The best self-emptying robot vacuums have one huge perk past the obvious act of vacuuming the floor for you. (Hint: It's in the name.)
When you outsource vacuuming to a robot, your floors get cleaned way more often. The only downside of this extra attention? More debris off the floor means a dust bin that fills up faster, and emptying a vacuum's dust bin by hand is arguably the worst part of the chore.
Enter self-emptying robot vacuums. These vacs do your vacuuming and emptying for you for a few weeks at a time, storing the debris the robot vacuum collects on each trip in a larger compartment that's located in the charging dock.
Are self-emptying robot vacuums worth it?
Not having to lift a finger when it comes to floor maintenance is well worth it for anyone who just doesn’t have the time — or the interest — in wrestling an upright vacuum out of the closet every few days. The next question is whether you want the true set-it-and-forget solution that only automatic emptying can provide, and if you're willing to pay more for it.
Automatic emptying quickly proves its worth in households where the layer of pet fur would otherwise have you dumping the vacuum's tiny dust bin after just a few rooms. The best self-emptying robot vacuum cleaners let you off the hook for months at a time. And when it actually is time to empty the bigger dust bin, most self-empty docks trap dust inside a disposable bag, meaning you won't have to see or touch the nasty stuff at all.
For people with allergies, auto-emptying also spares you from inhaling the inevitable puff of dust that emerges when dumping a dustbin into the trash.
Speaking of avoiding the grosser parts of the job, if you want a robot vacuum that mops, many self-emptying docks also take it upon themselves to deal with dirty mopping pads after the job is done. The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2024 ushered in a new wave of flagship robot vacuums that self-wash and self-dry the soggy mopping pads in the same dock where debris is held. Looking ahead into 2025 and beyond, we expect to see more models with self-dispensing detergent and front-loading water tanks, which free up the dock's surface to be used like a side table. Only a few currently have these features.
While self-emptying could add anywhere from $100 to $500 to a robot vac's overall price tag, automated mopping pad washing and drying is the automation that really kicks the price up over the $1,000 mark. Remember that both of these are optional in most cases, so if you're on a tight budget or tight on space, you can forgo the fancy dust bin and save significantly.
Rather than giving up automatic emptying, we suggest you finesse by buying your robot vacuum during Prime Big Deal Days, Amazon's "October Prime Day" sale in every way but name. The retail giant's Prime events are some of the best times to find a robot vacuum on sale. This is your opportunity to score a robovac with that crucial automatic emptying dock without maxing out your budget. The event doesn't officially start until Oct. 8, but Amazon already has a bunch of self-emptying vacuum deals to peruse, including $400 off the Narwal Freo X Ultra.
We've been testing the latest and greatest self-emptying robot vacuums released in 2024 against our old favorites from 2023 and 2022. Here are the best self-emptiers to consider for your home:
