The Best Robot Vacuum 2023

Keeping your floors clean isn't always simple but robot vacuums can make it easier. The best ones will remove dirt, crumbs, shedding pet hair and more.

While they can't perform as well as an ordinary vacuum cleaner, they have come a long ways in the last few years. They're more intelligent, more powerful, and (marginally better) at avoiding chair leg.

Smart Mapping

Utilizing navigation tools such as lasers and sensors, robot What vacuum is best cleaners navigate around your home, suctioning pet hair, crumbs and dirt into their bins from hard floors like laminate, wood, and tile and low-pile carpets and area rugs. The most advanced robots can map your house, to help them remember where they have been and avoid hitting obstructions like chairs, sofas and bookshelves that you may want to keep out of your way. You can make use of your smartphone app to create no-go zones, which tell your robot not to enter rooms that you don't want to clean.

Robots that have advanced mapping capabilities, such as the Roomba j7, utilize onboard cameras and processor-powered smarts to avoid obstacles and see them. This means that 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 robot that combines vacuuming and mopping, so it's an all-in-one solution to keep your home clean. It has a great suction, and it works with Alexa and Google Assistant. It also comes with a handy self-emptying feature, and can be used as an alarm camera.

Roborock Q Revo, a cheaper robot that vacuums, mop and can be used as a robotic trashcan is a great option for homes without the need for more advanced features. It does have some disadvantages in comparison to the Roomba S8 and j7. It's got one brush instead of dual roller brushes, which means it isn't as effective at removing larger debris such as socks and shoes. It doesn't come with AI obstacle avoidance so you might need to get rid of obstructions before you run.

The iLife A4s Pro is a basic robot that's ideal for those who prioritize simplicity and proficiency. It costs less than $200 and offers strong, consistent suction both on hardwood and low-pile rug and avoids knots. It's not very advanced however, it's effective. It is also compatible with voice commands. It can be set up on a schedule, or create zones of no-go zones with the app.

Object Detection

Object-avoidance technology can affect the ability of a robot vacuum to navigate your home. Certain models on this list have sensors (or cameras) to aid your robot vacuum and mop combo to avoid common traps for robots, such as cords, toys for kids and pet mess. IRobot's Roomba j7 is one of the best examples of this type of technology in action. It also has a stylish clean base that empties the garbage bin automatically so you don't need to.

During testing we set up the robotic cleaner in a large home and were impressed with how quickly and thoroughly the floors were cleaned without becoming a mess. It's very mobile and can get into places that stand-up vacuums can't, such as under couches and under beds. It also has a great suction, a huge 500 ml dustbin and an over two-hour running time. However, it isn't equipped with the ability to set no-go zones in the app and its detection of objects is a little hit-or-miss, meaning we saw it bump into things occasionally during our tests (resulting in a few toppled vases).

It's important to keep it in mind that, no matter how intelligent the robot vacuum is it isn't going to replace your regular upright or canister vacuum. It's not equipped to clean heavily soiled carpets. It's not able to reach ceilings or other areas that are difficult to reach. It's a great addition to your routine cleaning for removing crumbs, hair, pet dander and other hair.

Sensors are integrated into most robot vacuums to assist them navigate around obstacles and stairs. They are able to tell when they're about fall down the stairs, for example and can also identify cluttered spaces and move around them. If you're not careful, your robot-cleaner could be stuck on a shoe, cord or another object.

Some robot vacuums are equipped with mapping capabilities that allow them to create an accurate floor plan of your house and pinpoint themselves. They will then be able to identify the areas they have already cleaned, and save time by not having to clean the same spots. This lets them resume where they left off if they have to return to the charging dock.

Self-Emptying

A vacuum cleaner that automatically empty its bins of dust once it's full is a huge benefit. Some models have a window that allows you to know when the bin needs to empty. This feature is great for people who have pets or children, who can create a lot more mess than adults.

Most robot vacuums allow you to choose whether the machine is controlled by a remote control, an app for your smartphone or voice commands. They also come with a range of digital features, including maintenance and scheduling suggestions. Using the right settings, you can set your robot to clean on a regular time or on a weekly basis. You can also program the robot to map out and clean specific areas of your home.

The most intelligent robot vacuums we've tested are equipped with sensors and cameras which enable them to create maps for your home. These maps can be saved to the robot's application so that you can easily navigate to specific rooms or areas of your home. Some of these systems even keep track of the furniture's arrangement and the transitions between hardwood floors and what vacuum is best carpet.

Smart vacuums help you save time by cleaning entire homes automatically and keeping detailed records about the cleaning sessions that have occurred previously. You can access these records via an app that you can install on your tablet or phone. Many can also connect to your smart speaker, so you can control them via voice commands.

TP-Link Tapo RV30+ is a self-emptying robot that offers excellent performance at a low price. It can clean both floors and sweep up pet hair and other messes from hardwood and low-pile rugs. It's not as advanced as other robots we've reviewed, but it does the job well.

The wheels that resemble a tank that this model has allow it to glide across the transitions between rooms and obstacles like tangled device cords which can cause a problem for other robots. It also comes with a large dust bin that doesn't have to be emptying manually, and it can recharge and resume cleaning robots if it runs out of power. It's more expensive than other robotic vacuums that we've tested but it is able to combine powerful suction and easy 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. Certain robot vacuums can be controlled by voice commands using smart speakers such as Amazon Echo or Google Home. This is useful if your robot needs to be cleaned and you have pets or children who might interfere.

Most models have an automatic mode that operates without your input. You can start the robot by pressing a button on the app or on the robot. They can be programmed to clean up on a regular basis and is perfect 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 scan your home and detect obstacles. These models can identify things like stairs, furniture power cords, even different kinds of flooring. This helps them avoid these hazards which is especially helpful in larger homes with lots of carpets and flooring coverings that are difficult for robots to navigate.

Other robots are more basic in their ability to detect objects however, they still get the job done. One example is the TP-Link Tapo RV30 plus, that has the sleek, fuss-free appearance of a WiFi hub but boasts a lot of the performance of a top robot. It has excellent suction and handles dirt and debris from carpets and hardwood floors easily. Its short, squat-shaped side brushes are less likely to get caught in stray shoes and cords and its hybrid roller brush uses bristles and plastic, rather than the traditional bristle brush to provide an even more thorough cleaning.

The model is more expensive than other models in the mid-range however, it can do everything you would expect from a robot mop and vacuum. It can create and map a cleaning schedule, has virtual keep-out zones, and is compatible with voice assistants. However, it does not have room-scanning or obstacle avoidance like the j7 or S8.