The Best Robot Vacuum 2023
Robot vacuums can help you clean your floors more easily. The best ones will remove dirt, crumbs, shedding pet hair and more.
Although they're not the same way as the regular vacuum cleaner, they have improved a lot in the past few years. They're more intelligent and powerful, and (marginally better) at avoiding the chair leg.
Smart Mapping
Robot vacuum cleaners use tools for navigation, such as lasers and sensors to navigate around your home. They collect pet hair, crumbs, and dirt from floors made of hard materials like tile, wood and laminate, as well as carpets with a low pile. The most advanced robots map your home, so that they can keep track of where they've been and avoid bumping into obstacles like sofas, chairs and bookshelves you might prefer to keep out of your way. You can also use the smartphone's app to set up zones that prohibit your robot to stay out of rooms it doesn't want to clean.
Robots that have advanced mapping capabilities, such as the Roomba J7, make use of onboard cameras and processor-powered smarts to see and avoid obstacles. This means you can leave the robot to perform a thorough cleaning without having to continually 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 can combine vacuuming and mopping, so it's a one-stop solution to keep your home tidy. It has a powerful suction system and works with Alexa or Google Assistant. It also has a useful self-emptying feature, and can be used as an alarm camera.
A cheaper robot that mops, vacuums and can also be used as a trashcan The Roborock Q Revo is a good choice for homes that don't require the advanced features of more expensive models. However, it has some limitations when compared to the Roomba S8 and J7. It's got a single brush instead of dual roller brushes, meaning it isn't as efficient at picking up larger pieces of debris like socks and shoes. It does not have AI obstacle avoidance, which means you may need to clear the clutter prior to running.
The iLife A4s Pro robot is an easy-to-use, reliable robot for those who value simplicity and competence. It costs less than $200 and offers consistent, solid suction for hardwood as well as low-pile carpets, while avoiding tangles with rug threads. It's not a lot of technology however it's a good choice. 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 robot's ability to navigate around your home. Certain models on this list have sensors (or cameras) to assist your robot vacuum in avoiding common traps for robots like cords, toys for kids and pet messes. iRobot Roomba J7 is among the most impressive examples of smart technology in motion, is an excellent example. It also comes with a stylish base that automatically empty the garbage bin, so you don't need to.
In our testing the robot, we set the cleaner up in a big house and were impressed by the speed and efficiency with which it was able to clean floors without getting bogged down. It's incredibly maneuverable and can reach places most standup vacs never can, like under sofas and under beds. It comes with a 500-ml dustbin, a powerful suction system and a running time of more than two hours. It's not able to create no-go zones, and its object recognition is a bit iffy. We noticed it hitting objects in our tests on occasion and resulted in vessels falling over.
It's important to remember that, no matter how intelligent a robot vacuum might be it will not replace your upright or canister vacuum. It can't deal with heavily dirty carpets, it can't get into every crevice and it's not able to reach your ceilings or other difficult-to-access areas. It's an excellent addition to your regular cleaning routine for getting rid of hair, and pet dander.
Sensor systems are built into most robot vacuums to help them navigate around obstacles and stairs. They can usually sense the moment they're likely to fall down the stairs, for instance, and they also detect areas of clutter and maneuver around them. If you're not careful, your robot cleaner could become stuck on a cord, shoe or another object.
Some robot vacuums come with mapping capabilities that permit them to create an accurate floor plan of your home and also locate themselves. They can then identify which areas they have cleaned, and reduce time by not having to clean the same areas. It also lets them continue the same place they left off, should they need to return to their charging dock.
Self-Emptying
A robot vacuum that will automatically emptys its bin when it is full is a great convenience. Certain models come with windows that allow you to see when the dust bin is due to be empty. This is a great feature for those with pets or read more children, who tend to make lots of mess than adults.
Most robot vacuums let you select whether the machine is operated with an app, a remote on your smartphone or voice commands. They also come with a variety of digital features, including maintenance and scheduling. If you set the right settings, you can set your robot to clean on a regular time, or on a weekly basis. You can also program it to mark and clean specific areas of your house.
Some of the most advanced robot vacuums we've tested come with built-in cameras as well as smart sensor technology that lets them create maps of your home. You can save these maps in the robot's app to quickly navigate around your home. Some of these systems even keep track of furniture placement and even note transitions from hard floors to carpet.
Smart vacuums can save you time by mapping and cleaning entire homes by themselves and also keeping detailed records about the cleaning sessions that have occurred previously. You can access these records via an app on your phone or tablet. Most of them can be connected to your smart speaker, so that you can control them using voice commands.
TP-Link Tapo RV30+ is self-emptying robot that provides outstanding performance for a reasonable price. It can clean both floors and sweep pet hair and other debris from low-pile and hardwood rugs. It's not quite as sophisticated as the other robots we've reviewed, however it does the job well.
The model's tank-like wheels permit it to glide over obstacles such as cords that get caught up and high transitions in between rooms. It has a large bin that doesn't need to be empty manually and it can charge itself and restart cleaning when it's running out of power. It's more expensive than other robotic vacuums we've tried, but it is able to combine powerful suction and simple controls to give you a great value.
Voice Control
Most robot vacuums can be controlled via a physical remote or an app that you can install on your smartphone. Some robot vacuums can be operated by voice commands using smart speakers such as Amazon Echo or Google Home. This is helpful for robots that need to be cleaned and you have pets or children that could interfere.
Most models also include an automatic mode that functions without any input from you. Simply press a button on the robot or in the app, and it will start sucking up dirt, food hair, and crumbs. They can be programmed to clean up on a regular basis and is perfect for those who prefer to set it and forget it.
Some of the higher-end models have a feature that makes use of artificial intelligence to scan and detect obstacles within your home. These models can recognize things like stairs, furniture power cords, and even different kinds of flooring. This can help robots avoid hazards. This is particularly useful in large homes with lots carpeting and other flooring coverings that are difficult for robots to navigate.
Other robots are more basic in their ability to detect objects however, they still do the job. One example is the TP-Link Tapo RV30 plus, which has the clean and easy-to-use appearance of a WiFi hub but offers the performance of a top robot. It has a powerful suction and can clean dirt and debris on medium pile carpets and hardwood floors. The short and squat-shaped side brush is less likely to be stuck in cords or shoes. The hybrid roller brush, which uses bristles and plastic, provides a thorough cleaning.
The model is more expensive than other mid-range robots but it does everything you require from mopping and vacuuming with a robot. It can create and map a cleaning schedule as well as virtual keep-out zones, and is compatible with voice assistants. However, it doesn't have room-scanning or obstacle avoidance like the j7 and S8.