iRobot - Roomba Max 705 Vac robot

I have the Wyze robot vac and a roomba self emptying vac. I vastly prefer the performance of the wyze vac.

I picked a roomba from vine and I'm constantly having trouble with the app. It took DAYS to set it up, and once done it has constantly sync issues. It works eventually, but it's one of those instances that paying for the brand name is not worth it.

I have a roomba we named homewrecker because it leaves a trail of destruction behind it. It always knocks over something or gets tangled up in wires.

We love ours. We have one for upstairs and downstairs. Don’t try to get a cheap one, we did that and went through a couple of them pretty quickly. Now we have two good ones (iRobot) with the bin that they self empty into when they get full. We have three kids, two dogs, and a cat that sheds more than both dogs combined, and having robot vacuums has been a game changer. Before we got the one with the bins, it would get full and need emptying before it finished a whole cycle. Now it goes and empties itself and then goes back to cleaning. It’s some trial and error at first. Just run it the first few times when you’re watching it to see where it has any problems. Then you can try to adjust any problem areas. Our upstairs vacuum doesn’t go into the bedrooms because the kids have lots of tiny Barbie shoes and stuff. We have them clean up good and just regular vacuum real quick every other week or so (and we keep bedroom doors closed so the pets don’t go in there to keep hair shedding out). But the robot keeps the main areas of the house from getting hairballs and dirty. We recently got a robot mop as well, and that has been awesome! I feel like it’s just like having any other vacuum. You have to get everything picked up off the floor before you start. You wouldn’t start regular vacuuming with things still on the floor. If there are areas that it gets stuck often, either block it off or try to adjust any problem areas. We usually pull all of the dining room chairs away from the table so that it can get a good clean under the table and around it. We run the vacuums & mop anytime we leave the house, and it’s so nice coming home to freshly vacuumed and mopped floors!

I have a Roomba that I picked up from Costco. It can be controlled via app and it has a self emptying base.

You forgot the most important question which is what your budget is. I have 2 German shedders and a chocolate lab. I've had an S9 that worked pretty well for the last 5 years on hard floors. Technology and anti-long hair tangle has come a long way and, almost any new bot in the mid-range or premium range are going to do great at anti-tangle. I know people really don't like roomba right now but, my max705 just did my while 900 sq/ft space without puking out clumps of hair like my S9 would, on a single pass. I tested a Dreame X50 too and frankly it was about the same result there too albeit the dreame did it much more quietly.

I bought a Roomba that can mop and vacuum (pricey models are great). I bought a bunch of replacement rags/mops on Temu for a few euros, and exchange them every now and then. All you have to do besides that is fill its water tank with clean water and floor soap. I also went on my Roomba's App, drew out a map of my house, and set a cleaning schedule for every single day on setting 'deep clean'. And he keeps the floors like 98% spotless, while we have 2 long-haired dogs and 1 short hair cat. We still vacuum and mop ourselves like once a week or so. But if need be we could easily skip that. The difference has been amazing. Googly eyes are optional. ;) Why do it yourself if a robot can do it for you?

I’ve got two j7+ and a 705 max with a golden! (Used to be two 😢). They work great for upkeep but you’ll still need to deep clean every once in awhile.

There are a few compromises to be aware of. I've had a Saros 10 for almost a year, but I still send my Roomba J9 out once in a while to clean up what the Saros misses. I also have the Narwal Flow, Roomba 705, previously had Dreame and Ecovacs, and nothing can clean tight around chair legs, round table pedestals, etc. as well as the classic Roombas. Roomba roller brush design also picks up hair, fur, and fuzz on rugs much better than any other brand, regardless of reported power. Also, LIDAR-based robots won't clean under curtains or bedding like classic Roombas could. I'm only aware of Dreame/Mova having a setting to accommodate this. The Roombas (old and new) also have more advanced voice control via Google/Siri/Alexa that allows just vacuuming, and can specify zones in addition to rooms. All other brands can only "clean" which wastes time and water when you just need a quick vacuum. Also, the Roomba app is just way more efficient to use. Not saying the move isn't worth it overall, but there are some sacrifices to be aware of.

If you get a roomba I highly recommend one that self-empties into a tower. We run ours 4 days a week in our bedroom, the living room, front hall. Kitchen, dining room. It keeps the ACD tumbleweeds at bay between weekly Dyson vacuumings.