The Best Robot Vacuum 2023
Robot vacuums can make cleaning your floors easier. The best ones will remove dirt, crumbs, shedding pet hair, and more.
And while they still can't perform as well of a job as a traditional vacuum cleaner, they've come a long way in recent years. They're more intelligent, more powerful, and (marginally better) at avoiding chair leg.
Smart Mapping
Robot vacuum cleaners employ tools for navigation, such as sensors and lasers to navigate around your home. They remove pet hair, crumbs and dirt from hard floors, like wood, tile, and laminate, and carpets and area rugs with low piles. The most sophisticated robots map your home, to help them keep track of where they've been and avoid hitting obstacles like sofas, chairs and bookshelves you might prefer to keep out of your way. You can also set up no-go areas using your smartphone to alert your robot to stay clear of rooms you don't wish it to be able to keep.
Robots that have advanced mapping capabilities, such as the Roomba j7, utilize onboard cameras and processor-powered smarts to see and avoid obstacles. You can then leave it to complete the task without having to constantly monitor the state of your floorplan or manually remove obstacles from the robot's way. The TP Link Tapo RV30 plus is a robotic that does vacuuming and mopping, so it's a one-stop solution to keep your home clean. It has a fantastic suction and works with Alexa or Google Assistant. It has a self-emptying function and can also function as a security camera.
A cheaper robot that mops, vacuums and can also be used as a trashcan, the Roborock Q Revo is a solid option for homes that don't require the more sophisticated features of more expensive models. However, it has some disadvantages in comparison to the Roomba S8 and j7. It has only one rubber brush instead of the dual roller brushes of the other and it may not be as effective in picking up larger debris such as shoes and socks. It also lacks AI obstacle avoidance, which means you may need to get rid of clutter prior to running it.
The iLife A4s Pro is a basic robot that's ideal for those who value simplicity and proficiency. It's less than $200 and provides consistent, strong suction on both hardwood and 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, which means you can run it on a schedule or set up no-go zones using the app.
Object Detection
Object-avoidance technologies can impact the ability of a robot vacuum navigate your home. Some of the models we've reviewed contain sensors (or even cameras) which help your robo-cleaner avoid common traps for robots, such as cords, kids' toys and pet mess. The iRobot Roomba j7 is one of the best robot cleaner with mop examples of this type of technology in action. It also comes with a sleek base that automatically empty the trash bin so that you don't have to.
In our testing, we set this robotic cleaner up in a big house and were impressed by how quickly and efficiently it cleaned up floors without getting sluggish. It has impressive maneuverability and can get to places most standup vacs never reach, such as under sofas and under beds. It also has excellent suction, a massive 500 ml dustbin and an over two hours of runtime. It's not able to set up no-go zones, and its object recognition isn't exactly reliable. We saw it hitting objects in our tests on occasion which resulted in vessels falling over.
It's important to keep in mind that no matter how clever a robot vacuum may be but it can't replace your traditional canister or upright vacuum. It's not able to deal with heavy dirty carpets, it can't be able to reach every corner, and it's not able to reach your ceilings or other difficult to reach areas. It can be an effective addition to your regular cleaning routine for removing crumbs, pet dander, and hair.
Sensor systems are built into most robot vacuums to assist them navigate around stairs and obstacles. They are able to tell the moment when they're going to fall down a staircase for instance, and they also detect areas of clutter and maneuver around them. If you're not careful, your robot-cleaner could become stuck on a shoe, cord, or other object.
Some smarter robot vacuums have mapping capabilities that allow them to create a floor plan of your home and locate themselves within it. This allows them to know which areas they've cleaned before and avoid wasting time going over the same spots. This lets them resume the same place they left off if they have to return to the charging dock.
Self-Emptying
A robot vacuum that automatically empty its bin after it is full is a great convenience. Some models even have a window that lets you see when the bin needs to be emptied. This is an excellent feature for anyone who has pets or children who tend to make more mess than adults.
The majority of robot vacuums let you select whether the machine is controlled by a remote, an app on your phone, or via voice commands. They also come with a range of digital features, such as maintenance and scheduling. You can program your robot to clean your house on every week or on a regular basis using the correct settings. You can also program the robot to map out and clean specific areas of your home.
Some of the most advanced robot vacuums we've tested are equipped with built-in cameras and sensor technology that allows them to create maps of your home. These can be saved in the robot's app so you can quickly navigate to specific rooms or areas of your home. Some of these systems can even remember furniture placement and note the transitions between hard floors and carpet.
The most effective smart vacuums will save you time by automatically mapping and cleaning entire homes and keeping detailed records of cleaning sessions. You can access these records via an app on your tablet or phone. Most can also connect to your smart speaker, so you can control them via voice commands.
TP-Link Tapo RV30+ is self-emptying robotic that delivers outstanding performance for a reasonable price. It can clean floors and sweep up pet hair and other particles from low-pile and hardwood rugs. It's not as sophisticated as other robots that we've reviewed, but it does the job well.
This model's tank-like wheels allow it to roll over obstacles such as cords that get caught up and high transitions between rooms. 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 when it's power-depleted. It's more expensive than other robotic vacuums we've tested but it combines powerful suction with simple controls to provide excellent value.
Voice Control
The majority of robot vacuums are controlled using a remote or an app on your phone. Some can also integrate with smart speakers like Amazon Echo or Google Home, allowing you to run them using voice commands. This is useful for robots that need to clean up and you have pets or small children who could be disruptive.
Many models also come with an automatic mode that operates without any 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 on a regular schedule which is great for those who want to make it easy 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 detect things like furniture, stairs power cords, even different types of flooring. This helps them avoid such hazards which is especially helpful in larger homes that have lots of rugs and other flooring coverings that are difficult for robots to navigate.
Other robots have more basic ability to detect objects but they are able to complete the task. The TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus, for example is a model that resembles WiFi routers, but it has the performance of a top-of-the-line robot. It is extremely suction-driven and handles dirt and debris on carpets and hardwood floors effortlessly. Its squat and short side brush is less likely to be caught in shoes or cords. The hybrid roller brush, which uses bristles as well as plastic, offers an efficient cleaning.
This model is pricier than other mid-range robots but it can do everything you need from mopping and vacuuming with a robot. It can map and build a cleaning schedule, has virtual keep-out zones, and is compatible with voice assistants. It doesn't offer the same room-scanning feature and obstacle-avoiding capabilities like the j7 or s8.