The Best Robot Vacuum For Carpet
No matter if you have a carpet with a high or low pile, there's a robot vacuum for you. These intelligent appliances can navigate your home automatically and pick up dirt and clean under furniture.
They have advanced features like mapping that help them navigate through your home and help you remember the location of furniture. They can also increase suction power to tackle dirtier areas.
iRobot Roomba 694"
The Roomba 694 by iRobot is an entry-level robot vacuum that works well on carpets with a low pile or bare floor. It has good suction and cleans up most debris, though it struggles with bigger debris like rice or sand. It is capable of cleaning pet hair, but it is not as resistant to knots as premium Roomba models such as the j7 and I6.
The Roomba 694 is easy to use. It has a trio of buttons on its top cover: 'Clean' launches an entire cleaning cycle, 'Dock' puts it back into its charging station and 'Spot Clean' initiates the targeted cleaning. It is controlled by an app on your smartphone that allows you to schedule or stop/start cycles, and also adjust settings. You can also pair it with smart home devices like Alexa or Google Assistant for voice-controlled operation.
This vacuum is slower than others, but it is still able to reach most corners and crevices. It comes with a large 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 stop cleaning altogether to avoid it from becoming stuck.
Although it's not the most efficient model in its price range, it's better than many other alternatives. The Roborock E4 is more advanced than the Roomba 694 with better cleaning efficiency on carpets with low and no pile. It also follows the most efficient cleaning method and has a longer battery life. It also feels more durable and has fewer components that need regular maintenance, is less expensive to own over its lifetime and charges more quickly than the 694.
You may also want to consider other models in the iRobot range, including the v7 and the 981. The v7 and 981 are more expensive but provide significant improvements in cleaning performance, both on low and bare pile floors. They also have a larger dirt compartment and charge faster, move more easily and are more a breeze to pair with smart home devices.
Shark RV1001AE IQ
This budget self-emptying robot does a decent job on hard floors and low-pile carpet. The combination brush is able to reach corners and edges, and automatically increases suction when it senses carpet. It also excels at cleaning dirt that is embedded in carpets that are mid-pile. The IQ's tiny footprint for docks and its self-emptying feature are nice touches. If you wish to alter the floor's levels or define no-go areas, you'll need to manually reset the map.
The IQ app comes with advanced mapping and automated features, however it isn't equipped with no-go zones. They are only available on iRobot robots. The smart-pathing technology allows for superior maneuverability and the high-pile mode of its carpet cleaning mode is effective, although it can get caught on rug tassels.
In our tests, we observed that the IQ handled pet hair with ease. It was able to remove lots of debris on floors that were not bare and a decent amount on medium-pile rug. It was less efficient with shag carpets. It was unable to reach dirt and dust that was embedded in the fibers. It was able to maneuver the legs of a chair, tiny spaces and even the base of an IKEA wooden step stool. It was a bit slower on bare flooring but it was able to recover speed and was more efficient than the other robots we test.
The IQ is a better option than the iRobot Roomba 694 for most applications. It has a larger dustbin and lasts longer on charge, and does a better job of maneuvering itself around obstacles. It also comes with mopping attachments that are able to tackle sticky mess. The iRobot is, however, feels more sturdy and has less components that require replacement or maintenance and incurs fewer ongoing costs, and can even create virtual no-go zones using its companion app. It can continue cleaning from where it left off even if its battery runs out before it finishes. The iRobot can be controlled by voice commands, which is a huge plus for many users.
Eufy 11S
The eufy RoboVac 11S isn't the most feature-rich robot vacuum on the market but it does provide excellent cleaning power at a low price. It's a budget-friendly option for buyers who don't require a complicated mapping system or an app to control the device. This robot can last for over an hour. It comes with a remote control, cleaning tool and AC power adapter.
The 11S is slim, sleek, and features a tempered-glass upper deck that appears like brushed aluminum. It's a nice stylistic contrast to Roomba, Samsung, and Neato designs that are more utilitarian and industrial.
In our tests, the eufy11S was extremely effective at removing larger debris and fine dust on hard floors. However, it was unable to provide medium and high pile carpeting an effective deep clean. The device also has a tendency to bump into furniture and people that are in its path however, it's able detect those obstacles using sensors. When it encounters them, it stops and lets out an alarm so that you can manually guide it around the obstacle and get it back to work.
Another great feature of the eufy11S is its BoostIQ mode that lets you set the robot to automatically adjust its suction power to match the floor type and level of dirt. It's also simple to use the remote to direct the 11S where you want it to move.
Single Room Mode is a great option for those with small furniture in the space you'd like to vacuum. The eufy can spend up to 30 minutes cleaning the space it is assigned.
You can also choose Edge Cleaning which restricts the time spent in each area to 20 minutes for optimal 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 canister robotic vacuum that is a top performer on carpet. Its performance on carpets with no floor is also exceptional. It can pick up small particles like rice with ease and doesn't lose suction power even when its dirt bin gets full. Its air-sealed design and allergy-friendly design capture allergens, keeping your family healthy. It comes with an onboard HEPA and self-emptying bin so you don't need additional filters or vacuum bags.
It's not as powerful as more expensive models, but it's still great for tackling staining 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 seen. It has a huge bin, a long runtime and the ability to clean up quickly and without bumps.
In contrast 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 ideal for carpeting that is high-pile and low-pile, while the standard powerhead can be used on bare floors and lightweight carpets. It also comes with an automatic height adjustment system that allows it to adapt to different types of flooring without manual adjustments.
This model comes with the SBD 285-3 Classic Combination Floorhead, which can be used on both hard floors and carpets of medium pile. The motor can also be easily moved and reach difficult spots. It comes with robot mop five levels of surface adjustment and a brushroll off switch to help prevent tangled hairs.
The Classic C1 has a self cleaning brush roll, the UtraClean Mode that can clean the same area up to three times and a self-emptying bin that can be emptied by pressing a button. Its sound level is slightly higher than that of other models however its powerful 1,200-watt motor as well as robust construction make it worth the extra expense.
If you're willing to pay a bit more then the Miele Complete C3 is an excellent all-round canister robot vacuum that performs better on carpet than the Classic C1. It performs better on all floor types, feels more solidly built and comes with a HEPA filter.