The Best Robot Vacuum 2023
Cleaning your floors isn't always simple, but robot vacuums make it easier. The best ones nab tracked-in dirt, crumbs, shed pet hair and more.
While they can't perform the same way as an ordinary vacuum cleaner, they have made significant progress in the past few years. They're smarter, more powerful and (marginally) better in avoiding the legs of chairs.
Smart Mapping
Robot vacuum cleaners use instruments for navigation such as sensors and lasers to navigate around your home. They remove 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. The most sophisticated robots map your home, so they can recall where they've been and avoid hitting obstructions like chairs, sofas and bookshelves that you may want to keep out of your way. You can also set up no-go areas on your smartphone to tell your robot to avoid areas you don't want it to keep clean.
Robots with advanced mapping capabilities like the Roomba J7, make use of an onboard camera and processor-powered intelligence to detect and avoid obstacles. This means that you can leave it alone to get an effective cleaning without having to continuously 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 mopping and vacuuming, which means it's a complete solution for keeping your home clean. It's got great suction and works with Alexa and Google Assistant. It is self-emptying and is also able to be used as a security camera.
A less expensive robot that vacuums, mops and can be used as a robotic trashcan The Roborock Q Revo is a good choice for homes that don't require the advanced features of the more expensive models. It does have some disadvantages in comparison to Roomba S8 and J7. It's got only one brush, not dual roller brushes, so it may not be as effective in removing larger objects like socks and shoes. It doesn't have AI obstacle avoidance, which means it is possible that you will need to eliminate obstructions before you run.
The iLife A4s Pro robot is a simple, reliable robot that is ideal for those who appreciate simplicity and efficiency. It's less than $200, and offers strong, consistent suction on both hardwood and low-pile carpets, while avoiding tangles with rug threads. It's not a lot of technology, but it works well. It is also compatible with voice commands. You can set it up on a schedule, or create zones of no-go zones with the app.
Object Detection
Object-avoidance technology can make or break the ability of a robot vacuum to navigate your home. Some of the models we've reviewed contain sensors (or even cameras) that help your robo-cleaner avoid common traps for robots, such as cords, toys for kids and pet mess. The iRobot Roomba J7 is among the best examples of this type of smart tech in action. It also comes with a sleek clean base that emptys the trash bin automatically so that you don't have to.
In our testing, we set this robotic cleaner up in a large home and were amazed by how quickly and thoroughly it cleaned up floors without becoming bogged down. It has impressive maneuverability and can reach places most standup vacs never go, including under sofas and under beds. It also has excellent suction, a huge 500-milliliter dustbin and over two-hour running time. It's just not equipped with the ability to create no-go zones within the app and its object detection is a bit hit-or-miss and we did see it occasionally bump into objects during our tests (resulting in a few toppled vases).
It's important to note that despite how smart the robot vacuum might appear but it can't replace your traditional canister or upright vacuum. It's not able to clean heavily soiled carpets. It can't reach the ceiling or other difficult-to-reach areas. It can be an effective addition to your routine cleaning to remove pet dander, and hair.
Sensor systems are integrated into most robot vacuums to help them navigate around stairs and obstacles. They are able to tell the moment when they're going to fall down a staircase for instance, and also recognize cluttered areas and move around them. If you're not careful your robo-cleaner may be stuck on a cord, shoe or any other object.
Some robot vacuums are equipped with mapping capabilities that permit them to draw an precise floor plan of your house and pinpoint themselves. This lets them know what areas they've already cleaned and avoid spending time cleaning the same spots. This allows them to resume where they left off, in the event that they have to return to the charging dock.
Self-Emptying
A vacuum cleaner that can automatically empty its bin after it is full is a great convenience. Some models also have a window to let you know when the bin has to be empty. This is an excellent feature for anyone who has pets or children who make more mess than adults.
The majority of robot vacuums let you select whether the machine is controlled via a remote control or an app for your phone, or via voice commands. They come with a variety of digital features including maintenance and scheduling tips. With the correct settings, you can program 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 the house.
Some of the most intelligent robot vacuums we've tested come with built-in cameras and sensor technology that lets them create maps of your home. You can save these maps to the robot's app to quickly navigate around your home. Some of these systems even remember furniture placement and note transitions from hard floors to carpet.
Smart vacuums help you save time by mapping and cleaning entire houses automatically and keeping detailed records about the cleaning sessions that have occurred previously. You can access these records through an app for your tablet or smartphone. Most can also connect to your smart speaker, so you can control them using voice commands.
TP-Link's Tapo RV30 Plus is an affordable, self-emptying robotic vacuum that offers excellent performance for the price. It can clean floors and sweep up pet hair and other messes from low-pile and hardwood rugs. It's not as advanced as other robots that we've reviewed, however it does its job very well.
This model's tank-like wheels allow it to go over obstacles such as cords that get caught up and high transitions in between rooms. It also has a huge dust bin that doesn't have to be emptied manually, and it's able to recharge and resume cleaning when it runs out of power. It's more expensive than other robotic vacuums we've tested however it has powerful suction with simple controls to deliver an excellent value.
Voice Control
The majority of robot vacuums are controlled using a remote or an app on your phone. Some also connect to smart speakers such as Amazon Echo or Google Home, allowing you to operate them with voice commands. This is a great option when you have pets or children that could get in read more the way of your cleaning or if you're exhausted to control the robot by hand.
Many models also come with an automatic mode that functions without any input from you. 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 and is perfect for those who want to set it and forget it.
Some of the more expensive models come with an advanced feature that utilizes artificial intelligence to scan your home and detect obstacles. These models can detect things like stairs, furniture power cords, and even different kinds of flooring. This helps to avoid the dangers which is especially helpful in homes with a lot of carpets and flooring materials that are difficult for robots to navigate.
Other robots have more basic abilities for object detection, but still manage to complete the task. 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 bot. It has excellent suction and handles dirt and debris from hardwood floors and medium-pile rugs effortlessly. Its short, squat-shaped side brushes are less likely to get caught in stray shoes and cords, and its hybrid roller brush utilizes bristles and plastic instead of the traditional bristle brush to provide a more thorough cleaning.
The model is more expensive than other robots in the middle-end however, it can do everything you want from a robot mop and vacuum. It can map and build a cleaning schedule, has virtual keep-out zones and is compatible with voice assistants. However, it doesn't have obstacles avoidance or room scanning like the j7 or S8.