Self-Empting Robot Vacuums
It can be frustrating to have empty your robot vacuum after each cleaning session particularly if you suffer from allergies. The dust and dirt that gets kicked back into the air each time you empty your vacuum.
Self-emptying bases reduce your exposure to dust. They do this by having the robot move debris from the bin on board into a larger trash bin when it's full.
The Samsung Jet Bot+
Samsung's robot is one of the most advanced robots we've tested and it comes with excellent filtration, brilliant navigation and hands-free dustbin emptying. It features HEPA filtering and can seal in dust particles from the air to lessen allergies. The brush bar that rotates on the top of the device is able to be able to reach into small spaces. It also comes with self-cleaning extractors which grind up hairs to prevent tangles.
When I tried the Jet Bot, it picked up a lot of dirt from my hardwood floors and carpets. It missed a few small things in my dining room's corner and had to go over them once more however it did an excellent job overall. It was able to win my tests in comparison to the Roomba because its side brush was able to better reach around edges, and it was more efficient in picking small debris.
The Samsung Jet Bot is controlled via the SmartThings app and can be configured to automatically clean at times that are most convenient for you. It can be programmed to clean specific areas or rooms. You can also add virtual no-go zones and physical ones.
It utilizes LiDAR sensor technology that is similar to the one used by self-driving vehicles for mapping and navigation. Cameras are placed at the front of the device to enable smart object recognition. This feature allows it to avoid collisions with furniture or other objects and determine the most efficient way to move between rooms. It also flags any objects that it considers to be "poop" and offers up an educated guess (it can select from three recurring options: towels, sock or cup / plate).
The SmartThings app lets you set up cleaning schedules and monitor the condition of the robot, and keep an eye on what's happening on the map. It can also be set to inform you when the robot's bin is full and it will return to its dock at this point to empty itself before resuming its cleaning cycle. The 0.3L dustbin is easy to empty and can be cleaned, since it's enclosed to ensure that it is hygienic.
The Roomba iRobot 960 from iRobot
The Roomba is the most expensive robot. It's also a great performer that is in the same class as the best self-emptying robot vacuums in terms of cleaning power due to its HEPA filter and powerful battery. It also has a handy little feature called CarpetBoost that automatically increases the power when it detects it's on carpet, which is a nice feature.
Like the previous Roomba models, this model's frame is circular and it has a single window on the top that carries the camera. This model is a smart choice because of its camera. It uses the camera for VSLAM (Visual Simultaneous Localization Mapping), by looking out for distinct features and storing these features. It combines the information with data from the relative position gyro and IMU as well as wheel odometry to produce an outline of where it is.
It's a very clever system, and it performs pretty well - even on carpets, where the Roomba generally has a tougher time than on hard surfaces. The 980 also comes with other smart features, such as the ability to create the weekly routine for cleaning and play a sound to help you find your robot. There's a big "Clean" button on the front that'll start your robot, and there are also indicators that indicate when it's charged or connected to Wi-Fi, and when it's full of bins.
If you need to clean up a little mess, the 980 also has an option for spot cleaning that's fairly basic, though it doesn't cover as much space as the most advanced options available. In the event that you've got wires that pose a hazard to your robot there's a virtual walls feature where you can put a barrier down that tells it not to approach it.
The software that comes with the 980 is also very easy to use, and it'll give you a nice visual overview of the robot's performance and what it's up to. You can also create your schedule and experiment with other settings, like bin capacity and reduced power mode, and much more.
The iRobot Roomba 960
iRobot is a brand that is synonymous with robot vacuums. The Roomba 960, which costs $700, is somewhere between the two. It's a little less expensive than the 980's top model, however it has many of the same features including a camera to navigate and a smartphone app with detailed cleaning maps and reports. It also has a Virtual Wall, which creates an invisible barrier that the Roomba will be unable to cross.
The 960 performed well, especially on floors that were bare. It sucked up a lot of food crumbs, cat litter and dirt that had been tracked in. It also has the ability to climb obstacles such as tables legs, stair runners and chair legs. It also took in pet fur, though it struggled with smaller particles, like baking soda.
One thing that sets the 960 apart from other Roomba models is the fact that it has an additional dustbin for large particles that reduces maintenance requirements. It can be empty at the press of a button, through the iRobot HOME app, or using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant voice commands.
You can use the iRobot HOME app to tailor each cleaning cycle by setting the number of passes and choose among different options, such as edge clean or a full-room sweep. It also sends an alert when it's time to empty the dirt container.
The 960 is simple to operate, using buttons on the top and buttons in the iRobot HOME app, or via Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It's also easy to maintain and has an indicator on the top that displays the battery's lifespan and docking station that automatically transfers debris from the dirt compartment to the trash bin when you're ready to empty it. The iRobot HOME app also shows you the location of each object it has gathered and offers how-to videos for various maintenance tasks. The 960's battery life isn't the best, but it's still good enough to allow the majority of people to use it during the day without worrying about charging it before sleeping. The iRobot HOME App is available on both iOS and Android devices.
The Roomba 970 from iRobot
If you're looking for a robot vacuum that will automatically empty its own bin and is compatible with Google Home or Amazon Alexa, the Roomba 970 is worth checking out. It utilizes the same advanced navigation system as other recent iRobot vacuums and can detect stairs. It also has a central camera to scan the floor as it moves around and is able to detect walls, furniture and other obstacles so that it doesn't just randomly bump into objects. It also has the virtual wall tool to define boundaries that the robot can't traverse.
This model differs from previous models as it utilizes lithium-ion batteries instead metal hydride. This means that it can run for longer between charges, and also has more stamina during cleaning sessions. It's not quite as fast as the Shark AI Robot, but it's still fairly quick and can move around an area with ease.
Like robot vacuum cleaner self emptying in the 960 series, the 970 can be controlled using the iRobot app and can connect to your Wi-Fi connection with no installation needed. The robot comes with an incredibly small handle that you can use to return it manually to its charger. Spot-cleaning allows you to concentrate on a specific area of your home. The 960 robots utilize the same three-stage procedure as the other current iRobot machines, which combines the power of agitation and lifting to thoroughly clean the floor and get rid of dirt.
The 960 is great on carpets that are not bare. Its brushrolls and powerful vacuums can take up a lot of dust, hair, and other debris. However, it isn't a great choice for carpet with high pile and will leave a bit of sand in its tunnel. It has a large dirt compartment which can be notified when it is full through an app or light on the top of the robot. It can be programmed to clean on a schedule and we found it simple to set this up during our tests.