The Best Robot Vacuum 2023
Robot vacuums can make cleaning your floors easier. The best ones can remove tracked-in dirt, crumbs, shedding pet hair and more.
Although they're not as well as the regular vacuum cleaner, they've improved a lot in the past few years. They're more efficient, smarter and (marginally) better at avoiding chair legs.
Smart Mapping
Using navigation tools like lasers and sensors, robot vacuum cleaners navigate around your home, suctioning pet hair, crumbs and dirt into their bins from hard floors such as laminate, wood and tile and area rugs and carpets with low pile. The most advanced robots map your home, so they can remember where they have been and avoid hitting obstacles like sofas, chairs and bookshelves that you might prefer to keep out of the way. You can make use of your smartphone app to create no-go zones, which tell your robot not to enter rooms you don't want it to clean.
Robots equipped with advanced mapping capabilities, like the Roomba j7, use processor-powered cameras and onboard sensors to see and avoid obstacles. Then, you can allow it to complete the task without having to keep an eye on the status of your floorplan or manually remove obstacles from the robot's way. The TP Link Tapo RV30 Plus is a robot that combines mopping with vacuuming. It's a single-stop solution to keep your home spotless. It has a powerful suction feature and can be used with Alexa or Google Assistant. It also has a convenient self-emptying feature, and can be used as a security camera.
Roborock Q Revo, a cheaper robot that vacuums, mops and is also a trashcan that is robotic is a great choice for homes without the need for more advanced features. However, it has a few disadvantages compared to the Roomba j7 and S8. It has only one brush, not dual roller brushes, so it may not be as efficient at picking up larger debris such as socks and shoes. It does not have AI obstacle avoidance so it is possible that you will need to eliminate clutter before running.
The iLife A4s Pro robot is a simple, reliable robot that is ideal for those who appreciate simplicity and efficiency. It costs less than $200 and offers consistent, solid suction for hardwood as well as carpets that are low-pile and also avoids tangles caused by rug threads. It's not very advanced, but it works well. It also works with voice commands. It can be set to run on a schedule or create zones that are not allowed to be used using the app.
Object Detection
Object-avoidance technology can impact the ability of a robot vacuum to navigate around your home. Some models on our list contain sensors (or even cameras) which help your robo-cleaner avoid common traps for robots, such as cords, toys for kids and pet mess. iRobot Roomba j7, one of the most impressive examples of smart technology in action, is a great example. It also comes with a sleek base that automatically emptys the garbage bin, so you don't have to.
In our testing, we set up this robot cleaner in a home with a large size and were amazed by how quickly and efficiently the floors were cleaned without becoming a mess. It's incredibly maneuverable and can reach places that most stand-up vacs cannot can, like couches and under beds. It also has great suction, a massive 500 ml dustbin, and an over two hours of runtime. It lacks the option to set up no-go zones and its recognition of objects is a bit iffy. We saw it crashing into objects at times during our tests and resulted in vase caps falling over.
It is important to keep in mind that, regardless of how clever the robot vacuum is it isn't going to replace your regular upright or canister vacuum. It's not equipped to handle heavily soiled carpets, it won't reach into every crevice, and it's not able to reach your ceilings or other difficult-to-access areas. However, to keep your floors clear of crumbs, pet hair, dander and other debris, it can be a good addition to your cleaning routine.
Most robot vacuums come with sensors that aid them to navigate around obstacles and stairs. They usually know the moment when they're going to fall down the stairs for instance, and also recognize cluttered areas and move around them. If you're not vigilant your robot-cleaner could get stuck on a cord or shoe and need some help.
Certain robot vacuums come with mapping capabilities, which allow them to draw an accurate floor plan of your house and also locate themselves. They can then identify which areas they've already cleaned and reduce time by not having to clean the same areas. It also lets them resume where they left off in case they have to return to their charging dock.
Self-Emptying
A vacuum cleaner that can automatically empty its bin after it is full is an excellent convenience. Some models come with a window that allows you to see when the dust bin has to be empty. This feature is great for those who have children or pets who are likely to create lots of mess than adults.
Most robot vacuums allow you to select whether the machine is controlled by a remote, an app on your smartphone, or by voice commands. They also come with a range of digital features, such as maintenance and scheduling. Using the right settings, you can set your robot to clean at a regular time or on an annual basis. You can also program it to map and clean certain areas of your house.
The most advanced robot vacuums we have tested are equipped with cameras and smart sensors, which allow them to build maps of your home. You can save these maps in the robot's app to quickly navigate through your home. Some of these systems can even keep track of furniture placement and even note transitions from hard floors to carpet.
Smart vacuums save time by cleaning entire homes automatically and keeping detailed records about previous cleaning sessions. You can access the records using an app on your smartphone or tablet. Most of them can be connected to your smart speaker, so that you can control them with voice commands.
TP-Link's Tapo RV30 Plus is an affordable, self-emptying robotic vacuum that offers high performance for the money. It can clean both floors and sweep up pet hair and other particles from hardwood and low-pile rugs. It's not as sophisticated as some of the other robots we've reviewed but it does what it does well.
The rubber-like wheels on this model permit it to roll right over the high transitions between rooms as well as obstacles like tangled cords from devices which can cause a problem for other robots. It also has a huge dust bin that doesn't need to be empty manually, and it's also able to recharge and resume cleaning if it runs out of power. It's more expensive than other robotic vacuums we've tested but it combines powerful suction and easy controls to provide excellent value.
Voice Control
Most robot vacuums are controlled via a remote control or an app on a smartphone. Certain robot vacuums are controlled via voice commands using smart speakers like Amazon Echo or Google Home. This is useful for robots that need to clean up and you have pets or small children who might interfere.
Most models have an automatic mode that operates without input. You can start the robot by pressing a button in the app or on the robot. The robots can be programmed to clean according to a schedule, making them ideal for people who just want to set and forget.
Certain models that are more expensive come with an advanced feature that makes use of artificial intelligence to detect and scan obstructions in your home. These models can recognize things like power cords, stairs as well as furniture, and even identify different types of floors. This can help them avoid such hazards which is particularly useful in larger homes that have lots of rugs and other flooring coverings that are difficult for robots to navigate.
Other robots have more basic object detection capabilities, but still manage to get the job done. The TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus, for instance is a model that resembles a wifi router but offers the performance of a premium bot. It has a strong suction and can clean dirt and debris on medium-pile flooring and carpet. Its short, squat side brushes are less likely to be stuck in stray shoes or cords, and its hybrid roller brush utilizes bristles and plastic, rather than the traditional bristle brush to provide an even more thorough cleaning.
This model is more expensive than the other models in the mid-range however, it can do everything you would expect from a robot vacuum and mop. It can draw out the cleaning schedule and then create one. It also has cleaning robot mop and vacuum virtual zones to keep out of. However, it doesn't have obstacles avoidance or room scanning like the S8 or j7.