A decent robot vacuum can save you from an arduous amount of cleaning chores. They come in a various price range. And they have stunning features including mapping, navigation, self-emptying, and even self-sterilization.
We have arranged over a hundred of tests for 40 models and come down to the 4 best robot vacuums, each of its own advantages.
- The best overall: Xiaomi ROIDMI Eve Plus
- The best in mopping: Ecovacs Deebot T8 AIVI
- The best in budget: Eufy RoboVac 15C Max
- The best in details: iRobot Roomba i7+
1. The best overall: Xiaomi ROIDMI Eve Plus Self-emptying Robot Vacuum
We were surprised to find it the most powerful and robust model among all given its moderate price. But the test results don’t lie. It cleans quick and leaves almost nothing behind. It empties the dust tray in 12 seconds. Most excitingly, it’s the only one that can sterilize the dust station among the 14 self-emptying robovacs we tested. And it was also the only one that didn’t have molds and smells in the dust station among all after 7 days.
Outstanding Performance
Quick dust disposal: The robot empties the waste into the dust station when it docks back home. It took ROIDMI only 12 seconds to empty 97.4% of the waste (95.3% for the second best). We measured the waste collected against the disposable dust bag and estimated that the bag’s sufficient for 2 months of daily waste. That’s 2 months you don’t have to think about changing it.
Self-sterilization: The sterilization and deodorization program kicks off and runs for 30 minutes after the dust station finishes emptying the dust tray. For ROIDMI and 13 other self-emptying robot vacuums, we let the waste (dust, oatmeal, etc.) sit in the dust station for 7 days. On day 7, all the other models had smells and molds except for ROIDMI. The difference was shocking when we examined the test cards under the microscope: the bacteria and dust mites in the other 13 models were 100 thousand times higher than ROIDMI. To think that it was only 7 days of waste storage! What might happen in a month or even longer? We wish other brands will notice this problem like ROIDMI did.
Other features to love
Surging suction: 2,700pa rated vacuum, vacuum and mop 2-in-1. It sucked off metal beads, fruit peels, hair, and fine dust in an instant.
Strong mopping: It mops in the Y-shape route and finds no trouble cleaning common stains. And it leaves no water strains behind.
Superb battery life: It’s got an industry-leading battery life: 198 minutes in average according to our tests. It even got battery left after cleaning 200㎡.
Smart device control: APP customized cleaning (time, area, virtual walls, etc.), easy voice control.
What’s to be improved
Anti-entanglement performance: According to ROIDMI, the V-shape brush is tangle-free. But we found a few strings of super long hair on the brush after cleaning. On the bright side, the hair was easily removed with a specific tool the robovac came with.
2. The best in mopping: Ecovacs Deebot T8 AIVI Robot Vacuum
In this model, great attention is paid to mopping as it’s important in China where Ecovacs is based.
Outstanding Performance
Outstanding mopping performance: Two water tanks of different modes for you to choose from. We used the the turbo mode to clean a 3-hour coffee stain. It finished cleaning after 2 runs. (You need to take off the mopping pad when you vacuum the carpet.)
Built-in camera: You can see from the perspective of the robot in the APP as it cleans. Additionally, you can record, screenshot, or even talk to people in front of the robot vacuum. It can’t replace security cameras, but still, it’s fun.
Other features to love
Self-emptying: The dust disposal rate was an satisfying 93.6% in average.
Good obstacle avoidance: During the ‘socks test’, more than half of the tested models ran into the socks. But it could quickly detect the socks, avoid them, and clean around them. We’ll give the credit to its cutting-edge laser navigation technologies+AI visual navigation.
Smart device control: Easy APP schedule and voice control.
What’s to be improved
Suction: The 1,500pa vacuum is far from competitive for a robot vacuum of this price. During the test, it missed a lot of the metal beads.
Anti-entanglement performance: Hair entanglement was observed in the tests and required manual cleaning.
3. The best in budget: Eufy RoboVac 15C Max
This model from the emerging brand Eufy is a good budget choice if you have a small apartment and less cleaning needs.
Outstanding Performance
Low noise: It tested an average 57dB of noise. It’s a bit higher than what Eufy claims (55dB) but it still deserves a shout out.
Squat size: It’s only 2.85 inches high. That allows it to go under most furniture. But note that it’s only this short because it doesn’t have a laser navigation part on the top.
Other features to love
Strong cleaning power: The 2,000pa of vacuum is not impressive. But when it detected the heavy dirt ahead, it boosted the suction within 1.5 seconds. It’s a huge advantage against other models of similar prices.
Smart device control: APP schedule and voice control.
What’s to be improved
No mopping: It’s a basic robot vacuum.
Anti-entanglement performance: Hair entanglement was observed in the tests and required manual cleaning.
Sloppy navigation: It has a vintage inertial navigation system (INS). The precision is poor due to gyroscope drift, calibration error and problems with sensitivity. And the navigation error accumulates over time. It’s not competent for large areas or complex layouts
4. The best in details: iRobot Roomba i7+
The standards of the features and tool design are as high as its price. It does a great job at anti-entanglement and curtain recognition.
Outstanding Performance
Anti-entanglement: We noticed that only a few strands of long hair were entangled on the brush after 4 runs. Thanks to the rubber brushes, the hair was pushed to the far ends. And you can remove it easily when you take off the brushes.
Curtain recognition: Many robot vacuums don’t clean under the curtain because they ‘see’ it as an obstacle and avoid it. i7+ was the only one tested that crossed the curtains and cleaned under them.
Other features to love
Self-emptying: The 95.3% dust disposal rate was only next to Xiaomi ROIDMI Eve Plus. And the dust bag was better quality than that of most others.
Strong cleaning power: It cleaned pretty well during the tests. The 2,200pa vacuum is not the best among all. But the dual rubber brushes design complement it: one rubbing waste off of the ground and the other sweeping the waste to the nozzle.
Smart device control: Easy APP customized cleaning. It’s able to start cleaning when you leave home. But according to our tests, this feature can be affected by bad connection.
What’s to be improved
Short battery life: The 75-minute runtime may fall short even when cleaning a small apartment.
No mopping: You can ignore this model if you need a robovac that also mops, even though it’s decent in vacuuming.
The verdicts are based on test results. There’s not necessarily a ranking among them. You can choose the right one according to your needs and budget, check the Roidmi Eve Plus here: https://www.roidmi.com/en/p/eveplus.html
Aftab Hussain is a versatile journalist who covers a wide range of news topics with depth and precision. His commitment to delivering unbiased reporting ensures that readers stay well-informed about the most significant events and stories shaping India and the world.