The Best Robot Vacuum 2023

Cleaning your floors isn't always easy but robot vacuums can make it easier. The best ones can remove tracked-in dirt, crumbs and shed pet hair and more.

Although they're not as well as a regular vacuum cleaner, they have improved a lot in the last few years. They're more intelligent, more powerful, and (marginally better) in avoiding chair leg.

Smart Mapping

Using navigation tools like lasers and sensors, robot vacuum cleaners move around your home, removing pet hair, crumbs and dirt from their dustbins. They can be found on hard floors like laminate, wood and tile and also carpets and area rugs with low pile. The most advanced robots map your home, so they can remember where they have been and avoid hitting obstacles like chairs, sofas and bookshelves you might prefer to keep out of the way. You can also set up no-go areas using your smartphone to alert 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 avoid and detect obstacles. You can then leave it to complete the task without having to continuously 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 combines mopping and vacuuming, which means it's a one-stop solution for keeping your home tidy. It has a great suction feature and can be used with Alexa or Google Assistant. It has a self-emptying function and can also be used as a surveillance camera.

A less expensive bot that vacuums, mop and can also be used as a robotic trashcan, the Roborock Q Revo is a solid option for homes that don't require the advanced features of higher-end models. However, it does have some disadvantages in comparison to the Roomba j7 and S8. It has a single rubber brush instead of the dual roller brushes of the other, so it might not be as effective in collecting larger objects like socks and shoes. It doesn't come with AI obstacle avoidance, which means you may need to clear clutter before running.

The iLife A4s Pro robot is a simple, reliable robot for those who value simplicity and efficiency. It's less than $200 and offers consistent, solid suction for hardwood as well as low-pile carpets, while avoiding tangles with rug threads. It doesn't have any fancy features, but it does its job well. It is also compatible with voice commands. It can be set to run on a schedule or create zones of no-go zones with the app.

Object Detection

Object-avoidance technology can make or break the robot's ability to navigate your home. Certain models in this list have sensors (or cameras) to help your robot vacuum avoid common robot traps such as cords, toys for kids and pet mess. iRobot's Roomba j7 is one of the best examples of this type of smart technology in action. It also comes with a sleek clean base that fills the trash bin automatically so that you don't need to.

During testing the robotic cleaner up in a big home and were amazed by how quickly and thoroughly it cleared floors without getting sluggish. It's very mobile and can reach areas that stand-up vacuums can't reach, like under beds and couches. It has a 500 ml dustbin, excellent suction and a runtime of over two hours. It lacks the option to create no-go zones, and its recognition of objects is a bit iffy. We observed it crashing into objects at times during our tests and resulted in vase caps falling over.

It's important to keep it in mind that no matter how intelligent a robot vacuum is it won't substitute for your upright or canister vacuum. It's not able to deal with heavy 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, pet dander, and hair.

Sensor systems are integrated into most robot vacuums, allowing them to navigate around stairs and obstacles. They usually know when they're about to fall down a staircase, for instance, and they can also detect areas of clutter and move 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 draw an precise floor plan of your house and pinpoint themselves. They will then be able to identify the areas they have already cleaned and reduce time by not having to clean the same spots. This allows them to resume where they left off in the event that they have to return to the charging dock.

Self-Emptying

A robot vacuum that automatically emptys its bins of dust once it gets full is an incredible convenience. Some models have an indicator that allows you to observe when the bin needs to empty. This feature is ideal for those who have children or pets who tend to make a lot more mess than adults.

Most robot vacuums let you choose which model can be operated with a remote, an app on your smartphone or voice commands. They also come with a variety of digital functions, including scheduling and maintenance suggestions. You can program your robot to clean your house on a weekly or regularly, using the right settings. You can also program the robot to mark out and clean specific areas of your home.

The most intelligent robot vacuums check here we have tested are equipped with sensors and cameras, which enable them to create maps of your home. These can be saved in the robot's app so you can quickly navigate to specific rooms or areas of your home. Some of these systems can even keep track of the furniture's arrangement and the transitions between hard floors and carpet.

Smart vacuums can save you time by mapping and cleaning entire homes automatically and keeping detailed records about the previous cleaning sessions. You can access the records via an app for your tablet or smartphone. Many of them can be connected to your smart speaker so that you can control them via voice commands.

TP-Link's Tapo RV30 Plus is an inexpensive, self-emptying robot vacuum that offers excellent performance for the price. It can clean floors and sweep up pet hair and other messes from rugs made of wood and low pile. It's not as sophisticated as some of the other robots we've reviewed, but it does what it does very well.

The rubber-like wheels that this model has allow it to glide right over the gaps between rooms and obstacles like tangled device cords which can cause a problem for other robots. It also has a huge dust bin that doesn't need to be emptying manually, and it's able to recharge and resume cleaning if it's power-depleted. It's a bit more costly than other robotic vacuums we've tested however it combines powerful suction with simple controls to deliver a great value.

Voice Control

Most robot vacuums are controlled by a remote control or an app that runs on smartphones. Certain robot vacuums can be controlled via voice commands through smart speakers, such as Amazon Echo or Google Home. This is helpful when your robot has to clean up and you have pets or small children who might interfere.

Many models have an automatic mode that operates without your input. Simply press a button on the robot or in the app, and it will start sucking up food, dirt, particles, and pet hair. The robots can be programmed to clean regularly which is great for those who want to make it easy to set it and forget it.

Some of the more expensive models come with an advanced feature that makes use of artificial intelligence to scan and detect obstructions within your home. These models can detect things like stairs, furniture power cords, and even different types of flooring. This can help to avoid the dangers which is especially helpful in larger homes that have lots of rugs and other flooring materials that are difficult for robots to navigate.

Some robots are more basic in their ability to detect objects, but they still get the job done. One example is the TP-Link Tapo RV30 plus, which has the clean, fuss-free appearance of a WiFi hub but offers the performance of a top-notch bot. It has a powerful suction and can clean dirt and debris on medium-pile carpets and hardwood floors. Its short, squat side brushes are less likely to become tangled in stray shoes and cords and its hybrid roller brush uses bristles and plastic instead of a traditional bristle brush for a more thorough cleaning.

This model is more expensive than other robots in the middle-end however, it can do everything you'd expect from a robot vacuum and mop. It can create and map a cleaning schedule and has virtual keep-out zones, and is compatible with voice assistants. It doesn't offer the same room scanning and obstacles-avoiding features as the j7 or the s8.