Guide to the Major Robot Vacuum Brands

Robot vacuums are truly a reflection of the 21st century rapid adoption of new technologies. Only a few years ago, the performance of robot vacuums was a question mark as the little device would bump into every corner of a room without vacuuming really anything.

However, the picture is different nowadays as robot vacuums have become smarter and effective, in both cleaning and navigation capabilities. As such, there is increasing demand for robot vacuums all around the world. 

Given this, there is a wide variety of robot vacuum brands available, and the choice can puzzle anyone. This guide will discuss the different brands, their histories, their pros and cons, and their range of vacuums. We will also talk about some general tips and things you should keep in mind when shopping for a robot vacuum.

Things to Keep in Mind When Shopping for a Robot Vacuum

A black robot vacuum on a carpet.

Before checking out some top robot vacuum brands, here are some things that you should keep in mind when shopping for a robot vacuum.

Size of Your House

The first thing you should consider is the size of your house or area you want to cover. Certain robot vacuums work better in smaller environments whereas others in bigger environments and multiple floors. As such, your choice of robot vacuum will primarily depend on the size of the area to be covered.

You should also consider that room underneath the furniture in your house for the robot vacuum to slide under as many robot vacuums may not be able to slide underneath furniture, and hence, miss out on cleaning those corners.

Flooring

Robot vacuums perform differently with different flooring e.g., carpet or hardwood. Most of the robot vacuums can take on both, however, their performance may differ. Higher-end robot vacuums will draw more power whenever carpet is detected to clean up properly and throttle down whenever it detects hardwood.  You will see that the lower-end models will get caught up in carpets or rugs. 

Pets

Many robot vacuums can clean up after pets which include vacuuming off pet hair from carpet or hardwood floors. In addition to this, there are numerous robot vacuums that are equipped with high-efficiency filters that will take care of allergens that are in the air if you suffer from allergies. 

However, with the robot vacuum cleaning up after your pet, you will need to regularly maintain your vacuum’s brushes, filters, and roller brushes. You will also need a robot vacuum that is able to dodge pet poop.

Smart Robot Vacuum

The wide adoption of the internet has made many daily tasks much more convenient and has allowed everything to be connected including appliances. Most robot vacuum brands now offer smartphone applications that are connected via the internet and provide control over your vacuum regardless of your location. Features vary from manufacturer to manufacturer but generally, most manufacturers include the start/stop feature, cleaning schedules, and intensity.

Some lower-end vacuums still come with remotes, but these remotes can be lost and require you to be near the device to control it which is a hassle. As such, you will need to decide whether this feature is a deal-breaker for you or not.

Battery Life

The battery life is an important consideration when shopping for robot vacuums, however, we have noticed that almost all robot vacuums last a cleaning session of up to 1 hour 30 minutes and some even up to 2 hours. Some brands of robot vacuums will even navigate back to their charging stations and charge back up. So, battery life in robot vacuums matters only to a certain extent, and for daily usage, it isn’t a huge factor to be considered.

Budget

Robot vacuums are available in numerous shapes, sizes, and prices. The more you pay for a robot vacuum, the more features you get. Higher-end robot vacuums will include sophisticated navigation & mapping and features such as self-emptying dustbins, targeted area cleaning, and automatic dirt detection. 

The perfect price point is the middle one where you get a balance of features and affordability. However, you should remember a lower-mid-end robot vacuum will clean just as well as a higher-end robot vacuum but with fewer fancy features. Also, many manufacturers will sell older vacuum models at a discount as they release newer ones.

Major Robot Vacuum Brands

A smartphone controlling a robot vacuum cleaner on the ground.

Dyson

Dyson was established in 1978 by James Dyson in the United Kingdom and is one of the leading brands in the vacuum industry. It has thousands of customers all across the world and is a pioneer in home appliances technology. 

Dyson sold its vacuum cleaner named DA001 in 1993 and had a dual cyclone technology which was a revolutionizing product. The company also invented the world’s first bagless vacuum cleaner. It has continued to develop and released top quality vacuum cleaners.

The company is a new entrant in the robot vacuum cleaner industry and released the first robot vacuum in Japan in 2014 and globally in 2016 which was named the ‘Dyson 360 Eye’. In 2019, Dyson released the next robot vacuum in the series by the name of ‘Dyson 360 Heurist’. 

Products:

  • Dyson 360 Eye
  • Dyson 360 Heurist
Pros Cons
  • Full length rotating brush
  • Better suction power compared to other brands
  • Tank-style tracks which allows it to move at a higher speed
  • Easily moves over rugs and through obstacles
  • Can be connected to a smartphone application
  • Maps out floor areas and allows for exclusion zones
  • LED lights for dark areas
  • High price tag
  • Tall high which means it may not be able to get underneath every piece of furniture
  • Easy for hair to get stuck and wrap around the rotating brush
  • Slight connectivity issues between the robot vacuum cleaner and the app
  • Can be loud on max suction power

ECOVAS Robotics

ECOVAS was founded in 1998 in China and is a reputable brand in the industry of robot vacuum cleaners. The company exclusively focuses on researching, developing, and producing robotic house appliances and has been coming up with innovative products since 2006. 

ECOVAS is currently present in over 145 countries with thousands of customers globally. It has a significant market share of the robot vacuum industry globally. The company continues to maintain top-notch R&D facilities and has over 1,200 patents for its technologies. 

The company first launched its robot vacuum cleaner in 2007 under the name of ‘DEEBOT’ line and now there are many vacuums that fall under their ‘DEEBOT’ product line. 

Products:

  • DEEBOT line (X1 Omni, X1 Turbo, X1 Plus, T10 Plus, T9, N8 Pro+, OZMO T8+, and many more)
  • WINBOT (W1 Pro, X, and 880).
Pros Cons
  • Huge variety of robot vacuum cleaners across different price points
  • Top quality
  • Advanced mapping features (in some products)
  • In-built camera for monitoring (in some products)
  • Voice support through Google Assistant and Alexa
  • Excellent suction power
  • Exceptional battery life
  • Affordable prices
  • Average quality of mopping (if hybrid product used)
  • Smart mapping may lack in some products
  • Noisy
  • Can get stuck in some areas (in some products where mapping isn’t the best)

iLIFE

iLIFE is a Chinese company established in 2010 and currently has a customer base in more than 40 countries with millions of customers. It is the leading brand in the world of robot vacuums, floor washing appliances, handheld vacuums, and other household devices.

The company has over 100 patents for different technologies they have developed and has received numerous awards for innovation and design. Their product range primarily consists of mid-range robot vacuums and fewer higher-range robot vacuums. They are a known brand in the industry and enjoy a solid reputation for quality products.

Products:

  • A Series (Carpet cleaning)
  • V Series (Pet hair cleaning)
  • B Series (Dust bag design)
Pros Cons
  • Affordable price tag
  • Compact body and can easily clean underneath pieces of furniture
  • Easy to use and setup
  • Automatic suction power adjustment depending on the flooring
  • Top quality and exceptional performance on every type of flooring
  • Good for pet hair cleaning
  • Solid battery life
  • Loud when operating at max capacity
  • Cleaning pattern may be inconsistent
  • Average mapping technology
  • Wet mapping is subpar

Electrolux

Electrolux is a Swedish home appliance brand that was founded in 1919 and is considered as one of the largest home appliance manufacturers in the world. It has millions of customers all around the world and operates in over 61 countries.

Electrolux was the first company to release a robot vacuum cleaner called the Trilobite in 2001 and recently re-entered the robot vacuum market after the acquisition of the Anova brand in 2017. The company has only one robot vacuum product called Pure i9. 

Products:

  • Pure i9
Pros Cons
  • Advanced navigation with an in-built 3D Camera
  • Strong suction power and cleaning abilities
  • Triangular shape, allowing for better cleaning than competitors
  • Well-designed app
  • Automatic adjustment for different flooring types
  • Expensive
  • Below average battery life
  • No smart home integration or voice assistant control

iRobot

iRobot is a well-known robot vacuum brand which was founded in 1990 in the United States and released its first robot vacuum product in 2002 called Roomba. The company has been releasing robot vacuums ever since with increasing quality and features. It has sold more than 40 million robot products since inception.

Aside from robot vacuums, iRobot develops robots for navigation, mapping, and human interaction. It primarily focuses on producing smart home appliances and consumer robots. It is currently a leading manufacturer of consumer robots.

Products:

  • Braava jet m6
  • Roomba i3 EVO
  • Roomba i3+ EVO
  • Roomba j7
  • Roomba j7+
  • Roomba s9+
Pros Cons
  • Easily picks up pet hair & other small debris
  • Has a spot function where it can clean up a particular area
  • Works flawlessly on all types of flooring
  • Automatic power adjustment depending on flooring type
  • Noisy
  • Small dustbin
  • Cannot easily find its dock station unless placed near it
  • Takes a while to clean up an entire room
  • Expensive

Conclusion

Robot vacuum cleaners are incredible machines and the perfect example of a smart home appliance. There are some things that you must consider before purchasing a robot vacuum cleaner that we have discussed including size of your house, pets, flooring types, and budget.