The Best Self-Empting Vacuums

Robot vacuums are fantastic for keeping your floors clean, but they often come with small dust bins that require manual emptying after every cleaning session. High-end models have self-emptying bases, which remove this step and allow for hands-free cleaning.

The best self-emptying vacuum cleaners have a docking system that can hold up to 45 days of debris, with no intervention. Smart vacuums can also can map your home and can avoid power cords as well as other obstacles.

1. IRobot Roomba S9+

iRobot was the first company to introduce self-emptying robots using its Roomba i7. It's now elevated the technology to a whole new level with the s9+. This flagship model is expensive but it also offers the best performance of any robovac we've tested and includes improvements that other brands can only dream of.

First, it sucks up dirt into its Clean Base automatically. It then emptys the dirt into a huge bag that you can dispose away every 60-days. This makes it a good option for those who prefer to be hands-off when it comes to cleaning, but still need the peace of mind that comes with knowing that their home is regularly free of germs and allergens.

The s9+ also comes with advanced corner-cleaning capabilities that allow it closer to walls than previous models could, and it's better in spot cleaning, too. If it detects that a particular area needs extra attention it will return it to the area on an recurring schedule. If the area is particularly filthy, the s9 will return to it with a stronger suction until the entire mess is gone.

The s9+ can be controlled using the included app or Amazon Alexa (the s9+ is compatible with both) that allows you to provide complete voice commands, including the ability of the ability to pause, stop and start. You can program the robot to begin and stop its work at a specific time, or let it decide when to return to its dock.

The s9+ is great on flooring that is clean. It is able to easily take small pieces of debris, like rice, and bigger objects like cereal. It's also pretty good in tackling carpets with low piles and has strong suction even with an entire dirt compartment although it's not able to do as well on thicker carpets.

2. Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra

The Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra is a robot vacuum and mop that is able to sweep, detect rugs and self-clean making it one of the best hands-free robotic cleaners on the market. Its sophisticated navigation and mapping systems offer superior maneuverability, and its companion app provides access to many cleaning configuration options. It also supports a broad range of third-party apps that allow you to monitor your home's activities while it's in motion.

The S7 MaxV Ultra, like its predecessor, is great at sweeping carpets and hard floors. It performed well in our dirt pick-up tests and was a savior when it came to cleaning tough tasks like the sand embedded test as well as the carpet deep clean test. These tests are conducted by weighing the dust bin of the robot both before and after the time period. The S7 MaxV Ultra is also excellent at mopping, and has lots of suction power to tackle the bulky and small debris as well as pet hair that is bare on floors. It has a little difficulty with hair on low-pile, densely woven carpet, yet it manages to collect the majority of the hair on this type of floor.

This model is one of the quietest we've tested with a maximum noise level of just 57.5 dBA when operating in low-power 'Quiet' mode. It's not as quiet in its maximum-power setting, 'Max, which generates more than 80 dBA.

The S7 MaxV Ultra comes with an exclusive dock that will automatically empty the robot's trash bin and fill up its water tank. It's a bit more difficult to set up the X1 Omni, but once you've set it up it will run independently.

3. Shark IQ Large

The Shark IQ Robot XL is a high-quality mid-range robot vacuum with powerful suction and ample intelligent features. It is self-emptying with a bagless base and maps your home while it cleans to ensure full coverage. You can control it with the SharkClean app, or with voice commands via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. It also has physical boundary markers that you can use to restrict its access to specific areas.

It's a minimalist, all-black appearance and feel. It requires very little assembly out of the box, and requires only a couple of snaps to connect the included side brushes and best self-emptying robot Vacuum for pet hair the charging dock. The dirt compartment is a bit small, however, so you may need to empty it fairly often.

In tests it was found that the IQ Robot XL quickly responded to app commands and performed well during cleaning cycles. The app lets you select power modes, alter settings, and view the battery level of the robot while it's working. The app also has an Find Robot button that helps you locate the device in case it is lost.

Like other Shark products like the IQ Robot XL has impressive suction that is able to easily take on pet hair and best self-emptying robot Vacuum For Pet hair dust. The self-cleaning brushroll prevents hair from sticking to the machine while it combs debris. The navigation module utilizes a combination of sensors to scan the environment as it moves, however it's not as thorough as robots that use LIDAR modules. The IQ Robot XL must run just a few clean cycles in order to determine the space you're in.

The Shark IQ robot vacuum cleaner self emptying XL offers superior performance on multiple surfaces, compared to the iRobot Roomba 690. It is also easier to maintain and has a lower cost of recurring. The iRobot is more durable, charges faster, and provides the same battery performance. It also comes with a suite of advanced automation capabilities, which allow you to customize the coverage map for your home and include areas that are not allowed to be in.

4. Eufy 11S

The Eufy 11S is a great choice for people who want an automated vacuum that can clean according to their schedule but don't require a smartphone or voice command. The slim model is easy to set up and maintain and can take out dirt and dust without much effort. It's best self-emptying robot vacuum for pet hair suited for light daily cleanings to keep your floors looking great.

It's less impressive than our other top picks but offers some benefits worth considering. For example, its short size allows it to maneuver through furniture with a low profile, something that other vacuums cannot. It also has an effective "Quick Clean" mode that uses multiple steps to clean your floors as thoroughly as possible. The 'Smart Pathing' feature isn't as efficient but it's sufficient to prevent repeating the same cleaning paths repeatedly.

This model isn't able to perform better than the iRobot Roomba S9+, though it does better than the Coredy R550 (which is similar in price) and bObsweep Bob Pro. The iRobot has a better build and incurs less recurring costs and has a bigger dirt compartment, lasts longer on a single charge and is more maneuverable. It also gets rid of pet hair faster and is more effective on carpet and bare floors.

The Eufy 11S costs more than the iRobot Roomba, but also more expensive than the Ecovacs. However, the iRobot is better-built and has a longer battery life, and soaks up more dust and dirt than the Eufy. It's also more easy to maintain, has lower recurring costs, and has more automation features. The companion app is better, offering more useful information about the vacuum's current battery level and status.

5. Ecovacs Deebot Pro+

It might look similar to the majority of robot vacuum available however, this one has a few clever tricks in its bag. You can assign certain rooms or areas for cleaning, control the power levels and mops via the app, and use voice controls to set your preferences. Its impressive 2600Pa vacuum power and 67dB noise levels are much lower than other robots I've tried.

Deebot N8 Pro+ can also avoid obstacles with its TrueDetect 3D Laser. This technology uses structured light to scan a room and map out the contents, which means it is able to work around furniture, showpieces, shoes and charger cables. It's more precise than other robots, too, because it operates at the millimeter level to identify tiny objects and plot a way around them.

ECOVACS App allows you to track the robot's progress and schedule cleaning sessions, as well as alter settings, from anywhere. It is also able to create specific boundaries to allow you to better control the areas it cleans. This will keep it from securing important family items, messy school projects, and laundry.

The app is easy to use and gives clear instructions on how to get started. The entire installation process taking around an hour from beginning to end. Once your house is mapped you can let it run on its own or create a customized cleaning schedule for each room. It will return to its charging dock when the battery is low and will resume where it left off once it's fully charged again. An auto-empty dustbin is included in the ECOVACS Deebot N8 Pro+ and you won't need to handle its contents unless you need to change the dust bag.