Robot Vacuums Again - Hive Help Needed

[Lady Florida.]

I'm in the market for a new robot vacuum and I. Cannot. Decide.

My first one was a Neato in 2013 or '14. It wasn't wifi connected because that wasn't a thing back then. It was a workhorse until it wasn't. Once the battery stopped holding a charge it was never the same. By then newer types had come out, including wifi connected, so rather than get a new battery I decided to get a new vacuum.

Instead of researching like I usually do before buying an appliance, I made an impulse buy. I bought a Roomba e5 at Sams for a steal. I got what I paid for. It's the dumbest smart device I've ever had and I hate it. 

I decided our new house calls for a new robot vacuum and I had 3 requirements. I want it to:
--Work with both Alexa and Google Home
--Have virtual walls - I don't want those magnetic strips or even beacons you have to place around the house.
--Have room mapping.

A self emptying bag didn't matter, and in fact I don't really care for the fact that those units have something similar to an old fashioned vacuum bag in the emptying chamber. More trash for the landfill isn't something I want.

Silly me. I can get all of the above if I spend more than $1k. So I came up with three models that each come close but each have a downside. Each one has a newer, more expensive model that does more but I feel like these will do fine. Our house is 1656 sq. ft. -- actual indoor sq. footage not counting closets. All of the common areas, including hallways, have hardwood floors with a few area rugs. The three bedrooms are carpeted, the 2 bathrooms and the laundry room have ceramic tile. 

I would love pros and cons that you personally know for any of these. I would also be willing to consider a different model as long as it's similar and has good reviews with respect to reliability and performance. I don't want to spend any more that the most expensive one below (the Roomba). 

Neato D7 - Pros: On the surface it appears to meet all my requirements, price. Cons: Apparently Neato brand still has battery issues.

Shark IQ with self emptying bin Pros: Room mapping, bonus self emptying bagless bin (so no extra trash), price. Cons: Uses those stupid magnetic strips instead of virtual no go zones.

iRobot Roomba i7 Pros: Meets all of my requirements. Cons: Price, disposable bags in the self emptying system. I think it might be possible to get the same model without the self emptying bin.

I'd appreciate any personal experiences or recommendations. The Hive always knows. 🙂 

 

[Lady Florida.]

Bumping. Anyone??

[TCB]

I don’t have one, so no experience to relate, but I’d like to get one so hope you get some opinions!