The Best Robot Vacuum 2023

Robot vacuums can make cleaning your floors a breeze. The best robot vacuums are able to remove dirt, crumbs, pet hair, and more.

While they can't perform the same way as an ordinary vacuum cleaner, they've come a long ways in the past few years. They're smarter, more powerful and top 10 (marginally) better at avoiding chair legs.

Smart Mapping

Robot vacuum cleaners utilize navigation tools like lasers and sensors to navigate your home. They collect pet hair, crumbs and dirt from hard floors, like wood, tile and laminate, as well as carpets and area rugs with low piles. Robots that are the most advanced maps your home to know where they've been and can avoid bumping into obstacles like chairs, sofas and bookshelves. You can make use of your smartphone app to set up zones that prohibit your robot not to enter rooms that you don't want to clean.

Robots with advanced mapping abilities, such as the Roomba J7, use the onboard camera and processor-powered intelligence to detect and avoid obstacles. It can then be left to complete the task without having to constantly monitor the status of your floorplan, or manually move obstacles out of the way. The TP Link Tapo RV30 Plus is a robot that includes vacuuming and mopping. It's a one-stop solution to keep your home spotless. It has a powerful suction system and works with Alexa or Google Assistant. It also comes with a handy self-emptying feature and can be used as security cameras.

Roborock Q Revo, a less expensive robot that vacuums, mop and functions as a trashcan that is robotic is a great option for homes without the need for top 10 more advanced features. However, it has some limitations in comparison to Roomba S8 and J7. It has one brush instead of dual roller brushes, meaning it might not be as effective at removing larger objects like shoes and socks. It also lacks AI obstacle avoidance technology, so you might need to get rid of any clutter prior to running it.

The ilife robot vacuum A4s Pro is a basic robot that's ideal for those who prefer simplicity and competence. It's less than $200 and offers strong, consistent suction for hardwood as well as low-pile carpets and also avoids tangles caused by rug threads. It doesn't come with any advanced features, but it does the job very well. It also works with voice commands, so you can set it up on a schedule or set up zones that are not allowed to enter through the app.

Object Detection

Object-avoidance technologies can make or break the ability of a robot vacuum navigate through your home. Certain models on this list include sensors (or cameras) to aid your robot vacuum to avoid common robot traps such as cords, toys for children and pet messes. iRobot's Roomba j7 is one of the most impressive examples of this type of smart tech in action. It also has a stylish base that automatically emptys the dustbin so you don't need to.

We tested this robotic cleaner in a huge home and were awed by how quickly and thoroughly the floors were cleaned without becoming a mess. It has impressive maneuverability and can reach places most standup vacs never can, like under sofas and under beds. It has a 500ml dustbin, a powerful suction system and a running time of more than two hours. However, it isn't equipped with the ability to set zones that are not allowed to be used and its object detection is a little hit-or-miss, meaning we saw it occasionally bump into objects during our tests (resulting in the tumbling of a few vase tops).

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 won't be able to clean carpets that have been heavily soiled. It's not able to reach ceilings or other difficult-to-reach areas. However, if you want to keep your floors clean of pet hair, crumbs and other dander, it can be a good addition to your cleaning routine.

Sensor systems are built into many robot vacuums, allowing them to navigate around stairs and obstacles. They usually know the moment when they're going to fall down the stairs for instance, and they can also detect areas of clutter and maneuver around them. If you're not careful, your robot cleaner could get stuck on a cord, shoe or any other object.

Some robot vacuums come with mapping capabilities, which allow them to make an accurate floor plan of your house and locate themselves. This lets them know what areas they've already cleaned, and avoid the hassle of going over the same areas. This lets them resume the same place they left off in the event that they have to return to the charging dock.

Self-Emptying

A robot vacuum that will automatically empty its bin after it is full is a wonderful convenience. Some models have an indicator that allows you to observe when the bin has to be empty. This is a great feature for those with pets or children, who tend to make a lot more mess than adults.

Most robot vacuums allow you to choose whether the machine can be operated with an app, a remote on your smartphone or voice commands. They offer a range of digital functions, including scheduling and maintenance tips. You can program your robot to clean on a weekly or regularly using the appropriate settings. You can also program the robot to mark out and clean specific areas of your home.

Some of the most advanced robot vacuums we've tested come with built-in cameras as well as smart sensor technology that allows them to create maps of your home. You can save these maps in the robot app to easily navigate around your home. Some of these systems will even keep track of the furniture's layout and transitions between hard floors and carpet.

The most effective smart vacuums will help you save time by automatically mapping and cleaning entire homes and keeping detailed records of cleaning sessions. You can access these records through an app on your phone or tablet. They can also be connected to your smart speaker, so you can control them using voice commands.

TP-Link Tapo RV30+ is self-emptying robot that provides excellent performance at a low cost. It can clean hardwood floors as well as carpets with low pile, as well as remove pet hair and other messes. It's not as sophisticated as some of the other robots we've reviewed however, it does what does very well.

This model's tank-like wheels allow it to roll over obstacles such as cords that are tangled and high transitions between rooms. It also has a huge dust bin that doesn't require to be emptied manually, and it can recharge and resume cleaning if it's not able to continue cleaning. It's a bit more expensive than 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 are controlled by a remote control or an app on a smartphone. Some also connect to smart speakers like Amazon Echo or Google Home, allowing you to run them using voice commands. This is useful if you have small pets or children who might get in the way of your cleaning session, or if you're too exhausted to manage the robot manually.

Most models also include an automatic vacuum cleaner robot mode that functions without input from you. Simply press a button on the robot or within the app and it will begin taking in food hair, and crumbs. The robots can also be programmed to clean regularly which is great for those who wish to make it easy to set it and forget it.

Some of the more expensive models include a sophisticated feature which uses artificial intelligence to detect and scan obstacles within your home. These models can recognize things like stairs, furniture 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 floor coverings that are hard for robots to navigate.

Other robots are less sophisticated in their ability to detect objects however they can still get the job done. The TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus, for instance, has the appearance of a wifi router but offers the performance of a high-end robot. It has excellent suction and is able to remove dirt and debris on carpets and hardwood floors easily. Its short, squat side brushes are less likely to be tangled in stray shoes and cords, and its hybrid roller brush utilizes bristles and plastic, rather than bristles in traditional form for better cleaning.

This model is more expensive than other models in the mid-range however, it can do everything you want from a robot vacuum and mop. It can create an cleaning schedule and design one. It also has virtual zones to keep out of. However, it does not have obstacles avoidance or room scanning like the S8 or j7.