Best Self-Empting Robot Vacuums and Mops
The Eufy 11S robot vacuum is among the cheapest self-emptying vacuums on the market. It was able to efficiently remove dry oats from hard floors and low-pile carpeting in our tests. Its dust bin is simple to open and empty -- easier than those of other models in the same price range.
It recharges at its base and resumes cleaning when it's at its best. Its obstacle-avoidance technology is caught in cords and socks and it can't get under thresholds that are low.
1. iRobot Roomba 11S
The 11S is a more affordable self-emptying robotic vacuum cleaner that a lot of users seem to enjoy. It's great for scooting under furniture and appears to be a smart option for people with hard floors or those who want to perform light cleaning. Its suction is a bit less powerful than our top picks but it's still effective. It also has a huge dirt bin and a battery that lasts for over an hour. The app lets you schedule daily cleanings or choose a specific room. It's also possible to draw a map of your home, which will help the device avoid areas you don't want it to visit.
The app is simple to use and has a clear layout. It doesn't include any advanced capabilities, but it's simple enough to use and allows you to track the status of your robot. It comes with a tutorial that will walk you through the basics.
The pattern of cleaning doesn't always look logical - sometimes it follows straight lines, while other times it focuses on the edges of a room - however Bounce Navigation ensures your entire floor is kept clean. It's not the best at negotiating obstacles though. It struggled to get under our piano pedals as well as pet food bowls, and was caught in our 2.25-inch shag rug a few times.
While it's a good option for light daily cleanings however, we believe there are better robot vacuums that are better than the 11S. The iRobot Roomba 694 is better-built, easier to maintain, has lower ongoing costs, and charges faster. It has a bigger bin, performs better on any type of surface and is able to climb over obstacles that are low in elevation (like electrical cables) more easily.
The eufy RoboVac 11S makes an excellent choice for everyday vacuuming. It's design is very similar to our top choice, and it is great for picking up fine dirt and larger debris on hard flooring. It does a good job on carpets with medium or low pile. Similar to the Roomba from iRobot Roomba, it has a huge dirt compartment and utilizes BoostIQ to automatically adjust suction power. It also has a remote control that's easy to operate, and you can program daily cleanings using the app. The battery lasts about an hour, and the dustbin is easy to empty by taking it from its dock.
2. Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra
The Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra is a great robot vacuum and mop with a wide range of automation features. The Roborock S7 MaxV is available in three different versions that include the basic S7 model and the S7 Plus model and the S7 Ultra. The latter model is the only one with an Empty Wash Fill Dock (or an alternative Auto-Empty Dock). secret info allow the robot to return to its home base and empty the debris it has collected in a dust bag or reservoir, empty the dirty water tank, and wash its mopping pads.
Sensors on the S7 collaborate to clear obstacles and clean them. It can recognize the types of floors, save a map of rooms and zones and even detect dirt levels. It can also plan and conduct spot cleaning sessions. It performed well in our standard tests, but it didn't exactly match the Roomba j7+ in the carpet deep clean test.
Utilizing the companion app, you can program the S7 to run a cleaning cycle based on your schedule. You can select a cleaning mode, such as automatic or eco, and a day, week or time. You can also select whether the robot will stop when its power runs out or when it comes across an obstruction.
You can still use the S7 even if you don't have an iPhone by connecting an charging dock to the remote control. The controls on the remote are a bit confusing initially, but once you've mastered the use of them, they function well. The power button doubles as the general 'Clean' function and the "Spot Clean" button instructs the robot to clean a small area around itself. The "Spot Clean" button triggers the child lock.
Roborock's mobile application has been improved to include a live-view function that lets you observe what the S7 does at home. You can activate this feature by pressing a specific sequence of buttons on the S7 and then creating an unlock code within the app to use any time you wish to check out what the robot is doing.
3. Shark IQ XL
Shark isn't as well-known in the field of robot vacuums as iRobot and Roborock, but our tests on this model has proven it to be one of the most efficient self-emptying robot vacuums on the market. It's simple to set up and has an enormous bin that is able to be easily empty (albeit loudly) into a trashcan once it is full. It can also be programmed to clean the whole house on a schedule.
The IQ XL is able to connect to your WiFi at home, allowing you to monitor its progress on cleaning from the Shark app. The app lets you create cleaning schedules, receive notifications via push about its current status it is in, and pause and resume cleaning, or set it to only one room. You can also control it via voice commands via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. The app can tell you what power mode it's currently in, namely Eco, Normal, or Max. However, we couldn't determine that any of the modes made a significant difference to cleaning performance.
The IQ XL will automatically empty the bin at the end of each cleaning cycle into the base, which will self-empty. The bin can hold 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 and place it on top of the trash can, and then press the button.
The Shark IQ XL is a excellent vacuum cleaner. It does a decent job of cleaning bare floors and can maneuver itself well. However the Shark IQ XL feels a little less solidly built than the Roomba 694. It does a good job in cleaning carpeted floors however, it's not as effective as the iRobot Roomba i7 in terms of bare floor performance. The i7 also feels more sturdy, is more durable and requires less maintenance. It also has lower recurring costs and charges faster and has comparable battery performance. It also comes with more advanced features for automation, like no-go zones and the ability to select specific rooms to be cleaned.
iRobot J7+
This robot vacuum and mop combination is a rare find that does both jobs well. The iRobot Combo j7+ has all the advantages of its j7 counterpart, including self-emptying and LiDAR mapping but also includes additional features for both vacuuming and mopping.
The j7+ utilizes the latest acoustic sensor technology to detect the type of floor, so that it can mop or vacuum the room during its initial pass. This information can also be used to prioritize cleaning rooms with carpets and carpets versus rooms with hard flooring.
The J7+ is more quiet than most robotic vacuums when running, and even quieter when it's mopping. The maximum reading of 64db on our decibel scale is comparable to normal office chatter.
It is easy to set up a cleaning schedule and alter the way that dust is cleaned when the canister is full. The j7+ can be controlled by voice assistants, such as Alexa, Google Assistant and others. The app lets you create and view maps from your home.
The j7+ performed admirably in our tests on both carpeted and hard floors, getting rid of most of the dirt that we threw its way. It isn't the best at dealing with pet hair and larger debris like sand, however it can remove these items with a bit of effort. It also has decent navigation abilities and a set of cliff sensors to prevent it from plunging down the stairs or stumbling on furniture legs.
We did notice a few minor niggles with the j7+, mostly that it can get caught on cords and carpets, and it doesn't always turn off its mopping when it's finished vacuuming. This is a great model that ticks all the boxes.
iRobot J7+ is one of the best auto-emptying systems we've ever tried. It deposits its 14oz / 0.4-liter dust canister into the base station, where it will automatically empty itself for you to. This reduces the amount of trash you need to dispose of and you'll only have to change the reusable dust bag that is on the dock around every 60 days or so, depending on how often you use the J7+.