If You've Just Purchased Robot Vac ... Now What?

· 6 min read
If You've Just Purchased Robot Vac ... Now What?

Top Rated Robot Vacuums

A robot vacuum can keep your floors tidy enough to reduce the frequency of manual hoovering. Choose a robot vacuum with good navigation, is able to clean stairs and corners, and that has a large bin that only needs to be cleaned out every now and then.

There are models that clean and charge on their own This feature could be essential for those who have children or pets. Many of the best performers in our tests have good obstacles to avoid.

1. IRobot Roomba i3+ EVO

The i3+ EVO and its sibling, the i3 EVO are both identical robots, but they differ in that the i3+ has self-emptying features. That makes the i3+ an excellent option for those who want an entirely automated, hands-free cleaning experience but don't mind taking the time to empty their robot's trash bin as it gets full.

Both robots excel at picking up surface debris on hard floors and carpets, and they're excellent at maneuvering around furniture and other obstacles. iAdapt navigation software creates intelligent maps of your home, which help the i3+ EVO to navigate and clean in a way that maximizes efficiency. The i3+ isn't able to feature obstacle avoidance features like the i7+ or any other top-rated robots that we test. It can get stuck on power cords or socks and have difficulty navigating between surfaces, such as carpet and hardwood.

iRobot recommends clearing areas in which the i3+ EVO will vacuum before you use it, and include putting away any toys or clutter it may come across. Also, keep the dustbin and filter clear to avoid getting blocked. When the i3+ EVO's internal bin is empty or the battery is not fully charged, it returns to the docking station, and it automatically takes the dirt out of the docking station’s external dustbin. Then it continues cleaning from where it started. The i3+ EVO's battery can last for approximately an hour and a half of continuous use. It takes about three hours to fully recharge.

2. Roomba from iRobot

The iRobot Roomba i7+ is the most powerful model in the iRobot flagship line, and it is equipped with the most recent features. It has self-charging and self-navigating. But the most significant feature is the self-emptying bin. This removes the need for regular maintenance.

The Roomba i7+ is able to remember up to 10 floor plans and their names thanks to Imprint Smart Mapping, an application that allows it to identify rooms to clean them more efficiently. It also works with the iRobot Home app to let you schedule cleaning jobs and control your robot using voice or via the app.

The i7+ is faster and more agile in our tests than the eufy RoboVac G30. It also picked up large pet hair pieces from all surfaces including carpeting. The biggest benefit over the eufy, though, is its self-emptying dustbin which eliminates a major cause of maintenance and cuts down on recurring costs.

We were also impressed with the i7+’s compatibility with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant AI services. We used these services to instruct the robot on how to start, stop, or pause cleaning sessions as well as move around the room, and vacuum a particular area. Connecting the i7+ to these services was easy and straightforward through the iRobot Home app. Once connected, to give voice commands to the i7+, like "Hey Alexa vacuum the master bedroom." The iRobot Home App also offers options for managing i7+ settings and evaluating the performance.

3. Dyson Cyclone V10

In a world filled with vacuums with cords that feel like minivans or buses, this tiny Dyson model feels like an old-fashioned sports car. It has the power and features to replace a stand-up vacuum for many households and can fit perfectly next to a coffee table or on shelves that you can spin around like a magic wand.

The V10 is powered by a Lithium-ion battery with 7 cells of energy that can provide power that is not fading for 60 minutes. Its advanced whole-machine filtration system captures allergens and expels cleaner air back into your home. The cleaning head is specially designed to drive bristles of nylon that are stiff and deep into carpet to collect large dust and crumbs. It comes with three suction modes to meet the task at hand. It quickly switches from handheld vacuum to floor vacuum and back.

smart vacuum cleaner  comes with a dock that can charge the Dyson to 100 percent in 3.5 hours. It also gives an easy access to two attachments and a wand. This is a huge improvement over previous Dysons that require a long charge and are difficult to store.

The main drawback of the V10 is its short run time. Its marketing claims that it can provide up to 60 minutes of running time are misleading as CR's tests show. This is a standard battery-powered vacuum's run time. That's still enough run time to get rid of the majority of a typical-sized home however, it's not enough to clean every area (though an additional run-through often can be effective). This model has its own advantages, however: it's lighter and more mobile than previous Dysons cordless models and its ability to vacuum is significantly better on carpets with low pile.

4. iRobot Roomba 694"

One of iRobot's most adored robot vacuums, the 694 is a basic model that's a good choice for people who don't wish to spend too much money on a robot. It could pick up all kinds of debris and sizes during our tests, and frequently went over the same area many times to give an extensive clean. The flat front of the unit allows it to reach into corners and along the edges of walls, which is a nice feature.

Its smart navigation system uses iAdapt to avoid obstacles and navigate your home, but it isn't equipped with the ability to map that comes with more advanced models like our top choices and the i3+ EVO and the j7+ series. It may get stuck on phone cords or furniture and will often run out of power before returning to its home base.

The Xiaomi Mi robot is superior in many ways over the Roomba 694, as it has fewer parts that require regular cleaning, is equipped with an allergen-trapping HEPA filtering system, incurs lower recurring cost, has more advanced automation capabilities and can better navigate its own. It also has a bigger dustbin, and charges more quickly.

The sleek RoboVac X8 has a superior battery longevity than the Roomba 694. It also has physical boundaries and can be controlled by your smartphone's voice assistant. It is also more durable and has a stronger motor, and performs notably better on both bare floors and carpets with low pile, while offering a wider range of automation features.

5. Samsung Jet Bot AI+


Samsung is a name you see on all sorts of home electronics It's no surprise that they're one of the most popular robot vacuum and mop manufacturers. Jet Bot AI+ has an advanced onboard technology that allows for navigation and obstacle avoidance.

The app gives you plenty of options to customize your robotic cleaner, such as virtual barriers mopping water levels, behavior modification, docking frequency settings, and more. It's simple to comprehend and user-friendly, as is the case with other Samsung devices.

In our tests during our tests, the Jet Bot AI+ performed well on hard floors, and it cleaned up 86 percent of dog hair (on carpet). However, it didn't do particularly well in avoiding higher-up objects like cords or socks which was disappointing. It's also more expensive than other models we've tested, and this could be a problem for certain shoppers.

The app allows you to access the onboard camera of the smart vacuum. You can also set up live streaming from the robot's cleaning area. This feature lets you monitor your pets or kids when you're away from home. The filter and the dust bin can be cleaned for quick, painless cleanup. The Jet Bot AI+ comes with an automatic clean station which helps keep the robot's bin clear and maximizes suction power.

6. Black & Decker Robot Vacuum

Unlike other robotic vacuums, which are designed for both carpets and hard floors, Black and Decker robots are designed specifically for hard floors. They come with a wide cleaning path and a larger dustbin that holds 2X more debris than other models to keep the area free of debris for the longest period of time. They also have two side sweepers to clean along edges and corners. The POWERSERIES Extreme model also comes with AutoSense technology, which detects whether it's picking up surface litter or embedded dirt and then automatically adjusts its power level. The vacuum also comes with an app that lets users to see an interactive map, control functions, and create schedules. You can also track the vacuum's status and send it to the dock for charging at the touch of a single button.  smart vacuum cleaner  allows you to modify the LEDs on the top of the vacuum so that you can determine where it is focused or if it's stuck.

The app allows you to manually steer the robot when needed. My living room rug for instance has a dark-colored border that could cause trouble for other robots. However, the HRV 425BL continued to move across the border without registering it as an incline. The ability to set up a weekly cleaning schedule is a wonderful time-saving benefit.