No matter the scope and size of your living area, it needs to get cleaned somehow. You may have looked into the rising trend of robotic vacuum cleaners, which are not only an excellent way to tidy up the floors without thinking about it but are more convenient to stow away than traditional vacuum cleaners. However, the efficient little machines admittedly need to be emptied a lot more than the big guys.

In this post, we’ve come up with our top three picks for robotic vacuum cleaners, each with a self-emptying base. Whether you’re new to the automatic vacuum cleaner scene or are just tired of the frequent trips to the trash to get your cleaner going again, you’ll want to consider investing in one of these.

FeaturesiRobot Roomba i7+ (7550)Shark IQ R101AEiRobot Roomba s9+ (9550)
Suction power10xN/A40x
App ControlNoYesYes
Automatic rechargingYesYesYes
Running Time75 minutesN/A120 minutes
NavigationvSLAM navigation technologyvSLAM navigation technologyIQ NAV
See PriceSee PriceSee Price

1. iRobot Roomba i7+ (7550) Robot Vacuum Bundle

For a vacuuming packed with features and made for your convenience, you’ll want to check out this automatic vacuum cleaner bundle by iRobot. Not only do you get an extremely efficient Roomba in the package, but a dirt disposal base comes included and holds up to 30 of the Roomba’s collection bins worth of dirt, dust, pet hair, and other debris.

The vacuum’s 3-stage cleaning system does the job well and captures both the larger debris that you can spot with the naked eye and the smaller particles that you can’t. It’s edge-sweeping brushes pick up everything it can, and it’s high-efficiency filters lock in 99% of allergens. Lastly, the machine empties itself in the dirt disposal base, so you don’t have to worry about forgetting.

While the vacuum works, it maps the house using Imprint Smart Mapping technology and connects to the iRobot HOME app, which lets you name each room and even put them together if you so choose. The Roomba i7+ can remember up to 10 different floor plans, so if you have a decent-sized house, your space is covered!

Product Features and Specifications

  • Comes with 1 Roomba i7+ vacuum
  • Uses Imprint smart mapping technology
  • Uses iAdapt 3.0 and vSLAM technology to prevent crashes
  • Comes with 1 Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal bin
  • Comes with 4 dirt disposal bags
  • Holds up to 30 robot bins worth of debris
  • The Vacuum has soft-touch bumpers to cushion the contact with walls and furniture
  • Extra high-efficiency filter included
  • Extra side brush included
  • Connects to the iRobot HOME App via Wi-Fi
  • Compatible with Alexa

User/Customer Impressions

Buyers are highly impressed with this product, how easy it is to set up, how nice it is that it empties in it’s charging base, and how relaxing it is to let it do its thing. Users state that the Roomba takes a few runs to map out the layout of a given room accurately, but after that, you won’t need to worry about it at all. In that same vein, customers say that linking the Roomba to their Wi-Fi connection may be a bit difficult, but the customer support representatives are friendly and can surely help you out.

Conclusion

If you strive for the most convenient way to vacuum, this bundle is worth checking out. With such highly involved technology, all of its efficiency-heightening features, and the fantastic self-emptying base, this product certainly delivers in terms of quality. All in all, the i7+ is a worthwhile investment.


2. Shark IQ R101AE with Self-Empty Base

If efficiency is the name of the game, this vacuum by Shark is a strong candidate for the winner. The Shark IQ pulls out all the stops, coming equipped with a disposal base, effective smart-mapping technology, and efficient suction to combat both the more and less prominent sized debris. The vacuum works on both carpeted and hardwood floors, meaning you can tackle pretty much any room in your home.

The product comes ready to work with edge and corner brushes to pick up debris in every space. And if that wasn’t efficient enough, the brush roll also self-cleans to prevent hair from wrapping around itself and interrupting the job.

The Shark IQ cleans row by row instead of in random pathways, and by connecting it to the Shark Clean App, you can schedule the days and times it cleans specific rooms. Not only does it map the routes it takes so it doesn’t go over the same places, but if the vacuum runs out of battery in the middle of the cleaning session, it’ll pick up where it left off after it leaves the charging station!

Product Features and Specifications

  • Dirt Disposal Base holds 30 bins worth of debris
  • Self-cleaning brush roll
  • Uses IQ NAV technology
  • Equipped with edge and corner brushes
  • Empties itself after every cleaning session
  • Connects to the Shark Clean App via Wi-Fi
  • Compatible with Alexa

User/Customer Impressions

Users are saying a lot of good things about this product. Several have called the self-disposal mechanics “brilliant” and say that it maps out layouts pretty accurately – though some admit it occasionally bumps into its charging station. The suction, customers say, is fantastic, it picks up pet hair incredibly well, and the self-cleaning brush does work to prevent any hair-wrapping. A lot of users take issue with the fact that it’s a tad loud when working on hardwood floors, even though the machine is quiet on carpet surfaces.

Conclusion

Overall, there are a lot of positives that make this robot vacuum one to look into. It’s a powerful cleaner, empties all on its own, and comes with all sorts of features for you to tailor to your convenience. This vacuum might be just what you need!


3. iRobot Roomba s9+ (9550) Robot Vacuum

For a thorough and competent cleaning job, this Roomba is the thing you need in your life. It offers quality cleaning features, ultra-intuitive smart-mapping technology, and a self-emptying base that takes away all hassle. Not to mention, both the disposal base and the vacuum itself come with anti-allergen features such as anti-allergen filters and allergen-lock bags.

With a 3-stage cleaning system and many brushes, including corner brushes, edge brushes, and rubber brush rolls to prevent tangling pet hair, the s9+ guarantees you an excellent cleaning job. The power of the vacuum’s suction also gets deep into the carpets to pick up all the dust and dirt particles that you can’t see, getting the job done on a particle-sized level as well.

A combination of Imprint Smart Mapping, vSLAM, and PerfectEdge technology makes the Roomba s9+ one of the smartest vacuums out there. Not only can you schedule which room you want cleaned and when, but you can select specific zones for the machine to avoid. This tech-savvy vacuum can also link directly with the Braava jet m6 for a tag-team vacuum-then-mop job.

Product Features and Specifications

  • Comes with one disposal base with AllergenLock bags
  • Uses PerfectEdge, vSLAM, and Imprint Smart Mapping technology
  • Gathers 230,400 data points at a time and scans ahead at 25 scans per second
  • Comes with 26-degree, 30mm corner brushes
  • Remembers multiple floor plans and Keep-Out zones
  • Equipped with an anti-allergen filter
  • Equipped with dual multi-surface rubber brush rolls
  • Can be linked to the Braava jet m6

User/Customer Impressions

Overall, consumers seem pretty pleased with the product. The battery life is long, the vacuum cleans efficiently, the app integration is seamless, the mapping is accurate, and the self-emptying base brings relaxing low-maintenance, all according to the customers. Users say it gets the corners particularly well and that the rollers are easy to detach, so if something does happen to get tangled in there, it’s an easy fix.

While some customers say it doesn’t always make it to its home base and can be a little loud, the positives certainly seem to outweigh the negatives.

Conclusion

By combining the forces of multiple types of technology, practical cleaning features, and conveniences such as scheduling and self-emptying, the Roomba s9+ comes made to clean. For tidying up your floors in the most convenient way possible, this product is a choice you want to consider.


Related Questions

How Often Do Disposal Bases Need to Be Changed?

While most self-emptying bases boast that you can forget about emptying them for weeks at a time, you’ll be pleased to know that you can forget about them even longer. If you invest in a proper product, you can sometimes leave the base alone for over an entire month before you have to worry about emptying it.

Will A Robot Vacuum Still Work Without Wi-Fi?

The short answer is yes. All you have to do is hit the start button on the machine and it’ll clean away! The Wi-Fi connection is just what makes your smart vacuum even smarter, letting you do the scheduling and managing. Even if you lose that, you’ll still be able to vacuum if you don’t have an internet connection when you need to fire up the vacuum.

Related Article: 7 Best Vacuum For Pet Hair And Allergies

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