The Best Robot Vacuum 2023
Robot vacuums can help you clean your floors more easily. The best ones nab tracked-in dirt, crumbs, shedding pet hair, and more.
Although they're not as well as an ordinary vacuum cleaner, they've made significant progress in the last few years. They're more intelligent and more powerful, as well as (marginally better) at avoiding chair leg.
Smart Mapping
Utilizing navigation tools such as sensors and lasers, robot vacuum cleaners work their way around your home, removing pet hair, crumbs, and dirt from their dustbins. They can be found on hard floors such as laminate, wood, and tile and also carpets and area rugs with low pile. Robots that are the most sophisticated map your home, so they know where they've been, and can avoid hitting obstacles like couches, chairs and bookshelves. You can also use the smartphone's app to set up no-go zones, which tell your robot not to enter rooms it doesn't want to clean.
Robots with advanced mapping abilities, such as the Roomba J7, make use of an onboard cameras and processor-powered intelligent to detect and avoid obstacles. This means you can leave the robot to perform an efficient cleaning without having to constantly check the status of your floorplan or manually move obstacles out of the robot's path. The TP Link Tapo RV30 Plus is a robotic device that includes vacuuming and mopping. It's the perfect solution to keep your home spotless. It has great suction and is compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant. It also comes with a handy self-emptying feature, and can be used as an alarm camera.
A cheaper robot that vacuums, mops and can be used as a robot trashcan, the Roborock Q Revo is a excellent choice for homes that don't need the more advanced features of more expensive models. However, it does have some disadvantages when compared to Roomba S8 and j7. It's got a single brush instead of dual roller brushes, meaning it might not be as effective in removing larger objects like shoes and socks. It doesn't come with AI obstacle avoidance, so you might need to get rid of the clutter prior to running.
The iLife A4s Pro robot is an easy-to-use, reliable robot for those who value simplicity and efficiency. It costs less than $200 and offers strong, consistent suction on hardwood as well as low-pile carpets while avoiding knots. It doesn't include any advanced features, however it does the job very well. It's also compatible with voice commands, which means you can set it up on schedule or even set up no-go zones through the app.
Object Detection
Object-avoidance technologies can impact the ability of a robot vacuum navigate around your home. Some of the models we've reviewed include sensors (or even cameras) that help your robo-cleaner avoid common traps for robots, such as cords, toys for kids and pet spills. iRobot Roomba j7 is one of the most amazing examples of smart technology in action, is a fantastic example. It also comes with a sleek base that automatically empty the garbage bin, so you don't need to.
We tested the robotic cleaner in a large home and were awed by how quickly and efficiently the floors were cleaned without getting bogged down. It is very maneuverable and can reach areas that stand-up vacuums can't be, such as under couches 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 create zones that are not allowed to be used and its detection of objects is a bit hit-or-miss, meaning we saw it bump into things occasionally during our tests (resulting in a few toppled vase).
It's important to remember that, no matter how intelligent a robot vacuum might be but it can't replace your regular canister or upright vacuum. It won't be able to clean heavily soiled carpets. It won't reach ceilings or other difficult-to-reach areas. It can be an effective addition to your regular cleaning routine for getting rid of hair, pet dander and other hair.
Sensor systems are built into the majority of robot vacuums, allowing them to navigate around stairs and obstacles. They can tell the moment they're about to fall down the stairs, for instance, and can also recognize cluttered spaces and move around them. If you're not careful your robot cleaner could be stuck on a cord, shoe or any other object.
Some of the smarter robot vacuums come with mapping capabilities, which allow them to design a floor plan of your home and then locate themselves within it. They will then be able to identify the areas they have already cleaned and reduce time by not having to clean the same areas. This allows them to resume where they left off, in the event that they have to return to the charging dock.
Self-Emptying
A robot vacuum that automatically empties its dust bin when it gets full is an incredible benefit. Some models even have a window that lets you see when the bin has to be emptied. This is a great feature for people who have children or pets, who are likely to create a lot more mess than adults.
The majority of robot vacuums let you select which model can be controlled by a remote, an app on your smartphone or voice commands. They also have a variety of digital features, such as maintenance and scheduling suggestions. With the correct settings, you can schedule your robot to clean at a set time or on a weekly basis. You can also program the robot to mark out and clean specific areas of your home.
The most advanced robot vacuums we've tested come with sensors and cameras, which enable them to create maps for your home. These maps can be saved to the robot's app so you can quickly navigate to specific rooms or areas of your home. Some of these systems even keep track of furniture arrangement and record the transitions from hard floors to carpet.
The most effective smart vacuums will save you time by automatically mapping and cleaning entire houses and keeping precise records of previous cleaning sessions. You can access these records through an app on your tablet or phone. Many can also connect to your smart speaker, so you can control them with voice commands.
TP-Link's Tapo RV30 Plus is an affordable, self-emptying robotic vacuum that delivers excellent performance for the price. It can clean floors and sweep up pet hair and other particles from rugs made of wood and low pile. It's not quite as sophisticated as other robots we've reviewed, but it does its job very well.
The rubber-like wheels that this model has allow it to move right over the high gaps between rooms and obstacles such as tangled cords for devices which can cause a problem for other robots. It also has a large dust bin that doesn't have to be emptying manually, and it can recharge and resume cleaning if it's power-depleted. It's more expensive compared to other robotic vacuums that we've tested but it combines powerful suction and simple controls to provide excellent value.
Voice Control
The majority of robot vacuums can be controlled via a physical remote or an app that you can install on your smartphone. Some also connect to smart speakers like Amazon Echo or Google Home, allowing you to run them using voice commands. This is a great option when your robot has to clean up and you have pets or small children who might interfere.
Most models have an automatic mode which works without your input. The robot can be started by pressing a button in the app or on the robot. These robots can also be programmed to clean on a regular schedule which is great for those who wish to program it to forget about it.
Some of the more expensive models come with an advanced feature that makes use of artificial intelligence to examine your home and find obstacles. These models can identify things such as power cords, stairs as well as furniture, and can even discern between different kinds of floors. This helps robots avoid dangers. This is especially useful in large homes with lots rugs and other floorcoverings which are difficult for automatic vacuum and mop robot robots navigate.
Other robots are more basic in their ability to detect objects however they can still do the job. One example is the TP-Link Tapo RV30 plus, that has the sleek elegant, easy-to-use design of a wifi hub but has the performance of a top-notch bot. It has a powerful suction that can take care of dirt and debris from medium-pile flooring and carpet. Its short, squat-shaped side brushes are less likely to become caught in stray shoes and cords, and its hybrid roller brush makes use of bristles and plastic instead of the traditional bristle brush to provide an even more thorough cleaning.
This model is more expensive than other robots that are in the middle of the range, but it does everything you'd expect from a robot vacuum and mop. It can map and create a cleaning schedule as well as virtual keep-out zones and is compatible with voice assistants. It doesn't feature room-scanning or obstacle avoidance like the j7 and S8.