The Best Robot Vacuum For Carpet
There's a robot to suit all carpet types, regardless of whether it's high-pile or low-pile. These smart devices navigate your home automatically clean up debris and clean under furniture.
They come with advanced features like mapping that help them navigate through your home and keep track of the location of furniture. They can also increase the suction power in order to take on dirtier surfaces.
iRobot Roomba 694
The Roomba 694 from iRobot is a basic robot vacuum that works well on carpets with low pile and bare floors. It has good suction and cleans all kinds of debris, but it struggles with larger debris like sand or rice. It also does a decent job at cleaning pet hair, but it's not immune to tangling like premium Roomba models like the j7 or I6.
The Roomba 694 is easy to use. It has three buttons on its cover: 'Clean' initiates a cleaning cycle and 'Dock' allows it to be put back into its charging station, and 'Spot Clean' activates a targeted clean. It is controlled by an app for smartphones which lets you program or stop/start cycles and also adjust settings. You can also pair the device to smart home devices like Alexa or Google Assistant to control it via voice.
This vacuum cleaner is slower than some other models, but it can be able to reach the majority of corners and crevices. It has a big bin which makes it much easier to empty. It is compatible with digital mapping and virtual barriers which lets you set the robot to avoid certain areas, or even stop cleaning completely to stop it from becoming stuck.
It's not the best for its price, but it's still better than the majority of other options. The Roborock E4 is more advanced than the Roomba 694, with a much better cleaning performance for carpets with low and no pile. It also has a more durable battery and a cleaner path. It is also more durable, has fewer components that require regular maintenance, is priced less over its life and charges faster than 694.
You may also want to consider other models from the iRobot range, like the v7 and the 981. The v7 and 981 are more expensive, but offer significant improvements in cleaning performance, both on bare and low pile floors. They also have a bigger dirt compartment, charge faster, move more easily and are more a breeze to pair with smart home devices.
Shark RV1001AE IQ
This self-emptying robot that is budget-friendly does a good job on hard floors as well as low-pile carpet. The combination brush is able to reach the edges and corners, and then automatically increases suction as soon as it detects carpet. It also does a good job of cleaning embedded dirt from carpets in the middle of the pile. The IQ's small dock footprint and self-emptying feature are nice touches. However, if you want to change the floor levels on the map or set no-go zones, you'll need manually reset it to do this, which can be a bit of an inconvenience.
The IQ app provides advanced mapping and automated functions, however it does not have no-go zones. They are only available on iRobot robots. Its intelligent-pathing navigational system results in greater maneuverability, and its high-pile carpet cleaning mode cleans well, but it does have a tendency to get caught up in rug tassels. Its iHome speaker allows you to control the robot using voice commands.
During our tests, we found that the IQ was able to handle pet hair effectively. It was able to remove a large amount of debris on floors that were unfinished and a good amount of medium-pile rug. It was less effective with shag carpets, as it struggled to get at dirt and dust buried within the fibers. It was capable of maneuvering around chair legs and tight spaces as well as the wooden base of an IKEA step stool. We did notice that it was a little slower on floors that were not paved however it soon recovered speed and performed more thoroughly than the other robots we tested.
The IQ is a more suitable choice for the majority of users than the iRobot Roomba. It has a larger dustbin and a longer battery lifespan and is more adept in navigating around obstacles. It also comes with a mopping attachment that can handle sticky mess. On the other hand the iRobot feels better-built, has fewer parts that require maintenance or replacement, incurs lower recurring costs and can even create virtual no-go zones through its companion app. It is able to continue cleaning where it left off even if the battery runs out before it's finished. The iRobot can also be controlled using voice, which is a huge plus for many users.
Eufy 11S
The RoboVac 11S robotic vacuum isn't one of the most feature-rich models, but it offers powerful cleaning power at an affordable price. It's a budget-friendly option for buyers who don't require a complicated mapping system or app to control the device. This robot can last for over an hour. It includes an remote control, a cleaning tool, and AC power adapter.
The 11S is slim and sleek with an upper deck of tempered glass that is covered with plastic, which is finished to look like brushed aluminum. It's a refreshing departure from the industrial and utilitarian designs of Roomba, Samsung and Neato.
The eufy11S did well in our tests to remove larger particles and fine dust from floors. It struggled to deep clean carpets with high and medium piles. The device also has a tendency to hit furniture and other objects in its path however, it's able detect obstacles with sensors. It stops and emits a loud ring when it comes across an obstruction. It is then possible to manually steer the device around it and return it to working.
The BoostIQ mode is another great feature of the eufy11S. It allows you to set the robot up to automatically adjust suction force based on the type of floor and the level of the mess. The remote control makes it simple to guide the 11S to the desired place.
If you don't have much furniture in the room you'd like to vacuum Single Room Mode is an excellent option. The eufy will spend up to 30 minutes cleaning the space it is assigned.
Edge Cleaning is another option that can limit the time spent on each area to 20 minutes. This will increase battery life. This feature allows the eufy to move in a spiraling fashion cleaning edges and corners.
Miele Complete C1
The Miele Complete C1 is an excellent mid-range robot vacuum and a top performer on carpet. Its performance is also exceptional on floors with no floor. It can remove small particles such as rice easily and it doesn't suffer from suction power even when its dirt bin fills. Its air-sealed, allergy-friendly design snuff out allergens and keep your family healthy. It comes with an onboard HEPA and self-emptying bin so you don't need additional filters or a vacuum bag.
It's not as powerful as pricier models, but it's ideal for fighting stains and deep cleaning. Its two front cameras deliver a live image feed on your smartphone, and it comes with one of the best obstacle avoidance systems we've ever seen. It also comes with a huge dustbin, a long runtime, and a fast clean-up that is free of bumps.
The Complete C1 is unlike most robots because it can switch between the standard head and turbo for different kinds of flooring. The turbo head works best on low-pile or high-pile carpeting while the standard powerhead is good for bare floors and light rugs. It also has an automated height adjustment system, which allows it to easily adapt to various types of flooring without any manual adjustments.
The 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 is also easy to move and can reach tough spots. It has five different surface adjustments as well as a switch that stops the brushroll to prevent tangled hairs.
The Classic C1 also has a self-cleaning brush roll as well as an UtraClean mode that goes back and forth over the same area three times for best robot vacuum for hardwood floors the most thorough cleaning, and a self-emptying dustbin that can be emptied with the touch of a button. Its sound level is slightly higher than some other models however its powerful 1,200-watt motor and sturdy build make it worth the extra cost.
If you're willing to spend an extra amount then the Miele Complete C3 canister robot vacuum is an excellent all-around robot vacuum. It performs better on carpets than the Classic C1. It performs better on all types of floors, is more solidly constructed, and comes with an HEPA filter.