The Most Pervasive Problems With Best Self-Emptying Vacuum Best Self-Empting Robot Vacuums and Mops


The Eufy 11S is among the most affordable self-emptying robot vacuums that are available. In our tests, it was able to pick up dry oats on hard floors and low pile carpeting. Its dust bin is open and empty quickly, making it much easier to use than some other models in the same price.

It charges at its base, and then begins cleaning when it's clean. But its obstacle-avoidance system gets tangled up in socks and cords, and it's unable to operate under low thresholds.

1. iRobot 11S

The 11S is a more affordable self-emptying robotic vacuum cleaner that a lot of people seem to like. It is a great choice for getting under furniture and is a good option for people with hard floors or daily cleaning. Its suction may be a little weaker than our top picks, however it gets the job done. It also has a huge dirt bin and a battery that lasts for more than an hour. Read More On this page schedule your daily cleaning or choose a specific room. It's also possible to create a map of your home, which could aid in avoiding areas you don't want to visit.

The app is easy to use and has a simple layout. It's not an app with a lot of features however, it's simple to use and allows you to monitor your robot's status. It comes with a tutorial that will walk you through the basics.

The pattern of cleaning doesn't always look logical - sometimes it follows straight lines, and other times it seeks out the edges of a room, however, Bounce Navigation ensures your entire floor is kept clean. It's not the best at navigating obstacles, it struggled to get under our pet food bowls and piano pedals, and got caught in our 2.25 inch shag carpet a few times.

We believe that there are better robot vacuums on the market than the 11S. The iRobot Roomba is much easier to maintain and has lower costs for recurring maintenance and charges more quickly. It also has a larger dustbin and performs better on all surface types and is able to overcome low-lying obstructions (like electrical cords) more easily.

The eufy RoboVac 11S is another good option for regular vacuuming. It shares a similar design to our top choice and is good in removing smaller and fine dust from hard flooring. It's a great choice on low-pile or medium-pile carpet. It has a large dirt storage container and uses BoostIQ for automatic suction power adjustment. It comes with a user-friendly remote control, and you can schedule daily cleanings using the app. The battery lasts about an hour and the bin can be easily empty by removing it from its dock.

2. Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra

Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra robot mop and vacuum is an excellent robot with a surprising array of features for automation. The Roborock S7 MaxV is available in three different versions: the basic S7 model as well as the S7 Plus model and the S7 Ultra. Only the latter has an Empty Wash Fill Dock (or an alternative Auto-Empty Dock). These docks allow the robot to return to its home base, empty the collected debris into a dust bag or reservoir, empty the dirty water tank and wash its mopping pads.

Sensors on the S7 collaborate to clear obstacles and clean them. It can detect floor types and save a map of rooms and zones, and even detect dirt levels. It's also capable of scheduling and running spot cleaning sessions. It performed well in our standard tests, but it didn't exactly match the Roomba j7+ in the carpet deep clean test.

Using the companion app, you can program the S7 to run a cleansing cycle based on your schedule. You can choose the cleaning mode like eco or automatic, and a weekday, day, or time. You can also decide whether the robot should stop if it is running out of energy or encounters an obstacle.

You can still use the S7 if you don't own a smartphone by connecting the charging dock to the remote control. The controls are a bit difficult initially however they are very effective once you get used to them. The power button also acts as a 'Cleaning' button, and the Spot Clean button instructs the robot to clean an area around it. The 'Spot Clean' button also activates the child lock.

Roborock's mobile application has been upgraded to include a live view function that lets you see what the S7 does at home. You can activate this feature by pressing a particular sequence of buttons on the S7 and then creating an unlock pattern in the app that you can use at any time you want to check out what the robot is doing.

3. Shark IQ XL

Shark isn't as well-known for robot vacuums as iRobot and Roborock however our hands-on testing of this model has proven it to be one of the most efficient self-emptying robot vacuums on the market. It is easy to set up and has an enormous bin that is able to be easily empty (albeit loudly) to a trashcan when it's full. It can also be programmed to clean the whole house on a schedule.

The IQ XL is able to connect to your WiFi at home, allowing you to monitor its progress on cleaning from the Shark app. The app allows you to create a cleaning schedule and receive push notifications about its current status, pause cleaning and clean up, or set it to a single area. You can also control it with voice commands with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. The app can tell you which power mode it is currently in, namely Eco, Normal, or Max. However, we couldn't determine that any of the modes made a huge difference to cleaning performance.

The IQ XL will automatically empty the trash bin at the end of each cleaning cycle into the base, which will then self-empty. The bin can store up to 60 days of debris, so you don't need to empty it more than once unless your pets have hair that is long. If you must empty it, all you have to do is untie the side bin, place it over a trash can and press a button that will let you eject its contents.

The Shark IQ XL is a good vacuum cleaner. It does a good job of cleaning floors with no dust and can maneuver itself well. However it's not the best choice for carpeted floors. Shark IQ XL feels a slightly less sturdy than the Roomba 694. It's effective in cleaning carpeted floors however, it isn't as efficient as the iRobot Roomba i7 when it comes to the performance of bare floors. The i7 also feels more durable, is more robust and requires less maintenance. It has lower recurring costs and charges more quickly and has comparable battery performance. It also has more advanced technology for automation, such as areas that are not accessible and the ability to select specific rooms to be cleaned.

iRobot J7+

This robot mop/vac combo is a rare find, as it does both jobs extremely well. IRobot's Combo J7+ comes with all the features of its j7-based counterpart, including LiDAR mapping and self-emptying, however, it also comes with additional features for both mopping and vacuuming.

The j7+ utilizes the latest acoustic sensor to detect the type of floor, so that it can clean or mop the area in its first attempt. This information can also be utilized to help prioritize cleaning rooms with carpets and rugs versus those with hard flooring.

As with most robotic vacuums the j7+ is relatively quiet while it's running. It's much quieter when mopping. The maximum reading of 64db on our decibel meter is similar to office chatter.

You can easily set up a cleaning schedule and alter what happens when the dust canister fills. The j7+ can be controlled by voice assistants (Alexa, Google Assistant, etc.) The app lets you create and view maps in your home.

The j7+ performed well in our tests on both carpeted and hard floors, getting rid of most of the dirt that we threw its way. It struggles a bit with pet hair and larger particles like sand, but it can remove these items with a little more effort. It has excellent navigational capabilities and two cliff sensors that stop it from falling down stairs or becoming stuck on furniture legs.

The j7+ has a few small flaws, namely that it can be caught on rugs or cords and it doesn't always turn off the mopping function when it's finished vacuuming. This is a fantastic model that ticks all the boxes.

The j7+ from iRobot also has one of the best self-emptying systems we've seen. It dumps its 14oz/0.4-liter dust canister in the base station, and it automatically emptys for you. This helps to reduce the amount of garbage you need to dispose of and you'll only need to change the reusable dust bag that is on the dock around every 60 days or so, depending on how often you use the j7+.