Robot vacuums have been scooting around floors for two decades now since the first Roomba left its dock in 2002. Manufacturers of robot vacuum cleaners did not enjoy much success. However, the Roomba proved a game changer with its efficient and highly functional design. It established a new, vibrant market like Tesla was the icebreaker for modern EVs.
Today, robot vacuums (AKA robovacs) continue offering automated cleaning of carpeted and hard flooring. Engineers have advanced the technology to the point where today’s robotic cleaning devices offer functions far beyond the simple originals. Robotics is a field where many companies are working hard to bring the next advances to the home, workplace, and road.
What are Self-Emptying Bots?
Self-emptying robot vacuum cleaners give homeowners extra convenience by ensuring hands-off cleaning. You don’t need to regularly check the robot’s internal dust storage to prevent it from flogging. Neither do you have to disassemble, reassemble, or open catches or fasteners. Instead, in most designs, the automated vacuum empties itself of collected dust and debris every time it docks. You can easily dump out the dustbin occasionally when it gets full.
Of course, designers make self-emptying robovacs with various other features, too. You can find a model suited to any cleaning task you might have for your home, small business, or office. Here are eight of the best models available today to free you from the humdrum tasks of dusting and vacuuming.:
- Best for pets: iRobot Roomba J7+
- Best for cleaning and security: Ecovacs Deebot X1 Omni
- Best for mopping: Roborock S7+
- Best for thorough carpet cleaning: Samsung Jet Bot AI+
- Best for bagless dust storage: Shark AI Ultra Robot Vacuum with HEPA Base
- Best for thrifty, quiet vacuuming: Verefa L11 Pro Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum
- Best for intensive cleaning: Dreametech W10
- Best for cleaning under furniture: eufy Clean G40Hybrid+ Robot Vacuum and Mop
1. Best for Pets: iRobot Roomba J7+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum
- PrecisionVision navigation technology
- Self-emptying bin
- Recharge and resume
- Pet poop guarantee
A good option for those with furry friends in the house, the iRobot Roomba J7+ is useful for vacuuming up pet hair.
Its powerful suction can easily slurp ground dirt, dust, and dog or cat hair clumps. iRobot’s design team gave it rubber brushes specially designed to avoid getting tangled up with hair. The two brushes clean each other and the floor, preventing fur from clumping into them. The dual brush power helps the Roomba adapt to carpet and hard floors.
The robovac also avoids pet waste rather than smearing it around or sucking it up. The company backs this function with its P.O.O.P. or “Pet Owner Official Promise” warranty. The Roomba J7+ also avoids power cords and similar obstacles using the same detection system. When it encounters an obstacle, the robot photographs it and sends you the image. You then decide how the robovac should deal with each obstacle in the future.
While the Roomba’s round shape might prevent it from getting into a few corners, it’s still highly competent at the edges. A specialized brush cleans along the edges of furniture and baseboards while the central suction and brushes continue their work.
This iRobot robovac empties itself into a dust bag inside its charging base. The “Clean Base” uses bags that usually require emptying only about once every two months. The bags provide 99% containment of pet hair allergens, mold spores, and dust, plus neat, easy disposal. Though it’s a pricey robovac with moderate battery life, the Roomba J7+ offers intelligent mapping and cleaning, pet waste avoidance, and powerful combined suction and brushing for deep pet hair removal.
Check out the iRobot Roomba J7+ on Amazon.
2. Best for Cleaning and Security: Ecovacs Deebot X1 Omni
- Automatically empties and cleans itself
- Features both mopping and Deep cleaning (5000Pa) modes
- Includes Evovacs' TrueMapping for better cleaning coverage
- Includes voice control
A combination of floor cleaner and roving security camera, the Ecovacs Deebot X1 Omni is a Swiss army knife with different robovac functions.
Deebot X1 can empty and clean itself for a considerable time without you intervening. It also gives you a peek at other rooms, including sound and lets you talk through a microphone. You can control and issue commands using Alexa for voice as the owner. The robot can also guide itself, using cameras for mapping and navigation. It sweeps carpets and uses wet mopping on bare floors for effective, adaptable cleaning. You can use the cameras for security viewing; the robot includes two-way audio.
The X1 Omni’s self-emptying feature comes into play when it returns to its dock after a busy day’s cleaning. The dock houses three different sections. These include a clean water tank, a dirty water or “sewage” tank, and a dust bag. The dock sucks dust and debris out of the Deebot’s internal dustbin with a vacuum hose. This feature empties the robovac’s dustbin in under 10 seconds and stores the dust in a 3-liter bag. Under normal circumstances, the owner only needs to change the bag once every 60 days. The Deebot dock also pumps out dirty mopping water, cleans the mop heads, and dries them with hot air. It then refills the X1’s clean water reservoir from its internal tank.
On the downside, the Deebot’s dock takes up much room. Ecovacs had to build the dock large to fit all the support equipment inside, making it almost as bulky as a small furniture item. The Deebot is also one of the most expensive robovacs on this list, though most owners rate it highly.
Check out the Ecovacs Deebot X1 Omni on Amazon.
3. Best for Mopping: Roborock S7+
- Self-Empty Dock Support: The Self-Empty Dock empties the robot automatically after cleanup, so you can clean without emptying, for up to 8 weeks.
- Sonic Vibration Technology: Sonic floor mopping technology scrubs up to 3,000 times per minute. Removing dried-on dirt that some robots may leave behind, from mud to coffee and more.
- Auto-Lifting Convenience : After sensing a carpet, S7 lifts its mop to vacuum without wetting the carpet. The mop will lifts when returning to the dock to prevent spreading dirt.
- Ultrasonic Carpet Detection: Choose the best way to handle carpets in your home. Options include mop lifting and even wet mopping. Boost mode will also increase suction for deeper cleaning when carpet...
- Multi-Layer Air Filtration: Keep dirt inside the dock an onboard filtration system capturing 99.99% of particles as small as 0.3 microns. A quick pull of the dust bag seals it shut, ready for instant...
Roborock’s engineers went all-out, making the Roborock S7+ capable of mopping up the toughest stains and crud. The robot digs into even dried, hardened dirt with a multi-directional brush.
The mop uses water and 600 grams of pressure to lift mud, spilled and dried beverages, and other stubborn messes. Additionally, the robot’s mop features 3,000 sonic vibrations per minute to loosen dirt, leaving boards, tile, and other hard floors squeaky clean.
The S7+ robot vacuum guides itself with modern detection systems. It can go from wet-mopping a bare floor to dry vacuuming a carpet immediately. It senses rugs using highly reliable ultrasound and lifts its mop head, so it won’t get the carpeting wet. This robot vacuum works best on low-pile carpets with a 4mm pile or less. Its suction measures 2,500 Pascals (2,500 Pa), about 1,000 Pa more than the minimum needed for carpet vacuuming. This pulls dust and dirt out of the carpet’s interior and cleans the floor’s cracks.
You can set up maps and “no-go zones” for the robot using the associated app. It can run for up to 120 minutes, giving it a maximum cleaning area of about 2,100 square feet per charge. Cliff sensors keep it from tumbling downstairs and can store four-floor plans for various house floors.
Like all self-emptying robot vacuums, the S7+ has a large dock for recharging and self-cleaning. The dock sucks the dust out of the S7+ for storage in an internal dust bag. Roborock claims the dust bag can go up to 120 days between changes depending on circumstances. On the downside, you must clean the mop between uses and refill the robot’s water tank.
Check out the Roborock S7+ on Amazon.
4. Best for Thorough Carpet Cleaning: Samsung Jet Bot AI+
- OBJECT RECOGNITION: No pick-up needed before vacuuming as Jet Bot’s powerful 3D camera and LiDAR sensors identify objects, how close to get to some, or whether to avoid them
- MONITOR YOUR HOME: Jet Bot AI+'s Front camera can share real time video by streaming to your mobile phone using the SmartThings app
- PRECISE NAVIGATION: LiDAR sensors create accurate room maps for the Jet Bot to navigate so no worrying about your robotic vacuum going to places it shouldn’t; Mapping can also be controlled via the...
- INTELLIGENT POWER CONTROL: Jet Bot AI+ identifies the surface type and amount of dust and automatically adjusts suction so you get a thorough clean no matter the floor type
- CLEANER AIR: Advanced 5-layer HEPA filtration system traps up to 99.99% of dust -
Costing about half of some other options on the list, the Samsung Jet Bot AI+ is perfect for the homeowner with plenty of carpeting.
Users report the robovac is excellent at sucking dirt and dust out of both low-pile and high-pile carpets. It’s also competent on bare floors, though it only vacuums them rather than wet-mopping them like other models.
While it’s a more affordable option with prices under $500 as early as 2023, the Samsung Jet Bot AI+ has limits. Its designers gave it a bare-bones set of features, including no object recognition. It will run over objects such as socks, toys, or pet waste, potentially smearing the latter all over the place. As such, it’s best for uncluttered homes without small kids or pets. Alternately, Samsung offers a more premium version with video object recognition, which costs twice as much.
The Samsung Jet Bot uses LiDAR to map the rooms to vacuum clean for quick, effective navigation. Once the layout is memorized, its computer “brain” figures out the best route for swift, thorough cleaning. It uses a “high efficiency” brush which is excellent on multiple types of carpet. It can also sweep hardwood and tiled floors, though it can’t wet-mop hardened spills or mud like other models.
The Jet Bot’s “jet cyclone” vacuuming system also operates as an air filter. This keeps particles vacuumed up from being blasted out in the robot vacuum’s exhaust. A mesh grille captures large debris, so suction isn’t reduced. Multiple layers of fine filters deeper in the device cleanse the air stream of 99.999% of fine dust. The Jet Bot’s dock then sucks out the dust from the internal dustbin, requiring emptying only every one to three months.
Check out the Samsung Jet Bot AI+ on Amazon.
5. Best for Bagless Dust Storage: Shark AI Ultra Robot Vacuum with HEPA Base
- INCREDIBLE SUCTION: Powerful Shark suction picks up dirt and debris on all floor types—tackling even the toughest of messes in your home.
- NO SPOTS MISSED: With Matrix Clean Navigation, the vacuum cleans in a precise matrix grid taking multiple passes over dirt and debris for whole home, deep cleaning coverage.
- IT EMPTIES ITSELF: The bagless, self-emptying base holds up to 30 days of dirt and debris while its true HEPA filtration captures and traps 99.97%* of dust and allergens (*down to .3 microns).
- PRECISION HOME MAPPING: 360° LiDAR vision quickly and accurately maps your home so your robot can methodically clean detecting and avoiding objects in its path, day or night, adapting to everyday...
- PERFECT FOR HOMES WITH PETS: With powerful vacuum suction, Shark’s self-cleaning brushroll, and HEPA filtration system the robot captures pet hair, dust, dander and allergens with ease.
If you hate handling dust bags or often forget to buy them, the Shark AI Ultra Robot Vacuum with HEPA Base robot vacuum offers a solution. Like other self-emptying robovacs, it returns to its dock to deposit the dust and dirt while recharging.
Shark AI has no bag in the dock’s dustbin. Instead, the space is bagless, though it features HEPA rated filters and seals. These features keep 99.97% of dust and allergen particles contained down to a size of 0.3 microns. The base needs emptying every 60 days with typical use.
The Shark AI Ultra cruises the house using 360° LiDar sensors and precision mapping. Its Matrix Clean navigation system drives it in a grid pattern for maximum coverage. Once it has finished its grid, it returns to areas with extra dirt and spot-cleans those intensively. It is also good at object avoidance and has a 120-minute run time per charge. If running out of power interrupts its sweep, it returns to its base, recharges, and picks up where it left off.
This robot vacuum generates strong suction to pick up ground-in dirt, pet hair, and other stubborn debris. It functions equally well on carpeting and various types of bare floors. The brushroll has a self-cleaning function, so it stays fresh and doesn’t get tangled with hair. You can preschedule cleanings, activate the robot for immediate vacuuming, or use Alexa voice to control the bot.
Check out the Shark AI Ultra Robot Vacuum with HEPA Base on Amazon
6. Best for Thrifty, Quiet Vacuuming: Verefa L11 Pro Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum
- 70 Days Auto Dirt Disposal: The Self-emptying robot vacuum is equipped with a 550ML dust box and a 4L large-capacity dust bag, which holds up to 10 weeks of dust and dirt. The dust stays out of sight...
- LiDAR Obstacle Avoidance: This Robot vacuum can scan the room through the laser ranging sensor, and realize multi-room partition cleaning. LiDAR technology quickly and accurately maps your home so you...
- Powerful Cleaning: With the incredible suction power of 3,000 Pa, this robot vacuum cleaner can easily pick debris and pet hair from floors and get them out from deep inside carpets. The floating...
- Up to 270mins Battery Life: L11 Pro vacuum robot has a built-in 5000mAh battery, which provides continuous cleaning for up to 270 minutes (Standard mode for hard floors). Verefa robot can meet the...
- Easy Control and Scheduled Cleaning: The vacuum cleaner robot is only compatible with 2.4GHz WiFi, Alexa, and Google Assistant. Real-time mapping, scheduled cleaning, and spot cleaning settings can be...
The Verefa L11 Pro Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum robovac boasts quieter than regular operation as one of its standout features. It generates just 56 decibels when put in “quiet mode”, about equal to a regular human conversation.
This robotic vacuum cleaner is affordable, with an early 2023 price of under $350. Despite its low cost, it features strong vacuuming ability, and its convenient controls make it highly usable. Besides being reasonably quiet, it guides itself using LiDar. Special high-precision spatial AI lets the robovac learn the layout of rooms and furniture. The device then navigates the house in the most efficient pattern if left to its own devices.
You can use Alexa voice control or the Verefa app to instruct the L11 Pro. Some direct control options include spot cleaning for a specific spill, vacuuming one specific room, setting up zone cleaning by drawing a zone on a house map in the app, or scheduling vacuuming of a particular place or the whole house. You can also choose remote control, guiding the Verefa L11 robovac manually through the app. In this case, you can even adjust the suction power on the fly.
Verefa robot vacuum uses a brushroll that adjusts to keep in contact with the floor for maximum sweeping power. This combines with 2,700 Pascal (Pa) suction to thoroughly clean carpets and bare floors. The suction of 2,700 Pa is lower than some more expensive models, but almost twice the minimum 1,500 Pa needed for effective carpet cleaning. The robot self-empties into its dock with 70 days worth of storage available. Its battery holds a 160-minute charge, and it can pick up again where it left off if interrupted by charging.
Check out the Verefa L11 Pro Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum on Amazon.
7. Best for Intensive Cleaning: Dreametech W10
- 【Sweeping, Mopping, Washing, and Drying 4-in-1】 Intelligent return cleaning of the mop and hot air drying make your cleaning healthier and cleaner. the W10 robot vacuum is equipped with a 4L clean...
- 【4000Pa Strong Suction】4000Pa super strong suction and the 19.2cm ultra-long roller brush make cleaning more effective. Anti-entanglement cleaning roller brush design, double-rotating mop to wipe...
- 【210 mins Over Long Runtime & Self Charging】 210 mins over long runtime and 6400mAh large-capacity battery which meets the needs of large-area cleaning; W10 robot vacuum will return to charging...
- 【LiDAR Navigation & Multiple Modes】W10 adopts advanced LiDAR navigation, with the latest high-intelligence algorithm. Fast scanning, dynamic and accurate mapping, reasonable and efficient route...
- 【Wifi & Smart Voice App Control】W10 is compatible with Alexa & Google Assistant. App remote control allows you to adjust suction power, set virtual No-Go zone, and zone clean, multi-layer maps,...
The Dreametech W10 deploys powerful suction and several different sweeping and mopping combos to keep most rooms sparkling clean. You get power and versatility for a hefty price, but it’s loaded with features and advanced tech.
The device boasts some of the strongest suction found in modern robovacs. It sucks with a force of 4,000 Pascals (Pa). Designers generally consider 600 Pa necessary for uncarpeted floors and 1,500 to 2,000 Pa for rugs.
Dreametech guides itself around the home using LiDAR and a computerized navigation system. Engineers designed its computer memory to map interior spaces quickly for maximum efficiency. The robot can map and recognize up to three-floor layouts, meaning it can be used on multiple floors or in several locations.
The W10 robot cleans with two spinning mop heads, vacuum suction, and a beefy 7.5-inch roller brush. It can sweep, mop, or mop and sweep simultaneously. The device’s D-shaped outline lets it move quickly into corners for complete room cleaning while featuring an edge brush. It uses ultrasonics to detect carpets to avoid them or change cleaning modes when it reaches them.
The W10 robot vacuum draws power from a large battery giving it up to 3,200 square feet of cleaning between charges. When it returns to the charger dock, it also gets cleaned. Dirty water from sweeping and mopping is sucked out to a storage tank. The dock sprays its mops with water as they rotate on a grooved surface and dries them with hot air. A 1-gallon clean water tank refills the robovac for its next cleaning mission.
Check out the Dreametech W10 on Amazon.
8. Best for Cleaning Under Furniture: eufy Clean G40Hybrid+ Robot Vacuum and Mop
- 60 Days of Hands-Free Cleaning
- Suction Power: 2,500 Pa
- Certified by TÜV Rheinland
- Logically Planned Routes
Just 2.85 inches high when active, the eufy Clean G40Hybrid+ Robot Vacuum and Mop slips easily under armchairs, hassocks, and couches, clearing out dust from areas regular vacuuming couldn’t reach without wrestling heavy furniture.
The device vacuums carpets and floors with 2,500 Pascal (Pa) suction, enough for all but the toughest messes. It also offers two-in-one functionality, using a mop to wet-clean bare floor surfaces depending on the chosen settings. You can choose from three levels of wetness for mopping, enabling balancing between getting the floor wet and cleaning it properly. Switching between vacuuming and mopping ensures a deep clean throughout the house. The robot vacuum plans an optimized route for the fastest possible cleaning while cutting through crud with roller brushes.
You can enjoy conversation, TV, movies, video games, or music while the G40Hybrid+ is in action. This flat, maneuverable robot vacuum generates only 55 decibels of sound while working. That’s at the quieter end of ordinary conversation or the hum of a working refrigerator versus a standard vacuum’s 70 decibels.
When self-emptying, the eufy G40Hybrid+’s dock keeps dust well-contained. Triple filtration traps fine dust to keep the air cleaner and the house sneeze-free. The dust bag auto-locks when you remove it from the dock, so no dust leaks. The bag holds about 60 days’ worth of dust and dirt. A warning to change it pops up on the app when the dock senses it’s full.
Check out the eufy Clean G40Hybrid+ Robot Vacuum and Mop on Amazon.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©grandbrothers/Shutterstock.com.
