GoKawiilThe appeal of a robot vacuum with an auto-empty base is obvious: You get weeks (maybe even months, depending on how regularly you're running your 'bot) of hands-free cleaning, without the hassle of daily bin dumping.
The reality, though, is that you're deferring maintenance rather than eliminating it. When you do empty the bin, it can be a larger and often more involved process. An auto-emptying dock may also lead to less apparent problems, including nagging odors, clogs, sensor glitches and bag replacements.
So is an auto-emptying model worth the extra investment? Let's dive in.
What auto-emptying docks actually do
The Shark UV Reveal has a bagless self-emptying base station that also sanitizes the mop. Shark
Instead of requiring you to empty the little onboard dustbin on your robot vacuum after every run or two, an auto-emptying unit will return to its dock and position itself over an intake valve. There, a powerful vacuum in the base station will suction the dust and debris into a larger container. It will then hold the debris behind a filter (if bagless) or in a sealed bag.
An auto-emptying base works great for fine particulates like dust, dander and pollen, as well as small debris like crumbs and pet hair. Where you may run into trouble is with larger trash. Stuff like bottle caps, cat toys or even longer hairs can clog the intake system or filter and may eventually block suction.
"This has happened to me," said CNET editor Ajay Kumar. "I've lost more small cat toys than I can count, and I can only assume a fair number of them are stuck somewhere inside a robot vacuum's base station or bag, though I've been lucky that none of them have ever caused a clog."
Hidden maintenance
The Roomba J7 Plus comes with a charging dock that also empties the robot's dustbin. Dirt is collected in handy disposable vacuum bags. iRobot
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