2020-04-01 Good Housekeeping

how we tested:

Our pros narrowed it down

to 15 models; then we ran

171 tests to log over 1, 440

data points—that’s nearly

55 hours of vacuuming!

Here’s what we looked at:

• Performance


• Maneuverability


• Transition between
  hard floor and carpet


• Ease of use

pros will make you feel like you’ve hired a housekeeper.

Set it and forget it!

P

R

O

D

U

C

T

I

N

FO

PR

O

S

P

R

IC

E

LA

B

R

ES

U

LT

S

TA

K

E^

N

O

TE

• Picked up 99% of bare-floor
  debris in tests.


• Has tangle-free rubber
  roller brushes.


• Doesn’t need emptying
  after every run — great
  for people with allergies!
  
  
  • Scored highest on carpet.
  
  
  • Slim profile (3 inches tall) means
    it can clean well under low items.
  
  
  • Automatically ups power if it’s
    needed for the best clean.
    
    
    • Side brushes thoroughly clean
      deep corners and edges.
    
    
    • Impressive two-year warranty.
    
    
    • Avoids bumping into obstacles
      so as to prevent damage.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• The most expensive model
  we tested.


• Noisy; there’s a quiet setting,
  but it reduces suction.


• Charger and dirt disposal take
  up more space than others.


• Doesn’t sense when cleaning is
  complete, only when battery
  needs charging.


• Filters aren’t washable; replace
  them about every two months.


• Struggled to pick up pet hair
  from carpet.


• We found it difficult to remove
  pet hair from the roller brush.


• App setup may take some time.

best of the test

iRobot’s latest ultra-luxe

model aced tests with the

performance and quality we’ve

come to expect from the brand.

Its powerful pick-up and WiFi

room-mapping make it super-

efficient, and it auto-empties

every time it recharges.

IROBOT ROOMBA S9+

WITH AUTOMATIC DIRT

DISPOSAL, IROBOT.COM

$1, 100 $ 280 $8 00

best smart vac

This Miele champ cleans and

keeps watch on your home. Built-

in cameras not only map floors,

but also send a livestream to the

app so you can see what’s going

on when you aren’t there. You can

even use its app to take control

and “drive” the vacuum if you

want to target (or avoid) a spot.

MIELE SCOUT RX2 HOME VISION,

MIELEUSA.COM

best va lu e

Great if you are new to robot

vacs or don’t want to spend a

ton, this winner from Eufy rivals

competitors more than three

times its price. It’s a solid app-

enabled option that performed

very well on carpet — something

that’s typically a struggle for

other (more expensive!) models.

EUFY 15C MAX, EUFYLIFE.COM

SCO

RED

94

SCO

RED

93

SC

ORED

96

100

QUIET MARK RATINGS: Quiet Mark measured the average sound levels of each

robot vacuum on bare floor and carpet as it cleaned in a 59'' x 82'' enclosure. good average poor

This outperformed all others

in our Cleaning Lab tests,

excelling at spot-cleaning

and tackling hard floors. Plus,

it takes the least time to

recharge, just 120 minutes!

It earned a perfect score in

our carpet-cleaning tests, easily

removing crumbs, dirt and

pet hair. Switch between edge-,

spot- and quick-cleaning modes

with a smartphone via the app.

Miele zoomed through our 109-

sq.-ft. obstacle course in under

14 minutes — without sacrificing

performance. It moved on and

off carpet smoothly, which was

difficult for some others.

GH

CLEANING

LAB

Its charging

station has a

built-in dirt

disposal!

Consider

your space.

Look around and note

anywhere the vacuum may

get caught. It’s a good idea

to measure low couches

and dressers beforehand.

All the vacs we tested fit

under 4-inch-high furniture,

but some were slimmer

than others — we saw a

range of 3 to 3.7 inches tall.

Decide which

upgrades you

want to splurge on.

Most models come with

standard features like fall

sensors and auto-charging,

but think about how much

you’re willing to spend on

extras. An easy-clean brush

roll is ideal for pet owners,

while someone who travels

a lot may want a model

that can be scheduled

remotely with an app.

Think of it

as another

set of hands.

Remember, these aren’t

swaps for traditional

vacuums — no robot

deep-cleans as well as

a full-size option (yet!).

But they’re better at

cleaning spots like under

the bed and helping to

stay on top of daily messes.

Yo u may not have the time

to vacuum three times

a week, but your robot

sure does!

GH Home Care

pros share their

shopping smarts

Find

Your

Perfect

Vac

See more of our top-tested robot vacs at goodhousekeeping.com/robotvacuums.

3 EXPERT

TIPS TO

1

2

3

Da

nie

lle

D

aly

.^ P

ro

p^

st

yli

ng

:^ A

lex

M

at

a.^

Illu

st

ra

tio

n^

by

B

ro

wn

B

ird

D

es

ig

n.

86 GH APRIL 2020