Best Self-Empting Robot Vacuums and Mops
The Eufy 11S is among the most affordable self-emptying robot vacuums that are available. It was able to efficiently remove dry Oats from hard floors as well as carpets with low pile in our tests. Its dust bin is open and empty quickly, making it much easier to use than some other models at its price range.
It charges at its base, and then begins cleaning when it's ready. Its obstacle-avoidance tech gets tangled in socks and cords, and it can't get under low thresholds.
1. iRobot 11S
The 11S is among the cheaper self-emptying robots available, and a lot of people seem to adore it. It's good at scooting under furniture and seems to be a smart option for those with hard floors or who wish to perform light cleaning. The suction is weaker than our top picks, however it's still effective. It has a big dust bin and a durable 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 visit.
The app is simple to use and has a simple layout. It doesn't come with any advanced features, but it's simple enough to use and allows you to keep track of the progress of your robot. It also has a tutorial which will guide you through the basics.
Its cleaning pattern doesn't always look like logical - at times it follows straight lines, and other times it seeks out the edges of the room - but Bounce Navigation ensures your entire floor is kept clean. It's not the best at climbing obstacles - it had trouble getting under our pet food bowls and piano pedals, and got stuck in our 2.25 inch shag carpet multiple times.
We believe there are better robot vacuums available than the 11S. The iRobot Roomba 694 is better-built and is easier to maintain. It also has lower ongoing costs and takes less time to charge. It also has a larger dustbin, and performs better on all types of surfaces and is able to get over obstacles that are low (like electrical cords) more easily.
The RoboVac 11S, which is eufy, is a good choice for regular vacuuming. It is designed very similarly to our top pick and is excellent for picking up fine dirt and larger debris on hard flooring. It does a good job on low-pile or medium-pile carpet. Similar to the Roomba by iRobot Roomba, it comes with a large dirt compartment and uses BoostIQ to automatically adjust suction power. It also has an adjustable remote that is easy to use and allows you to program daily cleanings using the app. Its battery lasts for about an hour and the dustbin is able to be emptied without removing it from the dock.
2. Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra
The Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra is a great robot vacuum and mop with a surprisingly wide array of automation options. It comes in three options that include the basic S7, the S7 MaxV Plus, and the S7 MaxV Ultra. Only the latter has an Empty Wash Fill Dock (or an alternative Auto-Empty Dock). vacbot amazon allow the robot to return to its base following cleaning, empty the collected debris into a dust collection bag or reservoir, drain the dirty water tank and clean its mopping pad.
The S7's sensors work in tandem to stay clear of obstacles and clean the floors. It can detect floor types and save maps of rooms and zones and even detect levels of dirt. It can also schedule and execute spot cleaning sessions. It did well in our standard tests, but it didn't exactly match the Roomba j7+ in our carpet deep clean test.
Using the companion app, you can program the S7 to run a cleaning cycle in accordance with your schedule. You can set a date, time either day or week as well as choose among a range of cleaning modes like automatic, eco and deep clean. You can also decide whether the robot will stop if it runs out of power or comes across an obstacle.
You can still use the S7 even if you don't have a smartphone by connecting an charging dock to the remote control. The controls are difficult initially but they're very efficient once you've mastered them. The power button functions as a general 'Clean' button and the "Spot Clean" button directs the robot to clean a small area around itself. The "Spot Clean" button activates the child lock.
Roborock's mobile app has been enhanced to include a live view function that lets you observe what the S7 does at home. You can activate it by pressing a particular sequence of buttons on your S7 and then creating an unlock pattern within the mobile app, which you can use at any time you want to know what the S7 is doing.
3. Shark IQ XL
Shark's robot vacuums aren't as popular as those from iRobot or Roborock. But our tests have shown that this model is among the most effective self-emptying vacuums that are available. It's easy to set up, has an enormous bin that's easy to empty (albeit a bit loudly) into a trash bin when it's full, and can easily be programmed to complete a home clean on a regular basis or as required.
The IQ XL is able to connect to your WiFi at home and allow you to track its progress on cleaning from the Shark app. The app lets you program cleaning schedules, get notifications by push regarding its current status, it can pause and resume cleaning or limit it to one room. You can also control it with voice commands via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. The app will tell you what power mode it's currently in, namely Eco, Normal, or Max. However, we couldn't determine that any of these modes made a significant difference to cleaning performance.
When it's finished cleaning, the IQ XL will automatically empty the dust bin into its base, and it automatically emptys. The bin can store up to 60 days of debris, so it won't be required to empty it more than once unless your pets have hair that is long. If you need to empty it, simply detach the side container, hold it over your trash bin and push the button.
There's nothing to dislike about the Shark IQ XL, although it feels a bit less robust than the Roomba 694. It clears many messes on bare floors and does a decent job at maneuvering itself however it's not even close to the iRobot Roomba i7 in regards to performance on carpeted floors. The i7 also feels more sturdy, is more durable, requires less maintenance, has lower recurring costs and charges more quickly and has comparable battery performance. It also has more advanced technology for automation, such as areas that are not accessible and the ability to select specific rooms to be cleaned.
iRobot J7+
This robot vac/mop combo is a rare find, since it does both jobs very well. The iRobot Combo j7+ offers all the smarts of its j7-based counterpart, including self-emptying and LiDAR mapping, but with additional features for mopping and vacuuming.
The j7+ uses the latest acoustic sensor to identify the floor type, so that it can mop or vacuum the room on its first pass. It also utilizes this information to prioritize cleaning rooms with carpets and rugs over those with hard floors.
Like most robotic vacuums, the j7+ is quiet when it's running, and much quieter when mopping. Its maximum reading on our decibel meter was 64db, which is comparable to the sound of normal office chatter.
You can easily create an cleaning schedule and then change the way that dust is cleaned when the canister gets full. The j7+ can be controlled by voice assistants such as Alexa, Google Assistant and others. to make it hands-free. Additionally, the app lets you create and look at maps of your home.
In our tests, the J7+ was a solid performer on carpeted and hard floors, cleaning most of the dirt we tossed at it. It isn't able to deal dealing with pet hair, large pieces of debris and sand. But it can clean them with a little more effort. It also has decent navigation capabilities and a pair of cliff sensors to stop it from falling down the stairs or stumbling on furniture legs.
We did find some minor issues with the j7+, mostly that it could snag cords and rugs, and that it doesn't always switch off its mopping once it's done vacuuming. In all other respects, it's an excellent model that ticks all the right boxes.
The j7+ by iRobot has one of the best self-emptying systems we've tested. It drops its 14oz/0.4-liter dust canister in the base station, where it automatically empties for you. This helps to reduce the amount of garbage you have to throw away and you'll only have to change the reusable dust bag that is on the dock around every 60 days or so, based on how often you use the j7+.