It can be frustrating to have to empty your robot vacuum after every cleaning cycle particularly when you are suffering from allergies. And, of course, debris and dirt are thrown back into air each time you empty the robot.
Self-emptying bases limit the risk of dust exposure because the robot transfers debris from its trash bin to a larger trash bin after it is full.
The Samsung Jet Bot+
Samsung's robot is the most advanced robot we've ever examined. It has excellent filtration along with a brilliant navigation system, as well as the ability to empty the dustbin without hands. It also has HEPA filtering and can lock in airborne particles to prevent allergies. The rotating brush bar on the top of the device is able to penetrate the tightest of spaces. It also has self cleaning extractors that grind hairs to prevent knots.
The Jet Bot picked up a lot of debris on my carpets and hardwood floors when I tried it. It missed a couple of tiny things in the corner of my dining room and had to go back over them however it was a success overall. It topped my tests when compared to the Roomba because its side brush was able to reach better along edges, and was stronger in terms of picking small debris.
robotvacuummops is controlled via the SmartThings app and can be set up to automatically clean at times that are suitable for you. It can be programmed to clean certain areas or rooms. You can also set virtual no-go zones and physical ones.
It utilizes LiDAR sensors akin to those used by self-driving cars to map and navigate as well as a camera in the front for smart object recognition. This feature helps it avoid collisions with furniture or other objects and to determine the most efficient route between rooms. It also flags objects that it considers to be "poop" and offers up an educated guess (it can select from three options that are recurring: towels, sock or cup/plate).
The SmartThings application lets you organize cleaning times easily as well as monitor the health of the robot and keep track of what's happening on a map. The app can be configured to notify you when the robot's bin is full. It will return to its dock to empty itself, before continuing its cleaning cycle. The 0.3L dust bin is easy to empty and washed, as it's fully enclosed to ensure that it is clean.
The iRobot Roomba 980
The Roomba is iRobot's most expensive robot. It's also a great performer, putting it in the same league with the best self-emptying robotic vacuums, when it is able to clean. This is thanks to its HEPA filters and a powerful battery. It also has a handy little feature called CarpetBoost which automatically boosts power when it detects that it's on carpet, which is nice.
As with previous Roomba models, this model's frame is circular, and it has a single, clear opening at the top, which houses the camera. It's the camera that provides this model with real smarts. It makes use of the camera to perform VSLAM (Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) by looking for distinct features in a space and then remembering them. It then compares this information to the relative positioning gyro IMU and wheel odometry data to create an outline of the space it's in.
It's a very clever system, and it actually performs pretty well - even on carpet, which is where the Roomba generally has a longer time than on hard surfaces. There are other clever features on the 980 as well, such as the ability to set up the weekly schedule for cleaning and to play a sound that'll help you locate your robot. There's a big "Clean" button at the front of the device that will get your robot up and running and there are indicators to show when it's charging or connected to Wi-Fi and when its bin is full.
If you're looking to tidy up a small mess, the 980 also has the ability to clean up spots that are fairly basic, though it doesn't cover as wide of ground as the most sophisticated options available. If you have some wires that pose dangerous to your robot, you can use the virtual wall feature to create a barrier that will tell it to stay clear of them.
The software that comes with the 980 is very easy to use and gives you a visual representation of what your robot is doing. You can also create schedules and play with other settings, such as bin capacity and reduced power mode.
The Roomba iRobot 960 from iRobot
iRobot is a name that is synonymous with robot vacuums. The Roomba 960, which retails for $700, falls somewhere between the two. It's less expensive than the top-of-the-line 980, yet it has many of the same features. These include a camera to navigate and a smartphone app with detailed cleaning maps. It also has a Virtual Wall, which creates an invisible barrier that the Roomba will not cross.
The 960 was a good performer, particularly on floors with no. It sucked up lots of food crumbs, cat litter and dirt that was tracked in. It also has the ability to climb obstacles like stair runners, table legs and chair legs. It sucked up pet hair as well, though it had to contend with smaller particles like baking soda.
The 960 differs from other Roomba models in that it has a separate trash bin to hold large pieces of debris. This makes it less necessity for maintenance. It can be empty at the push of a button, through the iRobot HOME app or by using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant voice commands.
The iRobot HOME App lets you customize each cleaning cycle. You can set the number of passes and select from a variety of options like edge clean, or a full room sweep. It can also send a notification when it's time to empty the dirt compartment.
The 960 is simple to use, with buttons on the top and controls within the iRobot HOME app or through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It is also easy to maintain, with an indicator that shows the remaining battery on the top and an automatic docking system that moves debris out of the dirt compartment into the bin when it's time to empty. The iRobot HOME App can also provide you with how-to videos and show the location of every object it has collected. The battery longevity of the 960 may not be ideal, but it's good enough to allow you to use it all day long without worrying about recharging before the bedtime. The iRobot HOME App is available on both iOS and Android devices.
The Roomba 970 from iRobot
The Roomba 970 is a robot vacuum cleaner that works with Google Home and Amazon Alexa. It utilizes the same advanced navigation system that is used in other new iRobot models and can detect stairs, something that can be a hassle with other vacuums. It utilizes a centrally-located camera to scan the floor while it moves and is able to detect furniture walls, walls, and other obstacles. It can also set boundaries for the robot using the virtual wall tool.
This model is different from older models because it uses lithium-ion batteries instead of nickel metal Hydride. This means it can run for longer between charges, and also has more endurance during cleaning sessions. It's not as fast as the Shark AI Robot but it can still navigate around an area effortlessly.
The 970, like the other models in the 960 series, is controlled via the iRobot App and connects to the Wi-Fi network with any setup needed. The robot has a small handle which you can use to return it manually to its charger. Spot-cleaning allows you to concentrate on a particular area of your house. The 960 robots utilize the same three-stage process as the other iRobot machines, which combines the power-lifting and agitation to thoroughly clean the floor and get rid of dirt.
The 960 is great on bare floors and can pick up a lot of dust, hair and other debris thanks to its brushrolls and powerful suction. However, it isn't a great choice for high-pile carpet and tends to leave some sand behind in its tunnel. It has a large dirt storage compartment that is able to be alerted when it is full either by an app or a indicator on the top of the robot. It is also programmed to clean at a set time and we had no difficulty installing this feature in our tests.
