Best Self-Emptying Vacuum: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly Best Self-Empting Robot Vacuums and Mops

The Eufy 11S is among the most affordable self-emptying robot vacuums on the market. It ably sucked up dry Oats from hard floors as well as carpets with a low pile during our tests. Its dust bin is open and empty easily, making it easier to use than some other models in the same price.

It recharges at the base and then cleans when it's fully charged. Its obstacle-avoidance technology gets caught in socks and cords, and it can't get under low thresholds.

1. iRobot Roomba 11S

The 11S is a more affordable self-emptying robotic vacuum cleaner that lots of users seem to enjoy. It is great at maneuvering under furniture and appears to be a great option for those with hard floors or those who want to perform light daily cleaning. Its suction is a bit less powerful than our top picks, however it's still able to do the job. It comes with a huge dust bin and a long-lasting battery. The app lets you schedule your daily cleaning or pick a room. You can also map your home to help the device avoid areas you don't want it to visit.

The app is simple to use and has an intuitive layout. It doesn't have any advanced capabilities, but it's simple enough to use and makes it easy to monitor the status of your robot. It has a tutorial that will guide you through the basics.

The pattern of cleaning doesn't always appear logical - sometimes it is straight lines, while other times it focuses on the edges of the room - but Bounce Navigation ensures your entire floor is cleaned. It's not the most adept at navigating obstacles though. It struggled to get under our piano pedals as well as pet food bowls, and ended up getting tangled up in our 2.25-inch shag rug several times.

While it's a good option for light daily cleanings We believe there are better robot vacuums than the 11S. The iRobot Roomba is much easier to maintain and maintain, with lower recurring costs and is charged faster. It has a bigger bin, performs better on any type of surface and can scale low-lying obstacles (like electrical cables) more easily.

The RoboVac 11S, which is eufy, is an excellent choice for regular vacuuming. It shares a similar design to our top pick and is excellent in removing small particles and fine dust from hard floors. It does a good job on carpets with medium or low pile. Like the iRobot Roomba it also has a very large dirt compartment and utilizes BoostIQ to automatically adjust suction power. It also has an adjustable remote that is easy to use, and you can program daily cleaning routines with the app. Its battery lasts about an hour, and the dustbin can be empty without taking it from the dock.

2. Roborock S7 maxV Ultra

Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra robot mop and vacuum is a fantastic robot that comes with a a surprising array of automated features. The Roborock S7 MaxV is available in three versions: the basic S7 model and the S7 Plus model and the S7 Ultra. The latter model is the only one with an Empty Wash Fill Dock (or an alternative Auto-Empty Dock). These docks allow the robot to return to its original location and empty the debris into a dust bag or reservoir, empty the dirty water tank, and wash its mopping pads.

The S7's sensors work in tandem to stay clear of obstacles and clean the floors. It can recognize the types of floors and save the map of rooms and zones and even detect dirt levels. It can also plan and conduct spot cleaning sessions. It performed well in our tests, though it couldn't exactly match the Roomba j7+ during the carpet deep clean test.

Utilizing the companion app, you can program the S7 to run a cleaning cycle based on your schedule. robot vacuum cleaner self emptying can choose the cleaning mode like eco or automatic, and the day, week or even a time. You can also decide whether the robot will stop if it is running out of energy or encounters an obstacle.

You can still use the S7 if you don't own an Android phone by connecting the charging dock to the remote control. The controls are a bit confusing at first but they're very efficient once you've mastered them. The power button also acts as the 'Cleaning' option, and the Spot Clean button directs the robot to clean an area around it. The 'Spot Clean' button also triggers the child lock.

Roborock's mobile application has been enhanced to include a live view function that lets you see what the S7 does at home. You can enable this feature by pressing a particular sequence of buttons on the S7 and then creating an unlock code within the app to use whenever you want to check out what the robot is up to.

3. Shark IQ Large

Shark isn't as well-known in the field of robot vacuums as iRobot and Roborock however our tests on this model has shown it to be one of the top self-emptying robot vacuums currently on the market. It's easy to set up and comes with a large bin that can be easily emptied (albeit loudly) to a trashcan when it's full. It can also be programmed to sweep the entire house on a set schedule.

The IQ XL is able to connect to your WiFi at home and allow you to track its progress on cleaning from the Shark app. The app lets you set cleaning schedules, get notifications via push about its current status as well as the ability to pause and resume cleaning, or limit it to one room. It can also be controlled with voice commands using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. The app will tell you which the current power mode is which is Eco Normal, Maximum, or Normal - however we found that none of these settings made any significant difference in cleaning performance.

When it's finished cleaning after which the IQ XL automatically empties the dustbin into its base, and then self-empties. The bin can store up to 60 days of debris, meaning you won't have to empty it more than once unless your pets have long hair. If you have to empty it you can simply take the side container off and place it over the trash can, and then press the button.

The Shark IQ XL is a great vacuum cleaner. It does a good job of cleaning bare floors and can maneuver itself well. However the Shark IQ XL feels a bit less sturdy than the Roomba 694. It removes many messes on carpeted floors and does a good job of moving itself around, but it doesn't come close to matching the iRobot Roomba i7 in regards to performance on carpeted floors. The i7 also feels more durable, is more robust and requires less maintenance. It has lower recurring costs and charges faster and has comparable battery performance. It also has more advanced automation features, such as no-go areas and the ability select specific rooms to be cleaned.

4. iRobot J7+


This robot vac and mop combination is a rare find that can do both tasks well. iRobot Combo j7+ has all the features and smarts similar to its j7 counterpart including LiDAR map and self-emptying. But it also offers additional features for mopping and vacuuming.

The new acoustic sensors aid the j7+ identify flooring types, meaning it can choose between mopping and vacuuming during the first time it passes through an area. It also uses this info to prioritize cleaning rooms that have carpet or rugs over those with hard floors.

The J7+ is more quiet than most robotic vacuums when it's running, and even quieter when it's mopping. The highest reading we could get on our decibel meter was 64db which is similar to the noise of general office chatter.

It is easy to set up an cleaning schedule and then change what happens when the dust canister gets full. The j7+ can be controlled with voice assistants (Alexa, Google Assistant, etc.) The app allows you to create and view maps within your home.

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

We did notice some minor issues with the j7+, mainly that it could snag cords and carpets, and it doesn't always switch off its mopping once it's done vacuuming. Otherwise, this is an excellent model that ticks all the right boxes.

iRobot J7+ is one of the top auto-emptying systems that we've ever tested. It puts its 14oz 0.4-liter dust container into the base station, where it automatically emptys itself for you. This reduces the amount of garbage you need to dispose of and you'll need to replace the reusable dust bag that is on the dock about every 60 days or so, depending on how often you use the J7+.