The robots are here and willing to do the chores

Autonomous robot vacuums are getting smarter, more powerful and can do more chores. Here’s some of the top models available.

Let robots take over the cleaning for you.

The robotic vacuum is not a new phenomenon in Australia, however their capabilities and features have grown dramatically. What used to be a product with poor suction and direction is now an advanced, all-seeing and all-powerful robot.

These are the top models available on the market today, all for very different reasons.

Samsung POWERbot VR7000

With Samsung having a product for almost everything in your life, there is little wonder they have a robot vacuum to clean up after you. The POWERbot VR7000 is a powerful unit with sensors to identify different floor types and automatically adjust suction accordingly.

A handy remote control allows you to tell the POWERbot to carry out spot cleaning by simply pointing the remote at your crumbs on the floor. Integrated into the Samsung Smart Home app, you’ll be able to trigger the vacuum from anywhere and also manage any other compatible appliances.

Being a slimline vacuum impacts the waste bin size at 0.3 litres, making it the smallest of the group here. The other factor to consider with this model is it can only “climb” over edges below 10mm, which means it may not be able to enter a bathroom or laundry and, in some cases, vacuum your rug. Priced at $999, the POWERbot is awaiting your command.

Samsung’s robot cleaner comes in at just under $1000.

Deebot Ozmo 900

For anyone with timber or tiles, a vacuum isn’t always enough for the floors to be considered clean. A mopping feature has been added into the Ecovacs range with their Deebot Ozmo 900. This product integrates a vacuum that collects all your dirt and then uses a 240ml water reservoir and material pad to mop the floor clean.

While this is impressive, what we also loved about the Deebot was how well it navigated the home and mapped the floorplan to enable you to easily select areas for the vacuum to leave alone or areas to focus on. It’s short height also means the Deebot Ozmo 900 will happily venture under beds and other furniture where your current vacuum has likely never been.

With the compact size does come a slightly less powerful motor making deep cleaning on carpets a challenge, and while the mapping is some of the best, if the Deebot is interrupted during a clean, it may lose its map knowledge and need to be redone all over again.

Priced at $999 the Ozmo 900 is ready to do two chores from one robot.

Why not get a robot mopper as well?

The Roomba i7+

One of the biggest complaints with robot vacuums is they have a much smaller waste bin than a traditional vacuum. While this is true, the people at iRobot have an excellent solution. The Roomba i7+ is a robot vacuum that returns to the base station to recharge and to also empty its collection. The Roomba can do this up to 30 times before you need to attend to emptying the larger bin, making this a very hands-free product.

Further to being hands-free, this model also works with your smart home voice assistants, meaning you can summon Alexa or Google to get the vacuum to work.

Unique to this vacuum is the ability to remember multiple floor plans, so it can be taken upstairs and downstairs of a house and know where it is and where it needs to go without being completely confused.

While we admire bravery, the Roomba i7+ did often attempt to climb objects or edges that were simply too much for the robot to handle, resulting in a stuck vacuum notified to us on our smartphones. The round design has become tradition with robot vacuums, however the reality is this prevents quality cleaning in the corners of rooms.

The Roomba i7+ will be available from July 1 for $1799.

The Roomba can connect to your smart speakers, which is a handy feature.

LG CordZero R9

The folks at LG saw the round UFO-style robot vacuums and took a moment to look back. They then made it big enough to hold a serious 0.6 litre cyclonic storage and also added a vacuum head at the front that looks like it was taken directly off your traditional Dyson. This combination means the LG CordZero R9 not only has incredible suction and waste storage but also gets into the corners of the rooms just as you would expect.

LG also made use of a camera on-board to map your room and identify objects as part of the mapping feature. This means it will see the wall without the need to bump into it, but LG makes use of the camera for one other purpose. From anywhere in the world you can use the LG smartphone app to connect to your vacuum for a random cleaning job but also to remote control and see whatever the vacuum is seeing.

It’s a great way to check on pets or to patrol the home while you’re on holidays. The large size does, however, mean it won’t be venturing under furniture or most beds. The other concern we had with this variant was while being one of the most expensive, it was also the one that would find itself vacuuming one room for 40 minutes repeatedly as though it lost its way. Over time, this may be resolved as it continues to learn and map the home.

Priced at $1899, it is capable of being your one and only vacuum and pet surveillance robot.

It’s not cheap, but it gets the job done.

Are they worth it?

There isn’t a one size fits all when it comes to robot vacuums, and you’ll need to consider the layout of your home and obstacles to help you determine which is the model for you. There is also a notable gap between models that are incredibly intelligent or have excellent suction — seems you can’t have the best of both worlds yet. For many, a robot vacuum will complement a normal cleaning routine, allowing you to let the robot clean while you’re at work during the week and then cleaning yourself with a traditional vacuum once a week.

• Geoff Quattromani is a tech commentator across radio, print, online and television. Continue the conversation with Geoff on Twitter at @GQuattromani