The Best Robot Vacuum 2023

Robot vacuums can help you clean your floors more easily. The best ones will remove dirt, crumbs and shed pet hair, and more.

While they can't perform the same way as the regular vacuum cleaner, they've made significant progress in the past few years. They're more sophisticated, more powerful, and (marginally better) at avoiding the chair leg.

Smart Mapping

Robot vacuum cleaners use instruments for navigation such as lasers and sensors to navigate around your home. They collect pet hair, crumbs, and dirt from hard floors like tile, wood and laminate, as well as low-pile area rugs and carpets. The most sophisticated robots can map your home so that they can recall where they've been and avoid bumping into obstacles like sofas, chairs and bookshelves that you might want to keep out of your way. You can also use your smartphone's app to set up no-go zones, which tell your robot not to enter rooms you don't want it to clean.

Robots that have advanced mapping capabilities, such as the Roomba J7, use onboard camera and processor-powered intelligence to detect and avoid obstacles. This means you can leave it alone to get a thorough cleaning without having to constantly 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 that combines mopping and vacuuming, so it's a complete solution for keeping your home clean. It has a great suction, and it works with Alexa and 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 robotic trashcan, the Roborock Q Revo is a solid option for homes that don't need the more advanced features of more expensive models. There are some drawbacks in comparison to the Roomba S8 and j7. For one, it has only one rubber brush instead of the dual roller brushes that the other models have and it may not be as effective in picking up larger debris like socks and shoes. It also doesn't have any AI obstacle avoidance, so you may need to get rid of clutter prior to running it.

The iLife A4s Pro is a basic robot that's ideal for those who prioritize simplicity and competence. It's less than $200, and offers strong, consistent suction on hardwood and carpets with low pile, while avoiding tangles with rug threads. It doesn't have any advanced features, but it does its job well. It is also compatible with voice commands. You can set it up on a schedule, or create zones that are not allowed to be used using the app.

Object Detection

Object-avoidance technology can be the difference between the ability of a robot vacuum to navigate around your home. Certain models on our list have sensors (or even cameras) that allow your robot cleaner to avoid common robot traps like cords, toys for children and pet spills. The iRobot Roomba J7 is among the most impressive examples of this type of smart technology in action. It also comes with a stylish base that automatically emptys the dustbin so you don't need to.

In our testing, we set this robotic cleaner up in a large house and were awed by how quickly and efficiently it cleared floors without becoming bogged down. It is extremely maneuverable and is able to reach places most standup vacs never go, including under beds and sofas. It comes with a 500-ml dustbin, great suction and a runtime of over two hours. It's just not equipped with the ability to create no-go zones within the app and its object detection is somewhat erratic and we did see it hit things a few times during our tests (resulting in a few toppled vase).

It's important to keep in mind that, no matter how intelligent a robot vacuum might be, it won't completely replace your regular canister or upright vacuum. It's not able to clean carpets that have been heavily soiled. It won't reach ceilings or other difficult-to-reach areas. But for keeping your floors clear of crumbs, pet hair and other dander it's an ideal addition to your routine of cleaning.

Most robot vacuums come with sensor systems that help them navigate around obstacles and stairs. They can tell when they're about fall down the stairs, for example and can also identify cluttered spaces and move around them. If you're not careful your robot-cleaner could get stuck on a shoe, cord, or other object.

Some of the smarter robot vacuums come with check here the ability to map, which allows them to design a floor plan of your home and locate themselves within it. They can then identify which areas they have cleaned and can save time by not having to clean the same areas. It also lets them continue where they left off if they need to return to their charging dock.

Self-Emptying

A robot vacuum that automatically empty its bins of dust once it is full is a great convenience. Some models even have a window to let you know the time when the bin must be emptied. This is a fantastic feature for those with pets or children who tend to create more mess than adults.

The majority of robot vacuums allow you to 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. Using the right settings, you can program your robot to clean at a set time, or on a weekly basis. You can also program the robot to map out and clean specific areas of your home.

Some of the most advanced robot vacuums we've tested are equipped with built-in cameras and sensor technology that lets them create maps of your home. You can save these maps to the robot's app to quickly navigate around your home. Some of these systems will even keep track of the furniture's placement and transitions between hard floors and carpet.

The best smart vacuums can help you save time by automating the mapping and cleaning of entire houses and keeping precise records of previous cleaning sessions. You can access the records using an app for your tablet or smartphone. The majority 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 affordable, self-emptying robot vacuum that provides excellent performance for the price. It can clean hardwood floors and carpets with low pile, as well as remove pet hair and other debris. It's not as advanced as other robots we've reviewed however, it does what does very well.

This model's tank-like wheels allow it to glide over obstacles like cords that are tangled and high transitions within rooms. It also has a huge dust bin that doesn't have to be empty manually, and it can recharge and resume cleaning if it runs out of power. It's more expensive than other robotic vacuums that we've tested however it has powerful suction with simple controls to deliver an excellent value.

Voice Control

The majority of robot vacuums are controlled by a remote control or an app for a smartphone. Some can also integrate with smart speakers such as Amazon Echo or Google Home, allowing you to control them using voice commands. This can be helpful when you have children or pets who could interfere with your cleaning session, or if you're too 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 on the app or on the robot. These robots can also 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 uses artificial intelligence to examine your home and find obstacles. These models can identify things like stairs, power cords and furniture, and even identify different types of flooring. This can help robots avoid dangers. This is particularly useful in large homes with lots rugs and other floorcoverings that are difficult for robots navigate.

Other robots are more basic in their abilities for object detection however they still manage to 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 has the performance of a top bot. It has excellent suction and can handle dirt and debris from hardwood floors and rugs with medium pile effortlessly. Its short, squat-shaped side brushes are less likely to be caught in stray shoes and cords, and its hybrid roller brush uses bristles and plastic instead of a traditional bristle brush for an even more thorough cleaning.

The model is more expensive than other robots that are in the middle of the range, but it does everything you'd expect from a robot vacuum and mop. It can map and build a cleaning schedule and has virtual keep-out zones, and is compatible with voice assistants. However, it does not have obstacles avoidance or room scanning like the S8 or j7.