Underdog Fantasy Promo Code BETFPB for Arizona vs. Duke: $1,000 bonus for Nov. 22 college basketballDevelopers' profits set to plunge this yearAlyssa Nakken, first full-time female coach in MLB history, leaving Giants to join GuardiansThe Nevada Wolf Pack , led by quarterback Brendon Lewis , face the No. 22 UNLV Rebels , led by quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024 (11/30/24) at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. How to watch: Fans can watch the game for free via a trial of DirecTV Stream or fuboTV . You can also watch via a subscription to Sling TV , which is offering half off your first month. Here’s what you need to know: What: NCAA Football, Week 14 Who: Nevada vs. UNLV When: Saturday, Nov. 30 (11/30/24) Where: Allegiant Stadium Time: 8 p.m. ET TV: CBS Sports Network Live stream: fuboTV (free trial) , DirecTV Stream (free trial) *** Here are the best streaming options for college football this season: Fubo TV (free trial): fuboTV carries ESPN, FOX, ABC, NBC and CBS. DirecTV Stream (free trial) : DirecTV Stream carries ESPN, FOX, NBC and CBS. Sling TV ( $25 off the first month) - Sling TV carries ESPN, FOX, ABC and NBC. ESPN+ ($9.99 a month): ESPN+ carries college football games each weekend for only $9.99 a month. These games are exclusive to the platform. Peacock TV ($5.99 a month): Peacock will simulstream all of NBC Sports’ college football games airing on the NBC broadcast network this season, including Big Ten Saturday Night. Peacock will also stream Notre Dame home games. Certain games will be streamed exclusively on Peacock this year as well. Paramount+ (free trial): Paramount Plus will live stream college football games airing on CBS this year. *** Here’s a preview capsule via the Associated Press: Nevada (3-9, 0-6 Mountain West) at No. 21 UNLV (9-2, 5-1, No. 22 CFP), Saturday, 8 p.m. EST (CBSSN) BetMGM College Football Odds: UNLV by 17 1/2. Series record: Nevada leads 28-21. UNLV will make the Mountain West championship with a victory and play at No. 11 Boise State with a potential shot at the College Football Playoff. The Rebels could lose and still make the conference title game, but it becomes more complicated and their chances to make the playoffs would almost be nil. UNLV offensive line vs. Nevada defensive front. The Rebels, behind QB Hajj-Malik Williams and RB Jai’Den Thomas, average 245.3 yards rushing per game, which is sixth nationally. They should have their opportunities against a Wolf Pack defense that allows 179.7-yard average. UNLV: LB Jackson Woodard. He is ninth in the nation in tackles (108) and tackles for loss (15), but does much more than rack up stops. Woodard also has intercepted four passes and defended 12 passes. Nevada: QB Brendon Lewis. He is one of the Mountain West’s top dual-threat quarterbacks, having passed for 14 touchdowns and rushed for eight. Lewis also thrown for 1,998 yards rushed for 745. RECOMMENDED • nj .com What channel is Nevada vs. UNLV game tonight (11/30/24)? FREE LIVE STREAM, Time, TV, Channel for college foot Nov. 30, 2024, 2:00 p.m. What channel is Oklahoma vs. LSU game tonight (11/30/24)? FREE LIVE STREAM, Time, TV, Channel for college foo Nov. 30, 2024, 1:00 p.m. A victory will give UNLV 10 wins for just the third time. The Rebels reached double-digit victories in 1974 and 1984. ... This is the 50th meeting. UNLV will try to win for the third consecutive, which would be the first for the program since the Rebels beat Nevada five straight times in 2000-04 under the late John Robinson. ... The winner receives the 545-pound Fremont Cannon, the heaviest trophy for a rivalry game. It’s painted the color of the winning team. ... UNLV WR Ricky White leads the nation with four blocked punts, more than any team. ... The Rebels are third nationally with a plus-13 turnover margin. ... Nevada has played in eight one-possession games, tied for first nationally. The Wolf Pack won just two of those games. ... Nevada’s last victory over a ranked team occurred in 2019 when they defeated No. 24 San Diego State 17-13. ... Wolf Pack first-year coach Jeff Choate is 4-0 in rivalry games. He had that record as Montana State’s coach against Montana. (The Associated Press contributed to this report) Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.
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It's high time to ditch the traditional upright vacuum, even if you have dogs, cats, or both. As a robot vacuum reviewer, pet hair is one of my pet peeves, so evaluating how a robot vacuum performs against it is one of the main characteristics I look for when testing these robots . With a very hairy dog and three young kids, the only thing that keeps my floors clean without manually vacuuming daily is a great robot vacuum that tackles the task for me. Also: The best robot vacuum mops you can buy When shopping for the best robot vacuum options to control the pet hair on your floors, there are quite a few features to consider. Look for robot vacuums with strong suction to pick up each strand of hair, obstacle avoidance to avoid larger items your pet may leave behind, ability to avoid hair tangles, capable navigation features you can trust, and any extra features important to you. Budget and floor types are also key factors when shopping for any robot vacuum. What is the best robot vacuum for pet hair right now? Since there are so many robot vacuums, you may wonder which is best for your home. We've tested dozens of robot vacuums at home and in everyday life, and our top choice to tackle pet hair is the iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max due to its outstanding suction power, self-emptying dust bin, self-washing mop pad, tangle-resistant brush rollers, and iRobot's Pet Owner Official Promise (P.O.O.P. guarantee). However, several other robot vacuum options are worth considering, depending on your floor type and how much your pet sheds. The best robot vacuums for pet hair of 2024 The Roomba Combo 10 Max is one of the top-performing robot vacuums against pet hair. Many robot vacuums go through my home for testing, but this one earned a permanent spot. Part of why it's so loved is because it can handle all of the pet hair on all our floor types, whether it's been one or several days since it last ran. The robot self-empties as soon as the dustbin is full instead of waiting until the end of the job, like other robot vacuums. If it is peak shedding season, it's common for the Combo 10 Max to empty four or five times during a single job, never leaving any pet hair behind, even on carpets. Review: iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max In addition, it's simply an intelligent robot. The Roomba Combo 10 Max comes with the P.O.O.P. guarantee, an innovative promise from the manufacturer that the robot vacuum will avoid pet waste instead of creating accidental smearing, or iRobot will replace your robot at no additional cost. This means the robot vacuum is also good at avoiding pet toys, shoes, cords, and other household objects. Customers agree, touting the vacuum's ability to navigate obstacles and deliver clean floors. One reviewer commented, "We have a combination of flooring in our house and especially like the mop option to clean our hardwood floors. I appreciate the smart capabilities of mapping our house and then using Alexa to run it. Having the AutoWash Dock is awesome as well, self-cleaning the robot and the dock. This saves me time and energy as it empties the debris, refills the mopping tank and washes and dries the mop pad." iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max specs: Price: $999 (limited-time deal) | Battery life: 120 mins | Base station dimensions: 15.7 x 12 x 13.3 inches | Suction power: Not specified | Dustbin volume: 300 ml | Water tank capacity: 170 ml Self-emptying & self-washing Intelligent Smart Mapping technology User-friendly app Pet waste avoidance Loud when it self-empties Prone to bugs iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max The Roomba Combo 10 Max is one of the top-performing robot vacuums against pet hair. Many robot vacuums go through my home for testing, but this one earned a permanent spot. Part of why it's so loved is because it can handle all of the pet hair on all our floor types, whether it's been one or several days since it last ran. The robot self-empties as soon as the dustbin is full instead of waiting until the end of the job, like other robot vacuums. If it is peak shedding season, it's common for the Combo 10 Max to empty four or five times during a single job, never leaving any pet hair behind, even on carpets. Review: iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max In addition, it's simply an intelligent robot. The Roomba Combo 10 Max comes with the P.O.O.P. guarantee, an innovative promise from the manufacturer that the robot vacuum will avoid pet waste instead of creating accidental smearing, or iRobot will replace your robot at no additional cost. This means the robot vacuum is also good at avoiding pet toys, shoes, cords, and other household objects. Customers agree, touting the vacuum's ability to navigate obstacles and deliver clean floors. One reviewer commented, "We have a combination of flooring in our house and especially like the mop option to clean our hardwood floors. I appreciate the smart capabilities of mapping our house and then using Alexa to run it. Having the AutoWash Dock is awesome as well, self-cleaning the robot and the dock. This saves me time and energy as it empties the debris, refills the mopping tank and washes and dries the mop pad." iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max specs: Price: $999 (limited-time deal) | Battery life: 120 mins | Base station dimensions: 15.7 x 12 x 13.3 inches | Suction power: Not specified | Dustbin volume: 300 ml | Water tank capacity: 170 ml The Eufy 11S Max robot vacuum has become a staple among budget-friendly robot vacuums, beloved by users and appreciated by wallets. Though its retail price is $250, it's common to see its price drop to as low as $120 -- it's currently available for $200. If you're looking for a no-frills robot vacuum to tackle your floors without paying for all the bells and whistles, the Eufy 11S Max is for you. This robot vacuum can offer up to 100 minutes of cleaning and features a slim build, at only 2.85 inches tall. Simplicity is the name of the game with the 11S Max, so it doesn't automatically empty its dustbin and doesn't create thorough maps of your home -- it simply gets the job done. Also: I compared a $90 robot vacuum to a $700 one. Here's my buying advice for budget shoppers This is a pretty popular Eufy robot vacuum, and it maintains a high rating despite its popularity, which speaks volumes about its performance. One buyer commented, "I really like this! It does a nice job cleaning up the dog hair and other things that get on my floor and saves me a lot of time not vacuuming daily. If you have a dog, I would watch them with this first before you use it. My dog was initially scared of it but sniffed its 'butt,' and now they are cool, and she does not mind it at all. Pleased with this product and would recommend!" Shark ION AV751 features : Price: $200 | Battery life: 100 mins | Suction power: 2,000Pa | Dustbin volume: 600 ml | Water tank capacity: No mopping feature Slim Small charging dock Boosts suction over carpets No mapping capability Can't self empty Eufy 11S Max The Eufy 11S Max robot vacuum has become a staple among budget-friendly robot vacuums, beloved by users and appreciated by wallets. Though its retail price is $250, it's common to see its price drop to as low as $120 -- it's currently available for $200. If you're looking for a no-frills robot vacuum to tackle your floors without paying for all the bells and whistles, the Eufy 11S Max is for you. This robot vacuum can offer up to 100 minutes of cleaning and features a slim build, at only 2.85 inches tall. Simplicity is the name of the game with the 11S Max, so it doesn't automatically empty its dustbin and doesn't create thorough maps of your home -- it simply gets the job done. Also: I compared a $90 robot vacuum to a $700 one. Here's my buying advice for budget shoppers This is a pretty popular Eufy robot vacuum, and it maintains a high rating despite its popularity, which speaks volumes about its performance. One buyer commented, "I really like this! It does a nice job cleaning up the dog hair and other things that get on my floor and saves me a lot of time not vacuuming daily. If you have a dog, I would watch them with this first before you use it. My dog was initially scared of it but sniffed its 'butt,' and now they are cool, and she does not mind it at all. Pleased with this product and would recommend!" Shark ION AV751 features : Price: $200 | Battery life: 100 mins | Suction power: 2,000Pa | Dustbin volume: 600 ml | Water tank capacity: No mopping feature If you're looking for a powerhouse robot vacuum and mop, the Ecovacs Deebot X2 Combo Complete is the machine for you. This 3-in-1 machine has 8,700Pa of suction power, dual rotating mop heads, a cordless vacuum for quick cleanups, and an Omni Station that does your dirty work. You can use the cordless vacuum to pick up pet hair from your area rugs or clean up crumbs from your couch, then set it to charge on the Omni station and watch as the contents of its dustbin automatically empty into the dust bag within. Review: Ecovacs Deebot X2 Combo Complete The AI-powered Robot intelligently navigates your home and recognizes your soft floors, carpet, and rugs versus tile, hardwood, or laminate. The mop heads can lift 0.60 inches, easily keeping your rugs dry during cleaning. The Deebot X2 Combo Complete has easily kept up with my three (messy) kids and my mutt mixed with some of the hairiest breeds -- husky, golden retriever, coonhound, and German shepherd. That should speak for itself. As a robot vacuum and mop, you can rest assured that your pet's hair will be vacuumed while the dirty paw prints are washed away. Customer reviews agree with my assessment: "The Ecovacs Deebot X2 Combo engineers, designers, and programmers did their homework and then went out and built an incredible, not just vacuum but a solidly built system that shines in its accomplishment." Ecovacs Deebot X2 Combo Complete features: Price: $1,240 (limited-time deal) | Battery life: 210 mins | Base station dimensions: 20.6 x 17.4 x 21.8 inches | Suction power: 8,700Pa | Dustbin volume: 379 ml | Water tank capacity: 180 ml Cordless vacuum, robot vacuum, and mop in one 8,700Pa suction Dual oscillating mop heads Object avoidance could be better Expensive Ecovacs Deebot X2 Combo Complete If you're looking for a powerhouse robot vacuum and mop, the Ecovacs Deebot X2 Combo Complete is the machine for you. This 3-in-1 machine has 8,700Pa of suction power, dual rotating mop heads, a cordless vacuum for quick cleanups, and an Omni Station that does your dirty work. You can use the cordless vacuum to pick up pet hair from your area rugs or clean up crumbs from your couch, then set it to charge on the Omni station and watch as the contents of its dustbin automatically empty into the dust bag within. Review: Ecovacs Deebot X2 Combo Complete The AI-powered Robot intelligently navigates your home and recognizes your soft floors, carpet, and rugs versus tile, hardwood, or laminate. The mop heads can lift 0.60 inches, easily keeping your rugs dry during cleaning. The Deebot X2 Combo Complete has easily kept up with my three (messy) kids and my mutt mixed with some of the hairiest breeds -- husky, golden retriever, coonhound, and German shepherd. That should speak for itself. As a robot vacuum and mop, you can rest assured that your pet's hair will be vacuumed while the dirty paw prints are washed away. Customer reviews agree with my assessment: "The Ecovacs Deebot X2 Combo engineers, designers, and programmers did their homework and then went out and built an incredible, not just vacuum but a solidly built system that shines in its accomplishment." Ecovacs Deebot X2 Combo Complete features: Price: $1,240 (limited-time deal) | Battery life: 210 mins | Base station dimensions: 20.6 x 17.4 x 21.8 inches | Suction power: 8,700Pa | Dustbin volume: 379 ml | Water tank capacity: 180 ml The Eufy X8 Pro is a midrange two-in-one machine that keeps my carpets and rugs clean. The Dual TurboCyclone Suction has four different settings, and paired with the BoostIQ, the robot intelligently ramps up the suction when it encounters soft flooring. Dog and cat hair was easily lifted away, leaving behind beautiful carpet lines in its path. Review: Eufy X8 Pro The X8 Pro is equipped with iPath Laser Navigation to map your home and clean it with efficient rows, but it isn't equipped with object detection. If you can live with picking up your floors before the X8 Pro runs, you'll be impressed with its cleaning capabilities. Pet owners rave about the X8 Pro's cleaning ability, even without object detection. One customer said, "I'm thrilled with this purchase. I can walk around in socks or bare feet comfortably, and when my fam stops by unannounced I don't have to rush to clean up or be embarrassed that I can't keep up with all the things." Eufy X8 Pro features : Price: $325 (limited-time deal) | Battery life: 100 mins | Base station dimensions: 13.8 x 18 x 15 inches | Suction power: 4 ,000Pa | Dustbin volume: 335 ml | Water tank capacity: No mopping feature Dual 4000Pa suction Self-emptying No obstacle avoidance No mopping feature Eufy X8 Pro The Eufy X8 Pro is a midrange two-in-one machine that keeps my carpets and rugs clean. The Dual TurboCyclone Suction has four different settings, and paired with the BoostIQ, the robot intelligently ramps up the suction when it encounters soft flooring. Dog and cat hair was easily lifted away, leaving behind beautiful carpet lines in its path. Review: Eufy X8 Pro The X8 Pro is equipped with iPath Laser Navigation to map your home and clean it with efficient rows, but it isn't equipped with object detection. If you can live with picking up your floors before the X8 Pro runs, you'll be impressed with its cleaning capabilities. Pet owners rave about the X8 Pro's cleaning ability, even without object detection. One customer said, "I'm thrilled with this purchase. I can walk around in socks or bare feet comfortably, and when my fam stops by unannounced I don't have to rush to clean up or be embarrassed that I can't keep up with all the things." Eufy X8 Pro features : Price: $325 (limited-time deal) | Battery life: 100 mins | Base station dimensions: 13.8 x 18 x 15 inches | Suction power: 4 ,000Pa | Dustbin volume: 335 ml | Water tank capacity: No mopping feature The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra is the company's latest flagship robot vacuum and mop combination, featuring advanced cleaning capabilities. With 10,000Pa of suction power, I had a great time testing it over a few months with various debris types, including coffee grounds, crumbs, and pet hair. The S8 MaxV Ultra's vacuuming performance was exceptional, particularly in picking up pet hair from rugs and carpets. surpassing many other popular robot vacuums. The robot features a dual rubber roller brush system, which helps prevent hair tangles and empties periodically during cleansing sessions. Its AI capabilities let the S8 MaxV Ultra detect debris and adjust its cleaning power accordingly. Review: Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra This robot's mopping feature is pretty good, with room for improvement, as it often leaves streaks behind due to the brush design. I've come to prefer a robot vacuum and mop with dual rotating mop heads or a mop roller over a vibrating mop pad, which is what the S8 MaxV Ultra features. Despite this minor drawback, the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra's hands-free dock, outstanding vacuum performance, and comprehensive app features make it a compelling choice for automated cleaning in homes with pets. "Let me start off by saying that we have three Siberian Huskies in this house. That is a LOT of fur. We've had a couple of iRobot Roombas over the years, and they helped cut down the amount of time I spent sweeping up fur by a fair amount, but I had grown weary of the issues with them," one buyer wrote. "Both in removing it from the floors and being able to remove it from the machine, I give it a 12/10. Despite my Husky pack's best efforts, there are no fluff drifts. I still have to bust out the Dyson on the weekly to get the cracks and crannies, but I could probably get away with less often if I was slightly less extra about the fur removal. But seriously? Whoever designed the roller was a frigging genius." Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra features : Price: $1,500 (limited-time deal) | Battery life: 180 mins | Base station dimensions: 16.1 x 17.6 x 18.5 inches | Suction power: 10,000Pa | Dustbin volume: 270 ml | Water tank capacity: 100 ml 10,000 Pa suction Good obstacle avoidance Self-cleaning mop head Expensive Mop is best suited for maintenance cleaning Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra is the company's latest flagship robot vacuum and mop combination, featuring advanced cleaning capabilities. With 10,000Pa of suction power, I had a great time testing it over a few months with various debris types, including coffee grounds, crumbs, and pet hair. The S8 MaxV Ultra's vacuuming performance was exceptional, particularly in picking up pet hair from rugs and carpets. surpassing many other popular robot vacuums. The robot features a dual rubber roller brush system, which helps prevent hair tangles and empties periodically during cleansing sessions. Its AI capabilities let the S8 MaxV Ultra detect debris and adjust its cleaning power accordingly. Review: Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra This robot's mopping feature is pretty good, with room for improvement, as it often leaves streaks behind due to the brush design. I've come to prefer a robot vacuum and mop with dual rotating mop heads or a mop roller over a vibrating mop pad, which is what the S8 MaxV Ultra features. Despite this minor drawback, the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra's hands-free dock, outstanding vacuum performance, and comprehensive app features make it a compelling choice for automated cleaning in homes with pets. "Let me start off by saying that we have three Siberian Huskies in this house. That is a LOT of fur. We've had a couple of iRobot Roombas over the years, and they helped cut down the amount of time I spent sweeping up fur by a fair amount, but I had grown weary of the issues with them," one buyer wrote. "Both in removing it from the floors and being able to remove it from the machine, I give it a 12/10. Despite my Husky pack's best efforts, there are no fluff drifts. I still have to bust out the Dyson on the weekly to get the cracks and crannies, but I could probably get away with less often if I was slightly less extra about the fur removal. But seriously? Whoever designed the roller was a frigging genius." Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra features : Price: $1,500 (limited-time deal) | Battery life: 180 mins | Base station dimensions: 16.1 x 17.6 x 18.5 inches | Suction power: 10,000Pa | Dustbin volume: 270 ml | Water tank capacity: 100 ml The Narwal Freo X Ultra is a $1,400 robot vacuum and mop that excels at picking up pet hair from hard floors. Its innovative technology makes it outstanding at cleaning without getting its brush roller tangled up in random objects. The Freo X Ultra has a self-emptying dustbin that allows up to seven weeks of debris storage before emptying. Review: Narwal Freo X Ultra ZDNET's Jack Wallen has been a Narwal user for some time and recently upgraded to the Narwal Freo X Ultra and loved the experience. "I can leave the house while the robot is doing its thing without worrying it's going to wrap up a cord and take something down (or stop the job because it doesn't quite understand that the corner of a rug isn't something it should suck up," Wallen wrote in his review. Overall, the Freo X Ultra performs exceptionally well compared to other high-end units, often matching the capabilities of more expensive models. One buyer says, "The Narwal Ultra X's performance is where it truly shines. After mapping my house, which features hardwood flooring and several area rugs, I tested it with both vacuuming and mopping. The vacuum noise level is comparable to my old iRobot, but the Narwal Ultra X boasts much higher suction power. It handled long hairs on the floor effortlessly, a particularly impressive feature." Narwal Freo X Plus features: Price: $1,400 | Battery life: 254 mins | Base station dimensions: 13.7 x 14 x 4.2 inches | Suction power: 7,800Pa | Dustbin volume: 800 ml | Water tank capacity: 280 ml Excels on hard floors 7-week dust storage Great obstacle avoidance Mop is best suited for maintenance It's expensive Narwal Freo X Ultra The Narwal Freo X Ultra is a $1,400 robot vacuum and mop that excels at picking up pet hair from hard floors. Its innovative technology makes it outstanding at cleaning without getting its brush roller tangled up in random objects. The Freo X Ultra has a self-emptying dustbin that allows up to seven weeks of debris storage before emptying. Review: Narwal Freo X Ultra ZDNET's Jack Wallen has been a Narwal user for some time and recently upgraded to the Narwal Freo X Ultra and loved the experience. "I can leave the house while the robot is doing its thing without worrying it's going to wrap up a cord and take something down (or stop the job because it doesn't quite understand that the corner of a rug isn't something it should suck up," Wallen wrote in his review. Overall, the Freo X Ultra performs exceptionally well compared to other high-end units, often matching the capabilities of more expensive models. One buyer says, "The Narwal Ultra X's performance is where it truly shines. After mapping my house, which features hardwood flooring and several area rugs, I tested it with both vacuuming and mopping. The vacuum noise level is comparable to my old iRobot, but the Narwal Ultra X boasts much higher suction power. It handled long hairs on the floor effortlessly, a particularly impressive feature." Narwal Freo X Plus features: Price: $1,400 | Battery life: 254 mins | Base station dimensions: 13.7 x 14 x 4.2 inches | Suction power: 7,800Pa | Dustbin volume: 800 ml | Water tank capacity: 280 ml Former ZDNET editor Elizabeth Mauder contributed to this story. The best pet hair robot vacuums compared Though the Roomba j7+ is the best robot vacuum for handling pet hair, the other options may be better for different situations. A typical robot vacuum for cleaning pet hair can cost $150-$1,900, depending on its extra features and autonomy. See how the best pet hair robot vacuums compare to other models we use to keep up with our pets. * Lowest price at the time of writing. Please note that prices vary based on retailer and available promotions, sales, or discounts . Which robot vacuum is best for you? There are hundreds of robot vacuums, so how do you know which is best for you? Here's a quick breakdown: Robot vacuum vs. stick vacuum: Which is better for pet hair? If you're trying to decide whether a stick or a robot vacuum is the best option for tackling pet hair, the truth is that there isn't a black-and-white answer. Here's how they stack up: Robot vacuums are best suited for daily or every-other-day maintenance between deep cleaning sessions. They are ideal for low-pile carpets and hard floors, such as wood, tile, and vinyl. Stick vacuums are perfect for quick cleanups of crumbs or pet hair but can also be better suited to vacuum carpets more thoroughly than a robot vacuum. They provide stronger suction and versatility than robot vacuums, which helps them remove stubborn pet hair more effectively from carpets and rugs. I rotate both a stick vacuum and a robot vacuum in my home, while my old upright vacuum is relegated to monthly cleaning jobs for a deeper clean. I've found that combining a robot vacuum for daily automated cleanings and a stick vacuum for quick cleanups is the best way to keep my floors clean without a big hassle. Also: Forget Dyson: I tested Roborock's wet-dry hand vacuum and it left my floors spotless Some robot and stick vacuum combinations, like the Ecovacs T30S Combo and Deebot X2 Combo , are available on the market, which greatly helps. This is especially true as the stick vacuum's canister on these devices self-empties into the same bag as the robot vacuum, making the entire experience easier. Factors to consider when choosing a robot vacuum While trying to determine the best robot vacuum, I kept several factors at the forefront of my testing and research, which can also aid your search: Suction power: When weighing your options, compare each robot vacuum's different suction power features. Suction power is measured in Pascals (Pa); the higher the number, the better. Inexpensive options like the Eufy 11S Max feature a 2,000Pa suction, while more high-end options, like the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, have 10,000Pa. Also, consider that this number is the robot's peak power, so you'll likely have to set it up in its highest setting to reach the advertised number of Pascals. Floor types: Some robot vacuums are best equipped to work with different floor types, like carpet or hardwood, and can even automatically increase suction when the carpet is detected. Others perform best on hard floors but fall short on carpets. Before you buy, consider the type of flooring in your home and which vacuum is most appropriate. Mapping: For full automation, your robot vacuum must have a mapping feature to navigate each room. Robots use different sensors to create floorplan maps, including LiDAR, laser, and even artificial intelligence through cameras. Many robot vacuums use these sensors to detect cliffs and stop so they don't fall down the stairs. Depending on the tech used for mapping, robot vacuums clean in linear or random patterns, which is also something to consider if you like the look of carpet lines. Many robots can also create multi-floor mapping, which lets you move your robot vacuum to clean different levels in your home and save each map. Obstacle avoidance: An obstacle avoidance feature can have the robot vacuum avoid things like furniture, wires, socks, shoes, and even pet waste so the robot doesn't get its brush roller stuck on it or spread the mess all over your carpet. This feature is a must-have in my home with a dog and young kids who constantly leave objects strewn about. Battery: Consider the runtime before choosing the best robot vacuum to ensure it has enough power to clean your home, especially if you want to clean a large area in one go. If you select a robot vacuum with the technical capability to pause its job, return to the charging base to refill its battery, and then resume the job where it left off, this may not be as big of a factor as others on this list. Connectivity: Many of the best robot vacuums offer voice control, some through Amazon Alexa or Google Home, and others with built-in voice assistants. Most feature a mobile app that lets you control your robot remotely, set schedules, track progress, and control the machine's efforts. Extra features: Robot vacuum manufacturers often market extra features that may or may not be important to buyers, so choosing which features you'd like before buying is worth it. These include tangle-resistant brushes, self-emptying dustbins, the ability to set no-go zones and create schedules, mopping capabilities, and many more. Also: I changed these 10 things to maximize my robot vacuum's battery life How did we test these robot vacuums for pet hair? ZDNET has several robot vacuum reviewers that have tested over 50 units thus far. We conduct tests in real homes with real challenges and in a controlled lab environment for comparison. Also: How we test robot vacuums at ZDNET in 2024 Here's what we consider when testing robot vacuums and mops at ZDNET: Determine evaluation criteria: For our key evaluation criteria, we consider how robots perform by assessing their suction power, navigation, mapping, and battery life. We also assess the user experience, the robot's versatility, longevity, and whether it delivers on its specifications. Unboxing: During this process, we assess the packaging and setup experience and note any accessories and unique features. Testing environments: We test the robot vacuums on different floor types (like carpet and hardwood) and see how they navigate various obstacles to test performance. Performance metrics: We test suction power with various debris types and assess obstacle navigation and mapping accuracy. Extra features : When testing robot vacuum and mop combinations, we evaluate their effectiveness at removing stains and overall cleaning quality. We also check how unique features work, like obstacle avoidance and recognition, extendable mop pads, etc. To top it all off, we gauge the device's longevity and long-term performance by using it over the course of a few months. Our review timelines vary, but we typically test robot vacuums for about a month before reviewing and keep our reviews updated while the device is available. FAQs on robot vacuums Shark and Roomba robot vacuums have pros and cons when handling pet hair. We've tested different models from both brands at ZDNET and have found that, while Shark robots tend to excel in suction, Roombas generally have better navigation and obstacle avoidance capabilities. Some Roomba robot vacuums also have dual brush rollers to help prevent hair tangles and advanced smart features, like P.O.O.P. But Shark tends to offer more affordable alternatives than Roomba, including in recurring expenses. Shark robot vacuums also notoriously handle pet hair well with self-cleaning brush rollers. In the end, choosing between Shark and Roomba will come down to the individual model and depend on the buyer's needs. Most of the vacuums on this list are self-emptying, so you don't have to worry about manually dumping the dust bin after every use. However, there are many on the market that you need to manually empty. How often you empty your robot vacuum dustbin depends on how much dirt, debris, and pet hair you have in your home. It's good to be realistic about your home's needs and proactive about emptying so your vacuum can continue suctioning up as much dirt as possible during its job. The self-emptying robot vacuums are typically emptied into a dust bag stored in the base station. The dust bags vary from one brand to another, but you can normally get around 60 days' worth of dirt and debris before needing to change the bag out. Robot vacuums are often good at getting pet hair out of short-pile carpets but don't always perform as well on medium and high-pile carpets, as they can get stuck in them. However, robot vacuums are not as great at removing stubborn hair from carpet and rugs as some upright and stick vacuums. While many robot vacuums have very powerful suction, their brush rollers often to reach deep enough in the carpet to loosen up stubborn hair. Robot vacuums are perfect for keeping floors clean, but your rugs and carpets will still require a more thorough cleaning every few weeks to remove all the pet hair. Most robot vacuums encourage you to replace the filter, rollers, and side sweeping brushes periodically to keep the devices performing optimally. Additionally, if your robot empties into a dust bag, it must be replaced every few months. Finally, some robot vacuum mops require a mop-cleaning solution that must be repurchased throughout the robot's lifetime. Robot vacuums are becoming increasingly intelligent with each new device, and they can now avoid various objects in your home, including pet waste. iRobot and Roborock are two robot vacuum companies claiming their devices can identify and avoid running over pet waste. Other robot vacuums we've tested Roborock Q5+ You really can't go wrong with any device from Roborock, including the Q5+. With its auto dust emptying base and 2700Pa suction, you can get many of the higher-end robot vacuum features for a cheaper price. Dreame X40 Ultra The Dreame X40 Ultra is ZDNET's pick for the best robot vacuum and mop combination, with 12,000Pa of suction power and reliable object avoidance capabilities. It'll cost you, though, as it's priced steeply at $1,900. Yeedi Cube With 4,300Pa suction, a mop head that vibrates 2,500 times per minute, and 150 minutes of runtime, you will be impressed. However, you may be disappointed in the robot's lack of object avoidance. ZDNET’s Robot Vacuum Guide Best robot vacuum overall Best robot vacuum and mop combo Best robot vacuum for pet hair Best robot mop Best Roborock robot vacuum Best Roomba vacuum Dreame X30 Ultra review Roomba j7+ review Braava Jet m6 review Roborock s8 Pro Ultra review Roborock s7 MaxV Ultra Neato d10 robot vacuum review The best smartwatches you can buy: Apple, Samsung, Google, and more compared The 5 best VPN services (and tips to choose the right one for you) The best Android phones you can buy (including a surprise pick) The best robot vacuum and mop combos (and if they're worth the money)
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Many high-yielding dividend stocks slumped as interest rates rose in 2022 and 2023. Those higher rates lifted the yields of CDs and T-bills above 5%, so many income investors shifted their cash from stocks toward those safer fixed-income investments. However, the Federal Reserve finally cut its benchmark rate twice in 2024 as inflation cooled. Those reductions, along with expectations for future cuts, drove many investors back toward dividend stocks again as fixed-income yields declined. Real estate investment trusts ( REITs ) -- which buy properties, rent them out, and split the rental income with their investors -- are attracting more attention in this market because they're required to pay out at least 90% of their taxable income as dividends to maintain a favorable tax rate. As a result, they usually pay much higher yields than traditional dividend stocks. One such high-yielding REIT is EPR Properties ( EPR -0.28% ) , which rents its properties to amusement parks, movie theaters, ski resorts, and other experiential and educational businesses in the U.S. and Canada. It's paid continuous dividends since its public debut in 1997, it switched from quarterly to monthly payments in 2013, and it pays a hefty forward yield of 7.5%. Let's see if it's the right time to buy, sell, or hold this resilient REIT. How stable is EPR's portfolio? EPR is a triple net lease REIT, which means its tenants are responsible for covering all of a property's real estate taxes, insurance, and maintenance fees. It owns 352 properties and serves more than 200 tenants in 44 states and Canada. But in the first nine months of 2024, it generated 45% of its revenue from just four tenants -- Topgolf (14.3%), AMC Theaters (13.6%), Regal Cinemas (11.1%), and Cinemark (6.3%). EPR's heavy dependence on the declining movie theater market is a sore spot. Only 852 million movie tickets were sold in the U.S. in 2023, representing a 46% drop from the peak of 1.85 billion tickets in 2002, and that decline could continue for the foreseeable future. Streaming video platforms, cheaper big screen TVs, and soaring ticket prices have all driven more people to watch movies at home. But despite those challenges, EPR still maintained an occupancy rate of 99% at the end of the third quarter of 2024. It accomplished that by selling its vacant theaters, gaining more non-theater experiential tenants, and expanding its smaller portfolio of education properties. In 2020, EPR's funds from operations as adjusted (FFOAA) per share plunged 74% as the pandemic crushed its tenants. But its FFOAA rose 116% in 2021, 52% in 2022, and 10% in 2023 as those headwinds waned and it restructured its portfolio. It expects that figure to rise 3% in 2024 and 3%-4% annually. How does EPR stack up against similar REITs? At $45 per share, EPR trades at just 9 times last year's FFOAA. That makes it a lot cheaper than comparable triple net lease REITs like Vici Properties and Realty Income , which both trade at 14 times their trailing adjusted FFO per share. Vici and Realty also pay lower forward yields of 5.4% and 5.5%, respectively. But EPR also serves a messier mix of tenants than Vici, which focuses on the casino and resorts markets, and Realty Income, which mainly rents its properties to recession-resistant retailers. EPR also doesn't lock its tenants into multi-decade, inflation-linked contracts like Vici (which still has an occupancy rate of 100%). Instead, EPR's average lease lasts roughly 12 years with gradual rent increases every five years. EPR has also underperformed Vici and Realty Income over the past six years. Even after including reinvested dividends, EPR generated a negative total return of 8% as Vici and Realty generated positive total returns of 106% and 24%, respectively. Is it time to buy, sell, or hold EPR Properties? Past performance is an unreliable indicator of future gains, but EPR's weaker returns likely reflect the concerns regarding its movie theater tenants as well as the exposure of its other experiential tenants to slower consumer spending and other economic headwinds. EPR is still a fairly safe stock to buy and hold right now if you expect it to maintain its high occupancy rates as it prunes its portfolio. But I think Vici and Realty Income -- which I personally own -- are better long-term income plays even though they pay lower yields.
After spending months on strike against the movie and TV studios in terms of how they might use artificial intelligence, the Writers Guild of America is now calling on those studios to wake up and take action against how tech companies have been using AI . The WGA East and West sent a joint letter on Wednesday, December 11 to top Hollywood CEOs at Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount Global, Disney, NBCUniversal, Sony, Netflix, and Amazon MGM Studios demanding that the studios take “immediate legal action” against any tech company that is using WGA members’ work in order to train its AI models. The Writers Guild is equating what AI companies are doing to piracy and saying that while Hollywood has spent billions working to prevent that kind of theft, it has done nothing against this new kind. “It’s time for the studios to come off the sidelines,” the letter, obtained by IndieWire, reads. “After this industry has spent decades fighting piracy, it cannot stand idly by while tech companies steal full libraries of content for their own financial gain. The studios should take immediate legal action against any company that has used our members’ works to train AI systems.” The letter cites a November 18 article published in The Atlantic titled “ There’s No Longer Any Doubt That Hollywood Writing is Powering AI. ” The article investigated that a database that has powered AI-training data sets for companies like Apple, Anthropic, Meta, Nvidia, Salesforce, Bloomberg, and more had comprised over 53,000 movies and 85,000 TV episodes. The article said that included hundreds of episodes of “The Simpsons,” “Seinfeld,” “Twin Peaks,” “The Wire,” “The Sopranos,” “Breaking Bad,” and every Best Picture nominee between 1950 and 2016. The article made the case that the technology in chatbots and text-to-video generators creates striking facsimiles of speech and visuals in part because they’re directly trained on Hollywood materials. Tech companies have posited that their material is open sourced and comes from publicly accessible data, but the dialogue that powers some of the models is often drawn from closed captions on YouTube videos and other sources rather than the original source material directly. So the WGA’s response, rather than shout at studios to simply ban AI in films and TV altogether, is to make the case that this is greatly hurting the business of the studios themselves, with AI companies stealing the intellectual property they own and plagiarize it in order to create their models. They believe the studios shouldn’t be silent on the issue any longer. Read the full letter, which was signed by the WGAW Board of Directors and the WGAE Council, below:WASHINGTON (AP) — A lead organization monitoring for food crises around the world withdrew a new report this week warning of imminent famine in north Gaza under what it called Israel's “near-total blockade,” after the U.S. asked for its retraction, U.S. officials told the Associated Press. The move follows public criticism of the report from the U.S. ambassador to Israel. The rare public dispute drew accusations from prominent aid and human-rights figures that the work of the U.S.-funded Famine Early Warning System Network , meant to reflect the opinion of unbiased international experts, has been tainted by politics. A declaration of famine would be a great embarrassment for Israel, which has insisted that its 15-month war in Gaza is aimed against the Hamas militant group and not against its civilian population. U.S. ambassador to Israel Jacob Lew earlier this week called the warning by the internationally recognized group inaccurate and “irresponsible ." Lew and the U.S. Agency for International Development, which funds the monitoring group, both said the findings failed to properly account for rapidly changing circumstances in north Gaza. Humanitarian and human rights officials expressed fear of U.S. political interference in the world's monitoring system for famines. The U.S. Embassy in Israel and the State Department declined comment. FEWS officials did not respond to questions. “We work day and night with the U.N. and our Israeli partners to meet humanitarian needs — which are great — and relying on inaccurate data is irresponsible,” Lew said Tuesday. USAID confirmed to the AP that it had asked the famine-monitoring organization to withdraw its stepped-up warning issued in a report dated Monday. The report did not appear among the top updates on the group's website Thursday, but the link to it remained active . The dispute points in part to the difficulty of assessing the extent of starvation in largely isolated northern Gaza. Thousands in recent weeks have fled an intensified Israeli military crackdown that aid groups say has allowed delivery of only a dozen trucks of food and water since roughly October. FEWS Net said in its withdrawn report that unless Israel changes its policy, it expects the number of people dying of starvation and related ailments in north Gaza to reach between two and 15 per day sometime between January and March. The internationally recognized mortality threshold for famine is two or more deaths a day per 10,000 people. FEWS was created by the U.S. development agency in the 1980s and is still funded by it. But it is intended to provide independent, neutral and data-driven assessments of hunger crises, including in war zones. Its findings help guide decisions on aid by the U.S. and other governments and agencies around the world. A spokesman for Israel's foreign ministry, Oren Marmorstein, welcomed the U.S. ambassador's public challenge of the famine warning. “FEWS NET - Stop spreading these lies!” Marmorstein said on X . In challenging the findings publicly, the U.S. ambassador "leveraged his political power to undermine the work of this expert agency,” said Scott Paul, a senior manager at the Oxfam America humanitarian nonprofit. Paul stressed that he was not weighing in on the accuracy of the data or methodology of the report. “The whole point of creating FEWS is to have a group of experts make assessments about imminent famine that are untainted by political considerations,” said Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch and now a visiting professor in international affairs at Princeton University . “It sure looks like USAID is allowing political considerations -- the Biden administration’s worry about funding Israel’s starvation strategy -- to interfere." Israel says it has been operating in recent months against Hamas militants still active in northern Gaza. It says the vast majority of the area’s residents have fled and relocated to Gaza City, where most aid destined for the north is delivered. But some critics, including a former defense minister, have accused Israel of carrying out ethnic cleansing in Gaza’s far north, near the Israeli border. North Gaza has been one of the areas hardest-hit by fighting and Israel’s restrictions on aid throughout its war with Hamas militants. Global famine monitors and U.N. and U.S. officials have warned repeatedly of the imminent risk of malnutrition and deaths from starvation hitting famine levels. International officials say Israel last summer increased the amount of aid it was admitting there, under U.S. pressure. The U.S. and U.N. have said Gaza’s people as a whole need between 350 and 500 trucks a day of food and other vital needs. But the U.N. and aid groups say Israel recently has again blocked almost all aid to that part of Gaza. Cindy McCain , the American head of the U.N. World Food Program, previously called for political pressure to get food flowing to Palestinians there. Israel says it places no restrictions on aid entering Gaza and that hundreds of truckloads of goods are piled up at Gaza’s crossings and accused international aid agencies of failing to deliver the supplies. The U.N. and other aid groups say ongoing combat, looting and insufficient security by Israeli troops make it impossible to deliver aid effectively. Lew, the U.S. ambassador, said the famine warning was based on “outdated and inaccurate” data. He pointed to uncertainty over how many of the 65,000-75,000 people remaining in northern Gaza had fled in recent weeks, saying that skewed the findings. FEWS said in its report that its famine assessment holds even if as few as 10,000 people remain. USAID in its statement to AP said it had reviewed the report before it became public, and noted “discrepancies” in population estimates and some other data. The U.S. agency had asked the famine warning group to address those uncertainties and be clear in its final report to reflect how those uncertainties affected its predictions of famine, it said. “This was relayed before Ambassador Lew’s statement,” USAID said in a statement. “FEWS NET did not resolve any of these concerns and published in spite of these technical comments and a request for substantive engagement before publication. As such, USAID asked to retract the report.” Roth criticized the U.S. challenge of the report in light of the gravity of the crisis there. “This quibbling over the number of people desperate for food seems a politicized diversion from the fact that the Israeli government is blocking virtually all food from getting in,” he said, adding that “the Biden administration seems to be closing its eyes to that reality, but putting its head in the sand won’t feed anyone.” The U.S., Israel’s main backer, provided a record amount of military support in the first year of the war. At the same time, the Biden administration repeatedly urged Israel to allow more access to aid deliveries in Gaza overall, and warned that failing to do so could trigger U.S. restrictions on military support. The administration recently said Israel was making improvements and declined to carry out its threat of restrictions. Military support for Israel’s war in Gaza is politically charged in the U.S., with Republicans and some Democrats staunchly opposed any effort to limit U.S. support over the suffering of Palestinian civilians trapped in the conflict. The Biden administration’s reluctance to do more to press Israel for improved treatment of civilians undercut support for Democrats in last month’s elections. Sam Mednick and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.