Given they are unlikely to obstruct or obfuscate a roaming robot vacuum, the majority of these types of cleaners tout their abilities to tackle hard floors. Using whatever navigation system they have, whether it’s automatic smart navigation or via shark cordless boundary strips, the majority of robot vacuum cleaners on this list are fine with hard floors. Nevertheless, it is always worth checking as some may focus on certain other areas, such as picking up pet hair, over being great on harder floors.
It will create a map of your home, but unlike the Roborock, you can’t then create virtual barriers. It comes with two battery-powered digital fencing devices that prevent the Roomba going where it bissell crosswave cordless shouldn’t. We can attest to them working well, but in truth, if the floors are clutter-free and there are no trailing wires, the 980 didn’t need the help, and cleaned reliably well day after day.
Every product featured has been properly tested by WIRED reviewers. Read our list of the best gadgets for our favourite picks in every category. Restrictions are placed by drawing a box on the map, of which accurate placement can be tricky. My advice is to go a little bigger than you think you need, as you can always refine your irobot vacuum cleaner results as you start to clean your house. Brand-new it might be, but the 360 Heurist isn’t a great deal different on the outside from the previous model, the 360 Eye. Sure, the new model has a flashier blue-purple paint job, rather than the drab grey of the original, but in terms of size and shape, the two models are identical.
In addition to its digital V2 motor that Dyson says “spins at up to 78,000 revolutions per minute,” the way a robot vacuum sees rooms has a huge impact on its ability to clean. The 360 Eye by Dyson is a very good robot vacuum, but competitors offer similar features and better performance for less. But there are changes from previous models, the most obvious of which is the shape of the robot vacuum itself, which seems wider and shorter. It also has one flat side, so it has more in common with the Neato Botvac than previous Dyson vacs – superficially, at least.
The tenacious Brit spent years designing thousands of prototypes of his first vacuum, which was revolutionary as it operates using cyclonic action. When the high-end vacuum finally hit the market, however, it became — and remains — very popular. It costs a lot, it isn’t perfect and it certainly isn’t a must-buy for everyone. It’s also easy to transfer between floors to cover different areas on different days. The brush bar covers the complete width of the robot, while caterpillar tracks give it a bit more traction than wheels. You can still set the robot cleaning using the single button on the top, but to schedule cleaning times you need the app.