The Best Robot Vacuum 2023

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

While they can't perform like a regular vacuum cleaner, they've made significant progress in the past few years. They're more efficient, smarter and (marginally) better at avoiding chairs.

Smart Mapping

Utilizing navigational tools like sensors and lasers, robot vacuum cleaners move around your home, suctioning pet hair, crumbs, and dirt into their bins from hard floors like laminate, wood, and tile and carpets and area rugs with low pile. Robots that are the most sophisticated map your home so they know where they've been and can avoid bumping into obstacles such as sofas, chairs and bookshelves. You can also use the smartphone's app to set up no-go zones that tell your robot not to enter rooms you don't want it to clean.

Robots equipped with advanced mapping capabilities, like the Roomba j7, use onboard cameras and processor-powered smarts to avoid obstacles and see them. Then, you can allow it to perform the job without having to constantly monitor the condition of your floor plan or manually remove obstacles out of the way. The TP Link Tapo RV30 Plus is a robot that includes vacuuming and mopping. It's a single-stop solution to keep your home tidy. It has a fantastic suction system and works with Alexa or Google Assistant. It is self-emptying and can also function as a surveillance camera.

Roborock Q Revo, a less expensive robot that vacuums, mop and functions as a robotic trashcan is a great choice for homes that do not require for more advanced features. However, it has some disadvantages in comparison to the Roomba S8 and j7. For instance, it uses one rubber brush instead of the dual roller brushes of the others, so it might not be as effective at collecting larger objects like shoes and socks. It also doesn't have any AI obstacle avoidance, which means it could be necessary to get rid of any clutter prior to running it.

The iLife A4s Pro is a basic robot that's perfect for those who prefer simplicity and proficiency. It costs less than $200 and provides consistent, strong suction on both hardwood and carpets that are low-pile, smart vacuum while avoiding tangles with rug threads. It's not a lot of technology however it's a good choice. It also works with voice commands. It can be set up to run a program, or create zones of no-go zones with the app.

Object Detection

Object-avoidance technology can be the difference between a robot vacuum's ability to navigate your home. Some models on our list have sensors (or even cameras) which help your robo-cleaner avoid common traps for robots such as cords, toys for children and pet spills. IRobot's Roomba j7 is one of the best automatic vacuum examples of this kind of technology in action. It also comes with a stylish base that automatically empties the dustbin so you don't need to.

During testing the robot, we set the cleaner up in a large house and were awed by how quickly and thoroughly it cleaned up floors without getting sluggish. It's extremely maneuverable and can get into places that the majority of stand-up vacuums are unable to be, such as under beds and couches. It also has excellent suction, a huge 500 ml dustbin and an over two-hour running time. It's just not equipped with the ability to set no-go zones within the app and its detection of objects is somewhat erratic, meaning we saw it bump into things occasionally during our tests (resulting in a few toppled vase tops).

It's important to keep it in mind that no matter how clever a robot vacuum is, it will not substitute for your upright or canister vacuum. It's not equipped to clean carpets that have been heavily soiled. It's not able to reach ceilings or other difficult-to-access areas. However, if you want to keep your floors clear of pet hair, crumbs and other particles it's a good addition to your routine of cleaning.

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

Some smarter robot vacuums have the ability to map, which allows them to create a floor plan of your house and locate themselves within it. They can then identify which areas they have cleaned, and reduce time by not having to go over the same areas. It also lets them continue where they left off if they have to return to their charging dock.

Self-Emptying

A robot vacuum that will automatically empty its dust bin once it is full is a wonderful convenience. Some models have windows that allow you to observe when the bin has to be empty. This feature is ideal for those who have children or pets, who are likely to create much more mess than adults.

Most robot vacuums allow you to select whether the machine is controlled by a remote, an app for your phone, or via voice commands. They also come with a range of digital functions, including maintenance and scheduling. You can program your robot to clean your house on an annual or a regularly, using the right settings. You can also program it to map and clean certain areas of your home.

The most intelligent robot vacuums we have tested are equipped with sensors and cameras which enable them to create maps of your home. You can save these maps in the robot app to easily navigate through your home. Some of these systems will even remember furniture placement and transitions between hard floors and carpet.

The most efficient Smart Vacuum vacuums save you time by automatically mapping and cleaning entire homes and keeping detailed records of cleaning sessions. You can access these records through an app for your tablet or phone. Most can also connect to your smart speaker so you can control them via voice commands.

TP-Link Tapo RV30+ is self-emptying robotic that delivers great performance at a reasonable cost. It can clean floors and sweep up pet hair and other messes from rugs made of wood and low pile. It's not quite as sophisticated as the other robots we've reviewed but it does its job well.

The model's tank-like wheels permit it to roll over obstacles such as tangled cords and high transitions within rooms. It also has a huge dust bin that doesn't require to be emptying manually, and it's also able to recharge and resume cleaning when it's power-depleted. It's more expensive compared to other robotic vacuums we've tried, but it combines powerful suction with simple controls to deliver an excellent value.

Voice Control

The majority of robot vacuums can be controlled by a remote control or an app that runs on smartphones. Some can also integrate with smart cleaning speakers such as Amazon Echo or Google Home, allowing you to control them using voice commands. This is a great option for robots that need to clean up and you have pets or children that could interfere.

The majority of models have an automatic mode that functions without input from you. Simply press a button on the robot or within the app and it will begin sucking up dirt, food hair, and crumbs. They can be programmed to clean according to the schedule, which makes them ideal for people who want to set and forget.

Some of the most expensive models include an advanced feature that makes use of artificial intelligence to examine your home and find obstacles. They can detect things like stairs, power cords as well as furniture, and can even discern between different kinds of flooring. This helps them avoid these hazards which is particularly useful in larger homes with lots of rugs and other floor coverings that are hard for robots to navigate.

Some robots are more basic in their object detection abilities however, they are still able to do the job. The TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus, for example, has the appearance of WiFi routers, Smart Vacuum but it has the performance of a premium robot. It has a strong suction and can handle dirt and debris from medium-pile flooring and carpet. Its squat, short side brushes are less likely to become caught in stray shoes and cords and its hybrid roller brush makes use of bristles and plastic instead of bristles in traditional form for an even more thorough cleaning.

This model is more expensive than other models that are in the middle of the range, but it does everything you would expect from a robot vacuum and mop. It can create and map a cleaning schedule as well as virtual keep-out zones and is compatible with voice assistants. It doesn't offer the same room-scanning feature and obstacle-avoiding capabilities like the j7 or s8.