The Best Robot Vacuum 2023

Cleaning your floors isn't always simple, but robot vacuums help. The best ones can remove tracked-in dirt, crumbs and shed pet hair and more.

While they're still unable to perform as well of a job as the regular vacuum however, they've come a long way in recent years. They're smarter, more powerful and (marginally) better at avoiding chair legs.

Smart Mapping

Robot vacuum cleaners use instruments for navigation such as sensors and lasers to navigate through your home. They remove pet hair, crumbs, and dirt from floors made of hard materials such as tile, wood, and laminate, and low-pile area rugs and carpets. Robots that are the most advanced map your home so they know where they've been, and can avoid hitting obstacles like sofas, chairs, and bookshelves. You can also set up no-go areas using your smartphone to alert your robot to stay clear of areas you don't want it to be able to keep.

Robots equipped with advanced mapping capabilities, such as the Roomba J7, make use of onboard cameras and processor-powered intelligents to avoid obstacles and see them. You can then leave it to do a thorough job without having to continuously monitor the status of your floorplan, or manually move obstacles from the robot's way. 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's got great suction, and it works with Alexa and Google Assistant. It can self-empty and can also function as a security camera.

Roborock Q Revo, a cheaper robot that vacuums, mops and functions as a robotic trashcan, is a good option for homes without the need for more advanced features. However, it has some limitations in comparison to Roomba S8 and j7. For one, it has a single rubber brush instead of the dual roller brushes that the other models have and it may not be as effective at collecting larger objects like socks and shoes. It also doesn't have any AI obstacle avoidance, which means it could be necessary to get rid of clutter prior to running it.

The iLife A4s Pro is a basic robot that's perfect for those who prefer simplicity and efficiency. It's less than $200, and provides consistent, strong suction on hardwood and Bob Robot vacuum low-pile carpets, while avoiding tangles with rug threads. It's not very advanced, but it works well. It's also compatible with voice commands, which means you can run it on schedule or even set up zones that are not allowed to enter via the app.

Object Detection

Object-avoidance technology can affect a robot mop vacuum vacuum's ability to navigate your home. Some of the models we've reviewed contain sensors (or even cameras) that allow your robot cleaner to avoid common robot traps like cords, toys for children and pet messes. iRobot's Roomba j7 is one of the best robot mop and vacuum combo examples of this kind of smart tech in action. It also features a chic clean base that empties the garbage bin automatically so you don't have to.

In our testing the robotic cleaner up in a large house and were awed by how quickly and efficiently it was able to clean floors without becoming bogged down. It's very mobile and can reach areas that stand-up vacuums can't be, such as under couches and under beds. It has a 500ml dustbin, excellent suction and a runtime of over two hours. However, it isn't equipped with the ability to create zones that are not allowed to be used and its object detection is a little hit-or-miss and we did see it hit things a few times during our tests (resulting in the tumbling of a few vases).

It's important to keep in mind that no matter how clever a robot vacuum may be, it won't completely replace your traditional canister or upright vacuum. It's not able to clean carpets that have been heavily soiled. It's not able to reach ceilings or other areas that are difficult to reach. It can be an effective addition to your routine cleaning for getting rid of hair, pet dander and other hair.

Most robot vacuums have sensors that aid them to navigate around obstacles and stairs. They are able to tell when they're about to fall down stairs, for instance, and they also recognize cluttered areas and move around them. If you're not careful, your robot cleaner could get stuck on a shoe, cord or any other object.

Some of the more advanced robot vacuums have mapping capabilities that allow them to create a floor plan of your house and locate themselves within it. This lets them know what areas they've already cleaned and avoid the hassle of going over the same spots. It also lets them resume the same place they left off, should they need to return to their charging dock.

Self-Emptying

A robot vacuum that automatically empty its dust bin when it gets full is a huge benefit. Some models come with windows that allow you to see when the dust bin is due to be empty. This is a great feature for people who have children or pets, who tend to make much more mess than adults.

The majority of robot vacuums let you select whether the machine will be controlled by a remote or an app on your smartphone, or by voice commands. They also come with a variety of digital features, such as maintenance and scheduling. Using the right settings, you can schedule your robot to clean at a set time, or on an annual basis. You can also program it to map and clean certain areas of the house.

Some of the most intelligent robot vacuums we've tested come with built-in cameras and sensor technology that allows them to create maps of your home. They can be saved to the robot's app, so you can easily navigate to specific rooms or areas of your home. Some of these systems can even keep track of furniture arrangement and record the transitions between hard floors and carpet.

The most effective smart vacuums will save you time by automating the mapping and cleaning of whole homes, and also keeping detailed records of previous cleaning sessions. You can access the records via an app for your tablet or smartphone. Most of them can be connected to your smart speaker so you can control them via voice commands.

TP-Link's Tapo RV30 Plus is an inexpensive, self-emptying robot vacuum that provides excellent performance for the price. It can clean hardwood floors and carpets with low pile, as well as remove pet hair and other particles. It's not as advanced as other robots we've reviewed but it does what it does well.

The model's tank-like wheels permit it to roll over obstacles like cords that get caught up and high transitions in between rooms. It also has a huge dust bin that doesn't need to be empty manually, and it's able to recharge and resume cleaning if it's power-depleted. It's a bit more expensive than some of the other robotic vacuums that we've tested, but it blends powerful suction with straightforward controls to give you a good 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. Certain robot vacuums are operated by voice commands via smart speakers, such as Amazon Echo or Google Home. This is a great option for families with small pets or children that could interfere with your cleaning routine or if you're exhausted to operate the robot manually.

Most models have an automatic mode which works without your input. Simply press a button on the robot or in the app and it will begin sucking up food, dirt, crumbs, and pet hair. The robots can be programmed to clean according to the schedule, which makes them ideal for those who just want to make a plan and forget.

Certain models that are more expensive include a sophisticated feature that uses artificial intelligence to detect and scan obstructions in your home. They can detect things such as power cords, stairs and furniture, and even identify different types of floors. This helps them avoid such hazards which is particularly useful in larger homes with lots of rugs and other flooring coverings that are difficult for robots to navigate.

Other robots are less sophisticated in their object detection abilities however they can still get the job done. One example is the TP-Link Tapo RV30 plus, that has the sleek elegant, easy-to-use design of a WiFi hub, but boasts a lot of the performance of a top Bob robot vacuum. It is extremely suction-driven and is able to remove dirt and debris from hardwood floors and medium-pile rugs with ease. The short and squat-shaped side brush is less likely to get stuck in cords or shoes. The hybrid roller brush, which uses bristles as well as plastic, provides an efficient cleaning.

The model is more expensive than the other models in the mid-range, but it does everything you want from a robot vacuum and mop. It can create and map a cleaning schedule, has virtual keep-out zones, and is compatible with voice assistants. It doesn't have the same room scanning and obstacle-avoiding capabilities like the j7 or the s8.