The Best Robot Vacuum 2023

Robot vacuums can help you clean your floors more easily. The best robot vacuums are able to pick up tracked-in dirt and crumbs, pet hair, and much more.

While they can't perform as well as the regular vacuum cleaner, they've improved a lot in the past few years. They're smarter, more powerful and (marginally) better at avoiding chair legs.

Smart Mapping

Utilizing navigational tools like lasers and sensors, robot vacuum cleaners move around your home, suctioning pet hair, crumbs, and dirt into their dustbins from hard floors like wood, tile and laminate, as well as carpets and area rugs with low pile. The most sophisticated robots map your home, to help them keep track of where they've been and avoid hitting obstacles like chairs, sofas and bookshelves you might prefer to keep out of your way. You can also set up no-go areas on your smartphone to tell your robot to avoid rooms you don't wish it to keep clean.

Robots that have advanced mapping capabilities, such as the Roomba J7, make use of an the onboard camera and processor-powered intelligence to detect and avoid obstacles. This means you can let it alone to get an efficient cleaning without having to continually be checking 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 the perfect solution to keep your home clean. It's got great suction and is compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant. It is self-emptying and can also function as a surveillance camera.

A less expensive robot that mops, vacuums and can also be used as a trashcan The Roborock Q Revo is a solid option for homes that don't need the advanced features of more expensive models. It does have some disadvantages when compared to the Roomba S8 and j7. It uses only one brush, not dual roller brushes, which means it might not be as effective in removing larger objects like socks and shoes. It does not have AI obstacle avoidance, so you might need to get rid of obstructions before you run.

The iLife A4s Pro robot is an easy-to-use, reliable robot that is ideal for those who appreciate simplicity and proficiency. It costs less than $200, and delivers consistent, strong suction both on hardwood and low-pile carpets, while avoiding knots. It doesn't come with any advanced features, however it does its job well. It also works with voice commands, which means you can run it on a schedule or set up zones that aren't allowed to be entered via the app.

Object Detection

Object-avoidance technology can be the difference between a robot vacuum's ability to navigate your home. Certain models in this list have sensors (or cameras) to assist your robot vacuum in avoiding common robot traps such as cords, toys for children and pet mess. iRobot's Roomba j7 is one of the best examples of this kind of technology in action. It also features a chic clean base that emptys the trash bin automatically so that you don't need to.

In our testing the robotic cleaner up in a huge home and were amazed by the speed and efficiency with which it cleaned up floors without becoming bogged down. It is very maneuverable and can reach areas that the majority of stand-up vacuums are unable to reach, like under couches and under beds. It comes with a 500-ml dustbin, excellent suction and a time of over two hours. It's just not equipped with the ability to set zones that are not allowed to be used and its detection of objects is a little hit-or-miss and we did see it hit things a few times during our tests (resulting in a few tipped vases).

It's important to keep it in mind that, robot vacuum regardless of how smart a robot vacuum is it isn't going to replace your upright or canister vacuum. It's not equipped to clean carpets with a lot of dirt. It won't reach ceilings or other difficult-to-reach areas. It's a great addition to your regular floor cleaning routine for removing crumbs, hair, and pet dander.

Most robot vacuums have sensors that aid them to navigate through obstacles and steps. They can usually sense the moment when they're going to fall down the stairs for instance, and they can also detect areas of clutter and move around them. If you're not careful, your robot cleaner could become stuck on a cord, shoe or any other object.

Some of the more advanced robot vacuums have mapping capabilities that allow them to design an outline of your home and then locate themselves within it. This lets them know which areas they've cleaned before and avoid wasting time going over the same areas. It also lets them continue the same place they left off, should they have to return to their charging dock.

Self-Emptying

A robot vacuum that will automatically emptys its bin when it is full is an excellent convenience. Some models even have a window to let you know when the bin has to be empty. This is an excellent feature for those with pets or children who make more mess than adults.

The majority of robot vacuums allow you to select whether the machine is controlled by a remote control, an app on your phone, or via voice commands. They also have a variety of digital features, including maintenance and scheduling suggestions. You can program your robot to clean on an annual or a regularly, using the right settings. You can also program the robot to clean and map out specific areas of your home.

The most advanced robot vacuums we've tested are equipped with sensors and cameras, which allow them to build maps for your home. These maps can be saved to the robot's application so that you can quickly navigate to specific rooms or areas of your home. Some of these systems will even remember furniture layout and transitions between hard flooring and carpet.

Smart vacuums help you save time by cleaning entire homes automatically and keeping detailed records of the cleaning sessions that have occurred previously. You can access these records using an app that you can install on your tablet or phone. The majority of them can be linked to your smart speaker, so you can control them using voice commands.

TP-Link's Tapo RV30 Plus is an affordable, self-emptying robot vacuum that offers good performance for the money. It can clean hardwood floors and carpets with low pile, as well as remove pet hair and other debris. It's not as sophisticated as other robots that we've reviewed, but it does the job well.

The rubber-like wheels that this model has allow it to glide right over the high transitions between rooms and obstacles such as tangled cords for devices which can cause a problem for other robots. It also has a huge dust bin that doesn't have to be emptied manually, and it's able to recharge and continue cleaning when it's power-depleted. It's more expensive than the other robotic vacuums that we've tested but it is able to combine powerful suction and easy controls to deliver an excellent value.

Voice Control

Most robot vacuums can be controlled by a physical remote or an app on your smartphone. Some models can also be integrated with smart speakers like Amazon Echo or Google Home, allowing you to control them using voice commands. This can be helpful if you have small pets or children who might interfere with your cleaning, or if you're too exhausted to operate the robot manually.

Most models have an automatic mode which works without input. Simply press a button on the robot or in the app and it will begin sucking up food, dirt, particles, and pet hair. They can be programmed to clean up on a regular basis which is great for those who want to program it to forget about it.

Certain models that are more expensive come with an advanced feature which uses artificial intelligence to detect and scan obstructions within your home. These models can recognize things like furniture, stairs power cords, even different types of flooring. This can help robots stay clear of hazards. This is especially useful in homes with large areas of carpeting and other flooring coverings which are difficult for robots navigate.

Some 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, which has the clean elegant, easy-to-use design of a WiFi hub but boasts a lot of the capabilities of a top-of-the-line bot. It has a powerful suction and can handle dirt and debris from medium-pile carpets and hardwood floors. The short and squat-shaped side brush is less likely to be stuck in cords or shoes. The hybrid roller brush, that uses bristles and plastic, gives a thorough cleaning.

The model is more expensive than other mid-range models, but it can do everything you require from a robot vacuum and mop. 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 S8 or j7.