The world of vacuum robots is getting wider: they no longer just sweep, now they also scrub or even clean themselves. Precisely for this reason we have wanted to compile four models to recommend, currently available on the market, each of which stands out for a different quality: one for its low price, another for its scrubbing capacity , another for its self-cleaning superpower and finally the latter for its powerful mapping technology. There is a choice.
Vacuum robots, the kings of the home
What was once a real whim for just a few today has become almost just another element of the home. We are talking, of course, about vacuum robots that have ended up providing a service at home that many no longer want to give up . This type of equipment is responsible for vacuuming the entire house autonomously, without you doing anything, as many times as you want and when you decide.
In general you can choose the type of intensity when cleaning, it is possible to establish a weekly work schedule and you can even choose which areas you want to be cleaned and which ones are not. The latter is thanks to the mapping technologies enjoyed by these types of smart devices, making a perfect x-ray of our house so that no corner is left uncleaned.
This popularization has also encouraged manufacturers to launch more models: if before there were a few brands that had certain proposals, now the range is tremendously wide. So much so that you may have doubts about the best option to buy right now. For this reason, we wanted to make a selection where we pointed out something especially remarkable in each one of them, as well as the best and worst of each, so that you have a better idea and can choose the one that suits you best.
4 robots worth buying
We leave you below four models from four different manufacturers of which we could highlight very different and interesting qualities in all cases. If you were looking for a vacuum robot, this is definitely a good starting point.
The one that cleans itself: iRobot Roomba i7 +
We started big, with NASA less than iRobot. The good work of this American brand has been such that today many people do not say “I want to buy a robot vacuum cleaner” but they directly say “I want to buy a roomba” . Up to that point the firm has come to convince users, offering a tremendously wide catalog with all kinds of prices. But if you have to keep a model, that is undoubtedly the Roomba i7 +. Why? Well, because it is capable of cleaning itself , which is said soon.
The robot has a tank base called Clean Base in which the device empties all the dirt collected after the cleaning task. This means that you can spend many weeks (in our case, “spending” it an average of 4 days a week) without having to empty or clean any tank -after a few passes (depending on the dirt collected) in the robotic vacuum cleaners, you always have to empty this compartment so they can continue vacuuming well. Here what will be filled is a bag inside the base that the manufacturer recommends to throw away and replace with a new one when the app warns you.
Its finishes are fantastic, it makes a mapping of the house quite accurate and it even includes in the box a module that serves as a virtual wall so that the vacuum cleaner does not pass it (also from the mobile app you can select “exclusion” areas so that it never work on them.
What we like the most
- Its star quality is extremely comfortable: not having to empty the tank for weeks is fantastic
- Good design finish
- Very accurate Imprint Smart Mapping mapping system, with the possibility of even naming the areas
The least
- Its price is high compared to the competition: we are talking about 1,199 euros of official cost
- Sometimes it’s quite abrupt colliding with obstacles
- The base occupies enough (by height) so it cannot be “hidden” under any piece of furniture
The one that sucks and scrubs at the same time: Conga 4090
As we pointed out at the beginning, vacuum robots no longer only vacuum: now they also scrub. That they are able to do this second or to alternate between these two tasks is not new at this point, but that they do it in a really effective way … it is another story. In this sense, a good recommendation is the Cecotec Conga 4090.
This robot vacuum cleaner is quite complete and one of the best options in terms of quality / price. Its manufacturer has provided the robot with a good vacuuming and scrubbing system (with a mop step) with a mixed tank , which allows you to program vacuuming and scrubbing at the same time, in the same session (which other robots that also scrub do not allow).
Its mapping is also quite good and precise and has good power during its work. Perhaps it is a bit more impressive than other vacuum cleaners in size (its height exceeds other known models), but overall, it will give you many joys.
What we like the most
- Being able to establish in the same cleaning session the aspiration and scrubbing is undoubtedly one of its greatest virtues.
- The scrubbing is quite good also thanks to its scrubbing movement that also tries to avoid leaving marks
The least
- Mobile app interface could be more intuitive
- The height of the appliance makes it limit a little more under what furniture can pass
The economic: Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum
There are many types of robotic vacuum cleaners and therefore very varied prices, so it is difficult to choose the “cheapest” proposal without taking into account a multitude of factors that make this type of apparatus really useful and efficient equipment. In that sense, if we put a good performance and an adjusted price on a scale , our choice will be Xiaomi‘s famous Mi Robot Vacuum.
The Chinese firm also has its cleaning equipment and it turns out that it offers results as good as its scooters, phones or activity bracelets. It has become in fact one of the favorite models of the users, since it does a good job of cleaning, it is pretty (most of the robots are black and this white) and it has a good navigation system.
It also has a quite remarkable autonomy and is managed from the same Mi Home environment as other devices of the brand, so if you use other Xiaomi equipment, you will like to have everything centralized in one place.
What we like the most
- Its design is minimalist and attractive and even its base is compact and discreet
- The price is below 300 euros and gives very good results
- Good autonomy to do your job in one go
The least
- The mobile control application has sections in English that are not translated and needs to be polished more as they cloud the experience.
- It does not scrub (although there is a new generation that does)
The Advanced: Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo 950
We declared ourselves fans of the Deebot Ozmo 950 from the first moment we tried it and we could not stop proposing it around here. If there is anything to highlight about the Ecovacs proposal, it is its mapping technology , possibly the best we have tested so far.
The tracking of the hours is incredibly accurate and good, and while curtains can sometimes be a problem (when viewed as an obstacle), it usually moves really efficiently throughout the home. Its application also has endless customization options and is very comfortable to use, being another of its strengths.
It sucks quite well (thanks to its so-called Ozmo technology) and it can even scrub, although for this you will have to attach a mop to it, so you cannot schedule continuous cleaning and scrubbing in the same session.
What we like the most
- Its Smart Navi 3.0 home mapping technology is very good
- The cleanup job is pretty good and allows for different types of job levels
- The app offers many options and customization
The least
- If you change your mobile phone, the map of the app goes “crazy”. You will need to do a recon round around the house.
- It is necessary to manually attach a mop each time we want to scrub so it does not have a continuous vacuum-scrub session