Self-Empting Robot Vacuums
It can be difficult to have empty your robot vacuum after each cleaning cycle particularly those who suffer from allergies. And, of course, dirt and debris are tossed back into the air every time you empty the vacuum.
Self-emptying bases limit your exposure to dust by letting the robot transfer debris from its bin into a bigger trash bin when it's full.
The Samsung Jet Bot+
Samsung's robot is the most advanced robot we've examined. It is a great filtration system as well as a fantastic navigation system and the ability to empty the dustbin without hands. It features HEPA filtering and can seal in airborne dust particles to reduce allergies. The top of the device features a rotating brush bar with soft bristles that can be able to reach into the tight corners. It also comes with self cleaning extractors that crush hairs to avoid knots.
When I tried the Jet Bot, it picked up a significant amount of dirt from my carpets and hardwood floors. It missed a few small pieces of furniture in the corner of my dining room and required a second look at them, but it did a great job overall. It topped my tests when compared to the Roomba because its side brush was able to reach better along edges, and was more efficient in picking up small pieces of debris.
The Samsung Jet Bot is controlled via the SmartThings app and can be configured to automatically clean at times that are suitable for you. It can be programmed to clean specific rooms or areas. You can also set virtual no-go zones and physical ones.
It utilizes LiDAR sensors akin to those used by self-driving automobiles to map and navigate, plus a camera at the front to enable smart object recognition. This feature helps it avoid collisions with furniture and other items and find the most efficient way to move between rooms. It also flags any object that it believes to be "poop" and offers up an educated guess (it can select from three recurring options of sock, towel or cup/plate).
The SmartThings app allows you to set up cleaning schedules as well as monitor the health of the robot, and keep track of what's happening on a map. It can also be configured to inform you when the robot's bin is full, and it will return to its dock at this point to empty itself prior to resuming its cleaning cycle. The 0.3L dust bin can be easily empty and cleaned since it is completely enclosed.
The Roomba iRobot 960 from iRobot
The Roomba 980 is iRobot's top of the top of the line robot, and it's also the most expensive. It's also a great performer that easily puts itself in the same category as the best self- emptying robot vacuum s for its sheer cleaning power due to its HEPA filter and powerful battery. It also comes with a clever little feature known as CarpetBoost that automatically boosts power when the vacuum senses that it is on carpet.
This model is like previous models, in that it has an oval frame with an open window on top with an camera. It's the camera that provides this model with some serious smarts. It uses the camera for VSLAM (Visual Simultaneous Localization Mapping), by looking out for distinct features and then storing the features. It compares the information with data from the relative position gyro and IMU and also wheel odometry, to create an outline of where it is.
It's a clever device that is able to work on carpets which is where the Roomba has a difficult time. The 980 also comes with other smart features, such as the ability to design the weekly routine for cleaning and play a tune to help you locate your robot. There's a large "Clean" button at the front that'll start your robot as well as indicators that indicate when it's charged or connected to Wi-Fi, and when it's full of bins.
The 980 comes with basic spot cleaning features that can be used to get rid of small messes. However it doesn't provide the same level of coverage as more advanced options. If you have some wires that could be a danger to your robot, you can utilize the virtual wall feature to create a barrier that tells it to stay away from wires.
The app that accompanies the 980 is easy to use, and it'll give you an excellent visual overview of how your robot is running and what it's doing. You can also create schedules and play with other settings such as bin capacity and reduced power mode.
The iRobot Roomba 960
iRobot's name is practically synonymous with robot vacuums and the $700 Roomba 960 is somewhere in the middle of the company's extensive lineup. It's a little less expensive than the top-of-the-line 980 but packs in many of the same features, such as a camera for navigation and a smartphone app that provides detailed cleaning maps and reports. It also comes with a Virtual Wall, which creates an invisible barrier that the Roomba will avoid crossing.
The 960 was a good performer, particularly on floors that were not bare. It sucked up a lot of food crumbs, cat litter and dirt that had been tracked in. It's also adept at climbing over obstacles, like stair runners, and the legs of tables and chairs. It also was able to suck up pet fur but it was unable to handle finer debris, such as baking soda.
One thing that separates the 960 from other Roomba models is the fact that it has an additional dustbin for large particles which reduces maintenance needs. The bin can be emptied with a single button press using the iRobot Home app or using voice commands from Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.
You can make use of the iRobot HOME app to personalize each cleaning cycle and set the number of passes and choose between various modes like edge clean or a complete room sweep. It can also send a notification when it's time to clean the dirt compartment.
The 960 is simple to use it has buttons on the top and buttons that are accessible within the iRobot Home app or through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It's also easy to maintain, with an indicator that shows the remaining battery on the top and an automatic docking system that removes debris from the dirt compartment into the trash bin when it's time to empty. The iRobot HOME App also provides you with videos on how-to and also show the location of every object it has collected. The battery longevity of the 960 may not be ideal however it's enough to allow you to use it throughout the day without having to worry about charging it prior to bedtime. The iRobot HOME App is available on both iOS and Android devices.
The Roomba 970 of iRobot.
The Roomba 970 is a robot vacuum cleaner that works with Google Home and Amazon Alexa. It utilizes the same advanced navigation system as other recent iRobot vacuums and is able to detect stairs. It uses a centrally located camera to scan the floor while it moves and is able to detect furniture walls, furniture and other obstacles. It also can use the virtual wall tool to set boundaries that the robot cannot traverse.
One of the main distinctions between this model and earlier Roomba models is that it uses a lithium-ion battery rather than the nickel metal hydride batteries that were used in earlier models. This means that it can last longer between charges, and it has more stamina during cleaning sessions. It's not as fast as the Shark AI Robot but it is able to navigate through a space with ease.
As with the other models in the 960 series the 970 is operated via the iRobot app and can connect to your Wi-Fi connection with no setup required. The robot has a small handle which you can use to return it manually to its charger. Spot-cleaning features allow you to focus on a specific area in your home. The 960 robots use the same three-stage procedure as the other iRobot models, which combine the power-lifting and agitation to thoroughly clean the floor and get rid of dirt.
The 960 is a great choice for carpets that are clean and can pick up a great deal of hair, dust, and other debris thanks to its brushrolls and powerful suction. It has a difficult time with high pile carpets and tends leave some sand in its tunnel. It has a decently-sized dirt compartment and can notify you when it's full, either through the app or a light on the top of the robot. It can be programmed to clean on a schedule and we found it to be easy to set this up during our tests.