The Best Robot Vacuum For Carpet
There's a robot to suit every carpet type, whether it's low-pile or high-pile. These machines are intelligent and can automatically navigate through your home, pick up dirt and clean under furniture.
A lot of them come with advanced features, like mapping, which helps them navigate around your home and keep track of furniture positioning. They can also increase the suction power in order to clean up surfaces that are dirtier.
iRobot Roomba 694
The Roomba 694 from iRobot is a robot vacuum for entry-level use that works well on carpets with low pile and bare floors. It has a good suction and is able to clean most debris, however it has trouble with larger debris like rice or sand. It also does a good job at cleaning pet hair, but it's not resistant to tangling like the premium Roomba models such as the I6 or j7.
The Roomba is simple to use. It has three buttons on its top cover. "Clean," which launches a cleaning session and 'Dock' that puts it in its charging station and "Spot," which initiates an individualized cleaning. You can control it via an app for smartphones that lets you to schedule cycles, stop/start the cycle and change settings. You can also connect it with smart home devices like Alexa or Google Assistant for voice-controlled operation.
This vacuum is slower than other models, but it is still able to get into the most crevices and corners. It has a large bin that makes it easy to empty. It is compatible with digital mapping and virtual barriers, which lets you program the robot to stay out of certain areas or to stop cleaning completely to stop it from getting stuck.
Although it's not the top model for its price, it's better than many other options. The Roborock E4 has a better cleaning efficiency than the Roomba 694 and it can clean both carpets with low pile as well as bare. It also has a longer-lasting battery and a better route. It is also more durable, has fewer components that require regular maintenance, costs less over its lifetime, and charges faster than 694.
You should also consider other models from the iRobot range, like the v7 and the 981. The v7 and 981 are more expensive, but have significant improvements in cleaning performance both on low and bare pile floors. They also have a bigger dirt compartment they charge faster, can move more easily, and are easier to pair with smart home devices.
Shark RV1001AE IQ
This budget self-emptying robot vacuum cleaner does a great job on carpets with a low pile and hard floors. Its combinator brush gets to the edges and corners and then automatically boosts suction once it spots carpet. It also excels at cleaning dirt embedded in mid-pile carpet. The IQ's small dock footprint and self-emptying feature are nice touches. However, if you want 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 a hassle.
The IQ's application has advanced mapping and automation features however, it's not able to access no-go zones which are included on iRobot models. The smart-pathing technology allows for greater maneuverability and the high-pile feature of its carpet cleaning mode is effective however it can be caught in the tassels of the rug.
During 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 good amount of rug with a medium pile. It was a little less effective on shag carpet, which was a struggle to reach dirt and dust that was embedded in the fibers. It was capable of navigating chair legs and tight spaces as well as the wooden base of an IKEA step stool. It was a little slower on flooring that was not fully covered but it was able to recover speed and performed better than other robots that we evaluated.
The IQ is a better option for most users than the iRobot Roomba. It has a larger dustbin and lasts longer on charge, and does a better job of maneuvering itself over obstacles. It comes with a mopping tool that can remove sticky debris. On the other side, the iRobot is more durable, has fewer parts that require maintenance or replacement, incurs lower recurring costs and creates virtual no-go zones with its companion app. It can continue cleaning from where it left off, even if the battery runs out before it has finished. The iRobot can also be controlled via voice commands, which is an advantage for many users.
Eufy 11S
The RoboVac 11S eufy robot vacuum isn't one of the most advanced models, but it does offer powerful cleaning power at an affordable price. It's designed for those who don't require a complicated mapping system or an app to control the device. The robot is capable of running for a long time and includes a remote, cleaning tool, AC power adapter, charging base and extra filters.
The 11S is slim and elegant and has a tempered glass upper deck that resembles polished aluminum. It's a nice departure from the utilitarian and industrial designs of Roomba, Samsung and Neato.
In our tests, the eufy 11S was very effective in removing larger particles and fine dust on hard flooring. It was unable to thoroughly clean carpets with high and medium piles. The device is prone to bump into people and furniture in its path. However, it is able to detect obstacles using sensors. It stops and emits a loud noise when it comes across an obstacle. Then, you can manually guide the device around it to get it to work again.
The BoostIQ mode is another fantastic feature of the Eufy11S. It lets you set up the robot to automatically adjust suction strength based upon the floor type and the amount of dirt. It's also easy to use the remote to direct the 11S in the direction you'd like it to go.
If you don't have many furniture in the room you're looking to vacuum Single Room Mode is an excellent alternative. The eufy will take 30 minutes intensely cleaning the area that it's assigned.
You can also choose Edge Cleaning which limits the amount of time spent in each location to 20 minutes for optimal battery life. If you select this option the eufy moves in a spiral fashion taking care of edges and corners for a thorough 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 excellent on floors that are not bare. It is able to remove rice and other fine debris with ease. The suction power doesn't drop as the dirt bin fills. Its air-sealed, allergy-friendly design capture allergens and keep your family healthy. It comes with an onboard HEPA and self-emptying bin so you don't need any additional filters or vacuum bags.
It's not as powerful as more expensive models, but it's great for tackling stains and deep cleaning. It comes with two cameras in front that provide a live feed to your smartphone. It also has one of the most advanced obstacle avoidance systems. It comes with a large bin, a long runtime and a quick, bump-free cleanup.
In contrast to other robots, unlike most other robots, Complete C1 can switch between a standard powerhead and a turbo head to accommodate different floor types. The turbo head is great for low-pile and high-pile carpeting and the standard powerhead can be used on floors that are unfinished and light rugs. It also has an automatic height adjustment system that allows it to adapt to various types flooring without here manual adjustments.
This model is included with the SBD 285-3 Classic Combination Floorhead, which can be used on carpets with a hard surface and carpets with a medium pile. The powerhead is also easy to move and can get into difficult spots. It comes with five different surface adjustments and a switch that stops the brushroll to prevent tangled hairs.
The Classic C1 also has a self-cleaning brush roll as well as an UtraClean mode that cycles back and forth over the same area three times for the best cleaning possible, and a self-emptying dustbin which can be filled with the touch of a button. The sound level of this model is more pronounced than other models. However, its powerful motor with 1,200 watts of power and sturdy construction make it worth the additional cost.
If you're willing to spend a bit more then the Miele Complete C3 is an excellent all-around canister robot vacuum that performs better on carpet than the Classic C1. It performs better on all types of floors and is built more securely, and comes with a HEPA filter.