The Best Robot Vacuum 2023
Robot vacuums can help you clean your floors more easily. The best robot vacuums are able to pick up tracked-in dirt and crumbs, pet hair, and more.
And while they still can't do the same job as a regular vacuum but they've come quite a way in the past few years. They're smarter, more powerful and (marginally) better in avoiding the legs of chairs.
Smart Mapping
Using navigation tools like lasers and sensors, robot vacuum cleaners navigate through your home, sucking pet hair, crumbs and dirt from their dustbins. They can be found on hard floors like wood, tile and laminate, as well as area rugs and carpets with low pile. Robots that are the most advanced maps your home to 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 you don't wish it to keep clean.
Robots equipped with advanced mapping capabilities, like the Roomba j7, use processor-powered cameras and onboard sensors to avoid obstacles and see them. This means that you can leave it alone to get a thorough cleaning without having to continuously be checking the status of your floorplan or manually move obstacles out of the robot's path. The TP-Link Tapo RV30 plus is a robot that combines vacuuming and mopping, so it's a complete solution for keeping your home tidy. It has a powerful suction system and works with Alexa or Google Assistant. It also comes with a handy self-emptying feature, and can be used as an alarm camera.
Roborock Q Revo, a less expensive robot that vacuums, mop and functions as a robotic trashcan, is a good option for homes without the need for more advanced features. However, it has some limitations in comparison to Roomba S8 and J7. It has a single brush instead of dual roller brushes, meaning it may not be as effective at removing larger objects like shoes and socks. It also doesn't have any AI obstacle avoidance technology, so it could be necessary to get rid of clutter prior to running it.
The iLife A4s Pro robot is an easy, reliable robot that is ideal for those who appreciate simplicity and competence. It's less than $200, and offers consistent, solid suction for hardwood as well as carpets that are low-pile, while avoiding tangles with rug threads. It doesn't have any advanced features, but it does the job well. It's also compatible with voice commands, which means you can set it up on schedule or even set up zones that aren't allowed to be entered via the app.
Object Detection
Object-avoidance technologies can make or break the ability of a robot vacuum to navigate through your home. Some models on our list contain sensors (or even cameras) which help your robo-cleaner avoid common robot traps like cords, toys for children and pet spills. iRobot Roomba j7 is among the most impressive examples of smart technology in action, is a great example. It also comes with a sleek base that automatically empty the garbage bin, so you don't need to.
During testing we set up the robotic cleaner in a large home and were awed by how quickly and thoroughly the floors were cleaned without becoming a mess. It's very mobile and can reach areas that the majority of stand-up vacuums are unable to reach, like under beds and couches. It also has a great suction, a massive 500-milliliter dustbin and over two-hour running time. It isn't able to set up no-go zones and its recognition of objects isn't exactly reliable. We saw it hitting objects at times during our tests and resulted in vessels falling over.
It's important to keep in mind that no matter how intelligent the robot vacuum is, it will not substitute for your upright or canister vacuum. It won't be able to clean carpets with a lot of dirt. It can't reach the ceiling or other difficult-to-access areas. It's an excellent addition to your regular cleaning routine for getting rid of pet dander, and hair.
Sensors are integrated into most robot vacuums to help them navigate around stairs and obstacles. They usually know the moment when they're going to fall down stairs, for instance, and detect areas that are cluttered and maneuver around them. Nevertheless, if you're not careful, your robo-cleaner might get stuck on a cord or shoe and require help.
Some smarter robot vacuums have mapping capabilities, which allow them to create an outline of your home and then locate themselves within it. This lets them know which areas they've already cleaned and avoid the hassle of going over the same spots. This allows them to 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 an excellent convenience. Certain models come with windows that allow you to see when the dust bin needs to empty. This is a great feature for those who have children or pets who can create much more mess than adults.
The majority of robot vacuums allow you to choose whether the machine is controlled by the use of a remote, an app on your smartphone or voice commands. They also come with a variety of digital functions, including maintenance and scheduling suggestions. Using the right settings, you can schedule your robot to clean at a regular time or on a weekly basis. You can also program it to clean specific areas of the house.
Some of the smartest robot vacuums we've tested come with built-in cameras as well as smart sensor technology that lets them create maps of your home. These maps can be saved to the robot's application so that you can quickly navigate to specific rooms or areas of your home. Some of these systems can even remember furniture placement and transitions between hard flooring and carpet.
The most efficient smart vacuums help you save time by automatically mapping and cleaning entire houses and keeping precise records of previous cleaning sessions. You can access these records via an app on your phone or tablet. The majority of them can be linked to your smart speaker so you can control them via voice commands.
TP-Link's Tapo RV30 Plus is an affordable, self-emptying robotic vacuum that delivers good performance for the money. It can clean floors and sweep up pet hair and other messes from rugs made of wood and low pile. It's not as advanced as the other robots we've reviewed, best rated robot vacuum but it does its job very well.
The rubber-like wheels that this model has allow it to glide right over the transitions between rooms as well as obstacles like tangled device cords that trip up other robots. It comes with a large bin that doesn't need to be manually emptied, and can recharge itself and restart cleaning when it's running out of power. It's more expensive than the other robotic vacuums we've tested however it has powerful suction and simple controls to give you a great value.
Voice Control
The majority of robot vacuums are controlled by a remote or an app that runs on smartphones. Some also connect to smart speakers like Amazon Echo or Google Home, allowing you to control them using voice commands. This is helpful for robots that need to be cleaned and you have pets or children who could be disruptive.
Many models have an automatic mode which works without your input. Simply press a button on the robot or in the app, and it will start sucking up food, dirt, crumbs, and pet hair. They can be programmed to clean up on a regular basis which is great for those who prefer to make it easy to set it and forget it.
Some of the more expensive models come with an advanced feature which uses artificial intelligence to scan and detect the presence of obstacles in your home. These models can recognize things like stairs, power cords, and furniture, and can even discern between different kinds of flooring. This helps them avoid such hazards which is particularly useful in homes with a lot of carpets and flooring materials that are difficult for robots to navigate.
Some robots are more basic in their object detection abilities however, they still get the job done. One example is the TP-Link Tapo RV30 plus, which has the clean elegant, easy-to-use design of a WiFi hub but boasts a lot of the capabilities of a top-of-the-line robot. It has a strong suction and can clean dirt and debris on medium-pile flooring and carpet. Its squat and short side brush is less likely to be stuck in cords or shoes. The hybrid roller brush, which is made up of bristles and plastic, offers an effective cleaning.
This model is more expensive than other robots that are in the middle of the range, but it does everything you would expect from a robot vacuum and mop. It can draw out the cleaning schedule and then create one. It also has virtual zones to stay out of. However, it doesn't have the ability to scan rooms or avoid obstacles like the j7 and S8.