The Best Robot Vacuum 2023
Robot vacuums can help you clean your floors more easily. The most effective robot vacuums clean up dirt, pet hair, crumbs and much more.
While they can't perform the same way as an ordinary vacuum cleaner, they have come a long ways in the past few years. They're more efficient, smarter and (marginally) better at avoiding chair legs.
Smart Mapping
Robot vacuum cleaners utilize navigation tools like lasers and sensors to navigate your home. They collect pet hair, crumbs, and dirt from hard floors, like wood, tile, and laminate, and carpets and area rugs with low piles. Robots that are the most advanced map your home so they know where they've been and can avoid hitting obstacles such as couches, chairs and bookshelves. You can also use the smartphone's app to set up zones that prohibit your robot to stay out of rooms you don't want it to clean.
Robots with advanced mapping capabilities like the Roomba J7, utilize an the onboard camera and processor-powered intelligence to detect and avoid obstacles. This means that you can leave it to do a thorough cleaning without having to constantly 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 can combine mopping and vacuuming, so it's a complete solution to keep your home clean. It has a powerful suction and works with Alexa or Google Assistant. It also has a useful self-emptying feature, and can be used as an alarm camera.
A less expensive bot that vacuums, mop and can even be used as a robotic trashcan, the Roborock Q Revo is a good choice for homes that don't require the advanced features of the more expensive models. However, it has some limitations when compared to the Roomba S8 and J7. It has a single brush instead of dual roller brushes, which means it isn't as effective at removing larger pieces of debris like socks and shoes. It also doesn't have any AI obstacle avoidance technology, so you might need to get rid of clutter prior to running it.
The iLife A4s Pro is a basic robot that is ideal for those who value simplicity and proficiency. It's less than $200 and offers consistent, solid suction on hardwood and low-pile carpets, while avoiding tangles with rug threads. It's not very advanced, but it works well. It also works with voice commands. You can set it up on a schedule, or create zones that are not allowed to be used using the app.
Object Detection
Object-avoidance technology can make or break the ability of a robot vacuum to navigate around your home. Some of the models we've reviewed have 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 Roomba j7 is one of the most impressive examples of smart technology in motion, is an excellent example. It also has a stylish base that automatically empties the trash bin so that you don't need to.
In our testing the robotic cleaner up in a big house and were awed by how quickly and thoroughly it cleaned up floors without getting sluggish. It has impressive maneuverability and can reach places most standup vacs never can, like under beds and sofas. It comes with a 500-ml dustbin, great suction and a time of over two hours. It's not able to create no-go zones, and its recognition of objects is a bit iffy. We observed it hitting objects in our tests on occasion and resulted in vases falling over.
It's important to keep it in mind that, regardless of how intelligent a 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 areas that are difficult to reach. It can be an effective addition to your routine cleaning for removing crumbs, pet dander, and hair.
Most robot vacuums come with sensor systems that help them navigate around obstacles and stairs. They usually know when they're about to fall down the stairs for instance, and they detect areas that are cluttered and move around them. If you're not cautious, your robo-cleaner might be stuck on a cord or shoe and require assistance.
Some smarter robot vacuums have mapping capabilities, which allow them to design a floor plan of your home and then locate themselves within it. They can then identify which areas they have already cleaned and save time by not having to go over the same spots. This lets them resume where they left off if they have to return to the charging dock.
Self-Emptying
A robot vacuum that will automatically empty its dust bin once it is full is a great convenience. Some models even have windows to let you know the time when the bin must be emptied. This is a great feature for anyone who has pets or children who make more mess than adults.
The majority of robot vacuums let you select whether the machine can be operated with a remote, an app on your phone or via voice commands. They also come with a variety of digital features, including maintenance and scheduling suggestions. 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 it to clean specific areas of your house.
The most advanced robot vacuums we've tested are equipped with sensors and cameras which allow them to create maps of your home. You can save these maps to the robot's app to robot mop quickly navigate around your home. Some of these systems will even remember the furniture arrangement and the transitions between hard flooring and carpet.
Smart vacuums save time by cleaning entire homes automatically and keeping detailed records about the cleaning sessions that have occurred previously. You can access the records via an app on your tablet or smartphone. Many can also connect 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 provides excellent performance for the price. It can clean hardwood floors as well as low-pile carpets, and remove pet hair and other particles. It's not as sophisticated as other robots we've reviewed, but it does its job very well.
The wheels that resemble a tank on this model permit it to roll across the transitions between rooms as well as obstacles like tangled device cords that trip up other robots. It has a huge bin that doesn't need to be empty manually and is able to recharge itself and continue cleaning when it runs out power. It's more expensive than the other robotic vacuums we've tried, but it combines powerful suction and easy controls to provide excellent value.
Voice Control
The majority of robot vacuums can be controlled by a remote control or an app that runs on smartphones. Certain robot vacuums can be controlled by voice commands via smart speakers, such as Amazon Echo or Google Home. This is useful when your robot has to clean and you have pets or children who could be disruptive.
The majority of models come with an automatic mode which works without input. The robot can be started by pressing a button on the app or on the robot. These robots can be programmed to clean on a regular schedule, which is ideal for those who prefer to set it and forget it.
Some of the most expensive models include an advanced feature that utilizes artificial intelligence to scan your home and detect obstacles. These models can identify things like furniture, stairs power cords, and even different kinds of flooring. This can help robots stay clear of dangers. This is particularly useful in large homes with lots carpeting and flooring that are difficult for robots to navigate.
Other robots have more basic abilities for object detection however they still manage to complete the task. One example is the TP-Link Tapo RV30 plus, which has the clean, fuss-free appearance of a wifi hub but boasts a lot of the performance of a top bot. It is extremely suction-driven and can handle dirt and debris on carpets and hardwood floors with ease. Its short, squat-shaped side brushes are less likely to become caught in stray shoes and cords, and its hybrid roller brush uses bristles and plastic, rather than the traditional bristle brush to provide an even more thorough cleaning.
It's more expensive than other mid-range robots, but it does everything you need from mopping and vacuuming robots. It can create and map a cleaning schedule and has virtual keep-out zones, and is compatible with voice assistants. However, it does not have obstacles avoidance or room scanning like the j7 or S8.