part of an overall cleaning schedule they make a lot of sense. The Shark IQ XL navigates efficiently in a linear fashion and easily gets over and around furniture. It’s the only vacuum out of the 11 we tested that was able to get up and over the base of barstools without getting stuck.

And while it is well-designed — easy to fill the fresh water and empty the dirty water tank — it does get a bit smelly. The i3 has an attractive woven plastic gray top — a nice change from most of the shiny black plastic you find in this category . It still gets stuck on common robot traps such as phone charging cables, cat toys, and, in my house, the skinny feet of a lounger chair.

On the robot vac itself, you’ll find a power button and a home button; the latter can send the device back to the dock or tell it to spot-clean if you hold it for a few seconds. We found that all three responded to voice dyson robot vacuum commands very well; this was most evident in how the robot always reacted after our first request, no repeat commands necessary. And like the Roomba i3 EVO, the Q5 does allow you to ask Siri to clean specific rooms.

irobot vacuum cleaner

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 . 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. Instead of emptying your bot’s bin after every cleaning session, you have to empty the dock only every month or two. The Bissell SpinWave Hard Floor Expert Wet and Dry vacuum may be the answer to all your cleaning prayers. With a triple cleaning system, this tiny but mighty vacuum-mop combo comes with dual spinning brushes and a rotating brush roll.

A couple of manufacturers now also work with Siri Shortcuts, so you can use Apple’s Siri voice assistant to command your bot. If you want this, look for robots from iRobot or higher-end models from Roborock and Ecovacs. The standard model has a large, 600ml dustbin, which can handle five or six runs’ worth of debris in a small space before you need to empty it. If you’re taking care of hardwood floors, the G20 Hybrid model swaps the 600ml debris bin for a 450ml bin and has a 130ml mopping reservoir.

If a robot runs across anything smearable, get ready to do some nasty cleanup. Bots also tend to struggle with thresholds, certain types of furniture supports, and sometimes even floor-to-rug transitions. We spoke with sources in the floor-care manufacturing industry to help make sense of all the low-cost, off-brand options. Check dimensions and choose a model that can easily get under couches and other furniture so you don’t have to.

Some higher-end models cost upwards of four figures; fortunately, we can recommend plenty of perfectly capable cleaners that cost a lot less. 700 series model upside down, showing the two driving wheels, beater brushes, various sensors and other parts. Parts of some models are interchangeable, allowing owners to mix and match features, or switch to other units for longer battery operation. Additionally, some units can be adapted to perform more creative tasks using an embedded computer in conjunction with the Roomba Open Interface. PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering lab-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.