The Best Robot Vacuum 2023

Robot vacuums can help you clean your floors more easily. The most effective robot vacuums pick up tracked-in dirt and pet hair, crumbs, and more.

Although they're not as well as the regular vacuum cleaner, they have improved a lot in the past few years. They're smarter, more powerful and (marginally) better in avoiding the legs of chairs.

Smart Mapping

Using navigation tools like lasers and sensors, robotic vacuum cleaners move through your home, sucking pet hair, crumbs and dirt into their bins from hard floors like laminate, wood, and tile and also carpets and area rugs with low pile. The most sophisticated robots can map your home to help them keep track of where they've been and avoid hitting obstructions like chairs, sofas and bookshelves that you might want to keep out of the way. You can also use your smartphone app to create zones that prohibit your robot to stay out of rooms you don't want it to clean.

Robots equipped with advanced mapping capabilities, like the Roomba j7, utilize onboard cameras and processor-powered smarts to avoid obstacles and see them. This means you can let it alone to get an efficient cleaning without having to continuously 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 can combine mopping and vacuuming, which means it's a one-stop solution to keep your home clean. It has a great suction and works with Alexa or Google Assistant. It also comes with a handy self-emptying feature, and can be used as security cameras.

A cheaper robot that vacuums, mops and can be used as a robotic trashcan, the Roborock Q Revo is a good choice 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. For instance, it uses a single rubber brush instead of the dual roller brushes of the others, so it might not be as effective in collecting larger objects like shoes and socks. It doesn't come with AI obstacle avoidance, so you may need to clear clutter before running.

The iLife A4s Pro robot is an easy reliable robot for those who value simplicity and competence. It costs less than $200 and delivers consistent, strong suction on hardwood as well as low-pile carpets while avoiding tangles. It doesn't include any advanced features, but it does the job very well. It's also compatible with voice commands, so you can run it on schedule or even set up zones that are not allowed to enter using the app.

Object Detection

The use of object-avoidance technology can impact the ability of a robot vacuum to navigate through your home. Certain models on this list have sensors (or cameras) to aid your robot vacuum to avoid common traps for robots like cords, toys for kids and pet mess. iRobot Roomba J7 is among the most amazing examples of smart technology in action, is a great example. It also has a stylish clean base that emptys the trash bin automatically so that you don't have to.

In our testing, we set up the robotic cleaner in a huge home and were impressed with how quickly and thoroughly floors were cleaned without getting sluggish. It's very mobile and can reach places that stand-up vacuums can't, such as under beds and couches. It also has excellent suction, a huge 500-milliliter dustbin and over two-hour running time. It isn't able to create no-go zones, and its recognition of objects is a bit hit-or-miss. We noticed it hitting objects in our tests on occasion, resulting in some vase caps falling over.

It's important to keep in mind that despite how smart the robot vacuum might appear but it can't replace your traditional canister or upright vacuum. It's not equipped to handle heavily dirty carpets, it can't reach into every crevice, and won't be able to reach your ceilings or other difficult-to-access spaces. However, to keep your floors clean of pet hair, crumbs, dander and other debris it could be an ideal addition to your routine of cleaning.

The majority of robot vacuums have sensors that allow them to navigate through obstacles and steps. They can tell the moment they're about to fall down the stairs, for instance and can also identify cluttered spaces and move around them. Nevertheless, if you're not careful, your robo-cleaner might become stuck on a cord or stray shoe and require assistance.

Certain robot vacuums come with mapping capabilities that allow them to draw an precise floor plan of your home and locate themselves. They will then be able to identify the areas they have already cleaned and save time by not having to go over the same areas. This allows them to resume the same place they left off in the event that they have to return to the charging dock.

Self-Emptying

A robot vacuum that automatically empty its bin after it is full is a great convenience. Some models even have a window so you can see when the bin has to be empty. This is a fantastic feature for anyone who has pets or children who create more mess than adults.

Most robot vacuums allow you to select whether the machine is controlled by a remote or an app on your smartphone, or by voice commands. They also have a variety of digital features, including maintenance and scheduling suggestions. With the correct settings, you can schedule your robot to clean on a regular time, or on an annual basis. You can also program the robot to map out and clean specific areas of your home.

Some of best robot vacuum for dog hair the smartest robot vacuums we've tested come 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 quickly navigate to specific rooms or areas of your home. Some of these systems even keep track of furniture placement and note the transitions between hard floors and carpet.

Smart vacuums save time by mapping and cleaning entire houses in a timely manner and keeping detailed records of previous cleaning sessions. You can access these records using an app on your phone or tablet. The majority of them can be connected 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 can clean hardwood floors and carpets with low pile, and also remove pet hair and other debris. It's not as advanced as some of the other robots we've reviewed, but it does what it does very well.

The wheels that resemble a tank on this model allow it to move right over the high gaps between rooms and obstacles like tangled device cords that trip up other robots. It comes with a large bin that doesn't have to be manually emptied and it can charge itself and resume cleaning if it's running out of power. It's more expensive than other robotic vacuums that we've tested 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 or an app on a smartphone. Some robot vacuums can be controlled by voice commands via smart speakers such as Amazon Echo or Google Home. This can be helpful if you have small pets or children who might hinder your cleaning session or if you're exhausted to control the robot by hand.

Many models also come with an automatic mode that operates without any input from you. Simply press a button on the robot or within the app and it will begin sucking up dirt, food crumbs, and pet hair. These robots can be programmed to clean on a regular schedule and is perfect for those who want to make it easy to set it and forget it.

Some of the more expensive models have an advanced feature that utilizes artificial intelligence to look around your home and identify obstacles. These models can identify things like furniture, stairs power cords, and even different types of flooring. This can help to avoid the dangers, which is especially useful in larger homes that have lots of carpets and flooring materials that are difficult for robots to navigate.

Some robots are more basic in their object detection abilities however they can still get the job done. One example is the TP-Link Tapo RV30 plus, that has the sleek and easy-to-use appearance of a WiFi hub but boasts a lot of the performance of a top-notch bot. It is extremely suction-driven and can handle dirt and debris from carpets and hardwood floors with ease. Its short, squat-shaped side brushes are less likely to be tangled in stray shoes and cords and its hybrid roller brush makes use of bristles and plastic rather than a traditional bristle brush for better cleaning.

The model is more expensive than other robots in the middle-end, but it does everything you'd expect from a robot mop and vacuum. It can create an cleaning schedule and design one. It also has virtual zones that you can stay clear of. However, it does not have obstacles avoidance or room scanning like the S8 or j7.