Self-Empting Robot Vacuums

The need emptying your robot vacuum on each cleaning session can be a hassle, especially for people with allergies. And, of course, debris and dirt are tossed back into the air every time you empty the vacuum.

Self-emptying bases limit your exposure to dust because the robot moves debris from its trash bin into a larger trash bin once it is full.

The Samsung Jet Bot+

Samsung's robot is among the most advanced that we've evaluated and comes with excellent filtering, amazing navigation, and hands-free emptying of the dustbin. It also comes with HEPA filtering and can lock in airborne particles, which can reduce allergies. The top of the device has a rotating brush bar, with soft bristles that can get into the tight corners. It also comes with self emptying robot vacuum mop (Discover More) cleaning extractors that grind hairs to prevent hair tangles.

When I tested the Jet Bot, it picked up a significant amount of debris from my carpets and hardwood floors. It missed a few minor items in my dining room's corner and had to go over them again however it did a fantastic job overall. It topped my tests when compared to the Roomba because its side brush could reach better along edges, and was more effective in picking up small pieces of debris.

Samsung Jet Bot can be controlled via the SmartThings App and set to clean automatically at times convenient to you. It is also possible to schedule to clean specific areas or rooms, Self Emptying Robot Vacuum Mop as well as adding virtual no-go zones (and physical ones if you want).

It uses LiDAR sensors that are similar to the ones used by self-driving vehicles for mapping and navigation as well as a camera in the front for intelligent object recognition. This is a feature that assists in avoiding collisions with furniture or other objects, and to determine the most efficient route between rooms. It also flags objects that it identifies as "poop" and provides an educated guess (it can choose between three recurring options: towels, sock or cup / plate).

The SmartThings App allows you to schedule cleaning times and track the robot's status. You can also monitor what is happening on a map. The app can be configured to notify you when the robot's bin is full. It will then return to its dock to empty itself, prior to continuing its cleaning. The 0.3L dustbin is easy to empty and is easily cleaned, since it's enclosed to ensure that it is clean.

The iRobot Roomba 960

The Roomba is iRobot's most expensive robot. It's also a great performer, easily placing it in the same league with the top best self-emptying robot vacuum and mop robotic vacuums when is able to clean. This is thanks to its HEPA filters and powerful battery. It also comes with a clever little feature called CarpetBoost which automatically boosts the power when it detects it's on carpet, which is great.

Similar to previous Roomba models, this one's frame is circular, and it has a single, clear window on the top that houses a camera. This model is smart because of its camera. It uses the camera to perform VSLAM (Visual Simultaneous Localization Mapping) by looking out for distinctive features and remembering these features. It compares the data with the data from the relative positioning gyro, and IMU, as well as wheel odometry, to create an outline of where it is.

It's a very clever system, and it performs pretty well - even on carpet, which is where the Roomba generally has a tougher time than it does on hard surfaces. There are other useful features of the 980 too, like the ability to set up a weekly cleaning schedule and to play a sound that will help you locate your robot. There's a huge "Clean" button at the front of the device that will get your robot up and running and there are 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 the ability to clean up spots that are quite basic, but it doesn't cover as wide of space as the most advanced alternatives available. If you have wires that could be a danger to your robot, you can use the virtual wall feature to create a barrier that will tell it to stay away from wires.

The app that comes with the 980 is simple to use and provides you a visual representation of what your robot is doing. You can also create schedules and play with other settings like bin capacity and reduced power mode.

The Roomba iRobot 960 from iRobot

iRobot is a name that is synonymous with robot vacuums. The Roomba 960, priced at $700, is somewhere between the two. It's less expensive than the top of the line 980, yet it has many of the same features. This includes a camera to navigate and a mobile app that provides precise cleaning maps. It also comes with Virtual Wall which creates a barrier that the Roomba will not cross.

The 960 performed well in our tests, especially on floors with no floor. 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 like table legs, stair runners and chair legs. It also took in pet fur, however, it had a difficult time with smaller pieces of debris, like baking soda.

The 960 is different from other Roomba models in that it has a separate trash bin to collect large debris. This eliminates the requirement for maintenance. The bin can be emptied with a single button press using the iRobot Home app or with voice commands from Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.

The iRobot HOME App allows you to customize every cleaning cycle. You can set the number passes, and choose from different modes such as edge clean, or a full room sweep. It can also send an alert when it's time to clean the dirt compartment.

The 960 is simple to use it has buttons on the top and control options in the iRobot Home app, or through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It's also easy to maintain and has an indicator on top that shows the battery's lifespan and a docking station that automatically transfers debris from the dirt compartment to the bin when you're ready to empty it. The iRobot HOME app can also show you the exact location of each object it has gathered and provides how-to videos for different maintenance tasks. The battery life of the 960 isn't great, but it's good enough to allow you to use it throughout the day without having to worry about charging prior to the time of bed. The iRobot HOME app is available on both iOS and Android devices.

The iRobot Roomba 970

The Roomba 970 is a robot vacuum cleaner that works with Google Home and Amazon Alexa. It has the same advanced navigation system as other recent iRobot vacuums and is able to detect stairs. It uses a centrally located camera to scan the floor while it moves and is able to detect furniture walls, walls, and other obstacles. It can also use an artificial wall to define limits that the robot isn't able to cross.

One of the main distinctions between this model and earlier Roomba models is the fact that it uses an lithium-ion battery, not the nickel metal hydride batteries that were used in older ones. This means it can last longer between charges, and has more endurance when cleaning. It's not as fast as the Shark AI Robot, but it's still pretty quick and can navigate the room without difficulty.

The 970, as with the other models in the 960 series, is controlled using the iRobot App and connects to the Wi-Fi network with any setup needed. The robot has an incredibly small handle that you can use to manually return it to its charger. Spot-cleaning allows you to focus on a specific area of your home. The 960 robots employ the same three-stage process as the other current iRobot models, which combine the power of agitation and lifting to thoroughly clean your floor and get rid of dirt.

The 960 is great for bare floors. Its brushrolls and powerful vacuums can pick up a ton of hair, dust and other particles. However, it isn't a great choice for carpets with high piles and tends to leave a little sand in its tunnel. It has a large dirt storage compartment which can be notified when it's full via an app or a indicator on the top of the robot. It can be programmed to clean on a schedule, and we found it easy to set up this during our tests.