Watch Out: How Best Robot Vacuum For Carpet Is Taking Over And What Can We Do About It
The Best Robot Vacuum For CarpetIf you have carpet that is high or low-pile there's a robotic vacuum for you. These smart devices navigate your home automatically clean up debris and clean under furniture.
Many have advanced features like mapping, which allows them to navigate your home and remember furniture positioning. They can also boost suction power to clean up surfaces that are dirtier.
iRobot Roomba 694"
The iRobot Roomba is a basic robot vacuum that performs well on both floors that are unfinished and low-pile floor carpet. It has good suction however, it struggles with larger debris like grains of rice or sand. It is capable of cleaning pet hair, but it isn't as resistant to knots as premium Roomba models like the j7 and I6.
The Roomba 694 is easy to use. It has three buttons on its top cover: 'Clean' launches an entire cleaning cycle and 'Dock' places it back in its charging station, and 'Spot Clean' activates an targeted clean. It can be controlled via an app on your smartphone that lets you to schedule cycles, stop and start them and adjust settings. It can also be paired with smart home devices like Alexa or Google Assistant for voice-controlled operation.
This vacuum is a bit slower than other models, but it's still able to get into the most crevices and corners. It has a large bin that makes it easy to empty. It is compatible with digital mapping and virtual barriers which lets you set the robot to avoid certain areas or to stop cleaning completely to stop it from becoming stuck.
While it's not the best model for its price, it's better than many other alternatives. The Roborock E4 is more advanced than the Roomba 694, with a much better cleaning efficiency on both bare and low-pile carpets. It also follows an efficient cleaning route and has longer battery life. It is also more durable, has fewer components that require regular maintenance, is priced less over its life and charges faster than 694.
It is also worth considering other models within the iRobot range, like the v7 or the 981. The 981 and v7 are both more expensive, but have significant improvement in cleaning efficiency, for both bare and low pile floors. They also have a larger dirt compartment they charge faster, can move more easily, and are easier to pair up with smart home devices.
Shark RV1001AE IQ
This budget self-emptying robotic vacuum cleaner does an excellent job on carpets with a low pile and hard flooring. Its combinator brush gets to corners and edges and automatically increases suction as soon as it spots carpet. It also excels at cleaning dirt that is embedded in mid-pile carpet. The IQ has a tiny footprint and also a self-emptying function. However, if you want to change floor levels on the map or set no-go zones, you'll have to manually reset it to do this, which is quite an inconvenience.
The IQ app offers some advanced mapping and automated features, however it lacks no-go zones. They are only available on iRobot robots. The smart-pathing navigation system provides greater maneuverability and its high-pile carpet cleaning mode cleans well, although it tends to get caught up on rug tassels. Its iHome speaker lets you control the robot with voice commands.
In our tests, we found that the IQ handled pet hair with ease. It was able to get rid of lots of debris on floors that were unfinished and a good amount on medium-pile rug. It was less efficient with shag carpets, as it struggled to get at dirt and dust buried within the fibers. It was able to navigate the legs of chairs, small spaces, and even the base of an IKEA wooden step stool. We did notice it was a little slower on floors with no flooring, but it regained speed and performed better than other robots we tested.
The IQ is a better option over the iRobot Roomba 694 for most applications. It has a bigger dustbin and a longer battery life and is more adept at navigating around obstacles. It also has a mopping attachment that can tackle sticky debris. The iRobot, however, feels better constructed, has fewer components that require replacement or maintenance and incurs fewer cost per year, and can create virtual no go zones with its companion application. It can even resume the cleaning process from where it left off in case it runs out of battery before it has completed the task. The iRobot can also be controlled using voice, which is a major benefit for many users.
Eufy 11S
The RoboVac 11S eufy robot vacuum isn't one of the most features-rich models, but it provides excellent cleaning power for a low cost. The RoboVac 11S is designed for consumers with a tight budget who do not require a complicated mapping system, or an application to control it. The robot is capable of running for more than an hour and comes with an remote, cleaning tool, AC power adapter, charging base and extra filters.
The 11S is slim and sleek with an upper deck of tempered glass that covers plastic and is made to appear like brushed aluminum. It's a nice departure from the industrial and utilitarian designs of Roomba, Samsung and Neato.
The eufy11S did well in our tests at removing larger debris and fine dust from floors. It best robot vacuum for dog hair was unable to thoroughly clean medium and high-pile carpets. It also has a tendency to smack into furniture and people in its path however, it's able detect obstacles with sensors. When it encounters them, it ceases to move and emits an alarm so that you can manually steer it around the obstacle and get it back to work.
The BoostIQ mode is another great feature of the eufy11S. It lets you set up the robot to automatically adjust the suction force based on the type of floor and the level of mess. The remote control makes it easy to direct the 11S to the desired place.
If you don't have much furniture in the area you're looking to vacuum, Single Room Mode is an excellent option. The eufy will take 30 minutes intensely cleaning the area it is assigned to.
You can also opt for Edge Cleaning which restricts the time spent in each location to 20 minutes for maximum battery life. This option 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 that is a top performer on carpet. Its performance is also exceptional on bare floors. It can pick up small particles such as rice effortlessly and it doesn't suffer from suction performance even as its dirt bin fills. Its design is a breathable one and its air-sealed body traps allergens and keeps your family healthy. It has an onboard HEPA filter and self-emptying dustbin, so you won't need to purchase additional filters or a separate bag for your vacuum.
It's not quite as powerful as the more expensive models, but is still excellent for deep cleaning and tackling stains. The two cameras on the front of the unit provide a live image feed on your smartphone, and it features one of the top obstacle avoidance systems we've ever seen. It also has a big dustbin, long runtime and a quick clean-up that is free of bumps.
Contrary to other robots unlike other robots, the Complete C1 can switch between a standard powerhead and a turbo head to accommodate different types of floors. The turbo head is best on low-pile or high-pile carpeting, while the standard powerhead is good for floors with no flooring and light carpets. It also comes with an automatic height adjustment system, which lets it easily adapt to various types of flooring without any manual adjustments.
This model comes with the SBD 285-3 Classic Combination Floorhead, which can be used on carpets with a hard surface and carpets with a medium pile. The powerhead can be easily maneuvered and get into difficult areas. It comes with five different surface adjustments as well as an off-brush switch to avoid hairs getting caught in knots.
The Classic C1 has a self cleaning brush roll and a UtraClean Mode that cleans the same area three times, and a self emptying dustbin that you can empty by pressing a button. Its sound level is slightly higher than that of other models however, its powerful 1,200-watt motor and solid construction make it well worth the extra expense.
If you're willing to spend an extra amount it is the Miele Complete C3 canister robot vacuum is a fantastic all-purpose robot vacuum. It performs better on carpets than the Classic C1. It is better suited for all types of floors and is built more securely, and comes with an HEPA filter.