Why waste time cleaning when you can delegate all the heavy lifting to one of these smart robots?
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There are some people in this world for whom cleaning is an enjoyable task. But reader, I am not one of those people.
Sure, I love that sense of rejuvenation that comes with a thorough clean, but the actual chore of sweeping, dusting, vacuuming, and mopping? I’ll put it off as long as possible, creating more work for myself when I finally get around to picking up the vacuum.
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Fortunately, we live in a world where evolving technology is making our lives easier in almost every way – and one of the new gadgets at the forefront of all that innovation, which seem to have been created with lazy cleaners like me in mind, is the robot vacuum.
They aren’t anything particularly new – the first one was originally created in the late ‘90s, believe it or not – but robot vacuums are now accessible to the everyday person, with models starting from the low hundreds and offering an impressive range of abilities.
You can also find great deals on hugely popular models like the Ecovacs DEEBOT N8+. It’s on sale for just $1,099, down from $1,499. What a steal!
To get the dirt on finding the best robot vacuum, a team of friendly experts from MIT in Boston created a clever analysis tool called Find Our View to help sort through thousands of Amazon customer reviews on several models. These include the Eufy BoostIQ 11S, iRobot Roomba i7+, Roborock S7 and iRobot Roomba e5.
Interested in automating your cleaning, but not sure where to start? Read on for our guide to the best robot vacuums to put your money towards, from the no-frills models all the way to the ingenious mopping, auto-emptying and voice-activated options – and including the Best Of team’s reviews of the best-selling ECOVACS DEEBOT T9+ and ECOVACS DEEBOT U2 Pro.
iRobot Roomba e5 Robot Vacuum Cleaner, Amazon Australia, $1,131.87
The iRobot Roomba is one of the pioneer brands of automated vacuuming – and the e5 model is a perfect example why. It uses an AeroForce 3-Stage cleaning system with five-times suction for a powerful clean to pull in embedded dirt, debris, and pet hair.
It’s particularly recommended if you have pets as the extra suction effectively picks pet hair up off your floor using unique dual multi-surface rubber brushes.
One reviewer wrote of their experience, “This guy is a little champion … Gold star tick of approval from me.”
• Find Our View revealed shoppers found the robot vacuum and app easy to use. Many also said the suction worked fairly well and the ability to sync it with Alexa particularly handy.
• A small number of people returned the robot vacuum or kept getting errors. Some customers also complained the unit kept going in circles, got stuck or didn’t clean the entire floor space.
BEST AUTO-EMPTYING ROBOT VACUUM S
ECOVACS DEEBOT N8+, Amazon Australia, $1,099 (down from $1,499)
Not only is this robot vacuum a two-in-one vacuum cleaner and mop, but it also empties the dust container itself so you won’t need to take out the trash for weeks – 30 days to days to be exact.
It’s also pretty versatile, offering four moisture levels to suit different surfaces and several suction levels to tackle a variety of messes. You can also use choose whether you want to mop and clean at the same time, or use either functions independently.
• Many reviewers love how the robot vac is packed with features and customisation options.
• Customers are impressed with how powerful the suction is.
• Some customers found the mopping function “a little underwhelming” after it cleaned leftover dust but left dried spills.
SHOP HERE ECOVACS DEEBOT T9+, eBay, $1,249
The DEEBOT T9+ certainly isn’t the cheapest model out there – but it comes with plenty of useful bells and whistles to justify the cost. Equipped with powerful dual vacuum, mopping functions, an auto-empty station and mobile air freshener, it also features 3D detection and obstacle avoidance technology that allows it to accurately map every corner of your home.
The OZMO Pro functionality allows it to simultaneously sweep, vacuum and mop floors with minimal noise; and at the end of each clean it empties itself into a sealed disposable dust bag that holds up to 30 days of mess without leakage. It boasts a 4.5 star average rating, but one of our writers gave it a whirl herself to see if it could live it to the hype.
It easily navigated around furniture without bumping anything, differentiated between carpet and hard floors and automatically adjusted suction power, squeezed under beds and couches with ease, and avoided falling down the large staircase to my door (phew).
When it was finished, I could view an impressive floor map and make adjustments to instruct it where it can and can’t go – no need for add-on magnetic tape like some other models, which was amazing.
It picked up an impressive amount of debris, leaving my floors near to spotless, with the exception of a few particularly tight spaces it couldn’t squeeze into – but those were easy to go over with a dustpan and brush. I was even more impressed by the mopping function, which effectively picked up any remaining mess and left my floors shining (and thankfully not sopping wet, definitely a bonus).
Another bonus? I can connect my ECOVAC to my Google Assistant, which means that with a simple “Hey Google, vacuum the living room” I could set off my robot in a specific area without lifting a finger – guys, the future is here and I’m loving it.
I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to keep their home clean without the effort.
• Most customers agree the robot vacuum is easy to set up, use and clean.
• Many online reviewers were impressed with the mapping technology and found the unit cleaned all areas of their home well.
• One person found their auto-empty station struggled to suck anything from the dustbin once it was halfway full, while another reviewer said the front wheel makes some rattling noise on certain surfaces. Although both shoppers noted these were only small issues and still generally happy with their robot vac.
BEST CHEAP ROBOT VACUUM S
MyGenie Pet Smart Robotic Vacuum Cleaner, Myer, $159.96
This robot vac from MyGenie has a super affordable price tag but still comes with similar functions featured in a pricier model.Some include dual side brushes, intelligent roaming sensors, and obstacle-avoidance technology to avoid falling down stairs or hitting furniture.
An impressed shopper wrote: “Extremely happy. The dogs and kids track so much dirt in the house and I just couldn’t keep up. I picked this one as we did not need to use our phone with it to get it working. The difference it has made has been astounding.”
The robot vacuum can last up to 90 minutes on a single charge and contains a 0.6L dustbin capacity.
• Most reviewers say the robot vacuum picks up pet hair well.
• One customer pointed out there are limited options for customisation when programming specific cleaning paths.
• Another online reviewer said the sensors aren’t the best, but it won’t scratch or dent furniture or walls.
eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 11S, Amazon Australia, $258
Described as being an “absolute winner”, the eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 11S is one to add to your shopping cart.
While it’s made to be a thinner model, the brand promises the model doesn’t compromise strong suction power for its slim, space-saving design – and the 4.5-star average rating backs it up.
This little robot will do the vacuuming for up to 100 minutes. Too much dirt? The device will automatically activate it’s BoostIQ Technology to increase the suction power and give you a super clean floor.
• Customers rated the robot vacuum very highly for its suction power, easy set up, self-docking function, handy remote and customer service.
• They also praised the how well the unit collects hair and cleans certain surfaces such as tiles and hardwood floors.
• One reviewer said the robot vac doesn’t recognise dark objects and tends to bump into black door frames and bed legs.
• Some shoppers complained their vacuum cleaner stopped working and needed repair, with a small number of people also reporting the brushes kept falling off.
BEST MID-RANGE ROBOT VACUUM S
ECOVACS DEEBOT U2 Pro, The Good Guys, $399
Yep, it’s another ECOVACS model – but can you blame us for double-featuring the most popular robotic vacuum brand in Australia? The DEEBOT U2 Pro promises to remove up to 99 per cent of bacteria, and features an extra large dustbin, strong suction and tangle-free main brush. Direct it with your phone or smart speaker, and its advanced navigation paths won’t miss a spot, with up to 150 minutes of vacuuming on a single charge.
It has plenty of stellar reviews, but writer Mariela has given it a go too – and here’s what she thought.
ECOVACS DEEBOT U2 PRO REVIEW
My husband and I have worked its cleans into our daily schedule – each night, we get the kids to pick up their toys they’ve inevitably strewn all over, then replace our former sweep and mop of the tiles with a television show viewing. We’ve scheduled our robot vacuum to do a clean of our ground floor when we sleep – at just over 100 square metres, the DEEBOT U2 Pro can manage all rooms with the one charge, then return to its charging station upon completion.
The navigation technology is quite remarkable – I have several bar stools lining my kitchen counter, and the robot vacuum expertly weaves through their legs, picking up everything that has fallen between my children’s dinner plates and mouths.
• Most online reviewers agree the robot vacuum is good bang for buck, offering fairly strong suction power and easy-to-use functionality.
• One customer complained their robot vacuum had trouble finding its charging dock.
• A small number of shoppers were disappointed in the mopping function.
Dreame W10 Robot Vacuum Cleaner and Mop, Dreame, $1,599
The self-cleaning robot vacuum stands out with its auto-dry system, which prevents mildew and bacteria growth by rinsing, scrubbing and drying the pads once the mopping cycle has finished and the unit is back on its dock. It also directs the dirty water into the wastewater tank to avoid cross-contamination.
• The robot vac has a D-shaped design and side brushes to collect dirt along the edge of the walls and in corners.
• It can automatically tell if the mess is wet or dry as well as the type of surface, and adjusts its level of cleaning intensity to match.
• Contains large four litre clean water tank and dirty water tank.
• One online reviewer pointed out only the mopping function is self-cleaning, and found their unit kept stopping mid-clean if the dustbin was full.
BEST ROBOT CLEANERS THAT VACUUM AND MOP ECOVACS DEEBOT N8 Robot Vacuum Cleaner, Amazon Australia, $699
Sure a robot vacuum is great, but a machine that does the vacuuming and mopping is even better. This one from ECOVACS DEEBOT is a popular choice on the market.
Five star reviewers on Amazon have said it’s a “pet owners delight” with “great suction ability”, and describing it as being an “excellent little cleaner”.
It offers quiet vacuuming and strong suction power, easily cleaning dust, pet hair and more.
We also love the addition of TrueMapping and customised cleaning. Built-in sensors map around your home, detecting the smallest of objects, so you don’t have to watch the robot vacuum do its job.
• Many reviewers agree the suction is fairly decent and picks up most types of messes, although may not pick up heavily ground-in dirt.
• The sensors work well and does a good job at avoiding obstacles and automatically switching modes when working on carpet and other floor surfaces.
• A small number of customers started seeing problems within a few months of using it, including trouble re-docking and losing saved maps.
Bissell SpinWave Wet & Dry Robotic Vacuum, The Good Guys, $529
Described by a five star reviewer as being a “game changer”, the Bissell Robot Vacuum is perfect for those who can’t be bothered with the mopping and vacuuming.
The wet function is designed for sealed hard floors and the dry function works well for carpets and rugs. So you literally do not have to lift a finger when it comes to cleaning the floors of your home.
The machine offers up to 100 minutes of cleaning time and the total charge time takes four hours.
• Customers said the robot vac was great at cleaning small dirt and found the schedule function useful.
• Some online reviewers said the compact size was a bonus, making it easy to store.
• The mopping function saw some customers disappointed, with one claiming it sometimes left sticky residue on the floor. Another person suggested this feature may be better suited to maintaining your floors, rather than cleaning spills.
• Some customers found it didn’t clean everything, particularly corners, and had trouble docking itself.
Roborock S7 Robotic Vacuum and Mop Cleaner, eBay, $1,248
Packed with a 180-minute runtime, this Roborock robot vac tackles dirt and stains by using sonic mapping technology, which supposedly scrubs floors up to 3,000 times a minute! It features a multi-directional floating brush that stays close to the ground for deeper cleaning, plus a rubber brush to minimise hair tangling.
The VibraRise mop also automatically lifts once it detects carpet, as well as when it’s finished cleaning and docked to avoid spreading dirt and dirty streaks.
• Many shoppers gave rave reviews over its suction power and navigation, claiming the robot vacuum did well with mapping their house and didn’t get stuck in certain areas.
• They also found the app useful, especially how it can schedule cleans in specific rooms and provide real-time updates.
• Customers said the robot vacuum itself was well-built and easy to set up.
• One reviewer said their mapping technology on worked on large objects so couldn’t detect small obstacles or often bumped into medium-size objects like chairs and sofa legs. They also said the robot vac tended to climb over short objects and got stuck, and had trouble cleaning low-pile carpet.
• Find Our View found a small portion of customers had to return their model or sent it for repair.
BEST ROBOT VACUUMS FOR PET HAIR Electrolux PURE i9.2 Animal Robotic Vacuum, Catch, $997
If you’ve got a particularly messy pet, you need a robot vac that’s up to the task. The Electrolux PURE i9.2 features 3D vision navigation and a cleverly designed shape that allows it to nestle into every tight spot and corner. You can remotely control it via the app, and the main brushbar and side brush provide a thorough clean every time.
• Fans of Electrolux’s robot vacuum were impressed with its suction and how well it digs into corners.
• Those who gave the robot vac a low customer rating typically found their unit had trouble mapping their home and were disappointed in the customer service.
iRobot Roomba i7+ Robot Vacuum, Amazon Australia, $1,549
iRobot’s Roomba i7+ uses a three-stage cleaning system with dual multi-surface rubber brushes and 10X suction to clean all matter of floor surfaces. The robot vacuum learns, maps and adapts to each room, letting you know which rooms are clean, and you can control it all via the app.
“Buy this one,” a reviewer simply commented.
“The vacuum is great, navigates furniture, rugs etc. Love that I don’t have to empty it after every clean. I’ve run it at least 10 times through the house and I have yet to empty the dust bag,”
•Reviewers were particularly impressed with its easy set up, with some also especially happy with how they can use voice command when connected to Alexa.
•The self-emptying function and suction power performed fairly well, including on hardwood floors and large. Most pet owners seemed happy with how much pet hair the vacuum cleaned, although some said it struggled to pick up dog hair on rugs.
•A small number of people found the vacuum got stuck on the docking station or couldn’t find its way back to the base on some occasions, while others had to send their unit for repair and were disappointed in the customer service.
WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING A ROBOT VACUUM
When purchasing your robot vacuum, these are the factors to take into consideration:
• Price: The cost of a robot vacuum can vary from the lower hundreds to the lower thousands.
• Battery runtime: A larger battery life will allow your robot vac to get through the whole house on a single charge, so consider that if you have a large space.
• Capabilities: Your bog-standard robot vacuum can offer plain and simple suction cleaning, but fancier models offer mopping too – ideal for those with hard floors.
• Dustbin capacity: For larger houses, a larger dustbin capacity is preferred, so you don’t have to empty it mid-clean. Some models, like the ECOVACS DEEBOT T9+, also have auto-emptying functions on their charging bases, where they empty into a larger dustbin that you can dispose of at your convenience.
• Smart features: Depending on your spend, you may get additional smart features with your vacuum that allow you to control it remotely via your phone, edit your floor map to choose where it can and can’t vacuum or mop, and even schedule cleans or spot clean specific areas.
ARE ROBOT VACUUMS WORTH BUYING?
The hype around robot vacuums is certainly justified, especially if you’re planning on using the unit for daily cleans or want to give your stick vacuum a sibling to help with small tasks. They’re handy for busy households and ageing parents, as well as anyone who wants to make cleaning a little more convenient in a novel way. And while many robot vacs have similar features, each model has a different ‘specialty’ (e.g. strong suction power or mopping functionality) to suit a range of needs.
HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU PAY FOR A ROBOT VACUUM?
Robot vacuums can cost anywhere between $115 and $4,000. You can expect to fork out more for models with advanced features, including mopping functionality or some kind of ‘special’ mapping technology – although most retail for $1,500-$2,500.
You may also need to invest a little extra on accessories if you want to use certain perks, such as the self-emptying function on the Ecovacs DEEBOT N8+ (which requires an additional auto empty station).
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I RUN MY ROBOT VACUUM?
This is totally up to you – although online reviews (and our team’s own experiences) suggest robot vacuums generally work better when they’re used daily or every couple of days, or occasionally for smaller sweeps. This prevents big chunks of hair or dust getting tangled inside the brushes, which will likely require you to scoop the dirt out manually more frequently – and no one likes getting their hands dirty, especially when robot vacs are designed to make the chore (mostly) hands-free.
DO ROBOT VACUUMS CLEAN CORNERS?
Robot vacuums can target edges and corners surprisingly well, considering majority of the models have a round build. Some brands pay extra attention with specially designed bristles, like iRobot’s Edge-Sweeping Brush. Other manufacturers alter the shape of the unit itself, such as Electrolux’s PURE i9.2 triangular model or Dreametech’s D-shaped machine.
Looking for more gadgets to convert your place into a smart home? Check out our roundups of the best smart speakers, best smart locks, best streaming devices, and best home security cameras.
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