The Best Robot Vacuum For Carpet
There's a robot to suit any carpet type, whether it's low-pile or high-pile. These smart appliances automatically navigate your home, suck up debris and even clean under furniture.
They are equipped with advanced features, like mapping, which help you navigate around your home and keep track of where furniture is. They can also increase suction power to clear dirtier areas.
iRobot Roomba 694
The iRobot Roomba is a budget-friendly robot vacuum that is effective on both bare flooring and floor carpets with a low pile. It is able to suction well, but struggles with larger debris like grains of rice or sand. It also does a decent job of cleaning pet hair however it isn't immune to tangling like high-end Roomba models like the j7 or I6.
The Roomba 694 is easy 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 activates a targeted cleaning. You can control it via a smartphone application that allows you schedule cycles, stop/start them, and alter settings. You can also connect the device with smart home devices such as Alexa or Google Assistant to control it via voice.
This vacuum cleaner is slower than other models, but it can get into the most crevices and corners. It has a huge dust bin which is ideal for reducing the frequency with which you need to empty it. It is compatible with digital mapping and virtual barriers, which allow you to set the robot to avoid certain areas or stop cleaning completely to stop it from getting stuck.
It's not the top in its price range but it's superior to other models. The Roborock E4 has a better cleaning performance than the Roomba 694 and it is able to clean both carpets with low pile as well as bare. It also has the most efficient cleaning method and has a longer battery life. It is also more robust, has fewer components that require regular maintenance, costs less over its lifetime and charges faster than 694.
It's also worth considering other models that are more expensive from the iRobot line, like the 981 or the v7. The 981 and v7 are both more expensive, but provide significant improvements in cleaning performance, both on bare and low pile floors. They also have a larger dirt compartment, charge faster, move more easily, and are easier to pair up with smart home devices.
Shark RV1001AE IQ
This budget self-emptying robotic vacuum cleaner does an excellent job on carpets with a low pile and hard flooring. The combination brush is able to reach corners and edges, and then automatically increases suction when it spots carpet. It is also effective at cleaning dirt and debris that are embedded in carpets that are mid-pile. The IQ's tiny footprint for docks and the self-emptying feature are great features. However, if you want to change the floor levels on the map or create no-go zones you'll have to manually reset it to do this, which is quite a hassle.
The IQ app offers some advanced mapping and automated features, but it isn't equipped with no-go zones. These are available only on iRobot robots. The smart-pathing system of the app allows for superior maneuverability and the high-pile feature of its carpet cleaning mode is very effective but it could get stuck on rug tassels.
In our tests in our tests, the IQ was capable of handling pet hair effectively, clearing huge amounts of hair from floors with no flooring and fair amounts on medium-pile carpet. It was less efficient with shag carpets. It had a hard time reaching dirt and dust embedded within 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 floors with no flooring however it soon recovered speed and performed more thoroughly than the other robots we tried.
The IQ is a better option for the majority of users than the iRobot Roomba. It has a bigger dustbin and a longer battery lifespan and is more adept at navigating around obstacles. It also has a mopping attachment that can deal with sticky mess. On the other hand, the iRobot feels better-built, has fewer parts that require maintenance or replacement and has lower recurring costs, and can create virtual no-go zones using its companion app. It can even resume cleaning from where it left off if it has run out of battery before having completed the task. The iRobot can be controlled by voice, which is a huge benefit for many users.
Eufy 11S
The eufy RoboVac 11S robot vacuum isn't among the most feature-rich models, but it does offer powerful cleaning power at a low cost. It's designed for those who don't require a complicated mapping system or an app to control the device. This robot can run for up to an hour and includes the remote, a cleaning tool, AC robot vacuum that vacuums and mops power adapter, charging base, and additional filters.
The 11S is slim, elegant and has a tempered glass upper deck that resembles polished aluminum. It's a nice change from the utilitarian and industrial designs of Roomba, Samsung and Neato.
In our tests, the eufy11S was extremely effective at removing larger particles and fine dust on hard flooring. It was unable to thoroughly clean high-pile and medium-pile carpets. The device is prone of bumping into people and furniture in its course. However, it is able to detect obstacles with sensors. It ceases and emits a loud noise when it encounters an obstacle. It is then possible to manually steer the device around it and restart it.
The BoostIQ mode is another great feature of the eufy11S. It lets you set the robot up to automatically adjust suction strength based upon the floor type and the amount of the mess. It's also simple to use the remote to direct the 11S to where you'd like it to go.
If you don't have many furniture in the area you're looking to vacuum Single Room Mode is an excellent alternative. The eufy is capable of spending up to 30 minutes cleaning the space it is assigned.
You can also choose Edge Cleaning that limits the time spent in each area to 20 minutes for maximum battery life. If you select this option the eufy can move in a spiral to clean edges and corners to ensure a clean.
Miele Complete C1
The Miele Complete C1 is an excellent mid-range robot vacuum that is a top performer on carpet. Its performance on bare floors is also exceptional. It is able to remove small particles such as rice effortlessly, and it 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 has an onboard HEPA and self-emptying bin so you don't need any additional filters or a vacuum bag.
It's not as effective as more expensive models, but it's ideal for deep cleaning and taking on the toughest stains. Its two front cameras deliver live feeds of images on your smartphone, and it features one of the best obstacle avoidance systems we've ever seen. It also comes with a huge dustbin, a long runtime and a quick and smooth clean-up.
Contrary to other robots unlike most other robots, Complete C1 can switch between two powerheads, a standard one and a turbo head to suit different floor types. The turbo head is best with high-pile or low-pile carpeting, while the standard powerhead is ideal for bare floors and light carpets. It also features an automated height adjustment system, that allows it to adapt to different kinds of flooring, without manual adjustments.
This model comes bundled with a SBD 285-3 Classic Combination Floorhead that can handle both hard floors and carpeting of medium-pile. The powerhead can be easily maneuvered and get into difficult areas. It has five different surface adjustments and a switch that stops the brushroll to prevent hairs getting caught in knots.
The Classic C1 also has a self-cleaning brush roll and an UtraClean mode that goes around the same area three times for the best possible clean and a self-emptying trash bin that can be empty at 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 and durable construction are worth the extra cost.
If you're willing to spend a little more it is the Miele Complete C3 canister robot vacuum is a great all-around robot vacuum. It is more effective on carpets than the Classic C1. It has a better performance on all floors and is more solidly constructed, and includes an HEPA filter.