The Best Robot Vacuum For Carpet
There's a robot for all carpet types, regardless of whether it's low-pile or high-pile. These smart appliances automatically navigate through your home, pick up debris and even clean under furniture.
Many have advanced features like mapping, which helps them navigate around your home and keep track of furniture placement. They can also boost suction power to tackle dirtier surfaces.
iRobot Roomba 694"
The Roomba 694 by iRobot is a robot vacuum for entry-level use that is able to work on carpets with a low pile or bare floor. It is able to suction well however, it struggles with larger particles such as sand or grains of rice. It is effective in cleaning pet hair, but it isn't as resistant to tangling as premium Roomba models like the I6 and j7.
The Roomba is easy to operate. It has a trio of buttons on its cover: 'Clean' launches an entire cleaning cycle and 'Dock' allows it to be put back into its charging station and 'Spot Clean' triggers an targeted clean. It can be controlled via an app for smartphones that lets you schedule and stop/start cycles, as well as alter settings. You can also connect it with smart home devices like Alexa or Google Assistant for voice-controlled operation.
This vacuum is slower than the others, however it's still able get into the most crevices and corners. It comes with a large dust bin that is ideal for reducing the frequency with which you must empty it. It's compatible with digital barriers and virtual barriers which let you make it impossible to clean certain areas or even stop cleaning completely in order to prevent it from getting stuck on something.
While it's not the best model in its price range however, it's superior to many other options. The Roborock E4 is more advanced than the Roomba 694 with better cleaning performance on both bare and low-pile carpets. It also has the most efficient cleaning method and has longer battery life. It is also more comfortable to use and has fewer parts that require regular maintenance, is less expensive to maintain over its life and charges faster than the 694.
It's also worth looking at other, more premium models within the iRobot range, such as the 981 or the v7. The 981 and v7 are more expensive but provide significant improvement in cleaning efficiency, both on low and bare pile floors. They also have a larger dirt compartment they charge faster, can 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 carpets with a low pile. Its combo brush reaches into corners and edges and it automatically boosts suction when it senses carpet. It also does a great job of cleaning embedded dirt on carpets in the middle of the pile. The IQ has a small footprint and also a self-emptying function. If you want to change the floor's levels or define areas that are not allowed to be used, you'll need to manually reset the map.
The IQ's app comes with advanced mapping and automation features however, it's not able to access no-go zones, which are available on iRobot models. The smart-pathing navigational system results in superior maneuverability and its high-pile carpet mode is clean well, though it is prone to get caught up on rug tassels. Additionally, its iHome speaker lets you operate the robot by voice commands.
During our tests, the IQ was capable of handling pet hair with ease, removing an impressive amount of debris from floors that were not bare and fair amounts on medium-pile carpet. It was less efficient with shag carpets, where it struggled to get at dirt and dust that was embedded in the fibers. It did a decent job of maneuvering chair legs, tight spaces, and the base of a wooden IKEA step stool. We did notice that it was a bit slower on bare floors however it soon recovered speed and performed more thoroughly than the other robots we tested.
The IQ is a better choice than the iRobot Roomba 694 for most applications. It has a larger dustbin and a longer battery life and is better in navigating around obstacles. It comes with mopping tools that are able to clean up sticky mess. The iRobot however, feels better built and has fewer parts that require replacement or maintenance, incurs less cost per year, and can create virtual no-go zones using its companion application. It can even resume a cleaning session from where it left off if it has run out of battery before having completed the task. The iRobot can also be controlled via voice, which can be a big plus for many users.
Eufy 11S
The RoboVac 11S robotic vacuum isn't among the most features-rich models, but it provides excellent cleaning power for affordable prices. It's a budget-friendly option for buyers who don't need a complicated mapping system or app to control the device. This robot can run for more than an hour and includes the remote, a cleaning tool, AC power adapter, charging base and extra filters.
The 11S is slim and sleek with a tempered glass upper deck that is covered with plastic, which is finished to appear like brushed aluminum. It's a nice aesthetic departure from Roomba, Samsung, and Neato designs that are more industrial and utilitarian.
The eufy11S did well in our tests of removing larger debris and fine dust from flooring. However, it struggled to give high and medium pile carpets a thorough clean. It also has a tendency to smack into furniture and people that are in its path, but it's able to detect obstacles with sensors. When it encounters them, it stops and lets out a loud beep so you can manually guide it through the obstacle before getting 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 strength based upon the floor type and the level of the mess. It's also simple to use the remote to direct the 11S where you want it to move.
If you don't have much furniture in the room you're looking to vacuum, Single Room Mode is an excellent option. The eufy can spend 30 minutes focusing on cleaning the area it's assigned.
You can also choose Edge Cleaning, which restricts the amount of time spent in each area to 20 minutes to ensure 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 robot vacuum that can be a great performer on carpet. Its performance is also exceptional on bare floors. It can pick up small particles like rice easily and it doesn't suffer from suction performance even as its dirt bin gets full. Its air-sealed and allergy-friendly design traps allergens, keeping your family healthy. It has an onboard HEPA and self-emptying bin, so you don't need additional filters or vacuum bags.
It's not as powerful as other models, but it's excellent for deep cleaning and tackling the toughest stains. It has two cameras on the front which provide live feeds to your smartphone. It also comes with one of the most advanced obstacle avoidance systems. It also has a big dustbin, long runtime, and a fast clean-up that is free of bumps.
The Complete C1 is unlike most robots in that it is able to switch between a standard head and a turbo head for various types of flooring. The turbo head is ideal for carpeting that is high-pile and low-pile and the standard powerhead is great on floors that are unfinished and light carpets. It also has an automatic height adjustment system that allows it to adjust to different types of flooring without manual adjustments.
This model comes with an SBD 285-3 Classic Combination Floorhead that can handle both hard floors as well as carpeting with a medium pile. The powerhead can be easily moved and reach difficult spots. It comes with five levels of surface adjustments and a brushroll off switch to avoid hairs getting caught in tangles.
The Classic C1 also has a self-cleaning brush roll and an UtraClean mode that moves robot vacuum and mop around the same area three times for the best possible clean and a self-emptying bin which can be filled with the touch of one button. The volume of noise produced by this model is more pronounced than other models. However its powerful motor with 1,200 watts of power and robust construction are worth the additional cost.
If you're willing to spend a little more it is the Miele Complete C3 canister robot vacuum is an excellent all-around robot vacuum. It performs better on carpets than the Classic C1. It is better suited for all kinds of floors and is built more securely, and comes with a HEPA filter.