The Eufy 11S robot vacuum is one of the most affordable self-emptying vacuums on the market. It was able to efficiently remove dry oats from hard floors and carpets with a low pile during our tests. Its dust bin is simple to empty and openmuch easier than other models in the same price range.
It recharges at its base and then cleans when it's at its best. Its obstacle-avoidance technology gets caught in cords and socks and it is unable to reach the thresholds of low.
1. iRobot 11S
The 11S is a less expensive self-emptying robotic vacuum cleaner that a lot of users seem to enjoy. It's great for scooting under furniture and is thought to be a smart option for those with hard floors or those who want to perform light cleaning. Its suction is a bit weaker than our top picks, but it still does the job. It has a large dust bin as well as a long-lasting battery. The app lets you schedule daily cleanings or pick a room. You can also map your home to allow the device to avoid areas that you don't wish it to visit.
The app is easy to use and has a simple layout. It's not a full-featured app however, it's simple to use and lets you keep track of the robot's activity. It also has an excellent tutorial that will guide you through the basics.
Its cleaning pattern doesn't always appear logical - sometimes it is straight lines, and other times it focuses on the edges of a room, however Bounce Navigation ensures your entire floor is cleaned. It's not the best at climbing over obstacles. It struggled to get under our pet food bowls as well as pedals for the piano, and ended up getting caught in our 2.25 inch shag carpet a few times.
While it's a good alternative for cleaning up light chores, we think there are better robot vacuums that are better than the 11S. The iRobot Roomba 694 is better-built and easier to maintain, has lower ongoing costs and takes less time to charge. It has a bigger bin, performs better on any surface type and can climb over low-lying obstacles (like electrical cables) more easily.
The eufy RoboVac11S is another good alternative for regular vacuuming. It's design is very similar to our top choice, and it is great at picking up fine dirt and larger debris on hard flooring. It is able to do a great job on carpets with medium or low pile. Similar to the Roomba from iRobot Roomba it also comes with a large dirt compartment, and it uses BoostIQ to automatically adjust suction power. It also has a remote control that's easy to use and allows you to program daily cleaning routines with the app. The battery can last for around an hour and the dustbin can be emptied without removing it from the dock.
2. Roborock S7 maxV Ultra
Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra robot vacuum and mop is an excellent robot with an array of amazing automation features. It is available in three models including the standard 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 allow the robot to return to its base and empty the debris in a dust bag or reservoir, drain the dirty water tank and wash its mopping pads.
The S7's sensors work in tandem to eliminate obstacles and clean the floors. It can recognize floor types, save a map of rooms and zones and even detect levels of dirt. It can also plan and execute spot cleaning sessions. auto empty robot vacuum did well in our tests, though it couldn't exactly match the Roomba j7+ during the carpet deep clean test.
You can program the S7 using the companion app to run a cleansing cycle according to your schedule. You can specify a time either day or week and select from a variety of cleaning options, such as eco, automatic, and deep clean. You can also decide whether the robot will stop when its power runs out or in the event of an obstacle.
You can still make use of the S7 even if you don't own an iPhone by connecting an charging dock to the remote control. The controls are a bit confusing at first but they're very efficient once you've mastered them. The power button doubles as a general 'Clean' button and the "Spot Clean" button instructs the robot to clean the area around it. The 'Spot Clean' button also activates the child lock.
In addition to the new mapping features, Roborock improved its mobile app by adding a live view feature that lets you observe what the S7 is doing at home. You can enable this by pressing a specific sequence of buttons on the S7 and then creating an unlock code in the app to use at any time you want to check out what the robot is up to.
3. Shark IQ Large
Shark isn't as well-known in the field of robot vacuums as iRobot and Roborock, but our experience with this model has shown it to be among the top self-emptying robot vacuums currently on the market. It's simple to set up and comes with an enormous bin which can be easily emptied (albeit loudly) into a trashcan once it's full. It can also be programmed to clean your entire house on a set schedule.
The IQ XL is able to connect to your WiFi at home, allowing you to monitor its progress in cleaning using the Shark app. The app lets you program a cleaning routine, receive push notifications regarding its status, pause cleaning and restart cleaning, or set it to a single area. It can also be controlled with voice commands using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. The app can tell you the power mode it's currently in--Eco, Normal, or Max. We didn't discover that any of these modes had a significant impact to cleaning performance.
When it's finished cleaning when it's finished, the IQ XL automatically empties the bin into its base, which then self-empties. The bin can store up to 60 days of debris, so you don't need to empty it more than once, unless your pets have hair that is long. If you have to empty it, you can simply take the side container off, hold it over your trash bin and push the button.
There's not much to dislike about the Shark IQ XL, although it feels a bit less well-built than the Roomba 694. It's effective of cleaning carpeted floors however, it isn't as efficient as the iRobot Roomba i7 when it comes to the performance of bare floors. The i7 is also built better and feels more durable. It is sturdy, has less maintenance requirements, is able to charge lower monthly costs, and charges faster while offering comparable battery performance, and offers much more advanced automation features such as no-go zones and the ability to select specific rooms for a clean.
4. iRobot J7+
This robotic mop and vacuum combination is a rare machine that does both jobs well. The iRobot Combo j7+ has all the advantages of its j7 counterpart, including self-emptying and LiDAR mapping but with additional features for both mopping and vacuuming.
The j7+ utilizes the latest acoustic sensor to identify the floor type and allows it to mop or vacuum the room during its initial pass. This information is also used to determine the best cleaning options for rooms that have carpets and rugs versus those with hard flooring.
Like many robotic vacuums, the j7+ is surprisingly quiet while it's running. It's much quieter when mopping. The maximum reading of 64db on our decibel scale is comparable to normal office chatter.
It's easy to set the schedule for cleaning and change what the j7+ does when its dust container is full. The j7+ is also controlled by voice assistants such as Alexa, Google Assistant and other. for a hands-free approach and the app allows you to create and view maps of your home.
The j7+ did well in our tests of both carpeted and hard floors, getting rid of most of the dirt that we threw its way. It has a hard time dealing with pet hair, large particles and sand. But it can clean them with more effort. It has excellent navigational skills and two cliff sensors to stop it from falling down stairs or becoming stuck on furniture legs.
We did discover a couple of small niggles with the j7+, mostly that it could snag cords and carpets, and it doesn't always turn off its mopping when it's done vacuuming. This is a great model that checks all the boxes.
The j7+ from iRobot also is one of the best self-emptying systems that we've tested. It spits out its 14oz / 0.4-liter dust canister into the base station where it automatically empties itself for you to. This helps reduce the amount of garbage you need to get rid of. It is only necessary to change the dust disposal bag at the dock every 60 days, based on how often you use the j7+.
