The Best Robot Vacuum 2023
Cleaning your floors isn't always easy, but robot vacuums help. The best robot vacuums can pick up tracked-in dirt and pet hair, crumbs, and more.
And while they still can't perform as well of a job as a regular vacuum but they've come quite a way in recent years. They're more sophisticated and more powerful, as well as (marginally better) at avoiding chair leg.
Smart Mapping
Utilizing navigation tools such as lasers and sensors, robot vacuum cleaners navigate around your home, removing pet hair, crumbs and dirt into their dustbins from hard floors such as laminate, wood, and tile, as well as low-pile carpets and area rugs. Robots that are the most advanced maps your home, so they know where they've been, and can avoid bumping into obstacles such as chairs, sofas, and bookshelves. You can also use your smartphone app to create no-go zones, which tell your robot to stay out of rooms it doesn't want to clean.
Robots that have advanced mapping capabilities like the Roomba J7, use onboard cameras and processor-powered intelligent to detect and avoid obstacles. It can then be left to do a thorough job without having to keep an eye on the condition of your floor plan or manually remove obstacles out of the way. The TP Link Tapo RV30 Plus is a robot which includes vacuuming and mopping. It's a one-stop solution to keep your home tidy. It has a great suction feature and can be used with Alexa or Google Assistant. It is self-emptying and can also function as a surveillance camera.
Roborock Q Revo, a cheaper robot that vacuums, mops and functions as an automated trashcan is a great choice for homes that don't have the need for more advanced features. However, it does have some disadvantages compared to the Roomba J7 and S8. For instance, it uses one rubber brush instead of the dual roller brushes that the other models have, so it might not be as effective at picking up larger debris such as shoes and socks. It also doesn't have any AI obstacle avoidance technology, so it could be necessary to get rid of any clutter prior to running it.
The iLife A4s Pro robot is an easy-to-use reliable robot for those who value simplicity and proficiency. It's less than $200 and provides strong, consistent suction on hardwood and low-pile rugs, while avoiding tangles. It doesn't have any fancy features, but it does the job very well. It also works with voice commands, which means you can run it on a schedule or set up zones that aren't allowed to be entered via the app.
Object Detection
The use of object-avoidance technology can make or break the ability of a robot vacuum navigate around your home. Certain models in this list have sensors (or cameras) to help your robot vacuum avoid common traps for robots, such as cords, toys for children and pet mess. IRobot's Roomba J7 is among the best examples of this type of smart tech in action. It also has a stylish clean base that emptys the garbage bin automatically so you don't have to.
During testing we set up this robotic cleaner in a huge home and were impressed with how quickly and thoroughly floors were cleaned without becoming a mess. It's very mobile and can reach places that stand-up vacuums can't, such as under couches and under beds. It also has excellent suction, a huge 500 ml dustbin, and an over two-hour running time. It's just not equipped with the ability to create zones that are not allowed to be used and its object detection is somewhat erratic which means that we saw it hit things a few times during our tests (resulting in a few toppled vases).
It's important to keep it in mind that, no matter how clever a robot vacuum may be, it will not replace your regular upright or canister vacuum. It's not able to deal with heavy soiled carpets, it won't reach into every crevice, and it's not able to reach your ceilings or other difficult to reach areas. However, to keep your floors free of crumbs, pet hair and other particles, it can be a good addition to your cleaning routine.
Sensor systems are integrated into most robot vacuums to assist them navigate around obstacles and stairs. They are able to tell the moment they're about to fall down the stairs, for example and can also identify messy spaces and maneuver around them. Nevertheless, if you're not vigilant the robo-cleaner may be stuck on a cord or stray shoe and require help.
Some of the more advanced robot vacuums have the ability to map, which allows them to create an outline of your house and locate themselves within it. This allows them to know which areas they've already cleaned and avoid wasting time going over the same areas. It also lets them continue the same place they left off, should they have to return to their charging dock.
Self-Emptying
A robot vacuum that automatically emptys its bin when it is full is an excellent convenience. Some models even have a window so you can see when the bin needs to be emptied. This is a fantastic option for anyone with pets or children who make more mess than adults.
The majority of robot vacuums allow you to select whether the machine will be controlled by a remote or an app on your phone, or via voice commands. They also come with a variety of digital features, including maintenance and scheduling. Using the right settings, you can set your robot to clean at a set time or on a weekly basis. You can also program it to clean specific areas of the house.
The most intelligent robot vacuums we've tested come with cameras and smart sensors, which enable them to create maps of your home. These maps can be saved to the robot's app, so you can easily navigate to specific rooms or areas of your home. Some of these systems can even remember furniture placement and 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 previous cleaning sessions. You can access these records using an app for your tablet or phone. The majority of them can be linked to your smart speaker so you can control them with voice commands.
TP-Link Tapo RV30+ is self-emptying robotic that delivers excellent performance at a low price. It can clean hardwood floors and carpets with low pile, and also remove pet hair and other messes. It's not as advanced as some of the other robots we've reviewed, but it does what it does very well.
This model's tank-like wheels allow it to glide over obstacles such as cords that are tangled and high transitions in between rooms. It has a large bin that doesn't have to be emptying manually and it can charge itself and restart cleaning when it's running out of power. It's a bit more costly than some of the other robotic vacuums that we've tested however it combines powerful suction with simple controls to provide a fantastic value.
Voice Control
The majority of robot vacuums can be controlled via a remote control or an app on a smartphone. Some can also integrate with smart speakers such as Amazon Echo or Google Home, allowing you to run them using voice commands. This is useful when you have pets or children that could interfere with your cleaning or if you're tired to control the robot by hand.
The majority of models have an automatic mode that functions without any input from you. You can start the robot by pressing a button in the app or on the robot. The robots can be programmed to clean in accordance with the schedule, which makes them ideal for those who simply need to set and forget.
Some of the higher-end models have a feature that uses artificial intelligence to detect and scan obstructions in your home. These models can detect things like stairs, furniture power cords, even different types of flooring. This helps robots avoid hazards. This is particularly useful in large homes that have lots of rugs and other floorcoverings which are difficult for robots navigate.
Other robots are more basic in their abilities for object detection however they still manage to get the job done. One example is the TP-Link Tapo RV30 plus, that has the sleek elegant, best budget robot vacuum easy-to-use design of a wifi hub but boasts a lot of the performance of a top-notch robot. It has excellent suction and can handle dirt and debris on carpets and hardwood floors with ease. The short and squat-shaped side brush is less likely to be stuck in cords or shoes. The hybrid roller brush, which uses bristles as well as plastic, provides an effective cleaning.
This model is more expensive than other robots in the mid-range, but it does everything you'd expect from mop and vacuum robots. It can create the cleaning schedule and then create one. It also has virtual zones to stay out of. It doesn't feature obstacles avoidance or room scanning like the S8 or j7.