The Best Robot Vacuum For Carpet
There's a robot for any carpet type, whether it's low-pile or high-pile. These smart appliances automatically navigate through your home, pick up debris and even clean under furniture.
They are equipped with advanced features, like mapping, which help them navigate through your home and remember where furniture is. They can also boost suction power to clear dirtier areas.
iRobot Roomba 694"
The Roomba from iRobot is an entry level robot vacuum that is effective on both plain flooring and carpets with low pile. It has a decent suction and can clean all kinds of debris, but it has trouble with larger debris like rice or sand. It is effective in cleaning pet hair but isn't as strong against knots as premium Roomba models such as the j7 and I6.
The Roomba is simple to use. It has three buttons on its top cover: 'Clean' launches a cleaning cycle and 'Dock' places it back in its charging station, and 'Spot Clean' initiates a targeted clean. You can control it using an app on your smartphone that lets you to schedule cycles, stop/start them and adjust settings. It is also possible to pair the device with smart home devices like Alexa or Google Assistant to control it via voice commands.
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 huge dust bin, which is great to reduce the frequency at which you need to empty it. It is compatible with virtual barriers and digital mapping which let you set it to avoid specific areas or even stop cleaning completely in order to prevent it from getting stuck on something.
It's not the most effective in its price, but it's better than most other options. The Roborock E4 is more advanced than the Roomba 694, with superior cleaning performance on carpets that are low and bare. It also has a more efficient cleaning path and has longer battery life. It is also more durable, has fewer components that require regular maintenance, and costs less over its life and charges faster than 694.
It's also worth considering other models that are more expensive within the iRobot line, such as the 981 or the v7. They're more expensive, but they offer significant improvements over the 694 in terms of cleaning efficiency on both low and bare floors. They also follow an efficient cleaning path and have a larger dirt compartment, are more efficient to charge, move more easily, and are much easier to connect to smart home devices.
Shark RV1001AE IQ
This budget self-emptying robot does an okay job on hard floors and carpets with a low pile. The combo brush can reach into corners and edges, and it automatically increases suction when it detects carpet. It also does a great job of cleaning dirt off mid-pile carpet. The IQ's tiny footprint for docks and the self-emptying feature are great features. However, if you wish to change floor levels on the map or set no-go zones, you'll have to manually reset it in order to do this, which is somewhat of trouble.
The IQ's app has some advanced mapping and automation features however it doesn't have no-go zones that are available on iRobot models. Its smart-pathing navigational system results in greater maneuverability and its high-pile carpet mode cleans well, although it is prone to get caught up on rug tassels. Its iHome speaker allows you to operate the robot by voice commands.
In our tests, we found that the IQ handled pet hair well. It was able to remove a large amount of debris on floors that were not bare and a good amount on medium-pile rug. It was less effective on shag carpets, where it was unable to reach dirt and dust that was embedded in the fibers. It was able navigate the legs of chairs, small spaces, and even the base of an IKEA wooden step stool. It was a little slower on bare floors but it quickly recovered and performed more thoroughly than other robots we tested.
The IQ is a better choice over the iRobot Roomba 694 for most uses. It has a bigger dust bin and lasts longer on charge and is more capable of moving itself over obstacles. It also has mopping attachments that can tackle sticky messes. The iRobot however, is better constructed, has fewer components that need maintenance or replacement and incurs fewer recurring costs, can create virtual no go zones with its companion application. It is able to continue cleaning from where it left off, even if the battery runs out before it has finished. The iRobot is also controlled by voice, which can be an advantage for many users.
Eufy 11S
The RoboVac 11S robotic vacuum isn't one of the most feature-rich models, but it does offer great cleaning power at an affordable price. The RoboVac 11S is designed for budget-conscious consumers who don't require a complicated mapping system, or an app, to control it. The robot can run for a long time and comes with the remote, a cleaning tool, AC power adapter, charging base and extra filters.
The 11S is slim, sleek, and features a tempered-glass upper deck that looks like the brushed appearance of aluminum. It's a nice departure from the utilitarian and industrial designs of Roomba, Samsung vacuum robot and Neato.
In our tests, the eufy11S was very effective in removing larger particles and fine dust on hard floors. It was unable to thoroughly clean medium and high-pile carpets. The device is capable of bumping into furniture and people in its course. However, it can detect obstacles with sensors. When it comes across them, it halts and emits a loud beep so you can manually guide it around the obstacle and get it back to work.
The BoostIQ mode is another great feature of the Eufy11S. It allows you to set up the robot to automatically adjust suction strength based upon the floor type and the level of mess. The remote control makes it simple to guide the 11S to the desired place.
If you don't have many furniture in the area you'd like to vacuum, Single Room Mode is an excellent alternative. The eufy can spend up to 30 minutes cleaning the space it is assigned.
Edge Cleaning is another option that limits the time that is spent on each area to 20 minutes. This will increase battery life. By selecting this option, the eufy will move in a spiral fashion, tackling corners and edges for an efficient clean.
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 that are not bare. It can remove fine debris like rice easily and it doesn't suffer from suction efficiency even as its dirt bin fills. Its air-sealed design and allergy-friendly design traps allergens, keeping your family healthy. It comes with an onboard HEPA and self-emptying bin which means you don't require additional filters or vacuum bags.
It's not as effective as more expensive models, but it's excellent for deep cleaning and taking on staining. It has two cameras on the front which provide live feeds to your smartphone. It also has one of the most advanced obstacle avoidance systems. It comes with a large bin, an extended runtime and an easy, bump-free clean-up.
The Complete C1 is unlike most robots in that it is able to switch between a standard head and a turbo head for various kinds of flooring. The turbo head is best with high-pile or low-pile carpeting, while the standard powerhead is suitable for floors with no flooring and light rug. It also features an automatic height adjustment system that allows it to adapt to different kinds of flooring without manual adjustments.
This model is bundled with the SBD 285-3 Classic Combination Floorhead, which can be used on both carpets with a hard surface and carpets with a medium pile. The powerhead can also be easily moved around and get into difficult areas. It comes with five different surface adjustments as well as an off-brush switch to avoid hairs from getting tangled.
The Classic C1 also has a self-cleaning brush roll and an UtraClean mode that cycles back and forth over the same area three times to ensure the best cleaning possible, and a self-emptying dustbin that can be emptied with the touch of a button. The noise level of this model is greater than other models. However, its powerful motor of 1,200 watts and durable construction are worth the extra cost.
If you're willing to pay a little more, the Miele Complete C3 canister robot vacuum is a fantastic all-purpose robot vacuum. It is more effective on carpets than the Classic C1. It has a better performance on all floors, feels more solidly built and comes with an HEPA filter.