Best Self-Empting Robot Vacuums and Mops
The Eufy 11S robotic vacuum is among the cheapest self-emptying vacuums on the market. It was able to efficiently remove dry oatmeal from hard floors and carpets with low pile in our tests. Its dust bin is simple to empty and open -much easier than some other models in its price range.
It charges at its base, and then begins cleaning as soon as it's ready. But its obstacle-avoidance system gets caught in socks and cords and it's not able to go below low thresholds.
1. iRobot Roomba 11S
The 11S is a less expensive self-emptying robotic vacuum cleaner that lots of people seem to love. It is great at maneuvering under furniture and is thought to be a great option for people with hard floors or who want to do light daily cleans. The suction is weaker than our top picks but it's still effective. It comes with a huge dust bin and a long-lasting battery. The app allows you to schedule your daily cleaning or pick a room. You can also mark your home to help the device avoid areas you don't want it to visit.
The app is simple to use and has a clear layout. It's not a full-featured app however it's easy to use and allows you to check the status of your robot. It also has a helpful tutorial to guide you through the basics.
Bounce Navigation's cleaning pattern isn't always intuitive. Sometimes it follows straight lines while other times it focuses on the edges of the space. However, it cleans your entire floor. It is not the best at climbing obstacles - it had trouble getting under our pet food bowls and pedals for the piano, and ended up getting stuck in our 2.25 inch shag carpet several times.
We believe that there are better robot vacuums than the 11S. The iRobot Roomba 694 is better-built, easier to maintain, has lower ongoing costs, and charges faster. It also has a larger dustbin and performs better on all surfaces and can also climb over low-lying obstructions (like electrical cords) more easily.
The eufy RoboVac 11S makes an excellent choice for regular vacuuming. It's design is very similar to our top pick, and it is great for picking up small particles and dirt on hard flooring. It's a great choice on carpets with a medium or low pile. It comes with a large dirt bin and uses BoostIQ for automatic suction power adjustment. It comes with a simple remote control and you can schedule daily cleanings using the app. Read Full Report can last for about an hour and the dustbin can be easily empty by removing it from its dock.
2. Roborock S7 maxV Ultra
The Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra is an excellent robot vacuum cleaner and mop with a wide range of automation options. It is available in three models that include the basic S7, the S7 MaxV Plus and the S7 MaxV Ultra. The S7 MaxV Ultra is the only one with an Empty Wash Fillet Dock (or an alternate Auto-Empty Dock). These docks let the robot return to its base following a cleaning session and empty the debris into a dust collection bag or reservoir, empty the dirty water tank and wash its mopping pad.
The S7's sensors work in tandem to eliminate obstacles and clean the floors. It can detect flooring types and save a map of rooms and zones. It can even determine dirt levels. It also has the ability to plan and execute spot cleaning sessions. It did well in standard tests, but couldn't match the iRobot Roomba j7+ in the carpet deep cleaning test.
You can program the S7 by using the companion app to run a cleaning routine according to your schedule. You can choose the cleaning mode that is eco or automatic, and a weekday, day or time. You can also choose whether the robot will stop if its power goes out or if it encounters an obstruction.
You can still use the S7 if you don't own an Android phone by connecting an charging dock to a remote control. The controls on the remote are a bit confusing initially, but once you've got the hang of them, they work great. The power button acts as the 'Cleaning' option, and the Spot Clean button directs the robot to clean the area around it. The "Spot Clean" button also activates the child lock.
In addition to the new mapping capabilities, Roborock improved its mobile app, adding live view features that lets you see what the S7 is up to at home. You can enable this feature by pressing a specific sequence of buttons on the S7 and then creating an unlock pattern in the app to use whenever you want to observe what the robot is doing.
3. Shark IQ SX
Shark isn't as well-known for robot vacuums as iRobot and Roborock, but our tests on Shark has proven it to be among the best self-emptying robot vacuums on the market. It is easy to set up and comes with an enormous bin that is able to be easily empty (albeit loudly) into a trashcan once full. It can also be programmed to clean your entire house on a schedule.
The IQ XL can connect to your home WiFi that lets you monitor it via the Shark app and see its battery levels as it cleans. The app lets you set a cleaning schedule, receive notifications via push about its current status as well as the ability to pause and resume cleaning, or limit it to one room. It can also be controlled with voice commands via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. The app will tell you what power mode is currently selected which is Eco Normal, Maximum, Normal, however, we discovered that none of these modes produced a noticeable difference in cleaning performance.
The IQ XL will automatically empty the dustbin at the end of a cleaning cycle into the base, and then self-empty. The bin can hold up to 60 days of debris, meaning you won't have to empty it more than once unless your pets have hair that is long. If you must empty it, all you need to do is remove the side bin, place it up to a trash can and press a button to empty the contents.
There's nothing to dislike about the Shark IQ XL, although it is a little less robust than the Roomba 694. It does a good job at cleaning carpeted floors, but doesn't match the iRobot Roomba i7 when it comes to bare floor performance. The i7 also feels more robust, more durable and requires less maintenance. It also incurs lower recurring cost, charges faster and has comparable battery performance. It also comes with more advanced technology for automation, such as areas that are not accessible and the ability to select the rooms that should be cleaned.
iRobot j7+
This robot vac/mop combo is a rare beast, since it does both jobs extremely well. iRobot Combo j7+ has all the smarts and features of its j7 counterpart, including LiDAR map and self-emptying. However, it also has additional features for vacuuming and mopping.
The new acoustic sensors help the j7+ recognize the types of flooring, so it can choose between vacuuming and mopping when it first enters an area. It also makes use of this information to prioritize cleaning rooms with carpet and rugs over those with hard floors.
Like many robotic vacuums, the j7+ is surprisingly quiet when it's running, and quieter when mopping. The highest reading we could get on our decibel meter was 64db, which is similar to the noise of general office chatter.
It's simple to establish the schedule for cleaning and change the way that the j7+ operates when its dust canister is full. The j7+ can also be controlled by voice assistants such as Alexa, Google Assistant and others. The app lets you create and view maps in your home.
The j7+ performed well in our tests on hard and carpeted floors, getting rid of most of the dirt that we threw its way. It isn't the best at dealing with pet hair and large debris like sand, but it can clean these things with a little more effort. It has excellent navigational capabilities and two cliff sensors that stop it from falling down stairs or getting caught on furniture legs.
We did notice some minor issues with the j7+, mostly that it could snag cords and carpets, and it doesn't always turn off its mopping when done vacuuming. This is a fantastic model that ticks off all the boxes.
The j7+ by iRobot comes with one of the top self-emptying systems we've seen. It dumps its 14oz/0.4-liter dust canister in the base station, and it automatically emptys for you. This will reduce the amount of trash you have to dispose of. It is only necessary to replace the dust disposal bag at the dock every 60 days, based on how often you use the j7+.