Top 7 self-emptying robot vacuums to look for on Prime Day

Who it's for:

As one of the only robot vacuums surpassing $1,500 on the market right now, the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra won't be for everyone. But it does a lot to stand out in the crowded market of premium all-in-one robot vacuums.

On top of a self-empty dock decked out with a self-washing and drying mopping pad system, which Roborock has mastered, the vacuum itself is quite advanced with five digit suction power and a livestream pet camera. You won't find these two features together anywhere else on the market right now, making the S8 MaxV Ultra the ultimate sidekick in homes with lots of carpets covered in pet hair.

Why we picked this:

Roborock has been on the all-in-one self-empty dock game since 2022, two years earlier than most of its biggest competitors. Other brands finally joined the ranks when debuting their new models at CES 2024, but Roborock already had something up its sleeve to set its new hybrid flagship apart: 10,000 Pa of suction power. In Max+ mode, that was more than enough to clean rugs covered in both cat hair and long human hair in senior shopping reporter Leah Stodart's home. It also cleaned house (literally) on various piles of rice and soil, and it was the only robot vacuum in the house to fully suck up a mound of corn starch.

During vacuuming, a laptop charger and sock were accurately detected and avoided. A large hunk of soil was identified as pet waste, and although that was originally intended to be sucked up, it was giving turd. Speaking of advanced technology, the S8 MaxV Ultra is one of the only robot vacs that sports a livestreaming pet camera onboard. Users can see what the vacuum sees while it's roaming and even send the S8 MaxV Ultra to look for their pet (hopefully they're not hiding from the vacuum).

But what really turns the self-empty dock into a full-fledged floor care suite is the mopping system. The mopping pad, already juiced up with automatically-dispensed detergent and water, vibrates 4,000 times per minute to scrub at stains like paw prints and shoe marks. If carpet or rugs are detected, the pad automatically lifts 20mm above the floor without affecting the suction power. After it finishes cleaning its queue of rooms or zones, the S8 MaxV Ultra heads back to its dock where it dumps its debris with a much more subdued noise than competing Roombas. It also washes and dries its mopping pads.

Who it's for:

The Eufy X10 Pro Omni is a seriously clutch find for shoppers who prioritize a "set it and forget it" robot vacuum experience and are willing to pay more than $500 — but not toe the $1,000 mark — for that peace of mind. The hands-off experience here includes automatic avoidance of small obstacles like cords and a self-washing and drying mopping pad system. The fanciest-ever Eufy vac offers both these features for as low as $679.99 on sale.

Between the large water tank and a battery life that outruns (sometimes even doubles) many pricier competitors, the X10 Pro Omni is a smart choice for large homes with multiple stories. You can squeeze hours of cleaning out of the X10 Pro without it returning to the dock to refill or recharge. A substantial chunk of that square footage would ideally be hard floors, as this Eufy's dual pressurized mopping pad system doesn't deserve to collect dust (cleaning pun definitely intended).

Why we picked this:

This is the first time any Eufy robot vacuum's self-emptying dock can also self-refill the bot's water tank and self-wash and dry the mop pads. The self-washing and drying aspect especially is a bullet point that's rarely seen in the sub-$1,000 price range — the other robot vacuums that debuted at CES 2024 are evidence of that. Even iRobot's $1,399 Roomba Combo j9+ doesn't do that.

As impressive as the all-in-one station is, the X10 Pro Omni's cleaning proficiency is also noteworthy. In terms of suction power, 8,000 Pa is quite high not just in this price range, but in general. The power proved itself in senior shopping reporter Leah Stodart's testing, successfully removing matted-down cat hair from a low-pile rug and spilled rice from a medium-pile rug and surrounding hardwood flooring, including against the wall. During mopping, the spinning mopping pads were able to wipe up spilled wine that had been drying for several hours, as well as visibly remove dusty cat paw prints near the litter box.

The presence of small obstacle avoidance seals the X10 Pro Omni's bang for your buck status. It's another feature rarely seen at this price point. Stodart particularly cherishes this feature, as there's bound to be a phone charger, catnip mouse, or blanket tufts on her floor at any given moment. Aside from a blip involving a bath mat mistaken for a towel (and an annoying quirk in the Eufy app that doesn't let you dismiss an incorrectly-pinged obstacle), the X10 Pro Omni accurately identified and avoided cords and socks in Stodart's home.

Who it's for:

The Narwal Freo X Ultra is ideal if you prioritize a true hands-off cleaning experience over staying within a certain budget. Between self-washing and drying mopping pads, a self-filling water tank, a two-month dust bin capacity, and enough stamina to cover 2,000 square feet without needing to charge, this ultra-premium takes its time and can be trusted to thoroughly tend to large floor plans.

Narwal's futuristic design isn't as subtle as that of other self-emptying docks, which may or may not blend in with your decor style. Your decision between the Narwal and the other models in this list may very well come down to whether or not you want a big shiny egg sitting in your living room.

Why we picked this:

It seems like Narwal thought of everything when revamping the original Narwal Freo that stole the hearts of TikTok. As one of the first vacs that debuted at CES 2024 to become available for purchase, the Narwal Freo X sets high standards with genius case-by-case mopping features that tailor the task to the status of the floor it's cleaning. AI-powered waste water sensors force the Freo X Ultra to keep mopping until the floor is spotless, returning to the dock to rinse before heading back out at least once. However, I don't mind the time-consuming process much when my floors look noticeably more polished, proving that Narwal's advanced mopping mechanism — two forceful, spinning pads that have been doused in both water and cleaning solution — is actually scrubbing.

Once the Freo X Ultra has met its own cleanliness standards, it heads home to thoroughly sanitize and dry those soggy mopping pads — a task that must be performed manually with the identically-priced Roomba Combo j9+. This is also when the Freo X Ultra empties itself, though its approach to automatic emptying is unique: Instead of unloading debris into a bigger compartment in the dock, the Freo X Ultra quietly compresses dust in a disposable dust bag that you can toss after about seven weeks. (For a less wasteful option, Narwal also includes a reusable dust bin.)

Who it's for:

First and foremost, the Shark Matrix RV2300S is obviously the best contender for folks who aren't trying to go all out spending-wise on a robot vacuum. Though this Shark model does vacuum more meticulously than many other basic bots, it'd probably be best in a low-traffic home where light daily upkeep is all that's needed — whether that's a home with no pets (maybe one, if shedding is light), a home with low foot traffic, or a small apartment.

Why we picked this:

I wouldn't back this model as hard at its full price of $499.99, but when Walmart halves that to $299.99, Shark's Matrix RV2300S defines "bang for your buck." It's rare to find LiDAR smart home mapping plus self-emptying at this price point, even if that self-emptying only lasts for 30 days versus the 45 or 60-day capacity on bigger docks.

Shark even goes past the satisfactory-at-best clean that you typically get when opting for a brand's cheapest robot vacuum. Shark's signature Matrix spot cleaning mode tackles debris in a crosshatch pattern to grab anything that was missed on the original pass. I was impressed on how thoroughly this base tier Shark model kept up with my kitty litter-covered bathroom floor on a daily basis, even if it did miss some rogue pieces of debris along the walls.

Who it's for:

If you've confirmed that you definitely want a Roomba, the next question is obviously which one. Your budget will have the most convincing power, and those hoping to stay under or near the $500 mark have two options: the Combo i5+ and Combo j5+. The first is cheaper, but the latter has small obstacle avoidance technology. Whether it's kids' toys, pet toys, strewn laundry, cords, or any other small items that might be hanging out on the floor, the Combo j5+ is the better choice for homes that aren't 100% tidy all of the time.

Alternatively, the Combo j5+ isn't the most thorough Roomba, and isn't the most thorough robot vacuum in its price range. To pick it over the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 or the Eufy X9 Pro, you'd have to prioritize smooth navigation and staying in the iRobot ecosystem over deep cleaning of carpets or powerful scrubbing of hard floors.

Why we picked this:

Of the handful of self-emptying Roombas, the Combo j5+ is the best value (if you can find it at its relatively-frequent sale price of $449). Much of this is thanks to iRobot's near-perfect small obstacle avoidance, which is simply the best we've tested.

In senior shopping reporter Leah Stodart's experience, the j Series Roombas have the least slip ups. They accurately steer clear of various cords and other pesky items, as well as correctly differentiate between a bath rug that needs to be cleaned and a towel that should be avoided. So while the Combo j5+ does require babysitting in terms of manual attaching and detaching of the mopping pad (unlike the Combo j7+), it does eliminate the need for babysitting in terms of getting stuck.

Even though the Combo j5+'s mopping and suction power are a little basic, they're sufficient in most low-traffic homes. Plus, the presence of iRobot's best feature (small obstacle avoidance) and the same chic auto-empty dock as the pricier Combo j7+ make up for the middling cleaning. Another bonus: Stodart also noticed that that auto-empty dock holds debris for much longer than the advertised number of weeks, at least with usage about every other day.

Who it's for:

We suggest the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 if your main concern with a robot mop is whether it actually scrubs (with more than water, at that) but also that its advanced mopping capabilities can be secured for a few hundred dollars.

One word of caution, though: The Matrix Plus 2-in-1 is best for homes that don't have a heavy rug situation, as the bot requires you to manually point out rugs or carpets in the app and can't vacuum while the water tank is attached.

Why we picked this:

For years, Shark was better known for its upright vacuums. However, Shark's latest line of robot vacuums is changing that, with the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 surprising us so much during hands-on testing that it has landed a spot as one of our favorite self-emptying robot vacuums, mopping robot vacuums, and as our overall favorite Shark robot vacuum. Not only does this budget contender outperform many pricier Roombas, but it can also always be found on sale for less than $500.

Most budget hybrid vacuums are very disappointing when it's time to mop, but Matrix mode separates this Shark from those "meh" moppers. Activating Matrix cleaning while mopping triggers the mopping pad to vibrate 100 times per minute and goes over the desired scuffed or stained area multiple times. During dry vacuuming, Matrix mode also hits the designated area in a crosshatch pattern, upping the likelihood of picking up hair or debris that were missed on the first pass. In his review, Mashable contributor Timothy Beck Werth wrote that he couldn't believe how much he loved this vacuum, and that it's "the rare hybrid that vacuums and mops equally well."

Read our full review of the Shark Matrix 2-in-1.