The Best Robot Vacuum 2023
Cleaning your floors isn't always easy, but robot vacuums make it easier. The best robot vacuums can clean up dirt, pet hair, crumbs, and more.
Although they're not as well as a regular vacuum cleaner, they've made significant progress in the last few years. They're smarter, more powerful and (marginally) better at avoiding chairs.
Smart Mapping
Robot vacuum cleaners use instruments for navigation such as lasers and sensors to navigate your home. They collect pet hair, crumbs, and dirt from floors made of hard materials, like wood, tile and laminate, as well as low-pile area rugs and carpets. Robots that are the most sophisticated map your home, so they know where they've been, and can avoid hitting obstacles such as chairs, sofas, and bookshelves. You can also use the smartphone app to create zones that prohibit your robot to stay out of rooms that you don't want to clean.
Robots with advanced mapping capabilities, such as the Roomba J7, make use of onboard cameras and processor-powered intelligents to see and avoid obstacles. This means you can leave it to do an effective cleaning without having to continuously check the status of your floorplan, or manually remove obstacles from the robot's path. 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 great suction, and it is compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant. It also has a useful self-emptying feature that can be used as an alarm camera.
A cheaper robot that mops, vacuums and can even be used as a robot trashcan The Roborock Q Revo is a good choice for homes that don't need the more sophisticated features of the more expensive models. There are some drawbacks in comparison to Roomba S8 and j7. For instance, it uses only one rubber brush instead of the dual roller brushes that the other models have, so it might not be as effective in collecting larger objects like shoes and socks. 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 efficiency. It's less than $200 and offers strong, consistent suction for hardwood as well as carpets that are low-pile, while avoiding tangles with rug threads. It's not very advanced however it's a good choice. It's also compatible with voice commands, so you can run it on schedule or even set up zones that aren't allowed to be entered using the app.
Object Detection
Object-avoidance technology can make or break the robot's ability to navigate your home. Certain models on this list include sensors (or cameras) to help your robot vacuum avoid common robot traps such as cords, toys for children and pet mess. iRobot's Roomba j7 is one of the best examples of this type of technology in action. It also comes with a sleek clean base that empties the dustbin automatically so you don't need to.
In our testing the robot, we set the cleaner up in a large home and were amazed by how quickly and efficiently it cleaned up floors without becoming bogged down. It's extremely maneuverable and can reach areas that the majority of stand-up vacuums are unable to, such as under couches and under beds. It has a 500 ml dustbin, excellent suction and a time of over two hours. It lacks the option to create no-go zones, and its object recognition is a bit iffy. We saw it bumping into things at times during our tests, resulting in some vases falling over.
It's important to keep in mind that, no matter how clever a robot vacuum is it isn't going to replace your upright or canister vacuum. It's not equipped to handle heavily soiled carpets, it won't be able to reach every corner, and it's not able to reach your ceilings or other difficult to reach areas. But for keeping your floors free of pet hair, crumbs and other dander, it can be an ideal addition to your cleaning routine.
Most robot vacuums have sensor systems that help them navigate around obstacles and stairs. They can usually sense when they're about to fall down stairs for instance, and also detect areas of clutter and maneuver around them. However, if you're not cautious, your robo-cleaner might be stuck on a cord or shoe and need some help.
Some of the smarter robot vacuums come with mapping capabilities that allow them to create an outline of your home and locate themselves within it. This allows them to know which areas they've already cleaned, and avoid spending time cleaning the same spots. It also lets them continue where they left off if they need 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 have windows that allow you to know when the bin has to be empty. This is a great feature for people who have children or pets, who tend to make much more mess than adults.
Most robot vacuums let you choose whether the machine is controlled by a remote control, an app for your smartphone or voice commands. They come with a variety of digital functions, including scheduling and maintenance tips. Using the right settings, you can set your robot to clean on a regular time, or on an annual basis. You can also program the robot to map out and clean specific areas of your home.
Some of the most intelligent robot vacuums we've tested are equipped with built-in cameras and sensor technology that allows them to create maps of your home. You can save these maps within the robot app to easily navigate through your home. Some of these systems can even remember furniture placement and note transitions from hard floors to carpet.
Smart vacuums save time by mapping and cleaning entire houses in a timely manner and keeping detailed records of the previous cleaning sessions. You can access these records using an app that you can install on your phone or tablet. Many of them can be linked to your smart speaker so that you can control them via voice commands.
TP-Link's Tapo RV30 Plus is an affordable, self-emptying robotic vacuum that delivers good performance for the money. It can clean floors and sweep up pet hair and other messes from sweep and mop robot low-pile and hardwood rugs. It's not as sophisticated as other robots that we've reviewed, however it does its job well.
The model's tanks-like wheels allow it to roll over obstacles such as cords that get caught up and high transitions within rooms. It comes with a large bin that does not need to be manually emptied and it can charge itself and restart cleaning when it's running out of power. It's more expensive than the other robotic vacuums that we've tested however it has powerful suction and easy controls to deliver an excellent value.
Voice Control
The majority of robot vacuums are controlled via a physical remote or an app on your smartphone. Some models can also be integrated with smart speakers such as Amazon Echo or Google Home, allowing you to run them using voice commands. This can be helpful when you have children or pets who could get in the way of your cleaning or if you're tired to operate the robot manually.
The majority of models come with an automatic mode that operates without your input. The robot can be started by pressing a button within the app or on the robot. They can be programmed to clean regularly which is great for those who wish to set it and forget 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 detect things like furniture, stairs power cords, even different kinds of flooring. This helps them avoid such hazards, which is especially useful in larger homes with lots of carpets and flooring materials that are difficult for robots to navigate.
Other robots have more basic object detection capabilities however they still manage to get the job done. The TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus, for instance is similar to WiFi routers, but it has the performance of a top-of-the-line bot. It has excellent suction and can handle dirt and debris on carpets and hardwood floors with ease. Its squat, short side brushes are less likely to get tangled in stray shoes and cords, and its hybrid roller brush uses bristles and plastic rather than a traditional bristle brush for an even more thorough cleaning.
The model is more expensive than the other models in the middle-end however, it can do everything you would expect from mop and vacuum robots. It can create and map a cleaning schedule and has virtual keep-out zones and is compatible with voice assistants. It does not have the same room-scanning feature and obstacles-avoiding features as the j7 or s8.