15 Gifts For That Robot Vac Lover In Your Life

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A robot vacuum will keep the floors clean enough to cut down on the frequency at which you have to manually vacuum. Select a vacuum with good navigation, is able to clean stairs and corners, and that has a large bin that will need to be cleaned out every now and then.

There are models that can mop and charge themselves, which is a feature important for families with pets or children. A lot of the top performers in our tests have good obstacle avoidance.

1. IRobot Roomba i3+ EVO

The i3+ EVO is similar to its sibling i3 EVO. They differ only in that the i3+ has self-emptying capabilities. This makes the i3+ a good choice for people who want a hands-off, fully automated cleaning experience, but don't mind manually emptying their robot's dustbin when it fills up.

Both robots are adept at removing surface dirt on floors and carpets and can navigate around furniture and other obstacles. iAdapt navigation software creates smart robot maps of your home to assist the i3+ to navigate and clean up efficiently. However unlike the i7+ or other top-rated robots we test the i3+ does not have obstacle-avoidance capabilities and therefore it could be stuck on things like socks or power cords and may have issues in navigating through transitions between surfaces like hardwood to rug.

iRobot recommends you clear out areas in which the i3+ EVO will vacuum before you use it, including putting away any clutter or toys it may come across. Also, keep the dustbin and filter free of dirt to prevent them from getting blocked. If the i3+ EVO's internal bin is full or the battery is empty, it returns to its docking station, automatically emptying its dirt into the station's dust bin, and then continues cleaning the area where it started. The battery's lifespan is around an hour and a half of continuous use. It takes three hours to fully charge.

2. Roomba by iRobot

The iRobot Roomba i7+ is the top model in the iRobot flagship line, and it is equipped with the most recent features. It's self-charging, self-navigating, and the most crucial feature of all -- it comes with a self-emptying dustbin that eliminates one of the most important sources of maintenance for any robot vacuum.

The Roomba i7+ can keep up to 10 floor plans and their names with Imprint Smart Mapping, which lets it identify rooms to clean them more efficiently. It also works with the iRobot Home app to let you schedule cleaning tasks and control your robot using voice or through the app.

In our testing the i7+ was more agile and faster than our top choice which was the eufy RoboVac G30, and it took large pieces of pet hair from all surface kinds including carpeting. The biggest benefit over the eufy, though it self-empties its dust bin, which eliminates a major cause of maintenance and cuts down on the amount of time spent cleaning.

We were also impressed by the i7+'s compatibility with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant AI services that we used to instruct the self-cleaning robot vacuums to start, stop or pause its cleaning routines, move itself around the room and vacuum the area. The process of connecting the i7+ to these services was simple and straightforward through the iRobot Home app. We were able, once connected, to speak commands to the i7+ for example "Hey Alexa vacuum the master bedroom." The iRobot Home app also provides options for managing the i7+'s settings and monitoring its performance.

3. Dyson Cyclone V10

This tiny Dyson model is a sports car in a world of cordless vacuums that feel like minivans and buses. It's powerful enough to replace a stand-up vacuum in a majority of homes, but it is also compact enough to fit on a coffee table or bookcase.

The V10 is powered by a 7-cell, high-energy lithium-ion battery that can provide energy that is not faded for 60 minutes. Its sophisticated whole-machine filtration system captures allergens and expels cleaner air back into your home. The specially designed head utilizes stiff nylon bristles that penetrate deep into carpets and collect large particles or fine dust. It comes with three suction modes to meet the task at hand. It quickly switches from floor vac to handheld vacuum and back again.

The model comes with a dock that can charge the Dyson to 100% in 3.5 hours. It also offers easy access to 2 attachments and a Wand. This is a major improvement over older Dysons that require a long charge and are difficult to store.

The V10's biggest drawback is its short run time. Its marketing claims that it can provide up to 60 minutes of running time are not true, as CR's testing shows. This is a typical battery-powered cordless vacuum's running time. This is still enough to vacuum the majority of an average-sized house, but not quite long enough to cover every spot (though an additional run-through often will suffice). That's not to say this model doesn't have its benefits: It's lighter and agile than older cordless Dysons and its vacuuming performance is significantly superior on carpets with a low pile.

4. iRobot Roomba 694

One of iRobot's most popular robot vacuums the 694 is an entry-level 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 in our tests and would often go over the same area several times for a thorough clean. The flat front of the unit allows it to reach into corners and along the walls' edges which is a nice touch.

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

The Xiaomi Mi robot vacuum is superior to the Roomba 694 in most respects, as it has fewer components that require regular cleaning It also comes with an allergen-trapping HEPA filter, incurs lower recurring costs, comes with more advanced automation capabilities and is more efficient in maneuvering itself. It also has a larger dustbin and is charged faster.

The elegant RoboVac X8 is superior to the Roomba 694 for most purposes, as it has a better battery life, has the ability to alter its suction power mode manually and comes with physical boundary strips, and is operated by your phone's voice assistant. It's also more durable, has a stronger motor, and is more effective on low-pile and bare floors.

5. Samsung Jet Bot AI+

Samsung is a household name in the field of home electronics. It's not surprising, then, that they are also among the top manufacturers of robot vacuums and mop. Their Jet Bot AI+ is loaded with cutting-edge onboard intelligence technology for navigation and obstacle avoidance.

The app provides plenty of options to personalize your robotic cleaner, such as virtual barriers, mopping water levels and behavior modification, docking frequency settings, and much more. The app is easy to navigate and use, just like other Samsung devices.

In our tests, the Jet Bot AI+ excelled on hard floors and dealt with dog hair (on carpet) quite well, cleaning up 86 percent of it. It didn't do very well in avoiding taller items like cords or socks. This was disappointing. It's priced higher than other models we've tested and this could be a deal breaker for certain shoppers.

The app lets you access the onboard camera of the smart vacuum. You can also set up live streaming from the robot's area of cleaning. This feature lets you to monitor your children or pets when you're away. The dustbin and the filter can be washed for an easy, quick clean-up. The Jet Bot AI+ also comes with a clean station that best self cleaning vacuum-empties and helps keep the robot's trash bin clean and optimizes its suction power for each cleaning run.

6. Black & Decker Robot Vacuum

In contrast to other robotic vacuums that are specifically designed for carpets and hard floors, Black and Decker robots are designed specifically for hard floors. They have an extra-wide cleaning path and dust bins that are 2X bigger than the competitors. This lets them clean the area for longer. They also have two side sweepers that can be used to clean around corners and edges. The POWERSERIES Extreme model comes with AutoSense technology, which detects whether it's picking up surface litter or embedded dirt and automatically adjusts the power level. It also comes with a smart app that lets you view the virtual map and control the functions and schedules. You can also check the status of the vacuum and then send it to the dock for charging at the touch of a single button. The app allows you to modify the LEDs on the top of the vacuum to determine where it is focused or if it's stuck.

The app also makes it simple to manually steer the robot should you need to. For example my living room rug has a darkly-colored border that can cause confusion for other robots I've tested. However the HRV 425BL kept moving across the border, without registering it as a cliff. And the ability to program a weekly cleaning schedule is a wonderful time-saving benefit.