The Best Robot Vacuum For Carpet
If you have carpet that is high or low-pile There's a robot vacuum for you. These smart devices are able to navigate your home on their own, pick up debris and clean under furniture.
A lot of them come with advanced features, like mapping, which can help you navigate your home and remember furniture place. They can also boost the suction power to clean up surfaces that are dirtier.
iRobot Roomba 694"
The Roomba by iRobot is an entry level robot vacuum that works well on both plain flooring and floor carpets with a low pile. It has a good suction however it has trouble with larger debris like grains of rice or sand. It also does a decent job of removing pet hair however it isn't resistant to tangling like the top Roomba models, such as the I6 or j7.
The Roomba 694 is simple to use. It has three buttons on its cover: 'Clean' starts a cleaning cycle, 'Dock' puts it back in its charging station, and 'Spot Clean' triggers an targeted clean. You can control it using an app for smartphones that lets you schedule cycles, stop/start them, and alter settings. It is also possible to pair the device with smart home devices like Alexa or Google Assistant to control it by voice commands.
This vacuum is slower than other models, but it's still able to reach the majority of crevices and corners. It has a large bin that makes it easy to empty. It is compatible with digital mapping and virtual barriers which allow you to set the robot to avoid certain areas or to stop cleaning altogether to avoid it from getting stuck.
Although it's not the top model in its price range but it's far superior to other alternatives. The Roborock E4 is more advanced than the Roomba 694, with superior cleaning performance for both bare and low-pile carpets. It also has an efficient cleaning route and has a longer battery life. It also feels more durable and has fewer components that require regular maintenance, costs less to own over its lifetime, and charges faster than the 694.
It's also worth looking at other models that are more expensive from the iRobot line, such as the 981 or the v7. They're more expensive but they offer significant improvements over the 694 in terms of cleaning efficiency on both bare and low-pile floors, follow a more efficient cleaning route and have a larger dirt compartment, are faster to charge, can move more easily, and are more easy to pair with smart home devices.
Shark RV1001AE IQ
This self-emptying robot that is budget-friendly does an okay job on hard floors and low-pile carpet. Its combinator brush gets to the edges and corners, and then automatically boosts suction once it detects carpet. It also does a good job of cleaning dirt from mid-pile carpet. The IQ has a small footprint and also a self-emptying function. However, if you wish to change floor levels on the map or create no-go zones, you'll need to manually reset it in order to do this, which can be somewhat of a hassle.
The IQ's application has advanced mapping and automation features however it doesn't have no-go zones that are available on iRobot models. Its smart-pathing system allows for superior maneuverability and the high-pile mode of its carpet cleaning mode is very effective but it could get stuck on the tassels of the rug.
In our tests, we discovered that the IQ was able to handle pet hair effectively. It was able to get rid of the majority of hair on floors that were not bare and a decent amount of rug with a medium pile. It was less effective on shag carpets where it struggled to get at dirt and dust that was embedded in the fibers. It was able to maneuver the legs of chairs, small spaces, and even the base of an IKEA wooden step stool. We did notice that it was a little slower on bare floors however it soon recovered speed and performed better than other robots we tested.
The IQ is a better choice over the iRobot Roomba 694 for most applications. It has a bigger dust read more bin and lasts longer on a charge and does a better job of moving itself around obstacles. It has mopping tools that can remove sticky messes. On the other side the iRobot is more durable and has fewer components that require maintenance or replacement, incurs lower recurring costs and can even create virtual no-go zones with its companion app. It can even resume a cleaning session from where it left off if it runs out of battery before finishing the job. The iRobot is also controlled by voice commands, which is a big plus for many users.
Eufy 11S
The eufy RoboVac 11S robot vacuum isn't one of the most advanced models, but it does offer great cleaning power at a low cost. It's designed for those who don't require a complicated mapping system or app to control the device. The robot is capable of running for a long time and comes with an remote, cleaning tool, AC power adapter, charging base, and additional filters.
The 11S is slim and sleek with a tempered glass upper deck that is covered with plastic, which is finished to appear like brushed aluminum. It's a nice stylistic contrast to Roomba, Samsung, and Neato designs that are more practical and industrial.
In our tests, the eufy11S was excellent at picking up larger debris and fine dust on hard flooring. It was unable to thoroughly clean high-pile and medium-pile carpets. It is also prone to hit furniture and other objects in its path however, it is able to detect obstacles with sensors. When it encounters them, it stops and lets out a loud beep so you can manually steer it around the obstacle and get it back to work.
Another excellent feature of the eufy11S is its BoostIQ mode that lets you set the robot to automatically adjust the strength of its suction to match the type of floor and the amount of the mess. The remote control makes it easy to guide the 11S to the desired area.
If you don't have many furniture in the area you'd like to vacuum, Single Room Mode is an excellent option. The eufy is capable of spending up to 30 minutes cleaning the area it is assigned.
You can also select Edge Cleaning that reduces the amount of time in each location to 20 minutes to ensure optimal battery life. This option allows the eufy to move in a spiraling fashion by cleaning edges and corners.
Miele Complete C1
The Miele Complete C1 canister robot is a great mid-range vacuum cleaner that excels on carpet. Its performance is also exceptional on bare floors. It can pick up rice and other fine debris effortlessly. The suction power doesn't drop as the dirt bin fills. Its design is a breathable one and its air-sealed body will trap allergens to keep your family healthy. It has an onboard HEPA and self-emptying bin which means you don't require additional filters or vacuum bags.
It's not as powerful as other models, but is still great for deep cleaning and taking on stains. It has two front cameras which provide live feeds to your smartphone. It also comes with one of the most advanced obstacle avoidance systems. It also has a large dustbin, long runtime and a quick clean-up that is free of bumps.
The Complete C1 is unlike most robots because it can switch between two heads, a standard and a turbo head for various types of flooring. The turbo head is best on low-pile or high-pile carpeting, while the standard powerhead is good for bare floors and light rugs. It also comes with an automatic height adjustment system that allows it to adapt to various types flooring without manual adjustments.
This model comes with an SBD 285-3 Classic Combination Floorhead that can handle both hard floors as well as carpeting of medium-pile. The powerhead can be easily moved around and reach difficult spots. It has five levels of surface adjustment as well as a brushroll off switch to avoid hairs getting caught in tangles.
The Classic C1 has a self cleaning brush roll as well as it has a UtraClean Mode that will clean the same area three times, and a self-emptying bin that can be emptied by pressing a button. The sound level of this model is greater than other models. However, its powerful motor with 1,200 watts and sturdy construction make it worth the extra cost.
If you don't mind spending an extra amount, the Miele Complete C3 canister robot vacuum is a great all-around robot vacuum. It performs better on carpets than the Classic C1. It is better suited for any type of flooring, is more solidly constructed and comes with a HEPA filter.