When I was a kid, my mom vacuumed our house every day. Every single day. But when I became an adult, I decided I only needed to do it once a week with some occasional spot cleaning. Then I had kids and got a dog. I felt like I was constantly sweeping or vacuuming to keep my floors clean.
My husband gave me my first robotic floor cleaner several years ago when I was on the edge of tears every day over my dark hardwoods constantly looking dirty. The iRobot Braava uses cleaning cloths to dust the floor and has a mopping function as well. It is pretty basic and doesn’t use an app, but it was pure magic to me.
I would run it any time I noticed a dirty floor and it would become spotless again without any work from me. I still love it five years later. But we’ve come a long way baby.
The latest robot vacuums are smarter than ever before and constantly learning. For the most impressive features, you’ll pay a pretty penny. But there are notable options in every price range.
Let’s start with the top-of-the-line.
Roomba s9+
The $1399 iRobot Roomba s9+ has intuitive suction power, traps 99% of allergens and has a special corner brush so it doesn’t miss anything. But Its wow factor comes in its ability to empty itself. When the Roomba’s dirt compartment is full, it heads back to its docking station and all that debris empties into a disposable bag inside. After doing this about 30 times, the bag will be full and you can just throw it away.
The s9+ connects to an app for more cool features. The Roomba can remember multiple floor plans as it cleans around your home learning, mapping and adapting to its surroundings. You can set schedules when you’d like the vacuum to clean and it responds to Alexa or Google assistant. You can use the app to set up zones in case you just need one area (under the kitchen table) cleaned. In my home test, this vacuum was the only one that never got stuck anywhere on anything. It easily navigated onto and off of my area rugs and even the long shag rug in my mudroom didn’t stop it.
If you need any more convincing, iRobot also now has a new mopping robot, the Braava jet m6 that teams up with the Roomba s9+ and the less expensive ($699) Roomba i7 series to clean even more like you do. They communicate so that the Braava follows behind the Roomba to mop your floor after its vacuumed. And you can save some money if you decide to bundle an iRobot vacuum and mop.
Neato Botvac D7 Connected
A great middle-priced option is the Neato Botvac D7 Connected that lists for $830, but is on sale on Amazon right now for $546. Set up the app and send it on a quick laser-mapping run of the house. The Botvac D7 also has zone cleaning options so instead of cleaning the whole house, you can program the app to clean the just the kitchen in the morning and the living room in the afternoon. The Botvac D7 also remembers multiple floor plans and allows you to create no-go zones so it won’t get stuck. It has up to 120 minutes of battery life and is D-shaped (as is the Roomba s9+) to get in corners. This version takes up to 150 minutes to fully charge, but has an option of getting a quick boost that gives it just enough juice to complete a job.
The filter on this also captures 99% of allergens and the Botvac D7 automatically recharges up to two times. The app will alert you when to empty the dustbin and it’s easy to do. This was not able to go over my shaggy rug, but handled everything else easily. The Botvac D7 works with your phone, the Apple watch, Amazon Echo and Google Home devices.
Eufy Robovac 11S Max
If you’re watching your spending, check out the Eufy Robovac 11S Max listed at $219, but on sale on Amazon right now for $180. There’s no app, but it’s quieter than the other two I tested. It’s also slimmer at 2.85 inches compared to the Roomba s9+ and the Botvac D7 which are both more than 3.5 inches tall. That means it can make its way under some furniture that the other two may not. Like the other two models I tested, the Robovac 11S Max automatically heads back to its base to charge and they all have drop-sensing technology so they won’t fall down the stairs.
This model vacuums up to 100 minutes and takes a lot longer to charge (up to six hours). It easily cleans hardwood floors and carpets up to a medium-pile (it did get stuck on my shaggy rug.) It also comes with a remote control so if it happens to miss a spot, you can manually drive the Robovac 11S Max right to the location it needs to vacuum.
Depending on your desires and your budget, there really is a robot vacuum for everyone. You’ll give up some suction power and advanced navigation on some of the less expensive models, but its hard to argue the benefit these could be to your home at any price point.