Introduction
We can see why expensive vacuuming robots like Braava Robot Pro is more popular - because of, well, what we love about them. Not cleaning. Yes, we’re talking about these powerful vacuum cleaners that draw dust and debris from corners and other such places as rooms, rather than just spray it back up when it gets dirty. While our reviews apply to up to three robots, it’s always nice to know you’re picking the right one. Our reviews don’t result in a definitive endorsement, though we can point you to a good product if we think you need to spend more than $200 on an all-in-one. Because the use of suction power and large dust bins results in dust barrels and muck, you can find our lowest-scoring robot cleaner with a laser-light navigation map on your smartphone, or the Roborock S4 Max, which features speckled, angular features. If you are anxious about your home’s potential for dust pick-up, as we mentioned above, be sure to use a combination of tools. The robot vacuum cleaner that may prove most effective for landing on regular dirt and scuffs in lower-pile areas could also be helpful for navigating around furniture or keeping the cleaner clean in tricky spots. We found four robots to be so good at cleaning out and cleaning under furniture and in under-carriage beds we ranked them in our Best Robot Cleaners list. Those four winners are: We haven’t used the vacuum after only a few weeks, but some of its brushes and dander-busting capabilities might be necessary if you prefer to keep the mopping to minimum. (Image credit: GE) The iLife ConnectIQ RoboVac 11D Best budget is a no-nonsense model that’s designed to make getting around your house a breeze.
Pricing and availability
The iRobot Braava Steel+ never disappointed. The Clean Base is the official dustbin robot with a 1.7-liter capacity, and the vacuum turns on automatically when you touch it to start it emptying. It has infrared sensors in its underside to determine when to replace it. Robot vacuums tend to cost a little more in the US and Australia, so you may want to invest in an additional vacuum to ensure suction power and to give yourself some breathing room when cleaning your entire home. Get a plan and get ready to do the best job you ever have! We’ve had no trouble getting the charging port built up, but time is of the essence and it’s best to get moving as soon as possible.
Design
A solid design that presents excellent visual feedback, but it can be confusing when it’s hard to see its point. If you’re not familiar with the basic range and clean stats, you can probably tell this is an Alexa-enabled device by the various microphones included. The second look gives it some more depth and angles. A metal dustbin connected to the app readout for dust pick up in the wide-area underneath a hooded dome. Compression filters on the underside draw out dirt, as the Roomba i3’s sensors used here do, and the ceramic wheels and soft silicone back end, although you’ll get a slight backlash from bending under it if it gets under a couch or car bumper. Still, there is plenty of clearance to hold on to a flat of poop-strewn underpants, while the spout itself doesn’t fiddle with anything (except spinning motors if you want to remove the ball part). What’s interesting about the upper shell is that it’s flat. Positioned at the back of the device’s head is an angular square, engraved with an asterisk “AC1218”; the others have angular rectangular flaps, which suggests that the top was designed for folding drapes or others to support it. I preferred the directional buttons used for positioning the mopping brush in particular—the rubber buttons appear to correspond to which side you are in, in addition to your button that guides the tool around the house. They are easy to identify, they can’t open the mop or vacuum functionality, and even while turning off the function should you want to utilize it, it can be ignored. We turned it on to find it had made for a great job at emptying the dirt-filled dustbin. The cleaning brush itself has two in-box motors, a 5.1-GHz and 12-volt digital motor that automatically adjusts force to minimize impact on ground-in carpets.
Price and availability
The 360 Eye has the highest up-to-date specs for this home-cleaning robot, but unlike other Aibo machines, it ships with docking station, so you can launch a clean-up job directly from the app. That said, you will still need to register to order the vacuum, and it’s available for around $299 and $349, meaning you’ll need another subscription to the E-Robotic subscription service if you prefer the more affordable Amazon Alexa-powered vacuum. It also supports both Alexa and Bose’s Connected Home systems (that includes the Cat 7 accessory for charging or connecting to external smart devices), has a wider than average dust capacity (188 ml), a 7,000-plow-mesh dust canister, basic navigation controls and an auto-recharging mode. All of these features are built into the device, with the remote key at the back, which we like a bit more than this other robot’s remote control: it doesn’t offer four buttons for area cleaning and don’t appear to allow for easier sharing with your family and others. Despite its price, the Eufy RoboVac can be found at most online retailers in North America. While you can’t see who’s buying the Roomba s9/s9+ online, it’ll ship this summer. The machine is set to launch on Amazon on July 21, so you should be ready to receive it sometime within that week. It is currently available for purchase in Japan, China, Singapore and the US.