The need to empty your robot vacuum after each cleaning session can be a hassle, especially for people with allergies. And, of course, debris and dirt are tossed back into the air each time you empty the vacuum.
Self-emptying bases limit your exposure to dust since the robot will transfer debris from the onboard trash bin to a bigger trash bin once it is full.
The Samsung Jet Bot+
Samsung's robot is one of the most advanced that we've tested and it comes with excellent filtering, amazing navigation and hands-free emptying of the trash bin. It also features HEPA filtering and can lock in airborne particles to prevent allergies. The rotating brush bar at the top of the device can penetrate the tightest of spaces. It also has self cleaning extractors that grind hairs to avoid tangles.
The Jet Bot picked up a lot of debris on my hardwood floors and carpets when I tested it. It missed a few tiny items in my dining room's corner and required me to go over them again however, it did a fantastic job overall. It was able to win my tests in comparison to Roomba. Roomba because its side brush could better reach around edges, and it was stronger in terms of picking small debris.
Samsung Jet Bot can be controlled through the SmartThings App and set to clean automatically at times that you prefer. It is also possible to schedule to clean certain areas or rooms, as well as adding virtual no-go zones (and physical ones if you prefer).
It utilizes LiDAR sensors similar to those used by self-driving cars for navigation and mapping as well as a camera in the front to enable smart object recognition. This feature helps it avoid colliding with furniture or other objects and figure out the most efficient way to move between rooms. It will also recognize any objects it believes to be "poop", and make an educated guess.
The SmartThings application lets you easily schedule cleaning times and monitor the condition of the robot, and keep an eye on what's happening in the world 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 the cleaning process. The 0.3L dust bin can be easily emptied and washed as it is fully enclosed.
The Roomba 980 from iRobot
The Roomba is the most expensive robot. It is also a fantastic performer, easily putting itself in the same category as the best self-emptying robotic vacuums when comes to cleaning power. This is due to its HEPA filters and a powerful battery. It also has a neat little feature called CarpetBoost that automatically boosts the power of the vacuum when it senses that it's on carpet.
Similar to the previous Roomba models, this's frame is circular and it has a single window at the top that houses cameras. It's the camera that provides this model with real intelligence. It uses the camera to perform VSLAM (Visual Simultaneous Localization Mapping) by looking out for distinct features and then storing these features. It then compares this information to the relative positioning gyro, IMU and wheel odometry information to build a map of the room it's in.
It's a smart system that performs well, even on carpets, where the Roomba isn't able to cope. There are other great smart functions on the 980 as well, such as the ability to create a weekly cleaning schedule and play a tune that will aid in finding your robot. There's a big "Clean" button on the front of the device that will get your robot up and running as well as indicators to show when it's charging or connected to Wi-Fi, and when it's full of bins.
If you need to clean up a small mess, the 980 also has the ability to clean up spots that are fairly basic, though it's not as thorough in covering ground as the most sophisticated options available. Finally, if you've got wires that pose dangers to your robot, there's a virtual wall feature that lets you place a barrier that warns it not to be near it.
The app that accompanies the 980 is simple to use and will give you an impressive visual overview of the way your robot is operating and what it's up to. You can also build 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, is somewhere between the two. It's less expensive than the 980's top model, but it comes with many of the same features, including a camera to navigate and a smartphone application with detailed cleaning maps and reports. 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 that were bare. It picked up a lot of cat litter, food crumbs and tracked in dirt. It also excels at climbing over obstacles, like stair runners, and the legs of chairs and tables. It also sucked up pet hair, as well, though it did struggle with some finer debris like baking soda.
The 960 is distinct from other Roomba models in that it has a separate dust bin to store large amounts of debris. This makes it less requirement to maintain it. You can empty the bin by pressing a button, via the iRobot Home app or with voice commands from Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.
The iRobot HOME App allows you to customize every cleaning cycle. You can set the number of passes and select from a variety of modes like edge clean, or a complete room sweep. It also sends an alert when it's about to empty the dirt container.
The 960 is easy to operate, using buttons on the top and controls in the iRobot HOME app or through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It is also simple to maintain, with an indicator that shows the remaining battery on the top of the display and docking technology that automatically removes debris from the dirt compartment to the trash bin when it's time to empty the. The iRobot HOME App can also provide you with how-to videos and show the location of each object it has collected. enboya robot vacuum isn't the best, but it's still good enough to allow the majority of people to use through the day without worrying about recharging it before bedtime. The iRobot HOME app is available on both iOS and Android devices.
The Roomba iRobot 960 from iRobot
The Roomba 970 is a robot vacuum cleaner that works with Google Home and Amazon Alexa. It utilizes the similar advanced navigation system used by other recent iRobot models and is able to detect stairs, which is something that can be a hassle with other vacuums. It makes use of a centrally placed camera to scan the floor while it moves, and can detect furniture walls, walls, and other obstacles. It can also use a virtual wall tool to set boundaries that the robot cannot traverse.
This model is different from earlier models because it uses lithium-ion batteries instead of nickel metal hydride. It's now running longer between charges and has more endurance when cleaning. It's not as fast as the Shark AI Robot, but it's still fairly quick and can navigate around an area with ease.
The 970, like the other models of the 960 series can be controlled using the iRobot App and connects to the Wi-Fi network with any setup needed. It has an incredibly small handle on the front that you can use to manually return it to its charger, and a spot-cleaning button lets you focus on a specific area in your home. The 960 robots employ the same three-stage process as the other iRobot machines, combining agitation and power-lifting to clean the floor thoroughly and remove dirt.
The 960 is great for carpets that are not bare. Its brushrolls and powerful vacuums are able to take up a lot of hair, dust and other particles. It struggles with carpets with high pile and will to leave a bit of sand in its tunnel. It has a decent-sized dirt compartment and will notify you when it's filled, either through the app or by a indicator on the top of the robot. It can also be programmed to clean at a scheduled time and we had no difficulty setting this up during our tests.
