The Best Robot Vacuum 2023
Robot vacuums can make cleaning your floors easier. The best robot vacuums can pick up tracked-in dirt and crumbs, pet hair, and much more.
Although they're not as well as the regular vacuum cleaner, they have improved a lot in the last few years. They're smarter, more powerful and (marginally) better at avoiding chairs.
Smart Mapping
Using navigation tools like sensors and lasers, robot vacuum cleaners navigate through your home, sucking 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 can map your home so that they can keep track of where they've been and avoid bumping into obstacles like chairs, sofas and bookshelves that you might want to keep out of your way. You can also use the smartphone's app to set up no-go zones that tell your robot to stay out of rooms you don't want it to clean.
Robots that have advanced mapping capabilities, like the Roomba j7, use onboard cameras and processor-powered smarts to avoid obstacles and see them. This means you can let it alone to get an efficient cleaning without having to constantly monitor the state 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 an all-in-one solution for keeping your home clean. It has a great suction feature and can be used with Alexa or Google Assistant. It can self-empty and can also be used as a security camera.
Roborock Q Revo, a less expensive robot that vacuums, mops and functions as a trashcan that is robotic is a great option for homes that do not require for more advanced features. It does have some disadvantages in comparison to the Roomba S8 and J7. It has one rubber brush instead of the dual roller brushes of the other, so it might not be as effective in collecting larger objects such as shoes and socks. It doesn't come with AI obstacle avoidance, which means it is possible that you will need to eliminate clutter before running.
The iLife A4s Pro is a basic robot that is ideal for those who prioritize simplicity and competence. It costs less than $200 and offers strong, consistent suction on hardwood as well as low-pile carpets and avoids knots. It's not very advanced however, it's effective. It is also compatible 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 technologies can make or break the ability of a robot vacuum navigate your home. Certain models on our list have sensors (or even cameras) that allow your robot cleaner to avoid common traps for robots, such as cords, toys for kids and pet messes. IRobot's Roomba J7 is among the best examples of this type of smart tech in action. It also comes with a sleek clean base that fills the dustbin automatically so you don't have to.
During testing the robot, we set the cleaner up in a huge house and were impressed by the speed and efficiency with which it was able to clean floors without becoming bogged down. It is extremely maneuverable and is able to reach places most standup vacs never go, including under sofas and under beds. It comes with a 500-ml dustbin, a powerful suction system and a time of over two hours. However, it isn't equipped with the ability to set zones that are not allowed to be used and its detection of objects is a little hit-or-miss and we did see it bump into things occasionally during our tests (resulting in a few tipped vase).
It's important to keep it in mind that, no matter how smart a robot vacuum is it won't replace your upright or canister vacuum. It's not equipped to handle heavily stained carpets, it will not reach into every crevice, and it's not able to reach your ceilings or other difficult-to-access spaces. But for keeping your floors clear of crumbs, pet hair and other dander, it can be an excellent addition to your cleaning routine.
Most robot vacuums come with sensor systems that help them navigate around obstacles and stairs. They usually know the moment when they're going to fall down stairs, for instance, and also detect areas of clutter and maneuver around them. If you're not vigilant your robot-cleaner could become stuck on a cord or stray shoe and require assistance.
Some of the more advanced robot vacuums have mapping capabilities that allow them to create an outline of your house and locate themselves within it. They can then identify which areas they have cleaned and can reduce time by not having to clean the same areas. This allows them to resume where they left off, if they have to return to the charging dock.
Self-Emptying
A vacuum cleaner that can automatically emptys its bin when it is full is a great convenience. Some models come with a window that allows you to observe when the bin needs to empty. This is an excellent option for anyone with pets or children who make more mess than adults.
The majority of robot vacuums allow you to choose whether the machine is controlled with a remote, an app from your phone, or through voice commands. They offer a range of digital features, including maintenance and scheduling tips. You can program your robot to clean your house on every week or on a regularly using the appropriate settings. You can also program it to clean specific areas of the house.
The smartest robot vacuums that we have tested are equipped with sensors and cameras, which allow them to create maps for your home. They can be saved to the robot's application so that you can easily navigate to specific rooms or areas of your home. Some of these systems can even remember furniture arrangement and record the transitions between hard floors and carpet.
The best smart vacuums can save you time by automatically mapping and cleaning entire homes and keeping detailed records of previous cleaning sessions. You can access the records using an app on your tablet or smartphone. They can also be connected to your smart speaker so you can control them using voice commands.
TP-Link Tapo RV30+ is self-emptying robotic that delivers outstanding performance for a reasonable cost. It can clean floors and sweep up pet hair and other debris from rugs made of wood and low pile. It's not quite as sophisticated as the other robots we've reviewed but it does its job very well.
The wheels that resemble a tank on this model permit it to glide right over the transitions between rooms as well as obstacles such as tangled cords for devices that can cause problems for other robots. It comes with a large bin that does not need to be emptying manually and it can charge itself and continue cleaning when it is unable to continue cleaning. It's a bit more costly than some of the other robotic vacuums we've tried, but it blends powerful suction with straightforward controls to provide a fantastic value.
Voice Control
Most robot vacuums are controlled by a remote or an app that runs on smartphones. Certain robot vacuums are controlled via voice commands using smart speakers such as Amazon Echo or Google Home. This is helpful when your robot has to clean and you have pets or small children that could interfere.
Many models also come with an automatic mode that functions without input from you. Simply press a button on the robot or within the app, and it will start sucking up food, dirt, hair, and crumbs. They can also be programmed to clean regularly which is great for those who wish to program it to forget about it.
Some of the more expensive models have an advanced feature that uses artificial intelligence to examine your home and find obstacles. These models can identify things such as power cords, stairs as well as furniture, and even identify different types of flooring. This can help to avoid the dangers which is especially helpful in homes with a lot of carpets and floor coverings that are hard for robots to navigate.
Other robots are more basic in their abilities for object detection, but still manage to get the job done. One example is the TP-Link Tapo RV30 plus, that has the sleek, fuss-free appearance of a wifi hub but has the performance of a top-notch robot. It has a powerful suction and can handle dirt and debris on medium-pile carpets and hardwood floors. Its squat, short side brushes are less likely to get caught in stray shoes and cords, and its hybrid roller brush makes use of bristles and plastic, rather than bristles in traditional form for a more thorough cleaning.
The model is more expensive than other mid-range robots, but it does everything you need from a robot vacuum and mop. It can create and map a cleaning schedule as well as virtual keep-out zones and is compatible with voice assistants. However, it does not have room-scanning or obstacle avoidance like the j7 and S8.