The Eufy 11S is one the most affordable self-emptying robot vacuums that are available. In our tests it was able to remove dry oats from hard floors as well as carpets with a low pile. Its dust bin is simple to empty and open -much easier than some other models in its price range.
It recharges at its base and then resumes cleaning when ready. Its obstacle-avoidance technology is caught in socks and cords and it is unable to reach low thresholds.
1. iRobot 11S
The 11S is among the cheapest self-emptying robots and a lot of people seem to love it. It is good at getting under furniture and is a great option for people with hard floors or for daily cleaning. Its suction is a bit less powerful than our top picks but it still does the job. It comes with a huge dust bin and a long-lasting battery. The app allows you to schedule your daily cleaning routine, or select a specific room. You can also mark your home to allow the device to 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 features, but it's straightforward enough to use and allows you to monitor the status of your robot. It has a tutorial that will walk you through the basics.
Its cleaning pattern doesn't always look like logical - at times it follows straight lines, other times it seeks out the edges of a room, however Bounce Navigation ensures your entire floor gets cleaned. vacbot amazon 's not the best at navigating obstacles, it struggled to get under our pet food bowls as well as piano pedals, and got caught in our 2.25 inch shag carpet multiple times.
We think that there are better robot vacuums than the 11S. The iRobot Roomba is easier to maintain, has lower recurring costs and charges faster. It also has a larger dustbin, and performs better on all surface types and is able to climb over low-lying obstructions (like electrical cords) more easily.
The eufy RoboVac 11S makes an excellent choice for regular vacuuming. It is designed very similarly to our top pick, and it is great for picking up fine dirt and larger debris on hard floors. It's a great choice on low-pile or medium-pile carpet. Like the Roomba by iRobot Roomba, it has a huge dirt compartment, and it uses BoostIQ to automatically adjust suction power. It also comes with a remote control that's easy to use, and you can program daily cleanings using the app. The battery can last for 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 fantastic robot vacuum cleaner and mop with a surprisingly wide array of automation options. The Roborock S7 MaxV is available in three versions: the basic S7 model, the S7 Plus model and the S7 Ultra. The S7 MaxV Ultra is the only one with an Empty Wash Fillet Dock (or an alternative Auto-Empty Dock). These docks allow the robot to return to its base following cleaning and empty the debris it has collected into a dust bag or reservoir, drain its clogged water tank and wash its mopping pad.
Sensors on the S7 work together to clean and avoid obstacles. It can recognize the types of floors and save a map for rooms and zones. It can even detect dirt levels. It also has the ability to plan and execute spot cleaning sessions. It did well in our standard tests, but it wasn't able to quite match the iRobot Roomba j7+ in our 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 day, week, or even a day as well as choose from a variety of cleaning options, like automatic, eco and deep clean. You can also decide whether the robot will cease operation if its power runs out or if it encounters an obstruction.
You can still use the S7 even if you don't own a smartphone by connecting an charging dock to a remote control. The controls are confusing at first, but they work well once you've mastered them. The power button also functions as an 'Cleaning' button and the Spot Clean button instructs the robot to clean the area around itself. The 'Spot Clean" button also triggers the child lock.
Roborock's mobile app has been improved to include a live view function that lets you observe what the S7 does at home. You can enable this by pressing a specific sequence of buttons on the S7 and then creating an unlock pattern in the app to use at any time you want to observe what the robot is doing.
3. Shark IQ XL
Shark's robot vacuums aren't as popular than those from iRobot or Roborock. However, our hands-on tests have shown that this model is among the most efficient self-emptying vacuums available. It's simple to set up and has a large bin which can be easily emptied (albeit loudly) to a trashcan when full. It can also be programmed to clean the whole house on a schedule.
The IQ XL can connect to your home WiFi, which allows you to monitor it through the Shark app and see its battery levels as it cleans. The app lets you set a cleaning schedule, receive notifications via push about its current status it is in, and pause and resume cleaning, or set it to only one room. It can also be controlled by voice commands via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. The app can tell you which power mode it is currently in--Eco, Normal or Max. We didn't discover that any of these modes made a significant difference to the cleaning performance.
The IQ XL will automatically empty the bin at the end of each cleaning cycle into the base, and then self-empty. The bin can hold up to 60 days of debris so you don't need to empty it more than once, unless your pets have long hair. If you have to empty it, all you have to do is remove the side bin, put it over a trash container and press a button to empty the contents.
There isn't much to dislike about the Shark IQ XL, although it feels a bit less sturdy than the Roomba 694. It is able to remove 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 surfaces. The i7 is also more robust and feels more durable and robust, has lower maintenance requirements, has lower costs for recurring expenses, charges faster, while offering similar battery performance and the most advanced automation features such as no-go zones as well as the ability to pick certain rooms to be cleaned.
iRobot J7+
This robot mop/vac combo is a rare find, because it can do both tasks exceptionally well. IRobot's Combo J7+ comes with all the advantages of its j7-based counterpart, including self-emptying and LiDAR mapping, but also includes additional features for mopping and vacuuming.
The j7+ makes use of the latest acoustic sensor to detect the type of floor and allows it to mop or vacuum the room on its first pass. This information is also used to determine the best cleaning options for rooms that have carpets and rug versus those with hard flooring.
Like most robotic vacuums, the j7+ is quiet while it's running. It's quieter when mopping. The maximum reading of 64db on our decibel scale is similar to office chatter.
It's simple to establish an appointment for cleaning and change the way that the j7+ operates when its dust bin is full. The j7+ can also be controlled by voice assistants, such as Alexa, Google Assistant and others. The app allows you to create and view maps in your home.
In our tests, the J7+ was a solid performer on both hard and carpeted floors, and it cleaned up most of the dirt we tossed at it. It isn't able to deal dealing with pet hair, large debris and sand. But it is able to clean them with a little more effort. It has excellent navigational skills and two cliff sensors to prevent it from falling down the stairs or getting caught on furniture legs.
We did discover a few minor niggles with the j7+, mainly that it can get caught on cords and rugs, and that it doesn't always switch off its mopping when it's finished vacuuming. This is a great model that ticks off all the boxes.
The j7+ from iRobot also has one of the best self-emptying systems we've seen. It dumps its 14oz/0.4-liter dust canister into the base station, and it automatically emptys for you. This helps reduce the amount of trash you need to dispose of and you'll only need to change the reusable dust disposal bag from the dock about every 60 days or so, depending on how often you use the J7+.
