The Best Robot Vacuum 2023
Robot vacuums can make cleaning your floors a breeze. The most effective robot vacuums pick up tracked-in dirt and pet hair, crumbs, and more.
Although they're not the same way as a regular vacuum cleaner, they have improved a lot in the last few years. They're smarter, more powerful and (marginally) better at avoiding chairs.
Smart Mapping
Utilizing navigation tools such as sensors and lasers, robot vacuum cleaners move around your home, removing pet hair, crumbs, and dirt into their dustbins from hard floors like laminate, wood and tile and area rugs and carpets with low pile. Robots that are the most advanced map your home, so they know where they've been and how to avoid hitting obstacles such as couches, chairs, and bookshelves. You can also set up no-go areas on your smartphone to tell your robot to stay clear of rooms that you don't want to clean.
Robots with advanced mapping abilities, such as the Roomba J7, use onboard cameras and processor-powered intelligent to see and avoid obstructions. This means you can let it alone to get an effective cleaning without having to continuously be checking the status of your floorplan, or manually remove obstacles from the robot's path. The TP Link Tapo RV30 Plus is a robot that combines mopping with vacuuming. It's the perfect solution to keep your home tidy. It has great suction and works with Alexa and Google Assistant. It can self-empty and is also able to be used as a surveillance camera.
A less expensive bot that mops, vacuums and can be used as a robotic trashcan, the Roborock Q Revo is a solid option for homes that don't need the more advanced features of higher-end models. However, it has some limitations in comparison to the Roomba S8 and j7. It's got only one brush, not dual roller brushes, which means it isn't as effective at removing larger objects like shoes and socks. It also doesn't have any AI obstacle avoidance, so you may need to get rid of any clutter prior to running it.
The iLife A4s Pro is a basic robot that is ideal for those who value simplicity and competence. It costs less than $200 and offers strong, consistent suction for hardwood as well as carpets with low pile and avoids tangles with rug threads. It's not a lot of technology however it's a good choice. It also works with voice commands. You can set it up to run a program, or create no-go zones using the app.
Object Detection
Object-avoidance technology can make or break the robot's ability to navigate your home. Some models on our list include sensors (or even cameras) that allow your robot cleaner to avoid common traps for robots such as cords, toys for kids and pet spills. iRobot's Roomba J7 is among the most impressive examples of this type of technology in action. It also comes with a sleek clean base that empties the dustbin automatically so you don't have to.
During testing, we set this robotic cleaner up in a large house and were impressed by how quickly and efficiently it was able to clean floors without getting sluggish. It is extremely maneuverable and can reach places most standup vacs never reach, such as couches and under beds. It has a 500ml dustbin, great suction and a runtime of over two hours. It isn't able to create no-go zones and its object recognition is a bit hit-or-miss. We saw it bumping into things in our tests on occasion, resulting in some vase caps falling over.
It's important to remember that despite how smart a robot vacuum may be but it can't replace your upright or canister vacuum. It's not able to deal with heavy stained carpets, it will not be able to reach every corner, and won't be able to reach your ceilings or other difficult to reach spaces. However, if you want to keep your floors clean of pet hair, crumbs and other dander it's an ideal addition to your cleaning routine.
Sensors are integrated into the majority of robot vacuums, allowing them to navigate around stairs and obstacles. They can usually sense the moment when they're going to fall down stairs, for instance, and they also recognize cluttered areas and move around them. If you're not careful your robot-cleaner could become stuck on a cord, shoe or any other object.
Certain robot vacuums come with mapping capabilities that permit them to create an precise floor plan of your home and also locate themselves. They can then identify which areas they have cleaned and reduce time by not having to clean the same spots. It also lets them continue where they left off in case they need to return to their charging dock.
Self-Emptying
A robot vacuum that automatically empty its dust bin when it's full is a huge benefit. Some models even have a window to let you know when the bin needs to be emptied. This feature is great for people who have pets or children, who can create a lot more mess than adults.
The majority of robot vacuums allow you to choose whether the machine is controlled by a remote or an app for your smartphone or voice commands. They have a number of digital functions, including maintenance and scheduling tips. With the correct settings, you can program your robot to clean at a set time, or on an annual basis. You can also program the robot to clean and map out specific areas of your home.
Some of the most advanced robot vacuums we've tested come with built-in cameras and sensor technology that lets them create maps of your home. They can be saved to the robot's app so you can quickly navigate to specific rooms or areas of your home. Some of these systems even remember furniture placement and note transitions from hard floors to carpet.
The most efficient smart vacuums save you time by automatically mapping and cleaning entire houses and keeping detailed records of cleaning sessions. You can access these records through an app on your phone or tablet. They can also be connected to your cleaning robot mop and vacuum smart speaker, so you can control them using voice commands.
TP-Link Tapo RV30+ is self-emptying robot that provides great performance at a reasonable cost. It can clean hardwood floors and carpets with low pile, and also remove pet hair and other messes. It's not as advanced as other robots we've reviewed, but it does its job very well.
The model's tank-like wheels permit it to go over obstacles such as tangled cords and high transitions in between rooms. It also has a huge dust bin that doesn't need to be empty manually, and it's able to recharge and resume cleaning if it runs out of power. It's more expensive than other robotic vacuums we've tested however it combines powerful suction and simple controls to provide a fantastic value.
Voice Control
Most robot vacuums are controlled via a remote control or an app on a smartphone. Certain robot vacuums are operated by voice commands through smart speakers like Amazon Echo or Google Home. This is a great option if your robot needs to clean up and you have pets or small children that could interfere.
Many models also come with an automatic mode that operates without input from you. You can start the robot by pressing a button within the app or on the robot. The robots can also be programmed to clean up on a regular basis which is great for those who wish to set it and forget it.
Some of the more expensive models come with an advanced feature that makes use of artificial intelligence to examine your home and find obstacles. These models can recognize things like stairs, power cords as well as furniture, and they can also identify different types of floors. This can help robots avoid hazards. This is especially useful in large homes that have lots of carpeting and other flooring coverings that are difficult for robots to navigate.
Other robots have more basic ability to detect objects however they still manage to get the job done. The TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus, for instance, has the appearance of WiFi routers, but it has the performance of a high-end robot. It has excellent suction and handles dirt and debris from hardwood floors and medium-pile rugs with ease. Its short, squat side brushes are less likely to become caught in stray shoes and cords and its hybrid roller brush makes use of bristles and plastic, rather than the traditional bristle brush to provide a more thorough cleaning.
It's more expensive than other mid-range models, but it does everything you'd expect from mopping and vacuuming robots. It can map out the cleaning schedule and then create one. It also has virtual zones to stay out of. It doesn't have the same room scanning and obstacle-avoiding capabilities as the j7 and s8.