The Best Self-Empting Vacuums
Robot vacuums are fantastic at keeping your floors clean however, they usually come with small dust bins that require manual emptying after every cleaning session. The best models have self-emptying bases, which eliminate this step to provide a hands-free experience.
The best self-emptying vacuum cleaners feature docking systems which can hold up to 45 days of debris, with no intervention. These smart vacuums also track your home and avoid power cords and other obstacles.
1. Roomba S9+ from iRobot
iRobot pioneered self-emptying robot vacuums with the Roomba i7. It took the technology to the next level with the s9+. The flagship model is costly, but it also has the highest performance of all the robovacs we've tested. It also comes with improvements that other brands can only dream of.
First, it sucks up dirt into its Clean Base automatically. It then emptys it into a large dust bag, which you dispose of every 60 days. This makes it an excellent choice for those who want to avoid the hassle of to cleaning, but still are looking for the peace of head that comes with knowing that their home is clean and free of germs and allergens.
The s9+ also features advanced corner-cleaning abilities that get it closer to walls than the previous models, and is more adept in spot cleaning too. If it determines that a specific area requires extra attention the app will then return it to the area on an recurring schedule. If the area is really filthy, the s9 will return to it using stronger suction until the mess is gone.
You can control the s9+ using the included app or using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant (the s9+ can support both), which gives you full voice commands, including the ability to start, stop, and pausing. You can program the robot to begin and stop its work at a specific time, or let it decide when to return to its dock.
The s9+ is great on flooring that is clean. It is able to get rid of small particles like rice, and larger objects like cereal. It's also pretty adept in tackling carpets with low piles and has suction that is strong even with an entire dirt compartment though it doesn't do as well on more dense carpets.
2. Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra
The Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra is a robot vacuum and mop which can sweep, detect rugs and self-clean, making it one of the best hands-free robotic cleaners on the market. Its sophisticated navigation and mapping system provides the best maneuverability. The companion app allows you to choose among a variety of cleaning options. It also supports third-party applications that allow you to monitor your home in action.
The S7 MaxV Ultra, like its predecessor, is great in sweeping carpets as well as hard floors. It scored highly in our tests of dirt pickup and performed well in tackling difficult-to-clean tasks like the sand embedding test as well as the carpet deep clean test, which we perform by weighing the robot's dustbin before and after a certain amount of time. The S7 MaxV Ultra also does an excellent job at mopping. It has enough suction to deal with small and large debris, as well as pet fur on floors without carpet. It has a little difficulty with hair on densely woven low-pile carpet, yet it manages to suck up most of the hair on this type of floor.
This model is among the quietest that we've evaluated. Its low-power Quiet mode generates maximum noise of 57.5 dBA. It's less discrete in its highest power mode, 'Max', which can produce over 80 dBA.
The S7 MaxV Ultra is equipped with a dock that automatically refills the robot's water tank and emptying its dustbin. It's a bit more challenging to configure the X1 Omni, but once you've got it configured the robot will operate by itself.
3. Shark IQ Large
The Shark IQ Robot XL has powerful suction, as well as numerous clever features. It is self-emptying with a bagless base and maps your home while it cleans to ensure full coverage. You can control it using the SharkClean app or via voice commands with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also use the physical boundary markers to limit the access of the device.
It's a basic black design that looks and feels good. It is incredibly easy to put together out of the box, and requires only a few snaps to attach the side brushes that come with it and the charging dock. Its dirt compartment is a bit small, however, so you'll have to empty it quite often.
In tests, the IQ Robot XL quickly responded to app controls and performed well during cleaning cycles. The app lets you choose power modes, modify settings, and check the battery level of the robot while it's working. The app also features a Find Robot button that helps you locate the device in case it gets lost.
As with other Shark products like the IQ Robot XL has impressive suction that is capable of tackling pet hair and dust. Its self-cleaning brushroll keeps hair from wrapping around the machine as it brushes through debris as well. The navigation module utilizes sensors to detect the surroundings as it moves, but it's not as thorough as those that employ LIDAR modules. The IQ Robot XL must run a few clean cycles to map your space.
The Shark IQ Robot XL offers superior performance on all surfaces when compared with the iRobot Roomba 690. It is also more easy to maintain and has a lower cost of recurring. The iRobot is more durable, charges faster, and offers similar battery performance. It also comes with a suite of advanced automation capabilities, which allow you to set the coverage map for your home with areas that are not allowed to be in.
4. Eufy 11S
The Eufy 11S is a great option for those who want an automatic vacuum cleaner that can clean according to their schedule but don't require smartphone or voice control. The slim model is easy to install and maintain, and it's able to effortlessly remove dirt and dust. It is ideal for cleaning light-duty daily tasks in order to keep your floors looking beautiful.
It's not as impressive as our other top picks but has some advantages worth taking into consideration. For instance, its slim size lets it maneuver under low-profile furniture that most other vacuums cannot. It also has an effective "Quick Clean" mode, which utilizes multiple cleaning cycles to scrub your floors as thoroughly as possible. The 'Smart Pathing" feature isn't as efficient, but it is still effective enough to ensure that you don't repeat the same cleaning process over and over.
This model is not as effective as the iRobot Roomba S9+ but it performs better than Coredy R550 which is about similar in price to the Bobsweep Bob Pro. The iRobot is built better and has lower recurring costs and has a larger dirt compartment, lasts longer on a single charge, and is able to move more efficiently. It also gets rid of pet hair more efficiently and performs better on carpet and bare floors.
The Eufy 11S is priced higher than the iRobot Roomba, but also more than the Ecovacs N79S. The iRobot Roomba 614 is more costly, but it's also better built, has a longer battery life and can collect more dust and dirt. It's also more easy to maintain, has lower cost-per-use charges, and comes with more automation capabilities. The companion app is also better, offering more useful information on the vacuum's battery status and level.
5. Ecovacs Deebot Pro+
It might look similar to just about every other robot vacuum available but this one has a few clever tricks up its sleeve. You can use the app to control the power levels, mops, and even set your preferences. Its 2600Pa suction power is impressive and, at 67dB, it's much quieter in use than most other robots I've tried.
Deebot N8 Pro+ can also stay clear of obstacles thanks to its TrueDetect 3D Laser. self emptying robot vacuums makes use of structured light to scan a room and map out the contents, which means it can work around furniture, showpieces, shoes and charger cables. It's much more precise than other robots as it works at the millimeter scale to recognize tiny objects and plot an approach around them.
ECOVACS' app lets you monitor the robot's progress and schedule cleaning times, and also change settings from anywhere. It can set up custom boundaries, too that gives you more control over the areas it cleans and keeps it from important family heirlooms, messy school projects and laundry.
The app is simple to use and provides clear instructions for getting started, with the whole installation process taking around an hour from beginning to the end. Once your house is mapped you can let it run on its own or make a separate cleaning schedule for each room. It will return to its charging dock when the battery gets low and will resume exactly where it left off when it's fully charged again. An automatic dustbin is provided with the ECOVACS Deebot N8 Pro+ which means you don't have to handle its contents unless you wish to change the dust bag.