The Best Robot Vacuum 2023

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

Although they're not like an ordinary vacuum cleaner, they've made significant progress in the past few years. They're more efficient, smarter and (marginally) better at avoiding chair legs.

Smart Mapping

Utilizing navigational tools like lasers and sensors, robot vacuum mop cleaner robot cleaners move around your home, suctioning pet hair, crumbs and dirt from their dustbins. They can be found on hard floors such as laminate, wood, and tile and also low-pile carpets and area rugs. The most advanced robots can map your house, so that they can recall where they've been and avoid bumping into obstructions like chairs, sofas and bookshelves that you may 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 clean.

Robots with advanced mapping abilities, such as the Roomba J7, use onboard cameras and processor-powered intelligent to see and avoid obstructions. This means that you can leave it alone to get a thorough 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 robotic that does mopping and vacuuming, so it's a one-stop solution to keep your home tidy. It has a fantastic suction and works with Alexa or Google Assistant. It is self-emptying and can also function as a surveillance camera.

Roborock Q Revo, a lower-cost robot that vacuums, mops and can be used as a robotic trashcan is a great option for homes without the need for more advanced features. However, it has a few disadvantages in comparison to the Roomba j7 and S8. For instance, it uses one rubber brush instead of the dual roller brushes of the others which means it won't be as effective at picking up larger debris like socks and shoes. It also doesn't have any AI obstacle avoidance technology, so you might need to clear away clutter before running it.

The iLife A4s Pro is a basic robot that's perfect for those who prioritize simplicity and competence. It's priced at less than $200, and provides strong, consistent suction on hardwood and low-pile rugs while avoiding tangles. It doesn't come with any advanced features, but it does its job well. It also works with voice commands, so you can run it on a schedule or set up zones that aren't allowed to be entered through the app.

Object Detection

Object-avoidance technology can be the difference between the robot's ability to navigate around your home. Certain models on this list have sensors (or cameras) to assist your robot vacuum in avoiding common robot traps such as cords, toys for kids and pet mess. The iRobot Roomba J7 is among the best robot vacuum for hardwood floors examples of this kind of smart technology in action. It also features a chic clean base that emptys the dustbin automatically so you don't have to.

During testing we set up this robotic cleaner in a large home and were impressed with how quickly and quietest efficiently the floors were cleaned without getting bogged down. It's very mobile and can get into places that stand-up vacuums can't reach, like under beds and couches. It comes with a 500-ml dustbin, great suction and a running time of more than two hours. It's just not equipped with the ability to create no-go zones in the app and its object detection is a bit hit-or-miss and we did see it hit things a few times during our tests (resulting in a few tipped vase tops).

It's important to keep it in mind that, no matter how intelligent a robot vacuum is it won't replace your regular upright or canister vacuum. It's not equipped to handle heavily dirty carpets, it can't get into every crevice and it's not able to reach your ceilings or other difficult-to-access areas. But for keeping your floors clean of pet hair, crumbs and other particles it's a good addition to your routine of cleaning.

The majority of robot vacuums have sensors that aid them to navigate through obstacles and steps. They can tell when they are about to fall down the stairs, for instance, and can also recognize cluttered spaces and move around them. Nevertheless, if you're not careful the robo-cleaner may get stuck on a cord or shoe and need some help.

Some smarter robot vacuums have the ability to map, which allows them to design an outline 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 in case they need to return to their charging dock.

Self-Emptying

A robot vacuum that automatically emptys its bins of dust once it's full is a great convenience. Some models have an indicator that allows you to observe when the bin is due to be empty. This is an excellent feature for those with pets or quietest children who make more mess than adults.

The majority of robot vacuums allow you to select whether the machine is controlled by a remote control, an app on your smartphone or voice commands. They offer a range of digital features including scheduling and maintenance tips. You can program your robot to clean on a weekly or regular basis using the correct settings. You can also program it to clean specific areas of your home.

Some of the smartest 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 and use them to navigate around your home. Some of these systems even keep track of furniture placement and note the transitions between hard floors and carpet.

The most efficient smart vacuums help you save time by automating the mapping and cleaning of entire homes and keeping detailed records of cleaning sessions. You can access these records through an app on your smartphone or tablet. They can also be connected to your smart speaker so you can control them via voice commands.

TP-Link Tapo RV30+ is a self-emptying robot that offers great performance at a reasonable price. It can clean floors and sweep pet hair and other debris from rugs made of wood and low pile. It's not quite as sophisticated as the other robots we've reviewed, quietest however it does its job very well.

The model's tanks-like wheels allow it to go over obstacles such as cords that get caught up and high transitions in between rooms. 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 we've tried, but it is able to combine powerful suction and simple controls to provide excellent value.

Voice Control

Most robot vacuums can be controlled by a physical remote or an app on your smartphone. Some also connect to smart speakers like Amazon Echo or Google Home, allowing you to operate them with voice commands. This is useful when you have children or pets who could interfere with your cleaning session, or if you're too tired to control the robot by hand.

Most models have an automatic mode that works without your input. Simply press a button on the robot or within the app and it will begin taking in food hair, and crumbs. The robots can also be programmed to clean on a regular schedule, which is ideal for those who wish to program it to forget about it.

Some of the more expensive models have an advanced feature that makes use of artificial intelligence to examine your home and find obstacles. These models can detect things like furniture, stairs power cords, even different types of flooring. This helps to avoid the dangers which is particularly useful in larger homes with lots of carpets and floor coverings that are hard for robots to navigate.

Other robots have more basic ability to detect objects however they still manage to get the job done. One example is the TP-Link Tapo RV30 plus, that has the sleek elegant, easy-to-use design of a wifi hub but boasts a lot of the capabilities of a top-of-the-line robot. It is extremely suction-driven and is able to remove dirt and debris on hardwood floors and rugs with medium pile with ease. The short and squat-shaped side brush is less likely to get stuck in cords or shoes. The hybrid roller brush, that uses bristles and plastic, gives a thorough cleaning.

The model is more expensive than other mid-range robots however, it is able to do everything you need from a robot vacuum and mop. It can map out the cleaning schedule and then create one. It also has virtual zones that you can stay clear of. It doesn't have the same room-scanning and obstacles-avoiding features as the j7 or the s8.