The Best Robot Vacuum 2023

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

Although they're not the same way as an ordinary vacuum cleaner, they have improved a lot in the last few years. They're more efficient, smarter and (marginally) better at avoiding chair legs.

Smart Mapping

Utilizing navigational tools like lasers and sensors, robotic vacuum cleaners work their way through your home, sucking pet hair, crumbs and dirt from their dustbins. They can be found on hard floors like wood, tile and laminate, as well as carpets and area rugs with low pile. Robots that are the most advanced maps your home, so they know where they've been and can avoid bumping into obstacles like sofas, chairs and bookshelves. You can also use the smartphone app to set up zones that prohibit your robot to stay out of rooms it doesn't want to clean.

Robots with advanced mapping abilities like the Roomba J7, use the onboard camera and processor-powered intelligence to avoid and detect obstacles. 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 remove obstacles from the robot's path. The TP-Link Tapo RV30 plus is a robot that can combine mopping and vacuuming, which means it's a complete solution to keep your home tidy. It has a great suction feature and can be used with Alexa or Google Assistant. It can self-empty and can also be used as a surveillance camera.

A less expensive bot that mops, vacuums and can even be used as a robot trashcan, the Roborock Q Revo is a good choice for homes that don't need the more advanced features of more expensive models. However, it has a few disadvantages when compared to Roomba J7 and S8. For instance, it uses a single rubber brush instead of the dual roller brushes that the other models have, so it might not be as effective at cleaning up larger particles such as shoes and socks. It does not have 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 value simplicity and competence. It's less than $200, and provides strong, consistent suction on hardwood as well as low-pile carpets, while avoiding tangles. It doesn't have any advanced features, but it does the job well. It also works with voice commands, which means you can set it up on schedule or create zones that are not allowed to enter using the app.

Object Detection

Object-avoidance technology can make or break the ability of a robot vacuum to navigate around your home. Certain models on our list include sensors (or even cameras) that help your robo-cleaner avoid common traps for robots, such as cords, kids' toys and pet spills. iRobot Roomba J7, one of the most impressive examples of smart technology in action, is a great example. It also features a chic clean base that empties the dustbin automatically so you don't need to.

In our testing, we set up this robot cleaner in a home with a large size and were awed by how quickly and efficiently the floors were cleaned without getting bogged down. It's very mobile and can reach areas that the majority of stand-up vacuums are unable to, such as under couches and under beds. It also has great suction, a massive 500-milliliter dustbin and over two-hour running time. However, it isn't equipped with the ability to set no-go zones within the app 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 note that despite how smart a robot vacuum might be it will not replace your upright or canister vacuum. It's not equipped to handle heavily dirty carpets, it can't get into every crevice and it won't reach your ceilings or other difficult-to-access spaces. It can be an effective addition to your regular cleaning routine for removing crumbs, hair, and pet dander.

Sensor systems are integrated into most robot vacuums to assist them navigate around stairs and obstacles. They are able to tell the moment when they're going to fall down a staircase for instance, Robot Vacuums and detect areas that are cluttered and move around them. If you're not careful your robot-cleaner could become stuck on a shoe, cord or any other object.

Certain robot vacuums come with mapping capabilities, which allow them to make an accurate floor plan of your house and also locate themselves. This lets them know which areas they've already cleaned and avoid wasting time going over the same areas. It also lets them resume where they left off if they need to return to their charging dock.

Self-Emptying

A vacuum cleaner that automatically empty its bin of dust when it gets full is a huge benefit. Some models also have a window to let you know when the bin needs to be emptied. This feature is ideal for those who have children or pets, who can create lots of mess than adults.

Most robot vacuums let you choose whether the machine can be controlled by the use of a remote, an app on your smartphone or voice commands. They have a number of digital features including scheduling and maintenance tips. 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 house.

Some of the most intelligent robot vacuums we've tested are equipped with built-in cameras as well as smart sensor technology that lets them create maps of your home. They 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 furniture placement and even note transitions from hard floors to carpet.

The most effective smart vacuums will help you save time by automating the mapping and cleaning of whole homes, and also keeping detailed records of cleaning sessions. You can access these records through an app on your smartphone or tablet. Most can also connect to your smart speaker so you can control them with voice commands.

TP-Link's Tapo RV30 Plus is an inexpensive, self-emptying robot vacuum that offers good performance for the money. It is able to clean floors and sweep up pet hair and other debris from low-pile and hardwood rugs. It's not as advanced as some of the other robots we've reviewed however, it does what does efficiently.

The model's tanks-like wheels allow it to glide over obstacles such as cords that are tangled and high transitions within rooms. It has a huge bin that doesn't need to be empty manually, and can recharge itself and continue cleaning when it's running out of power. It's a bit more costly than the other robotic vacuums we've tried however it combines powerful suction with straightforward controls to deliver a great value.

Voice Control

The majority of robot vacuums can be controlled by a remote control or an app on a smartphone. Certain robot vacuums can be operated by voice commands through smart speakers such as Amazon Echo or Google Home. This can be helpful for families with small pets or children that could hinder your cleaning or if you're exhausted to control the robot by hand.

The majority of models have an automatic mode that works without input from you. The robot can be started by pressing a button in the app or on the robot. They can be programmed to clean in accordance with an established schedule, making them perfect for those who just need to make a plan and forget.

Certain models that are more expensive come with an advanced feature that uses artificial intelligence to scan and detect obstructions within your home. They can detect things like power cords, stairs and furniture, and can even identify different types of flooring. This can help to avoid the dangers, which is especially useful in larger homes with lots of carpets and floor coverings that are hard for robots to navigate.

Other robots are more basic in their object detection capabilities however they still manage to complete the task. The TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus, for example is similar to a wifi router but offers the performance of a high-end robot. It has a powerful suction that can take care of dirt and debris from medium-pile flooring and carpet. Its squat and short side brush is less likely to get caught in shoes or cords. The hybrid roller brush, that uses bristles, as well as plastic, gives a thorough cleaning.

This model is more expensive than other robots in the middle-end, but it does everything you would expect from a robot vacuum and mop. It can draw out a cleaning schedule and create one. It also has virtual zones that you can stay clear of. It doesn't have the same room scanning and obstacle-avoiding capabilities like the j7 or the s8.