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PDPF guide - Privacy and Data Protection Foundation Updated: 2023
Precisely same PDPF questions as in real test, WTF!
Exam Detail:
The Privacy and Data Protection Foundation (PDPF) test is designed to assess candidates' knowledge and understanding of privacy and data protection concepts, regulations, and best practices. It focuses on the fundamentals of privacy and data protection in various jurisdictions. Here are the test details for the PDPF certification:
- Number of Questions: The test typically consists of multiple-choice questions. The exact number of questions may vary, but typically, the test includes around 40 to 60 questions.
- Time Limit: The time allocated to complete the test is 60 minutes (1 hour).
Course Outline:
The PDPF certification course covers essential subjects related to privacy and data protection. The course outline typically includes the following areas:
1. Introduction to Privacy and Data Protection:
- Understanding the importance of privacy and data protection in today's digital age.
- Overview of privacy principles, data protection laws, and regulatory frameworks.
2. Personal Data and Data Subjects:
- Identifying what constitutes personal data and understanding different types of data subjects.
- Knowledge of data classification and data anonymization techniques.
3. Legal and Regulatory Frameworks:
- Understanding key data protection laws and regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other relevant national or regional laws.
- Knowledge of the rights and obligations of data controllers, data processors, and data subjects.
4. Privacy Governance and Accountability:
- Understanding privacy governance frameworks and mechanisms.
- Knowledge of privacy policies, procedures, and privacy impact assessments (PIAs).
5. Privacy in Practice:
- Understanding privacy by design principles and best practices.
- Knowledge of data breach management, incident response, and notification procedures.
6. International Data Transfers:
- Understanding the legal requirements and mechanisms for transferring personal data across borders.
- Knowledge of standard contractual clauses, binding corporate rules, and other data transfer mechanisms.
Exam Objectives:
The objectives of the PDPF test are as follows:
- Assessing candidates' understanding of the fundamental concepts and principles of privacy and data protection.
- Evaluating candidates' knowledge of relevant legal and regulatory frameworks, including GDPR and other applicable laws.
- Testing candidates' knowledge of privacy governance, accountability, and best practices in data protection.
- Assessing candidates' understanding of privacy in practice, including data breach management and incident response.
- Evaluating candidates' knowledge of international data transfers and associated legal requirements.
Exam Syllabus:
The specific test syllabus for the PDPF certification covers the following topics:
1. Introduction to Privacy and Data Protection
2. Personal Data and Data Subjects
3. Legal and Regulatory Frameworks
4. Privacy Governance and Accountability
5. Privacy in Practice
6. International Data Transfers
Privacy and Data Protection Foundation EXIN Protection guide
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Privacy and Data Protection Foundation
http://killexams.com/pass4sure/exam-detail/PDPF Question: 45
A written contract between a controller and a processor is called a data processing agreement.
According to the GDPR, what does not have to be covered in the written contract?
A . The contractor code of business ethics and conduct that is used.
B . Which data are covered by the data processing agreement
C . The information security and personal data breach procedures
D . The technical and organizational measures implemented Answer: A
Explanation:
The contractor code of business ethics and conduct that is used. Correct. Although the GDPR endorses the use of codes
of conduct and certification, it is not an obligation to have this clause to demonstrate compliance with the GDPR.
(Literature: A, Chapter 8; GDPR Article 28(3))
The information security and personal data breach procedures. Incorrect. This is mandatory because it describes the
obligations of the processor regarding the notification of a personal data breach (by the controller) to the supervisory
authority.
The technical and organizational measures implemented. Incorrect. This is mandatory because it describes technical
and organizational measures the processor must take.
Which data are covered by the data processing agreement. Incorrect. This is mandatory because it describes the
personal data, including special category personal data, covered by the contract. Question: 46
How are the terms privacy and data protection related?
A . Data protection is the right to privacy.
B . The terms are synonymous.
C . Privacy includes the right to the protection of personal data. Answer: C Question: 47
GDPR quotes in one of its principles that personal data should be adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary
in relation to its purpose.
What principle is this?
A . integrity and confidentiality
B . purpose limitation
C . data minimization
D . lawfulness, loyalty and transparency Answer: C
Explanation:
In its Article 5, which deals with the Principles concerning the processing of personal data, paragraph 1, the GDPR
describes: Question: 48
“The controller shall implement appropriate technical and organizational measures for ensuring that (…) only personal
data which are necessary for each specific purpose of the processing are processed.”
Which term in the GDPR is defined here?
A . Compliance
B . Data protection by default and by design
C . Embedded data protection Answer: B
Explanation:
Compliance. Incorrect. Compliance means meeting rules or standards.
Data protection by design and by default. Correct. By default, the minimum of personal data is to be processed for the
shortest possible period, using the best possible security measures to prevent unauthorized access. Data protection by
design refers to processing that includes appropriate measures to implement data protection principles. (Literature: A,
Chapter 8; GDPR Article 25)
Embedded data protect. Incorrect. Embedded data protection is the result of data protection by design. Question: 49
A processor is instructed to report on customers who bought a product both last month and at least once in the three
months before that. Unfortunately, the processor makes a mistake and uses personal data collected by another
controller for a different purpose. The mistake is found before the report is created, and nobody has access to personal
date he or she should not have had access to.
How should the processor act on this situation and what should the controller do, if anything?
A . The processor must notify the controller and the controller must notify the Data Protection Authority of a data
breach.
B . The processor must notify the controller of a data breach. The controller must assess the possible risk to the data
subjects.
C . The processor must notify the Data Protection Authority of a data breach. The controller must execute a PIA to
assess the risk to data subjects.
D . The processor must restart processing using the right data. There is no need for the controller to act. Answer: B Question: 50
While paying with a credit card, the card is skimmed (i.e. the data on the magnetic strip is stolen). The magnetic strip
contains the account number, expiration date, cardholder’s name and address, PIN number and more.
What kind of a data breach is this?
A . Material
B . Non-material
C . Verbal Answer: B Question: 51
A personal data breach has occurred, and the controller is writing a draft notification for the supervisory authority.
The following information is already in the notification:
– The nature of the personal data breach and its possible consequences.
– Information regarding the parties that can provide additional information about the data breach.
What other information must the controller provide?
A . Information of local and national authorities that were informed about the data breach.
B . Name and contact details of the data subjects whose data may have been breached
C . Suggested measures to mitigate the adverse consequences of the data breach.
D . The information needed to access the personal data that have been breached. Answer: C
Explanation:
Information of local and national authorities that were informed about the data breach. Incorrect. The supervisory
authority must be made aware of reports to supervisory authorities in other EEA countries. Reports to local authorities,
for instance the police, do not need to be reported.
Name and contact details of the data subjects whose data may have been breached. Incorrect. The supervisory authority
requires an estimate of the number of data subjects involved, not their personal data.
Suggested measures to mitigate the adverse consequences of the data breach. Correct. The controller should add
suggested measures to mitigate the adverse consequences of the data breach. (Literature: A, Chapter 7; GDPR Article
33(q))
The information needed to access the personal data that have been breached. Incorrect. The supervisory authority needs
to know the type of personal data involved, but does not need access to the data themselves. Question: 52
When does the GDPR require data subjects consent to a cookie?
A . Always, because a cookie is regarded as online identifier
B . Never, as the EU Cookie Law does not require explicit consent
C . Only if the cookie contains authentication information of the data subject
D . Only if the cookie contains shopping basket items Answer: A
Explanation:
Reference: https://eugdprcompliant.com/cookies-consent-gdpr/ Question: 53
According to the GDPR, for which situations should a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) be conducted?
A . For all projects that include technologies or processes that require data protection
B . For all sets of similar processing operations with comparable risks
C . For any situation where technologies and processes will be subject to a risk assessment
D . For technologies and processes that are likely to result in a high risk to the rights of data subjects Answer: A
Explanation:
Reference: https://eugdprcompliant.com/dpia-guidelines/ Question: 54
A controller discovers that a data subject, who had given consent for the processing of his data, has passed away.
What this implies for data processing according to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)?
A . With the death of the data owner, the controller can continue processing the data, as they are no longer under the
GDP
C . The data can only be processed by the controller respecting the consent provided by the holder.
D . The controller must delete the data of the holder, since with the death of the holder the consent is automatically
revoked.
E . The controller can process the data of a deceased person as long as it anonymizes the data. Answer: A
Explanation:
With the death of the data subject, the controller can process the data in any way he wishes, since personal data of
deceased persons is not within the scope of the GDPR.
Recital 27 says: This Regulation does not apply to the personal data of deceased persons. Member States may provide
for rules regarding the processing of personal data of deceased persons. Question: 55
What is the role of the one assigned the responsibility to govern the purposes and means of processing personal data
within an organization, according to the GDPR?
A . Controller
B . Data Protection Officer
C . Data Subject
D . Processor Answer: A
Explanation:
Reference: https://www.i-scoop.eu/gdpr/data-controller-data-controller-duties/
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You've got three choices when it comes to protecting your skin from the sun. To avoid painful burns, premature aging, and potentially lethal skin cancer, you can stay indoors (not much fun), you can keep fully covered in dark clothing and a wide-brimmed hat (not very stylish), or, you can slather on the sunscreen from head to toe.
How can you choose from the shelves full of products? Like many men, you might fear "analysis paralysis" when you take a walk down a drugstore aisle full of products.
Here's our advice:
Don't even bother buying a sunblock or sunscreen with less than an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of 15. Each level of SPF increases the time you can stay in the sun without burning. For example, if you'd normally start to burn in 10 minutes without protection, you might be able to last up to 150 minutes wearing a product with an SPF of 15.
The lighter-skinned you are, the higher the SPF you should use. Still, even if you're as pasty as the Pillsbury Doughboy, you should be fine with SPF 15 as long as you reapply it every two hours or so.
UVA, UVB: UB confused? Don't fret. Sunlight emits two types of ultraviolet (UV) rays harmful to human skin. UVB rays are the primary cause of sunburn and skin cancer. UVA rays are somewhat weaker, but still destructive. Guard against both with a "broad spectrum" product containing benzophenones, oxybenzone, sulisobenzone, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or Parsol 1789.
PABA has been a basic sun protection ingredient for many years. Unfortunately, it can stain clothes and may cause allergic reactions. It works, but there are PABA-free alternatives that are just as effective, such as the ones listed above.
Sunblock or sunscreen? It doesn't matter which you choose. Both work well but in different ways. Sunscreens chemically absorb UV rays so not as many reach your skin; sunblocks physically deflect them.
Creams, gels, lotions, wax sticks, or ointments? None have been proven more effective than any other, so use whatever you're most comfortable with on your skin.
Cheap or chic? Expensive doesn't mean better. You may prefer the smell or feel of more expensive products, but you won't get better protection.
After you've made your purchase and you're headed outdoors:
Apply early. Put on your chosen product 15 to 30 minutes before going outdoors, and use an ounce or more -- about the quantity of a shot glass -- to cover your body. Being stingy is a big mistake when it comes to sun protection.
Apply often -- over and over again. All sunscreens and sunblocks need to be reapplied, no matter what the label says. Slather it on every 2 hours or immediately after you dry off from a swim (even with water-resistant products). Think of your skin the way you think of a parking meter: If you don't pay attention every couple of hours, you're going to get burned.
And last, what if you burn anyway? Treat yourself with cool baths, moisturizers with only mild ingredients (for instance, alpha hydroxy is bound to sting like a whip on sunburn!), or over-the-counter hydrocortisone creams. Avoid "-caine" products (like benzocaine), as they may cause allergic reactions. And take a pain reliever, such as aspirin as recommended on the package, unless you have a sensitivity to it, a history of stomach ulcers, or your doctor has told you not to take it. Studies show aspirin may help slow the early development of sunburn. If you have a sunburn too severe to treat on your own, you may need to see your doctor.
Sat, 24 Jun 2023 21:26:00 -0500entext/htmlhttps://www.webmd.com/men/features/skin-protection-menWelcome Guide
Welcome to BleepingComputer, a free community where people like yourself come together to discuss and learn how to use their computers in an atmosphere that is both helpful and welcoming. With over 700,000 registered members asking and answering questions, BleepingComputer.com has become a vibrant and lively community of like-minded people. Now it is your turn to become part of this experience.
BleepingComputer is paid for completely by advertisement revenue and the moderators are all volunteers. What this means is that any support and advice you receive from this site is completely free. Sounds like a good deal, right? Let's make it sweeter then; as a registered user you will also no longer see any ads at all on this site! What are you waiting for? Learn how to get started asking questions and helping others in the forums with the simple instructions below:
Create a free account:
Before you can use the forums it is required that you first create a free account. To start the process of creating your free account click on the following link:
Search the forums for related subjects from other members:
To search the forums, simply click on the Search link found in the Member bar at the top of every page on this site. When you click on this link you will reach a page that will allow you to search the forum for keywords that you enter. When the forum has finished searching you will be presented with a listing of subjects that contain your keyword. You can then click on the Topic links to read them. If this step does not solve your question; continue on to the next step where you will post your question.
Hint: When searching use specific, rather than general, keywords in order to fine tune your search.
Select the forum category in which you would like to ask a question:
The forums at BleepingComputer.com are categorized by subject matter. Therefore, before asking a question in the forums, you must first pick the category that best matches your question. First, go to the forums by visiting the URL https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/ or by clicking on the Forum tab found on the top of every page. Then scroll through the forum categories until you find one that matches the subject of your question. When you find that forum, click on its title which will bring you into the specific forum you chose.
Ask a new question in the selected forum category:
Once you have selected the forum category in which you would like to ask a question, click on the Start New Topic button designated by the green arrow in the image below.
Fill in the details of your new question:
You will now be at the screen where you input the content and details of your question. The first thing you should do is enter a descriptive Topic title in the Topic Title field as shown in the image below
Â
After you have entered the title, you would then enter the genuine question you are asking as shown below. When entering your question please be as detailed as possible and include information such as your operating system and the exact error messages you may be receiving.
Â
Â
Next, you should make sure you put a checkmark in the Follow this topic? checkbox as shown below. This will tell the forum software to email you when someone replies to your topic.
Â
Finally, you post your question to the forums by clicking on the Post New Topic button as show below.
Â
Important!
BleepingComputer.com is a friendly and polite atmosphere. With this in mind, there are a few rules you need to follow:
Do not ask questions that are illegal in nature. This includes downloading or sharing copyrighted software, information on how to crack software, or change an administrator password.
Advertisements of any kind are not allowed. subjects with advertisement will be considered spam!
Do not post your question multiple times. If you posted your question in the wrong forum, you can always ask a moderator to move it for you. Information on the various member groups and how to find moderators can be found here.
Be patient and polite while waiting for your question to be answered. It is important to remember that everyone here is a volunteer, so you may not receive an answer immediately.
Other helpful resources at BleepingComputer.com!
BleepingComputer has many useful resources to help optimize and keep your computer trouble free. These resources are outlined below.
Tech Support Forums - A discussion forum that allows you to help, receive computer help, and get to know the other members of BleepingComputer.com.
Downloads - You can use this section to get a variety of useful programs for your computer.
Tutorials - Various tutorials on basic computer concepts, how to perform various tasks on your computer, and how to remove malware using the most popular anti-malware programs.
Startup Database - Startup programs are programs that are automatically started by Windows when the operating system starts. The problem is that many programs, viruses, hijackers, spyware, and other malware set themselves to start automatically when Windows starts. As more and more programs are started automatically, your computer's valuable resources are drained, causing your computer to operate slowly. This database will allow you to search for programs that you find starting automatically on your computer and determine if they are considered to be malware (harmful), optional, unnecessary, or necessary to run.
Uninstall List - This database contains a list of entries that can appear in your Add or Remove Programs control panel. These programs can be unwanted programs, and thus should be uninstalled, or for legitimate programs that you may want to leave installed. For most applications, you can remove the software using the Add or Remove Programs control panel. Malware related programs, though, may add these entries to appear legitimate and are not able to be uninstalled using this method. This database will allow you to determine if an entry in your Add or Remove Programs list should be uninstalled.
Mon, 02 Dec 2019 04:18:00 -0600en-ustext/htmlhttps://www.bleepingcomputer.com/welcome-guide/Gift GuideNo result found, try new keyword!The Most Outlandish Items from Goop's Gift Guide, Including a $15K Vibrator and a $2,170 Margarita Clutch 10 Under-$50 Gifts for Teacher Appreciation Week That Are All Educator-Approved Celebrate ...Wed, 17 Nov 2021 03:03:00 -0600entext/htmlhttps://people.com/tag/gift-guide/The best identity theft protection services in 2023
The best identity theft protection services make it easy to spot, stop and recover your identity after a crisis.Â
Since recovering from identity theft and getting your life back can take months or even years on your own, investing in one of these services can save you a great deal of time. Many of the best identity theft protection services also provide you with credit monitoring as well as extra security software like a VPN or password manager to help keep you safe online.
In order to determine which identity theft protection services are the best for you, we put all of the ones listed below through three months of intensive testing and used them ourselves. During this time, we used multiple computers as well as smartphones and tablets to check in several times a week to see if our identities were being misused online. However, we also carefully scrutinized all of the alerts we received to see which ones were serious and which we could ignore.
Based on our testing and reviews, we can tell you which identity theft protection services send out too many alerts as well as which ones can scan court records, examine the dark web for your data or notify you if a sex offender has moved in next door. These are the best identity theft protection services you can sign up for today.
The quick list
Below you'll find everything you need to know about the best identity theft protection services at a glance including what they monitor and whether or not they offer a family plan. There's something here for every type of person as well as every budget.
The best identity theft protection service overall
Aura is available for individuals, couples or families and includes malware protection from Avira and a VPN. It monitors all three credit bureaus as well as your bank and investment accounts with annual credit reports. Avira also gives you up to $1 million in identity theft insurance.
The best identity theft protection service for security
Bitdefender lacks a family plan but includes a VPN, password manager and malware protection. It monitors all three credit bureaus and your bank and investment accounts. Bitdefender offers up to $2 million in identity theft insurance.
IdentityForce has a family plan but doesn't offer malware protection or other extra security software. It monitors all three credit bureaus as well as your bank and investment accounts. IdentityForce provides up to $1 million in identity theft insurance.
IDShield offers individual and family plans and includes malware protection and a VPN. It monitors all three credit bureaus as well as your bank and investment accounts but only provides a monthly VantageScore credit score. IDShield comes with up to $1 million in identity theft insurance.Â
The best identity theft protection service for features
LifeLock has plenty of plans to choose from but security software like malware protection, a password manager or a VPN costs extra. It monitors all three credit bureaus as well as your bank and investment accounts with daily reports from Equifax. LifeLock provides up to $3 million in identity theft insurance.
Best identity theft protection service for families
McAfee has several plans including a family plan and gives you access to a VPN and malware protection for an unlimited number of users. It monitors all three credit bureaus as well as your bank accounts with credit reports issued each month. McAfee provides up to $1 million in identity theft insurance.
Identity Guard has several plans including a family plan and you also get access to a password manager. It monitors all three credit bureaus, your bank and investment accounts and even social media. IdentityGuard offers up to $1 million in identity theft insurance.
Best identity theft protection service for credit scores
MyFICO has several plans but lacks a family plan as well as extra security software. It monitors all three credit bureaus with new credit reports issued monthly and there's even a credit simulator available. MyFICO provides up to $1 million in identity theft insurance.
The best identity theft protection software you get buy today
Best identity theft protection overall
(Image credit: Aura)
Best overall
Specifications
Family plan:Yes
Credit bureaus monitored:3
New credit reports:Yearly
Bank, card accounts monitored:Yes
Investment account monitoring:Yes
Two-factor authentication:Yes
Maximum ID-theft assistance:$1 million
Telephone assistance:Yes
Reasons to buy
+
Good value
+
Experian credit lock button
+
Individual, couple or family protection
+
Includes Avira malware protection and VPN
Reasons to avoid
-
Credit reports only once a year
-
No calculators or credit simulators
Aura not only has one of the best interfaces but it also provides you with the most important and most used features to protect your identity online at a reasonable price, making it the best identity theft protection service overall.
In addition to data breach, title change and sex offender alerts, Aura can also monitor both investment and bank accounts for suspicious activity. However, the service also makes it easy to avoid being overwhelmed by alerts by allowing you to set up a transaction limit for monitoring. The family plan even allows you to set up basic monitoring to ensure that your Children’s Social Security numbers aren’t being misused online.
When it comes to identity theft insurance, Aura’s Individual plan includes $1 million to help you recover from an identity theft while its Couple plan ups this coverage to $2 million and the Family plan brings it all the way to $5 million. There’s also a credit lock button for Experian that lets you instantly lock your credit. Besides excellent identity protection, Aura comes with powerful malware protection from Avira, VPN access and a password manager so that all your bases are covered.
During our testing over the course of three months, we received 12 alerts including several for large money transfers. We also found it easy to cancel our subscription and Aura lets you do this over the phone or online. If you’re looking to protect your identity online and defend against the worst the web has to offer, Aura should be your top choice.
Malware protection, VPN and password manager included
Reasons to avoid
-
Lacks family plans
-
No monthly option
-
Doesn’t include payday loan and title change monitoring
Bitdefender may be known for its antivirus software but the company took its online protection to a new level last year by adding identity theft services from Identity Force for its new Bitdefender Ultimate Security offering.
When it comes to keeping an eye on your credit, Bitdefender Ultimate Security has you covered with monthly reports from all three major bureaus. The service can also monitor up to 10 banking and investment accounts but it does lack payday loan and title change alerts, though Bitdefender is working on adding these. There’s even an instant TransUnion credit freeze button as well as an Action Plan for each event with advice that ranges from changing your passwords to getting a spam blocker.Â
Unlike other identity theft protection services that often top out at $1 million, Bitdefender goes the extra mile with $2 million in identity-theft insurance. You can also get up to $1,000 a week in lost pay (for up to five weeks) as well as up to $2,000 in travel expenses. Likewise, if you’re currently undergoing an identity crisis, Bitdefender can soften the blow by freezing your credit cards to limit the damage. As for keeping you secure online, you also get access to Bitdefender’s antivirus software, a password manager, a VPN and even parental control software.
During our three-month evaluation of Bitdefender Ultimate Security, we received eight notifications with most of them being related to our personal data showing up on the dark web. Since Bitdefender doesn’t have a monthly plan, canceling the service amounted to turning off the auto-renewal process and waiting for our plan to expire. Still though, this was easy enough to do and only took a few minutes. If you want complete protection for your entire digital life from one dashboard, Bitdefender Ultimate Security plus could be the identity theft protection service for you.
Best identity theft protection for securing your identity
(Image credit: TransUnion)
Best for identity theft protection
Specifications
Family plan:Yes
Credit bureaus monitored:3
New credit reports:Yearly
Bank, card accounts monitored:Yes
Investment account monitoring:Yes
Two-factor authentication:Yes
Maximum ID-theft assistance:$1 million
Telephone assistance:Yes
Reasons to buy
+
Reasonably priced
+
Fast install and setup
+
TransUnion credit-freeze button
+
Comprehensive identity protection
Reasons to avoid
-
App issues
-
Quarterly credit reports
-
No malware protection
IdentityForce has held the top spot on our list of the best identity theft protection services for two years running but this year, it faced stiff competition from Aura and Bitdefender Ultimate Security which uses its analysis, defenses and insurance. However, if you’re looking for excellent identity theft protection as opposed to extra security, it remains a great choice.
If you want to monitor your credit, you’ll need to upgrade to IdentityForce’s UltraSecure+Credit plan which provides instant scores along with access to your VantageScore 3.0 composite score. You also get quarterly reports from all three bureaus. In terms of monitoring, IdentityForce can scan court records and dark web forums for mentions of your name and Social Security number. Alerts arrive via text, email or as a notification in the mobile app when someone opens a credit card or takes out a loan in your name. However, there are also alerts for public record changes and for when a registered sex offender moves within a preset distance from your home.
IdentityForce provides up to $1 million in identity-theft insurance which is half that of Bitdefender and significantly less than what you can get with Aura’s Family plan. Still though, you also get reimbursed for lost work at $2,000 a week and IdentityForce’s lost wallet protection can help you cancel your credit and debit cards to limit any damage caused by identity theft. As for security extras, the service includes a VPN and browser extensions but no malware protection or access to a password manager.
During our three-month testing period, we received just two alerts and one indicated that a registered sex offender had moved in nearby. Canceling our IdentityForce subscription was incredibly easy but it had to be done over the phone. However, it only took a few minutes and we weren’t pressured into staying with a discount. IdenityForce provides a good balance of credit monitoring, identity protection and insurance and unlike Bitdefender, there is a monthly payment option so you don’t have to sign up for a full year’s worth of coverage.
Malware protection, VPN and other security software included
Reasons to avoid
-
Lacks 2FA
-
No full credit reports
-
Tedious setup procedure
IDShield offers one of the least expensive ways to monitor your credit and protect your identity online. While you can save quite a bit with either of the service’s two plans, you are missing out on some essential features others include like two-factor authentication as well as some useful extras like full credit reports and credit simulators to help you Strengthen your credit over time.
With IDShield, you get monthly VantageScore 3 figures from TransUnion and the service monitors activity at all three major credit bureaus. Although the company prioritizes TransUnion, during an identity theft the company works with all three bureaus to create a merged report in order to diagnose the problem and help fix it.
IDShield’s Individual and Family plans both include up to $1 million in identity-theft insurance as well up to $1,500 per week in lost salary for when you’re dealing with an identity crisis. There’s also lost wallet protection to help you replace any documents or payment cards. If you have a large family, IDShield’s Family plan can cover up to two adults as well as an unlimited number of children living at home if they’re under 18. However, full-time students up to 26 years old are also covered. As for extra security goodies, IDShield includes malware defenses from Trend Micro as well as a VPN and password manager.
During our three-month testing period, we received five alerts from IDShield with no false alarms. The service sends out alerts when it finds your personal data on the dark web as well as when a sex offender moves in nearby. Canceling IDShield was easy enough and can be done over the phone or by email. However, we didn’t receive any confirmation that our account was closed and needed to call the company to confirm. If you’re after a real bargain when it comes to securing your identity online, IDShield should be at the top of your list, granted you don’t need full credit reports or an instant credit freeze button.
New credit reports:Equifax: daily; TransUnion and Experian: annual
Bank, card accounts monitored:Yes
Investment account monitoring:Yes
Two-factor authentication:Yes
Maximum ID-theft assistance:$3 million
Telephone assistance:Yes
Reasons to buy
+
Instant credit freeze
+
Thorough identity protection
+
Three credit bureau scores and reports
+
Can include the Norton 360 security suite
Reasons to avoid
-
Gets expensive
-
Lacks credit simulator
LifeLock is the perfect choice for those looking for the most comprehensive identity theft protection with a wide variety of plans and subscriptions to choose from. However, none of them include credit simulators and add-ons like malware protection and VPN access can get expensive. Still though, if you want to secure your entire digital life with one service LifeLock is the best choice.
When it comes to credit scores, LifeLock does a better job than the competition with daily squires from Equifax and monthly ones from both TransUnion and Experian if you sign up for the service’s top-of-the-line Ultimate Plus plan. It also checks for suspicious activity on your credit cards, bank and investment accounts and can even look at payday loan companies. LifeLock even includes dark web monitoring to see if your personal information is already in the hands of hackers. The service also stands out when it comes to identity-theft insurance as it doesn’t use an insurance company and provides up to $1 million on its own. There’s also an additional $1 million to cover stolen funds and the limit can rise all the way up to $3 million with a family plan.
As for security, LifeLock Ultimate Plus can be bolstered with Norton 360 malware coverage and additional extras like a firewall, parental controls and a VPN but these do cost extra. Fortunately, adding antivirus protection to your identity theft plan comes at a steep discount. LifeLock also now includes a Phone Takeover feature that monitors your smartphone and SIM card for signs of abuse and the sex offender alert lets you know if anyone you need to be cautious of has moved into your area.
During our testing period, we received four alerts from LifeLock which were mostly for inquiries made to our credit history. Likewise, canceling the service was easy enough and we were able to go through the entire process right from LifeLock’s mobile app on our Android smartphone. LifeLock may be expensive depending on the plan you pick but you’re getting excellent identity theft protection and security extras for the price.
Best identity theft protection service for families
(Image credit: McAfee)
Best for Chromebooks
Specifications
Family plan:Yes
Credit bureaus monitored:3
New credit reports:Monthly
Bank, card accounts monitored:Yes
Investment account monitoring:No
Two-factor authentication:Yes
Maximum ID-theft assistance:$1 million
Telephone assistance:Yes
Reasons to buy
+
Reasonably priced
+
TransUnion credit freeze
+
Three credit bureau scores and reports
+
Malware protection for unlimited number of users
Reasons to avoid
-
No credit simulator
-
No investment monitoring or credit simulator
McAfee+ is another new entrant to the world of identity theft protection from the antivirus maker McAFee. One thing that really sets it apart from the competition is the fact that the service includes malware protection for an unlimited number of users along with its Protection Score which shows you useful steps you can take to further protect your identity online.
If you sign up for McAfee+’s Advanced plan you only get credit scores from a single bureau while the more expensive Ultimate subscription we tested gives you access to all three while also including an easy way to lock your TransUnion account in an emergency. This plan also includes access to your VantageScore 3.0 which can let you know if you’re ready to apply for a new loan or mortgage.Â
Like many other identity theft protection services, McAfee+ uses AIG for its identity-theft insurance with up to $1 million in coverage. However, the Ultimate plan also throws in $25,000 to help you deal with the fallout from a ransomware attack which no other service does. As for security extras, you get access to the company’s malware defenses and an unlimited VPN.
During our evaluation period, we received five alerts from McAfee+ which ranged from info about credit inquiries to data breaches. There’s no way to outright cancel the service online and instead, we just canceled the auto-renewal process. McAfee+ is a good first effort but if investment monitoring and credit simulators is something you’re interested in, you’ll need to look elsewhere. However, if you need to protect an unlimited number of computers along with your identity, McAfee+ might be the perfect service for you.
Best identity theft protection service on a budget
(Image credit: Identity Guard)
Best on a budget
Specifications
Family plan:Yes
Credit bureaus monitored:3
New credit reports:Annually
Bank, card accounts monitored:Yes
Investment account monitoring:Yes
Two-factor authentication:Yes
Maximum ID-theft assistance:$1 million
Telephone assistance:Yes
Reasons to buy
+
Inexpensive
+
Social media monitoring
+
Includes password manager
Reasons to avoid
-
Annual credit reports
-
No malware protection or VPN
Identity Guard provides solid identity theft protection at a fair price with an excellent variety of plans to choose from. These plans also include access to a password manager but you won’t find malware protection or a VPN here. Still, Identity Guard’s thorough social media monitoring and identity insurance make it a great pick for those on a tighter budget.
Regarding credit monitoring, Identity Guard’s cheapest Value plan doesn’t show any of your credit scores while its mid-range Total plan adds single bureau credit scores updated monthly from Equifax with monitoring at all three credit bureaus. Meanwhile, the Ultra plan shows scores for all three bureaus and includes credit reports, though they only arrive annually. It’s worth noting that IdentityGuard’s parent company is Aura and you might be better off with them if you want access to a VPN along with malware protection from Avira.
As for identity-theft insurance, Identity Guard includes $1 million to cover fraud and to help you recover your identity. Another nice thing about this service is that a single agent handles your claim from start to finish and there’s also an Experian credit lock to make it dead simple to freeze your credit during an emergency.
During our three-months of testing, we received four alerts from Identity Guard which covered several large payments as well as an IRS identity verification that many other services missed. Cancellation was easy enough but it did have to be done entirely over the phone instead of online. Identity Guard does the basics of identity theft protection extremely well and the lack of some security extras helps keep the annual cost of the service down.
Best identity theft protection service for credit scores
(Image credit: MyFICO)
Best for credit scores
Specifications
Family plan:No
Credit bureaus monitored:3
New credit reports:Monthly
Bank, card accounts monitored:No
Investment account monitoring:No
Two-factor authentication:Yes
Maximum ID-theft assistance:$1 million
Telephone assistance:Yes
Reasons to buy
+
Tops in credit monitoring
+
Excellent credit simulator
+
Monthly 3-bureau credit reports
+
Access to several FICO credit scores
Reasons to avoid
-
Expensive
-
Lacks annual plan discount
-
No malware protection or VPN
MyFICO is an excellent choice if you want to protect your identity but your main focus is on carefully monitoring your credit. Unlike other identity theft protection services that use the VantageScore 3.0, this one gives you access to your genuine FICO scores which are what loan officers use to determine your creditworthiness — perfect for those looking to take out a new loan or mortgage.
Besides your FICO scores, MyFICO also gives you access to your credit scores from all three bureaus depending on which plan you choose. The Basic plan included Experian credit scores and reports as well as your main FICO score while the Advanced plan adds scores and reports from all three bureaus. Upgrading to the top-tier Premier plan gives you scores from all three bureaus monthly as opposed to quarterly. Unfortunately though, there’s no family plan nor do you get a discount for paying annually.
All of MyFICO’s three plans include up to $1 million in identity-theft insurance to pay for consultants, investigators, lawyers and other experts to help you recover your identity. One interesting thing that sets this service apart from the competition though is that lost wages are covered with no limit while other services stop at around $7,500. There aren’t any security extras though which means you won’t get access to a VPN, password manager or malware protection.
During our testing, we got a startling 32 alerts though most of these were for changing bank balances. The alert threshold can be turned down though if you want to receive fewer alerts when moving money between your accounts. Canceling MyFICO can be done by phone, email or on the company’s website. If you want to get to the bottom of why your credit scores are the way they are, MyFICO is an excellent choice but you will have to supplement your plan with malware protection and other security features from a different provider.
Any of the services detailed above are well worth paying for if you know your personal information was compromised as the result of a data breach or data leak. However, you can also take several steps on your own that won’t cost you a thing to protect your identity and monitor your credit.Â
Frequently check both your bank and credit card statements
Go to annualcreditreport.com for free yearly credit reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion
Ask the credit-reporting agencies to put a free credit freeze on your files
How to choose the best identity protection service for you
The services we’ve reviewed in this guide have a lot in common. All of them monitor your files with all three of the major credit bureaus and let you know when something alarming has shown up. All watch the dark web and other places cybercriminals frequent for mention of your name, Social Security number and credit card and bank account numbers.
Additionally, each of these services sends you alerts via email and text messages and all of them have mobile apps for Android and iOS.
If your identity is stolen while paying for one of these services, each will spend up to $1 million or more to help restore your good name and credit, including reimbursement for stolen funds and lost wages.
However, the best identity theft protection services differ in how often you’ll get credit reports and scores as well as when it comes to which bureaus you’ll get credit scores from. Not every service monitors your bank, credit card and investment accounts.
Last but not least, not every one of these services offers two-factor login authentication (2FA) to protect your account. This makes sense considering the sensitive nature of the information they handle. It would be pretty ironic to have your identity stolen from an identity theft protection service.Â
How we test and rate the best identity theft protection services
Our testing and analysis of the best identity theft protection services focuses on how well each one monitors credit information, financial activity and personal information. We also rated each service for how frequently it provides credit reports and credit scores not including free annual credit reports.
We gave extra weight to the services that offer tools to help Strengthen your credit score and penalized any services that do not give you credit reports from all three credit bureaus.
At the same time, we also rated each service for the number of credit cards, debit cards and bank accounts they monitor. We paid close attention to whether or not a service provides email or SMS notifications for large changes to an account balance or large expenses on a credit card.
We penalized services that didn’t allow us to add personal information beyond our Social Security number, such as our driver’s license number, phone number or multiple email addresses. Each of these numbers can also be used to steal your identity. We also gave extra points to services that detected any compromised personal information.
To see which identity theft protection service is truly the best, we spent three months trying out all of the services on this list. During this testing period, our reviewer used his credit cards and bank accounts as usual to look for signs of identity theft. However, he also opted into email, SMS and phone alerts (when available) from the services while regularly checking his credit reports to monitor for any changes.
Tue, 07 Nov 2023 07:13:00 -0600entext/htmlhttps://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-identity-theft-protection,review-2083.htmlBest robot vacuums in 2023 tested and rated
Best Robot Vacuums: Quick Menu
If you’re looking for the best robot vacuum, you’ve come to the right place. We tested over 30 models to find those that deliver across the board in terms of pick-up, design and ease of use. Our overall winner is the iRobot Roomba s9+; it provides an impressive removal rate, particularly on pet hair. Plus, it’s fast, thorough and easy to use, leaving little room for improvement. It can communicate with a compatible robot mop if you want the finishing touches too.
To assess performance, each model on test had to collect measured amounts of Cheerios, kitty litter and pet hair from both hard floors and carpet. After which, we let them loose in our tester’s home to see how each coped in terms of navigation, object avoidance and coverage. Plus, we factored in the noise and ease of control via the app. Any special features, including mopping functions and self-emptying bases were incorporated too. This all adds up to days of testing, which is how you know you can trust our results. Here are our picks for the best robot vacuums. Â
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The quick list
Here’s the best robot vacuums you can buy right now based on our testing and reviews. Scroll on for our full in-depth reviews.Â
The iRobot s9+ offers the best of everything; it’s simple to operate and provides strong pick up across hard floors and carpet, excelling on pet hair. The self-emptying base saves on maintenance too. Â
For a premium performance at an affordable price, the iLife V3s Pro is the one to get. It picks up all kinds of debris and navigates with ease. It’s not a smart robot vacuum, but the remote controls it effectively.Â
The Roborock S7 can vacuum as well as mop effectively. It will raise the attachable mop pad to avoid carpets and the on-board tank can be refilled with water. It’s a rare well-performing hybrid option. Â
Intelligence is where the iRobot Roomba j7+ stands out. It learns from what it encounters and offers excellent obstacle avoidance. Plus, it’s guaranteed to avoid pet waste. There’s a handy cleaning base as well.Â
For hard floors, invest in the Wyze robot vacuum. It excels at collecting all kinds of debris from this surface. Plus it’s fast at mapping and the app is easy to navigate too — all at a great price.Â
If you want every feature possible, get the Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra. It’s a strong performer for both vacuuming and mopping, and the base can clean the mop pad as well as carry dust. There’s even a camera for live-viewing. Â
Size:9 x 31 x 31 cm (vacuum), 48H x 31W x 39D cm (base station)
Weight:3.7kg
Reasons to buy
+
Attractive, premium design
+
Mapping was quick and easy
+
Easy-to-use mapping controls in app
+
Strong performance
Reasons to avoid
-
Noisy on hardwood floors
iRobot's Roomba s9+ is one of the smartest and most thorough robot vacuums I've tested, which is why it's the best robot vacuum overall. It has advanced mapping, so it can record and remember a blueprint of multiple floors of your house after just a few trips; you can then specify individual rooms, and tell the s9+ to clean specific rooms on specific days. I suggest scheduling it for when you're out of the house, as this is admittedly a noisy robot vacuum, particularly on hardwood floors; I struggled to have conversations over the top. It's also only the heavy side; I felt this as soon as I removed it from the box — weighing 8.15 pounds.Â
However, with an average pick up score of almost 97 achieved during testing, it's a capable vacuum on both hard floors and carpet. I noticed that it's better at picking up pet hair and kitty litter compared to Cheerios — this is usually the other way around. So it's actually better for smaller debris.Â
The Roomba s9+ also comes with a self-emptying charging base; while you'll have to purchase replacement bags for this base, which I don't love the idea of, you will only have to empty the container every 30 days, which will save you a lot of time versus emptying the onboard dustbin. If you want to drop even more cash, the s9+ can also talk with the company's Braava jet m6 robot mop, with the two working as a team, vacuuming floors, followed by a mop. That's pretty neat. Ultimately, this robot vacuum comes at a steep price, but it leaves little room for improvement.Â
The iLife V3s Pro is the best robot vacuum you can get for less than $200. Period. Despite its low price, the V3s Pro consistently outperformed other robot vacuums that cost three times as much. It picked up nearly all of Fido's fur in our lab tests — making it the best robot vacuum for pet hair — and it performed well in my home too. It reached well up against the baseboards, picking up flaky bits of onion skin in my kitchen, and it collected all breadcrumbs in its path. It was about average in terms of noise compared to the other robot vacuums on test though, at 64.1dB.  Â
There are a few caveats when purchasing a robot vacuum this cheap. For starters, the iLife V3s Pro is slow, taking more than 90 minutes on average to clean the test space — others took less than 30 minutes. Also, it can’t be controlled from your smartphone, so you have to use the included remote control, and you can't connect it to Alexa or Google Assistant to turn it on or schedule cleanings. But, if these are #FirstWorldProblems you can live with, then you'll be pleased to know the V3s Pro its great at doing the one thing it needs to do well, and that's picking up debris. For this price, its downsides are tradeoffs I'm willing to make. That's why it's also one of the best cheap robot vacuums.Â
Until the Roborock S7, most of the hybrid robot vacuums/robot mops I've tested have been good, but not great, at either task. The S7 is the first such device I'd actually trust to vacuum and mop without close supervision. That's because the S7 is smart enough to know when it's on a rug, and can lift its mopping pad so that your carpet doesn't get soaked. It's gentle in operation too, slowing itself down as it approaches obstacles. I watched as it cautiously approached a step stool, cleaned beneath it and then backed away. It admittedly knocked against the legs, but not enough to move the stool. Â
As a vacuum, the S7 was pretty good — it's not the best with pet hair (collecting a lot in it wheels and brush roll on test) — but it was fast and thorough, scoring a pick up average of 93. It works better on hard floors compared to carpets, but even on carpets the performance was decent, scoring an average of just over 90. It also has niceties such as multi-floor mapping, no-go zones, and scheduling. Keep in mind that it's fairly sizable at 13.9 x 13.8 x 3.8 inches though — it couldn't even fit through the legs of my dining room chairs.Â
But, ultimately, if you're looking for a robot vacuum that can also mop, the Roborock S7 is worth a look.
Smart Home Compatability:Alexa & Google Assistant
Size:8.6 x 33.8 cm
Weight:3.4kg
Reasons to buy
+
Excellent obstacle avoidanceÂ
+
Learns from cleaning dataÂ
+
Easy to create no-go zones
+
Redesigned Clean Base is less obtrusive Â
Reasons to avoid
-
Clean Base is very loudÂ
-
Middling pet hair pickup on carpetÂ
iRobot’s latest offering, the Roomba j7+ is one of the best Roombas because of its obstacle avoidance technology. With this, it can essentially detect everyday objects, such as cables and socks and steer clear of them. The main benefit of this feature is the bot’s ability to avoid pet poop. In fact, iRobot is so confident in the Roomba j7+’s intelligence that it’s introduced the Pet Owner Official Promise (P.O.O.P), whereby iRobot will replace any j7+ that fails to avoid solid pet waste. This robot vacuum is constantly learning with every run too, making it one of the smartest I’ve seen. I dropped some fake dog poop in its path on test, and it didn't disappoint. Although it didn't recognize larger objects, such as socks, shoes and dog toys at first — it should do this with time and software updates.Â
The j7+ comes with a cleaning base which is hard to fault. It can hold up to 60 days of debris and looks easy on the eye compared to other bases — plus it’s more compact too. This robot vacuum scored well for collecting large debris, such as cereal and kitty litter, collecting 98.33 and 94.6% respectively. I’ve seen better performances on pet hair, but the score was still a respectable 82.5%. Ultimately, this is a great investment if your pets are prone to accidents and you want to avoid further mess. Keep in mind that's it's a little forceful prior to mapping though — it even knocked one of the weights which secures the walls out of place during our debris tests.Â
This robot vacuum cleaner from Wyze makes the list because of its exceptional performance on hard floors. When I put it to the test, it picked up 100% of pet fur and cereal — it just missed a perfect score, as it collected roughly 97% of kitty litter. It's speedy as well, mapping the first floor of my home in a near record of 7 minutes, thanks to the Quick Mapping option.  Â
On top of this, the Wyze app is easy to navigate and intuitive to use. It also comes with useful features, such as a location-based trigger, which I've only seen on iRobot Roombas. It needed my address to use this function, which I wasn't crazy about, but I could extend the size of the boundary that encompassed my home, which had its benefits. For instance, I could make sure the robot wouldn't run when I walked the dog, but would when I was a sufficient distance away — the Roomba i3 always started cleaning when I walked the dog by comparison. Â
In my opinion, the Wyze Robot Vacuum is a much more advanced option than the Eufy G30 Edge, which comes at a similar price. This is because you get room division as well as no-go zone options.Â
The Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra will certainly make a statement in any home. An upgrade over the Roborock S7, this capable hybrid robot vacuum combines vacuum and mopping power in one slick looking machine.Â
The combined capabilities do mean the S7 MaxV Ultra comes with an all singing, all dancing charging base too, which has a whopping footprint of 49 x 42 cm. So it’s safe to say you need some space if you want to invest in this beast. The hefty charging base isn’t just for show though — it comes with the expected self-emptying capabilities (it can hold up to 7 weeks worth of dust), plus it contains two water tanks, one each for clean and dirty water. With this set-up, it can essentially wash its own mop cloth when necessary, which is quite a useful and rare feature. A small bristle brush will scrub the cloth once the robot docks and fresh water is applied while the dirty water is extracted. This is an ideal function if you hate the task of removing and washing the cloth after each cleaning session.Â
But how does this robot vacuum actually perform? With an overall cleaning score of 91.26, it’s not one to be overlooked. It achieved an almost perfect score when set to the task of picking up Cheerios and performed admirably when collecting kitty litter (95.73 on average). However, its streak suffered when it came to collecting dog hair from my carpet — it picked up just 58%. That’s the lowest score I’ve seen compared with similar models; the Roomba j7+ is the closest at 72.5%, but even that’s a sizeable gap. And considering the jaw-dropping RRP of $1,399, I expected better here. That being said, the Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra offers a quality performance otherwise and the technology is very impressive. With AI object recognition, it can recognise obstacles and actively avoid them. Although it failed to recognise fake pet poop on test and mistook it for fabric instead. Nevertheless, the robot vacuum would suit households without pets who value convenience above all, and don’t mind paying top dollar for it.Â
The best, least expensive self-emptying robot vacuum
Specifications
Cleaning Performance:90.1
Pet Hair Score:75.5
Bin Size:500 ml
Smart Home Compatibility:Alexa, Google Assistant
Size:9.25 x 34 x 34 cm
Weight:3.18kg
Reasons to buy
+
Self-emptying base great for those with allergies
+
Excellent hardwood performance
+
Auto-detects dirtier areas
Reasons to avoid
-
Poor kitty litter pickup on carpet
-
Lacks smart mapping
-
Very loud Clean Base
The iRobot Roomba i3+ is the company's least-expensive robot vacuum with a self-cleaning feature. Thanks to the self-emptying base, you don't have to dump out its contents after every run — very convenient if you're upgrading from a typical on-board dustbin. The Roomba i3+ excelled at most of the tests, except for picking up kitty litter on carpet, for which it scored a low mark of 58. Otherwise, its performance was strong, so this area was all that really let it down. I was particularly impressed when it successfully detected and collected a line of breadcrumbs on the floor — it showed that this area required additional cleaning on the map.Â
At 3.6 inches tall (the same as the Roomba i7), it's an average height, but it may struggle under low reaching furniture. For instance, it reached under my living room chair with ease, but couldn't clear the couch. The Roomba i3+ can be controlled via an app as well as with Alexa and Google Assistant, so you can create a schedule and connect it to smart home devices. Unlike the more expensive Roomba i7+ and s9+, though, the i3+ can't be directed to map individual rooms. Overall though, I really liked its performance. It's a good option if you want a self-emptying charging base, but without paying top dollar.Â
Not only is the modestly priced Eufy Robovac G30 Edge robot vacuum a very good cleaner, but it's a very quiet one, too. I barely heard it as it made its rounds, moving through my rooms in a very methodical pattern. While not as effective as the top performers on this list, it still managed to pick up 88.9 percent of all debris laid before it. It is a much better performer on hard floors (94.35%) vs carpets (83.52%), which is worth bearing in mind depending on your flooring. It's fast-opening dustbin can also be problematic when it comes to emptying as well — I found it all too easy to release dust everywhere on my way to the trash. Â
An update to the app made using the G30 Edge much easier than with previous Eufy robot vacuums. While the G30 Edge creates a map of your home, you can't set up virtual no-go zones, or direct it to clean specific rooms. This might not be a dealbreaker for many, but for those who want the ultimate in convenient home cleaning, it's something to consider. Quirky features make this robot vacuum more likeable though — for instance, it can play a loud tune if it's lost, and you can control its movement manually via the app, which my dog had fun with.Â
Smart Home Compatibility:Alexa, Google Home and Bixby
Size:30.5 x 13.7 x 32 cm
Weight:4.4kg
Reasons to buy
+
You can select a preferred cleaning pattern
+
Traps small dust particles
+
Clear livestream video
+
Doesn’t slam into furniture
Reasons to avoid
-
Large, can’t get under some baseboards
-
Below average cleaning performance
The Samsung JetBot AI+ is packed full of features to say the least, and it's one of the most attractive robot vacuums to grace my floors. This intelligent and gentle cleaner almost acts as a security camera as much as a robot vacuum cleaner. It can patrol your home while you’re away and livestream what it can see straight to your phone. It can also recognise objects, although the accuracy of this varied for me. It identified the iRobot Braava jet m6 robot mop as a cup/plate, and thought a stray dog toy was a sock/towel. It can also offer alternative cleaning patterns, so you can choose the route you want it to take. It is tall as robot vacuums go at 4.75 inches — it could just reach under my kitchen baseboards, but failed to get under the dishwasher, which the majority of others models could clear. Â
It’s quick to map out the home and easy to create no-go zones or select specific rooms to clean. This model also comes with a self-emptying base, which makes it low maintenance, but it is just as noisy as other vacuums when it empties. In terms of cleaning, it’s very careful to navigate its way around furniture, but the overall pickup could be better, particularly on pet hair (78.5%). Having said that, it was great for collecting cereal, with an overall score of 99.6%. It’s not a cheap investment, but this robot vacuum is good-looking and I can’t complain about the range of features. Â
Smart Home Compatability:None, remote control only
Size:7.23 x 32.5 x 32.5 cm
Weight:2.65kg
Reasons to buy
+
Fits easily under furniture
+
Super easy setup
+
Affordable at around $200
Reasons to avoid
-
Gets stuck easily on unfavorable surfaces
-
Doesn't learn to avoid areas
-
Dustbin sends dust everywhere
One of the trickiest areas to clean is under furniture; but thanks to its low 2.85-inch profile, the Eufy Robovac 11s can go where other robot vacuums can't, and gets those dust bunnies lurking under your couch. With an RRP of $159, it's affordable, and it's also happens to be quieter than most (but not all) other robot vacuums, memorizing just 62.5dB in these tests.Â
While it's not a "smart" robot vacuum, meaning it can't be controlled via an app, the 11s does come with a remote, which makes it easy to control. Performance was pretty good for the price, as it picked up nearly 88 percent of all debris; it was less effective with pet hair though, picking up just 67.5 percent. It took its time to reach this result too, needing between 55-100 minutes to navigate the test areas.Â
I found that emptying the 11s resulted in a little cloud of dust, so be wary when it comes to emptying the dustbin. The 11s also had a propensity for getting stuck on rug tassels as well as shag carpet; it wasn't smart enough to avoid those obstacles. Plus, it will bump into objects with some force as it cleans, including our dog (she's fine). Still, it's a capable and affordable robot vacuum — not one for those with pets or rugs though!Â
Before you start shopping for a new robot vacuum, you should consider what you need from it and how much you’re happy to spend. You will need to decide on the following:Â
How much you’re willing to spend.
The size of the space you want to clean.
If you need a vacuum to clean up pet hair.
If you want to control the vacuum using your smartphone.
Most robot vacuum cleaners will fall into two categories: Budget models, which are non-smart and cost around $200 or less, and smart models which cost upwards of $500. Budget models can be just as effective at cleaning as smarter options, but they’re not as intelligent and generally will bump into walls to find their way around. Budget models can also take much longer to clean because of their random cleaning pattern. For instance, a 15 x 15 foot room can take over an hour for a budget robot vacuum to navigate.Â
Premium models come with sensors which they use to map out and remember the room before cleaning. Because of this, their cleaning route is much more efficient — some of the best robot vacuums we’ve seen can clean the same space in just 10 minutes by comparison. Premium models naturally come with other useful features too, such as Wi-Fi connectivity, Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility, and the ability to clean individual rooms. Premium models can also feature self-emptying bases, which really add to the whole convenience factor, but as a result, will add a hefty sum to the price tag. Before you purchase, you should ask yourself: are robot vacuums with self-emptying bases worth it?
Because robot vacuums are designed to clean, most of us forget that these too need regular maintenance. They have surprisingly small bins (some less than 400ml) and so, unless you’re lucky enough to own a self-emptying model, these will need emptying after each run. On top of this, it’s good practice to cut free any hairs which have tangled in the rotating brush as well as clean the filters. Some brands such as Eufy, iLife and Roborock will provide a cleaning tool which can help with these tasks. The filters will need replacing as well — you should refer to your manual for guidance on how often to replace and where to buy.Â
If you do not empty the bin or check for tangled hairs regularly, it will affect the performance of the robot vacuum. In fact, a full bin will result in it dragging any mess around the floors rather than picking it up.Â
If you own an app-connected robot vacuum, you might also get maintenance guidelines and reminders for when it’s time to clean. Some even feature replacement schedules so you don’t need to make a note in the diary!Â
Robot vacuum features
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
Self-emptying — This feature is available on more premium models. When the robot vacuum’s dustbin is full, it will return to its charging dock to ‘self-empty’. This is then stored in the dock until this larger bin is full and needs emptying, which you will need to do. Self-emptying models are great for those who suffer from allergies as the dust is released into the air less often.
Wi-Fi connectivity — Most robot vacuums can connect to your smartphone via Wi-Fi, but some lower-end models don’t have this option. It allows you to control and monitor your robot vacuum from your phone and gives you access to all sorts of additional features, depending on the model.Â
Hybrid models — Some hybrid models exist which can both vacuum and mop. These tend not to perform as well as dedicated machines, but if it’s what you want, the Roborock S7 mentioned above is the exception.
Mapping — Some robot vacuums can map-out your home using sensors, so they can remember any obstacles, such as the stairs. The map can be displayed on your phone if the robot vacuum has Wi-Fi connectivity, and using this it can plan out the best cleaning path, rather than moving randomly. Â
No-go zones — If you have the mapping technology, some allow you to set no-go zones if there’s certain areas you want to avoid, such as your pet’s food bowls or an expensive rug.Â
Targeted rooms — Similar to no-go zones, some also let you set targeted rooms, if you only need to clean a particular area.
Multiple floors — Mapping can sometimes also cover multiple floors, which can be useful if you live on more than one level.    Â
Scheduling — This is quite a common feature for robot vacuums. By connecting with your smartphone, you can schedule when you want it to clean, be it daily, weekly or when you’re not at home. Â
Remote control — Some entry level robot vacuum cleaners come with a remote control rather than Wi-Fi connectivity. It doesn’t give you as many options, but you can still control it hands-free using this.Â
Battery life — Battery life is important to consider. If you’re interested in a model which comes with a base, it can self-charge between runs. However, if the model you’re looking at needs to be manually plugged in, you might come home to a half-finished job.Â
Dust capacity — The smaller the dustbin, the faster it will fill. Look for a minimum of 400ml, unless it self-empties of course! Self-emptying models tend to come with vacuum bags in the charging base, whereas dustbins on the robot vacuum themselves tend to be bagless. For more info on bagged vs. bagless vacuums, check out our guide. Â
Robot vacuum test results
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
Here's the table on which robot vacuums are best at picking up dirt and pet hair. Note that while all of the robot vacuums were tested by picking up the same material on the same surfaces, those with an asterisk were tested in a 15 x 15-foot square, whereas the other models were tested in a 5 x 5-foot square.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Header Cell - Column 0
Overall
Pet hair
hardwood
carpet
pet hair hardwood
pet hair carpet
iLife V3s Pro*
97
99.5
99.8
94.2
100
99
Roomba s9+
96.8
98
96.3
97.3
99
97
Roomba i7+
90.4
90.5
89.8
91
88
93
Eufy Robovac G30 Edge*
88.9
87.3
94.4
83.5
96.5
78
Roborock S6 Max V
90.6
80.5
90.7
90.4
78
83
Roomba i3
90.1
75.5
96.2
84
93
58
Eufy Robovac 11s*
85.8
67.5
85
86.7
60
75
iRobot Roomba j7+
91.8
82.5
94.8
88.9
92.5
72.5
Samsung JetBot AI+
89.5
78.5
89.5
89.6
71
86
Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra
91.26
78.25
97.63
84.88
98.5
58
How we test robot vacuums
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
To determine which models make it to our best robot vacuum list, we call in or purchase a number of robot vacuums based on their popularity on Amazon, as well as their price and reputation from other review sites and reader comments.
The first phase of our analysis starts with testing each robot vacuum to see how effective it is at picking up 20 grams of kitty litter, 20 grams of Cheerios, and two grams of dog hair on hardwood and a medium-pile carpet. We also time how long it takes each to complete each test, as well as how loud the vacuum is as it goes about its business.
While we factor in the average cleaning time to our overall rating, we give it less importance than cleaning effectiveness, as most people will schedule a robot vacuum to go about its rounds after they leave their house.Â
The most promising vacuums are then sent to a reviewer to see how well they perform in a real-world environment. Here, we look at things such as how easily it navigates around an apartment, if it gets stuck under furniture or on carpets, how difficult it is to set up, and how messy it is to empty its dustbin.Â
From there, we base our final rating on its price, cleaning ability, functionality and ease of use relative to similar models.
Initially, each robot vacuum was sent to a lab for debris collection testing on a 15 x 15-foot area. Now this space has been reduced to 5 x 5-foot and it is conducted entirely in a tester's home, along with the navigation and design assessments. Â
Robot vacuum FAQs
Can a robot vacuum replace a normal vacuum?
Robot vacuums have improved tenfold since they were first introduced, both in terms of navigation and pickup. And while the gap between these devices and upright models is indeed closing, there is still admittedly a gap. Robot vacuums do not offer as strong a performance as upright vacuum cleaners, particularly corded ones. It’s for this reason that we don’t recommend throwing away the best vacuum cleaner even if you decide to invest in one of these strong contenders.Â
Even if you have one of the  best Roombas, robot vacuums are recommended more for light, everyday cleaning, rather than for handling really embedded debris. So, ideally you will still want to run your regular vacuum every so often, while the robot vacuum helps keep dust down in the interim. That’s not to say your robot vacuum won’t lend a hand though. By keeping on top of the light debris, you won’t need to use your full-sized vacuum so often. So, it will save you some manual labor in the long run. Plus, keep in mind that robot vacuums are still improving with each new release, so over time, the necessity for your upright model will lessen. If you opt for a design which can mop as well, this too will likely replace the need for a mop and bucket in the future — but it’s not quite there yet. Our robot vacuum buying guide can also help you decide which is suitable for your home. Â
Where should I place my robot vacuum?
First and foremost, you should follow the directions in your instruction manual for where to place the robot vacuum. While most will offer similar guidance, the measurements required can vary, and some designs may prefer a greater clearance. Generally speaking though, your robot vacuum should be placed against a flat and straight wall on a level surface, with around 3 ft of clearance on each side, and at least 4 ft in front. This is so that it has adequate space to start cleaning and dock on re-entry, without any furniture getting in the way. Don’t forget that it needs access to a power socket as well. Â
If you’re using a standard charging base, you may have to fix it to the wall, so the robot vacuum won’t knock it out of place. Some bases come with stickers to help with this issue. If you’re lucky enough to own a robot vacuum with a self-emptying base, it should be heavy enough to hold itself in place. Although this does mean it will likely require more clearance space and will protrude further out from the wall as well. Make sure you have a space in mind for your robot vacuum’s dock before you make a purchase, otherwise you might have to move some furniture around.Â
Are self-emptying robots worth it?
Most premium robot vacuum brands now offer self-emptying charging bases. This differs from your regular charging base in that your robot vacuum can empty the contents of its dustbin automatically, to be stored within a dust bag contained in the base. This gives your robot vacuum a new level of independence, because it no longer requires your assistance to continue cleaning. Should the on-board dustbin reach capacity, the robot vacuum can empty itself via its base and then continue on route. Of course, the dust bag will eventually need changing within the base, but these will often last for several weeks at a time.Â
As well as saving on this maintenance, self-emptying bases are a good investment if you suffer from allergies. This is because the debris is contained within the dust bag, rather than being dispersed into the air each time you empty the on-board bin. Self-emptying bases are also generally heavier than your standard charging base, meaning they’re less likely to be displaced as your robot attempts to park. A self-emptying base opens up other opportunities too — some bases hold water tanks to automatically fill an on-board tank for the best robot mops. Others will even scrub and clean the mop cloth as part of its docking. Ultimately, a self-emptying base will make your robot vacuum cleaner more versatile.Â
It’s not all good news though. As you can see just by looking at self-emptying bases, they are a chunky addition and will take up extra space in your home. They’re also remarkably loud in operation, because the dust in the vacuum needs to be effectively sucked into the dust bag. Though some robot vacuums are clever enough that you can set do not disturb timings via the app to keep things quiet. Then there’s the expense to consider — self-emptying bases naturally add a hefty sum to the price tag.Â
Ultimately, self-emptying bases are more of a luxury feature, rather than a necessity and its worth comes down to how much you value it. If you dread the task of emptying the on-board dustbin or suffer from allergies, it may be a worthwhile investment. But, if you’re tight on space and shopping on a budget, it may be one to skip.  For more tips, check out are robots with self-emptying bases worth it.Â
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