The Best Robot Vacuum 2023
Robot vacuums can make cleaning your floors easier. The best robot vacuums are able to remove dirt, pet hair, crumbs, and much more.
While they can't perform as well as an ordinary vacuum cleaner, they have made significant progress in the past few years. They're smarter, more powerful and (marginally) better at avoiding chair legs.
Smart Mapping
Using navigation tools like lasers and sensors, robotic vacuum cleaners navigate around your home, suctioning pet hair, crumbs and dirt into their bins from hard floors like wood, tile and laminate and also carpets and area rugs with low pile. The most advanced robots map your home, to help them remember where they have been and avoid hitting obstructions like chairs, sofas and bookshelves that you might prefer to keep out of your way. You can also set up no-go areas on your smartphone to tell your robot to avoid areas you don't want it to clean.
Robots with advanced mapping capabilities, such as the Roomba J7, use onboard camera and processor-powered intelligence to detect and avoid obstacles. Then, you can allow it to do a thorough job without having to keep an eye on the state of your floorplan or manually remove obstacles out of the way. The TP Link Tapo RV30 plus is a robot that combines mopping and vacuuming, so it's a one-stop solution for keeping your home tidy. It has a great suction and works with Alexa or Google Assistant. It also has a convenient self-emptying feature, and can be used as an alarm camera.
Roborock Q Revo, a cheaper robot that vacuums, mop and can be used as a trashcan that is robotic is a great choice for homes that don't have the need for more advanced features. There are some drawbacks in comparison to the Roomba S8 and j7. It has a single rubber brush instead of the dual roller brushes of the other which means it won't be as effective in picking up larger debris like socks and shoes. It doesn't come with AI obstacle avoidance so it is possible that you will need to eliminate obstructions before you run.
The iLife A4s Pro robot is a simple, reliable robot for those who value simplicity and proficiency. It costs less than $200 and provides consistent, strong suction on hardwood and low-pile carpets, while avoiding tangles with rug threads. It's not very advanced however, it's effective. It also works with voice commands, so you can set it up on schedule or create zones that aren't allowed to be entered using the app.
Object Detection
Object-avoidance technology can affect the robot's ability to navigate 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, kids' toys and pet spills. iRobot Roomba j7, one of the most amazing examples of smart technology in action, is a great example. It also comes with a sleek clean base that emptys the trash bin automatically so that you don't have to.
During our tests, we set this robotic cleaner up in a big house and were impressed by the speed and efficiency with which it was able to clean floors without getting sluggish. It is very maneuverable and can reach places that most standup vacuums cannot, such as under beds and couches. It also has great suction, a huge 500-milliliter dustbin and over two-hour runtime. However, it lacks the ability to create no-go zones in the app and its object detection is somewhat erratic which means that we saw it hit things a few times during our tests (resulting in the tumbling of a few vases).
It is important to keep in mind that no matter how clever 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 difficult-to-access areas. However, if you want to keep your floors free of pet hair, crumbs, dander and other debris it's an ideal addition to your cleaning routine.
Sensors are integrated into many robot vacuums, allowing them to navigate around stairs and obstacles. They are able to tell the moment when they're going to fall down the stairs for instance, and they can also recognize cluttered areas and move around them. However, if you're not careful your robot-cleaner could become stuck on a cord or shoe and robotvacuummops require help.
Some of the smarter robot vacuums come with mapping capabilities that allow them to design an outline of your home and then locate themselves within it. They can then know what areas they have cleaned, and save time by not having to go over the same spots. This allows them to resume where they left off if they have to return to the charging dock.
Self-Emptying
A robot vacuum that will automatically emptys its bin when it is full is an excellent convenience. Certain models come with a window that allows you to observe when the bin is due to be empty. This is a great feature for those with pets or children who make more mess than adults.
Most robot vacuums allow you to select whether the machine will be controlled by a remote or an app on your smartphone or voice commands. They offer a range of digital features, including scheduling and maintenance tips. If you set the right settings, you can schedule your robot to clean at a set time or on a weekly basis. You can also program it to clean specific areas of your home.
Some of the smartest robot vacuums we've tested are equipped with built-in cameras as well as smart sensor technology that allows them to create maps of your home. These can be saved in the robot's app so you can easily navigate to specific rooms or areas of your home. Some of these systems even keep track of the furniture's layout and transitions between hard flooring and carpet.
Smart vacuums save time by mapping and cleaning entire homes in a timely manner and keeping detailed records of the previous cleaning sessions. You can access these records through an app on your tablet or smartphone. Most can also connect to your smart speaker so you can control them using voice commands.
TP-Link Tapo RV30+ is self-emptying robot that provides excellent performance at a low cost. It is able to clean floors and sweep pet hair and other particles from rugs made of wood and low pile. It's not quite as sophisticated as other robots that we've reviewed but it does the job well.
The rubber-like wheels on this model allow it to glide across the gaps between rooms and obstacles like tangled cords from devices that trip up other robots. It also has a huge dust bin that doesn't have to be emptying manually, and it can recharge and resume cleaning if it runs out of power. It's more expensive than the other robotic vacuums we've tested however it has powerful suction with simple controls to provide excellent value.
Voice Control
The majority of robot vacuums can be controlled using a remote or an app on your smartphone. Some robot vacuums can be operated by voice commands via smart speakers such as Amazon Echo or Google Home. This is useful if you have small pets or children that could get in the way of your cleaning routine or if you're tired to operate the robot manually.
The majority of models have an automatic mode that operates without any input from you. You can start the robot by pressing a button in the app or on the robot. These robots can be programmed to clean in accordance with an established schedule, making them perfect for those who just need to set and forget.
Certain models that are more expensive have a feature which uses artificial intelligence to scan and detect obstructions in your home. These models can recognize things like stairs, power cords as well as furniture, and even distinguish between different types of flooring. This helps robots avoid hazards. This is especially helpful in large homes with lots rugs and other floorcoverings which are difficult for robots navigate.
Some robots are more basic in their ability to detect objects, but they still do the job. The TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus, for instance is a model that resembles WiFi routers, but it has the performance of a top-of-the-line bot. It has a strong suction and can handle dirt and debris on medium-pile flooring and carpet. Its short, squat side brushes are less likely to be tangled in stray shoes and cords and its hybrid roller brush utilizes bristles and plastic rather than the traditional bristle brush to provide an even more thorough cleaning.
It's more expensive than other mid-range models, but it can do everything you need from mopping and vacuuming robots. It can map and create a cleaning schedule, has virtual keep-out zones and is compatible with voice assistants. It doesn't offer the same room-scanning and obstacles-avoiding features like the j7 or s8.