Choosing a robot vacuum cleaner for carpets: a review of the best models on today's market

Robotic vacuum cleaners, which appeared on the market not so long ago, are rapidly replacing their conventional predecessors. They are winning over customers at an enviable speed, impressing with their autonomy and rich functionality.But not every one of them can cope with long and thick carpet pile.

The article we presented describes in detail how to choose a robot vacuum cleaner for carpets. We have listed the guidelines that determine the choice. To help future buyers, the article provides a rating of the best offers, compiled on the basis of consumer reviews, and provides valuable recommendations.

Choosing a Carpet Cleaning Robot

Each type of carpet requires special care. Most robotic vacuum cleaners have the most difficulty cleaning surfaces with long piles (5 mm or more). Therefore, in order to count on quality work, you need to figure out what you should pay attention to first.

When choosing a robot for carpet cleaning, you should look at the following characteristics:

• suction power — it must be 40 W or higher, otherwise the device will not be able to properly clean the coating;
• wheel size - if their diameter is less than 6.5 cm, then the vacuum cleaner will have difficulty climbing onto the carpet, if it succeeds at all;
• presence of a turbo brush — a good choice would be a model with a pair of rubber or silicone rollers;
• height of obstacles overcome — for medium-pile carpets, models capable of driving over an obstacle 1.5 cm high are suitable;

It would also be useful to pay attention to the battery capacity - when cleaning a covering with pile, the power of the device and, accordingly, the battery consumption increases.

The prices of such assistants vary greatly. The cheapest model suitable for carpet cleaning will cost from 7 thousand rubles

Rating of the best models

Faced with a huge assortment, an unprepared buyer is at a loss for choice. After all, it is quite difficult to decide which robot model will cope with the carpet without any problems and will be able to do its job really well.

Let's simplify this task by highlighting the 10 best models.

1st place - iRobot Roomba 980

The Roomba 980 is ideal for medium-pile carpets. Its wheels have a rather impressive diameter of 71 mm, and the joint travel reaches 30 mm. Therefore, it will not be difficult for the robot to overcome an obstacle 19 mm high.

The iRobot Roomba 980 model is not much different in appearance from its predecessors from the 800 series. The main feature of its design is the ability to easily replace any part or entire assembly.

The robot body has a round shape. There are quite significant bevels at the bottom, thanks to which it is not afraid of fairly high obstacles. There is also an angularity at the top. Therefore, the little helper will not get stuck under the furniture.

The iRobot Roomba 980 is made from matte black plastic. But in the upper part of the bumper and dust collector, as well as on the top panel, there are inserts painted in dark gray and silver.

The vacuum cleaner is controlled using three mechanical buttons. The large round Clean key is made of fairly hard plastic and has a silver finish. The inscription on it is highlighted during the cleaning process.

The remaining buttons have a significantly smaller diameter. They are made of elastic plastic. There are also status indicators located on the front of the top panel.

The battery capacity reaches 3,300 mAh. The battery will be enough for 2-hour cleaning. But it is worth considering that the model has a rather large height, about 9 mm, and a weight of up to 4 kg.

In addition to the model we presented, iRobot also supplies other robotic vacuum cleaners to the market, with the best models which the article we recommend will introduce you.

2nd place - Neato Botvac Connected

The model has even larger dimensions than its competitor presented above. The weight reaches 4.1 kg. However, the height is 10 cm, so the device is not suitable for cleaning under furniture.

But thanks to its size, it can clean small to medium pile carpets without any problems. It rides onto the carpet and overcomes obstacles with the help of a small bevel in the front part.

The device has an unusual semicircular shape. Thanks to this, the central brush, 276 mm wide, is moved as far forward as possible, which significantly increases the quality of cleaning.

The robot is equipped with a small side brush. It collects all the remaining garbage that was not captured by the main one. As a result, Neato Botvac Connected cleans almost 30 cm of floor surface in one pass.

The body is made of plastic and painted matte black. Which makes it difficult to find in a dark room. There is a glossy plastic insert in the middle of the top panel.

Neato Botvac Connected is controlled using a small screen and a few buttons. The display shows the time, charge level and all the information the user needs. To start local cleaning you need to press the checkered button, to clean the whole house - with the house.

As for the battery, it is lithium-ion. Its capacity reaches a fabulous 4,200 mAh. Once the battery is depleted, the device will automatically return to the charging station.

3rd place - iClebo Omega

The next model on the list is the white iClebo Omega robot. The unusual shape of its plastic body made it possible to move the side brushes closer to the front edge. This solution increases the efficiency of cleaning near furniture, baseboards and corners.

The quality of carpet cleaning is favorably affected by the strong bevel of the body in its lower part. The control panel is presented in the form of a display with three touch buttons. There are several LED icons through which the user can find out the current operating mode, as well as the charge level.

IN iClebo Omega A lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 4,400 mAh is installed. On one charge it can work for 80 minutes. When cleaning carpets - about an hour. It is worth noting that, if necessary, absolutely anyone can replace the battery. To do this, you only need a medium Phillips screwdriver.

The robot can operate in one of the following four modes:

1. Local — Thorough cleaning of the user-specified area.
2. Auto — cleaning using navigation. The equipment moves like a snake from one obstacle to another.
3. Maximum — cleaning the entire surface automatically. After this, the unit is passed through a snake, but only in a perpendicular direction.
4. Manual — the owner controls the work using a remote control. But you must remember to activate the cleaning mode. Otherwise, the device will move over the surface, but will not clean it.

The list of disadvantages of the model should include noise.The operating volume reaches 68 dB, which creates certain problems and often interferes with studies or household chores.

The range of robotic cleaners presented to consumers by iClebo includes a lot of interesting offers. The best robot vacuum cleaners of this brand listed here. We advise you to familiarize yourself with useful systematic information.

4th place - iClebo Arte

The shape of the iClebo Arte model is almost round. Its body has edges beveled at the bottom, which helps it move over obstacles. The top panel is covered with transparent plastic, pleasant to the touch. It imitates the pattern of Kevlar fabric.

Black matte plastic was used to make the bottom. There will be no fingerprints or dust left on the case. It comes in Carbon/Black, Silver/Grey, and new for 2018 in red, the IronMan Edition.

There is a special spring-loaded bumper on the front panel. Thanks to it, iClebo Arte will not spoil furniture upholstery, wallpaper and baseboards. The display of the model is represented by a console panel and three touch-type buttons. There are status icons and LED segments. Next to the display is a video camera pointing upward.

Among other modes, the iClebo Arte robotic vacuum cleaner has an enhanced suction mode - turbo - which allows you to efficiently remove dust and debris from carpets.

Moreover, the presence of a protective casing on the bristly central brush and its rotation at a speed of 816 revolutions ensures freedom of movement even on carpets with long piles, in which the robot will not get tangled.

In addition to the video camera, the model is equipped with collision sensors. There are infrared sensors for height and proximity to an obstacle - there are more than 20 of them. This set will protect equipment from falling down the steps.

Moving iClebo Arte at a speed of 25 cm/s.At the same time, the noise is only 55 dB for normal programs and 58 dB for turbo mode. The height is low and does not exceed 8.9 cm. Therefore, it can easily climb under furniture and into any other hard-to-reach places.

The lithium-ion battery ensures operation of the device for 160 minutes. At the same time, it takes about an hour and a half to recharge. To get to the base iClebo Arte uses an infrared sensor.

5th place - iBoto Aqua X310

The iBoto Aqua X310 robot is quite smart - it is capable of processing different types of surfaces, the main thing is to start the desired mode. It can easily cope with low and medium pile carpets, the height of which does not exceed 3 mm, if dry cleaning is selected.

Its popularity among ordinary people is due to its versatility - the model is capable of not only cleaning carpets, but also performing wet cleaning. The package includes all the necessary accessories and a large number of spare parts: a microfiber cloth, a pair of side brushes and a pleated filter.

The body of the model, like the analogue presented above, is made of dirt-resistant black plastic. It is not susceptible to scratches and chips. The top cover is made of laminated polymer and is complemented by a decorative frame.

The robot's diameter is 30 cm and its height is 7.5 cm. It can turn around right on the spot. All this makes it easy to clean not only carpets, but also any other corners of the apartment.

In front of the top panel there is a display with four touch keys and status icons. The latter are additionally illuminated by LEDs. The noise level of the iBoto Aqua X310 is average and is 54 dB. It won't get in the way and can clean at night when everyone is sleeping.

Battery life exceeds the two-hour mark.But the battery takes more than 3 hours to charge. This is due to the use of a Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 2,600 mAh.

For orientation in space, sensors are used, which may have problems identifying black furniture. But in case of collisions with such an obstacle, the device body is protected by a soft bumper.

6th place - Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum Cleaner

This robot vacuum cleaner will be a good choice for a busy person. Thanks to its functionality and technical characteristics, it helps to maintain order in the apartment and house. To see this, let's look at it in more detail.

Continuous operation time reaches 150 minutes. As soon as the battery is discharged, the device will independently return to the base for recharging.

A distinctive feature of Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum Cleaner is its high suction power - 55 W. This guarantees high quality work and excellent removal of dirt from both carpet and any other type of floor covering. According to some owners, this nimble assistant can clean carpets with a pile length of about 4 cm.

An intelligent sensor system helps the robot overcome obstacles. Thanks to the large infrared and ultrasonic sensors, a 360-degree viewing angle, and a laser distance sensor, it will not crash into furniture and will be saved from falling down the stairs or off the table if you need to clean it. Using its ability to build a map of the room, the robot is able to freely navigate even in large rooms.

Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum Cleaner has rich functionality; it boasts the following set of programs:

• fast;
• along the walls;
• local;
• zigzag.

You can use your smartphone to control the assistant.Also, this compact assistant is integrated into the Xiaomi Mi Home Smart Home system, Yandex Smart Home, using the Wi-Fi communication protocol.

The manufacturer provides for the use of a timer, programming cleaning by day of the week, calculating cleaning time, and audibly informing the owner in the event of a jam.

The smart assistant Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum Cleaner does an excellent job of both cleaning carpets and dry cleaning on hard floors, having all the accessories included for this purpose. In the application on your smartphone, if desired, you can set a cleaning zone, but a magnetic tape to physically limit the cleaning area is purchased separately.

The dust collector capacity reaches 0.42 liters, which will have to be cleaned as needed. Excellent cleaning quality, a rich set of capabilities and smart behavior at a fairly low price for this level of functionality make the model an excellent option for every housewife who wants to save her precious time.

7th place - Clever & Clean Z10A

The body of Clever & Clean Z10A is perfectly round. The edges, like their analogues, are beveled at the bottom and slightly rounded. Therefore, he is not afraid of obstacles and carpets with medium pile height. The delivery set includes several multi-colored overlays for the top panel. If the appearance of the unit becomes boring, then there is always the opportunity to update it.

For better cleaning of fleecy surfaces, the model is equipped with a floating head with two brushes. They rotate towards each other. The force of their pressure on the floor varies and depends on the type of coating.

The model has two speed levels, which allows you to choose the optimal one for a particular coating.Moreover, for better carpet cleaning, the user has the opportunity to change the speed of movement of the robot directly during its operation.

The volume of the dust container is 0.4 liters. The compartment is divided into two compartments and equipped with a built-in fan. As for the brushes, there are two of them - one with bristles, and the other with rubber blades.

Pimples located along the entire circumference of the body soften impacts on obstacles. This will save interior items and the robot itself from damage if the IR sensors do not work correctly.

Clever & Clean Z10A can operate in one of four modes:

• normal until the battery is completely discharged;
• continuous cleaning with intermediate recharging;
• local;
• manual control.

A useful feature is scheduled cleaning. The robot will keep the house clean, even when the owners are at work or on vacation. The nickel battery ensures operation of the device for two hours. But charging it will take about 240 minutes. It returns to the base automatically, for which infrared sensors are used.

8th place - iRobot Roomba 616

The presented 616 model differs from its analogues in increased power and an improved XLife battery.

The robot performs dry cleaning of all kinds of surfaces. It cleans tile, laminate, linoleum, parquet and medium to short pile carpet. Moreover iRobot Roomba 616 It will work for up to 2 hours on a single charge without any problems.

The height of the device is 92 mm. The front bumper is rubberized, so in the event of a collision with furniture there will be no abrasions on it. There is also a decorative white insert on the front panel.

Cleans your iRobot Roomba 616 using the center and side brushes. Not a single corner or baseboard in the room will remain dusty. Thanks to HEPA filter all allergens and even the smallest dust will be collected in the garbage container.

And thanks to a modern and improved navigation system compared to previous versions iAdapt 2 the robot will plot the optimal route of movement and will not get tangled in wires.

9th place - iClebo Pop

The hallmark of iClebo Pop is its appearance. The round shape, strongly beveled bottom edges and yellow-gray top cover allow it to blend harmoniously into any modern interior design.

Collects dust using one central and one side brush. Their blades are made of pile. The kit also includes a scraper made of rubber and a microfiber attachment.

Thanks to the special arrangement of the turbo brush's fibers and high rotation speed, it does not get tangled in carpet pile and fringe when cleaning this type of surface. Additional protection against winding of wires and other long elements is provided by a plastic casing.

A control panel with touch buttons is used for control. The display has LED status icons and an IR receiver. The panel is covered with mineral glass, which is distinguished by its hardness. This guarantees the absence of scratches and chips.

iClebo Pop navigates in space using infrared proximity and collision sensors. To protect the device from falls, it is equipped with a number of IR sensors that detect changes in height, wheel operation, and base search.

The device operates for 2 hours on one charge. The battery capacity is 2,200 mAh. It will take a little time to recharge the battery, about 110 minutes.

The iClebo Pop's equipment is quite extensive. There are a couple of spare filters for the garbage disposal, a brush and comb for cleaning the device (they are conveniently placed in the charging base), two microfiber pads and a tray for them.

As for the dimensions, the case diameter is 350 mm and the height is 89 mm. These are standard sizes for this type of vacuum cleaner in the mid-price category. For its price, the model presented above does its job perfectly.

10th place - Xrobot Helper

Xrobot Helper is supplied in a thick cardboard box, where all the accessories necessary for its normal operation are conveniently located. There are batteries for the virtual wall and remote control. You won't have to buy them.

The robot weighs 3.36 kg. The size of the wheels reaches 6.8 cm. They are mounted on movable hinges with a stroke of 2.55 cm. This design solution has a beneficial effect on maneuverability and allows Xrobot Helper to clean on almost any surface - various types of carpets and smooth flooring options.

Before cleaning lint areas, you should remove the wet microfiber pad, if it was previously installed. The package includes a large set of spare parts. The manufacturer reported a replaceable bristle side brush, a filter, and several microfiber cloths for wiping the surface.

You can activate one or another mode using one of the three touch buttons. They are outlined and highlighted with white captions. After selecting a program, one of the buttons or all of them are highlighted in blue.

As for autonomy, one charge is enough for an hour and a half of cleaning. The battery is nickel and has a capacity of 2,200 mAh. It will replenish the charge within 3 or even 4 hours.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

The rules for choosing a robotic assistant are given in the video:

The following video discusses the main mistakes made when choosing a household robot vacuum cleaner:

Many people think that robotic vacuum cleaners cannot cope with cleaning carpets with low and, especially, medium pile. But the models presented above prove the opposite.

By purchasing one of these nimble assistants, you can be sure that the carpet will always be clean, and it will be pleasant to return to your apartment after work..

Would you like to talk about how you selected a robotic cleaner to clean carpets in your own home/apartment? Do you want to share operating nuances that will be useful to site visitors? Please write comments, ask questions, post photos on the topic of the article in the block form below.