The 7 Best Robot Vacuums of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

ECOVACS Deebot N8 Pro+

4.8

View On Amazon View On Ecovacs.com

Our Ratings

• Setup
  4/5
• Effectiveness
  4.7/5
• Noise Level
  5/5
• Maneuverability
  4/5
• Features
  4/5

Ease is the name of the game with the ECOVACS DEEBOT N8+ Robot Vacuum and Mop, and that's why it's our top pick. After all, a robot vacuum is supposed to do all the hard work and make cleaning something you never have to worry about. That's exactly what this vacuum-mop combo does from the moment you take it out of the box. While the full manual is available online, the enclosed quick start guide aided in a speedy assembly process in our lab. It was ready to use in four minutes and 30 seconds.

Once in action, this robot vacuum earned a perfect score while cleaning the hardwood floor and rug. Our tester noted that it easily picked up all the hair and debris and transitioned onto the rug seamlessly. After the test was over, there was no hair or debris tangled in the brush roll, which is a relief if you're a pet owner who is used to cutting hair from underneath your vacuum. For the mopping test, this vacuum cleaned up the messes, but the brushes were still sticky with syrup when the test was over. That was an expected outcome, but note that this vacuum isn't self-cleaning. You'll still need to wipe down the bristles if it runs through a particularly sticky or gooey mess.

While this pick isn't quite as loud as a regular vacuum, it may require you to turn up your television's volume a bit if you're attempting to clean the house while watching your favorite show. The loudest part of this vacuum is the self-emptying feature, which, fortunately, only happens at the end of the cleaning session. Notably, users can also make use of laser mapping. Our lab tester was impressed with how it methodically mapped out the lab room's floor and avoided furniture and other large obstacles.

After lab testing, we sent this model to a long-term home tester, who used it regularly for six months. The tester praised the straightforward app setup, which involved scanning a QR code to download the app and guided instructions for getting started with mapping. Our home tester reported the same mopping and vacuuming effectiveness we saw in the lab, praising the N8+'s ability to detect carpet versus hard flooring, releasing water and mopping only on the latter. Our long-term tester also appreciated the convenience of running the device unsupervised. "I love that I can use the app to choose areas of the house I want it to focus on," our tester said. "Usually, I'll have it run through the common areas of my home, since those get the most traffic. I often use the vacuum and mop function together, as it leaves my floors clean and shining." The tester made sure to pick up objects, such as dog toys, before running the machine and stepping out. The best part was that the tester always returned home to spotless floors.

Price at time of publish: $450

_{Battery Life: 110 minutes | Cleaning Path Width: Not noted | Mapping: Yes | Self-Emptying: Yes | Filter Type: HEPA | Smart Capabilities: Laser mapping, obstacle avoidance, smart recharge, interactive map, carpet detection, cleaning report}

Best Budget

ILIFE V3s Pro Robot Vacuum Cleaner

4.3

View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Iliferobot.store

Our Ratings

• Setup
  2/5
• Effectiveness
  4/5
• Noise Level
  5/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Features
  4/5

Sometimes the best things in life are the simplest things. At least, that's what we found when testing the ILIFE V3s Pro Robot Vacuum. Our lab tester appreciated that this robot vacuum doesn't have an app or voice control features that would make it "smart." This simplistic design makes it easier to use out of the box, and an excellent starter robot vacuum, especially if you want to dip your toe into the robot vac world on a budget without having to download apps or navigate smart mapping features.

When testing in the lab, this robot vacuum was ready to go in two minutes. Our tester loved that it had an obvious power switch and easy-to-use remote control. There is no mopping feature on this vacuum, but it did a pretty good job vacuuming, picking up most of the debris on its first try. It struggled with the Cheerios placed in a corner, but that's a pretty common pain point that much more expensive models may also experience. However, this model avoided obstacles very well, including chocolate. Our lab tester noted that "even when other vacuums were getting stuck in the chocolate that melted, ILIFE did not get stuck at any point." Our lab tester also appreciated the low profile and ILIFE's relatively unobtrusive routine and reported that emptying this robot vacuum required very little effort.

In addition to lab testing, a long-term tester spent six months using the V3s Pro on hardwood and tile floors and while caring for a foster dog. This tester echoed our lab tester's sentiments about the ease of use and called it a "lifesaver" in picking up dog hair in hard-to-reach places, such as under the bed, but noted that it couldn't fit under lower furniture. Our real-world tester was also impressed by the amount of debris it picked up, but mentioned that the vacuum had some difficulty managing uneven flooring and bumps and required a few tries. Despite its lack of smart features, our long-term tester said that this robot vacuum is perfect for her small apartment, and she also appreciated being able to use the remote to turn this model on and off.

Price at time of publish: $160

_{Battery Life: 90 minutes | Cleaning Path Width: 11.8 inches | Mapping: No | Self-Emptying: No | Filter Type: HEPA | Smart Capabilities: Anti-bump and anti-fall, programmable schedule, self-charging}

Best Splurge

Samsung Jet Bot AI+ Robot Vacuum With Object Recognition

4.5

View On Amazon View On Home Depot View On Lowe's

Our Ratings

• Setup
  4/5
• Effectiveness
  4.5/5
• Noise Level
  4/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Features
  5/5

If you're okay with spending a little bit extra for a sleek appliance, opt for the Samsung Jet Bot AI+ with Object Recognition robot vacuum. This device scored a 5-star rating for effectiveness because it easily sucked up all of the debris and hair in our testing lab. While it certainly features a higher price tag, our lab tester raved about its high quality, easy setup in under three minutes, and its flawless maneuverability around and under furniture. It includes a self-emptying base and a camera on the front so you can stream your vacuum's run around your apartment. This feature can also help the vacuum avoid objects, which we observed in the lab. While this model avoided some large objects like furniture, it ran through chocolate pudding.

Our lab tester described the noise level of this vacuum as "quiet and soothing" but reported that it had trouble transitioning from a hard floor to a rug. The docking station can empty the dust bin, and the filter moves up and down when you turn the robot vacuum on, as if to give you a moment to check its cleanliness before the machine gets to work. The device also talks to you when it's turning on and off or when there is an object in its way that it needs assistance with. While this model requires setting up through the Samsung SmartThings app (and a Samsung account, if you don't have one) to operate, the app offers control from your smartphone for scheduling and monitoring or voice commands using Bixby, Alexa, or Google Assistant.

After six months of routine use, our long-term home tester agreed with our lab tester's observations about general effectiveness and the relatively speedy setup. In our real-world tester's case, the app didn't detect the Jet Bot AI+ automatically, which required manually entering this model. The app did recognize an already-established Samsung robot vacuum on another floor of the home. The home tester also mentioned similar issues with hardwood-to-rug floor transitions, specifically on rugs with tassels. On a low-pile rug, the Jet Bot AI+ performed smoothly, but on a higher-pile rug, it became turned around or flipped the rug over. Our tester also noted in their most recent review that this vacuum did recently break—the roller blade fell out of the bottom—and they have not been able to repair it. Still, our long-term tester appreciated the vacuum's overall cleaning performance when it was functioning, including its ability to clean corners pretty closely, thanks to the fan brush.

Price at time of publish: $1,099

_{Battery Life: 90 minutes | Cleaning Path Width: 12 inches | Mapping: Yes | Self-Emptying: Yes | Filter Type: HEPA | Smart Capabilities: Laser mapping, obstacle recognition, carpet detection, interactive map, livestream cleaning}

Best for Tile and Laminate

Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum & Mop Self-Empty XL

4.8

View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Best Buy

Our Ratings

• Setup
  4/5
• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Noise Level
  5/5
• Maneuverability
  4.9/5
• Features
  5/5

The Shark RV2610WA AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot quickly became an essential (and favorite) part of our tester's home cleaning routine. Once all of the protective plastic wrapping had been removed, our tester said this vacuum was relatively easy to set up, because it only came with three separate pieces—the vacuum, the charging base, and the home pad. This vacuum did need to be at least 50 percent charged in order to begin the app sync and configuration process. Once this vacuum is connected to Wi-Fi, it automatically begins mapping your home's floor space and layout. You can then configure the map with specific zones to indicate carpeting, no-go zones, high-traffic areas, and no-mop zones. Our tester noted that this zoning process was the most tedious out of the vacuum's entire setup, but it's not completely necessary if you don't plan on scheduling the vacuum to automatically clean.

With all of its features customized to your liking, you can expect this robot to excel at cleaning, especially on hard surfaces like tile and laminate. With Shark's unique Matrix Clean Navigation, this vacuum moves in a grid-like pattern to ensure that every spot in your mapped area is cleaned with multiple passes. This vacuum is also equipped with CleanEdge Technology, which uses a blast of air and corner recognition to remove debris for a more improved edge-cleaning result around your home. Our tester said that she still occasionally uses her canister vacuum to deep clean the edges of her home because this robot vacuum does not completely catch every bit of debris in corners. She also enjoys this robot's quiet operation, which doesn't compete with a television that's set to a normal volume.

But the real star of this vacuum's design is its simultaneous vacuum and mop capabilities. Our tester loved this feature so much that she scheduled it to run in her home every day while she was at work. She checks the app to monitor the robot's progress and receives a notification when the cleaning routine is complete. The one downside of the simultaneous cleaning feature is that the vacuum does not self-empty, so our tester had to empty the vacuum when she got home each day. This design flaw is especially frustrating if you prefer to use the combo mode rather than the vacuum-only setting, which uses the self-empty function. Despite this missed opportunity, our tester loves this vacuum's performance for daily use, as it keeps her home much cleaner, especially with children and pets always at play.

Price at time of publish: $700

_{Battery Life: 120 minutes | Cleaning Path Width: Not listed | Mapping: Yes | Self-Emptying: Yes | Filter Type: HEPA | Smart Capabilities: Programmable schedule, object avoidance, Matrix Clean Navigation, CleanEdge Technology, Sonic Mopping}

Best for Apartments

iRobot Roomba 694 Robot Vacuum

3.6

View On Amazon View On Wayfair View On Home Depot

Our Ratings

• Setup
  5/5
• Effectiveness
  2/5
• Noise Level
  2/5
• Maneuverability
  3/5
• Features
  3/5

For apartments and smaller homes, where high-tech floor mapping and small object avoidance aren't as essential, the iRobot Roomba 694 Robot Vacuum is a reliable and fairly priced robot vacuum model. While this vacuum may lack some of the latest smart features on the market, it is equipped with a HEPA filter, which helps trap all of the dust that easily accumulates in crowded, smaller spaces. You'll find that this filter keeps dust from recirculating back into your home's air. According to Deni Ivanov, Digital Marketing Director at Royal Cleaning, "Your robot vacuum's filter is its very heart—it ensures even the smallest of smallest dirt particles are captured so you can have a debris-free floor."

The robot vacuum was easy to assemble and empty, and our lab tester loved that it did exactly what it promised to do: suck up debris very well. It didn't avoid small objects like socks, so you'll definitely need to make sure your floors are clear of tiny things before running it in your space. It's also slightly louder than some other models, so plan to turn up your TV's volume or move your conversation into another room while it cleans away.

While the Roomba 694 doesn't come with many bells and whistles, our long-term home tester reported that the app is easy to use for the initial setup. Our tester loved the step-by-step guidance, which was thorough enough to avoid turning to the instruction manual. After six months of regular use, our home tester found this robot vacuum much more effective than a stick model at cleaning hair and dirt. She also appreciated not having to supervise the device or the brush roll cleaning process. Over time, she has noticed that hair does get stuck on this vacuum's brush roll, so she regularly removes hair to maintain its suction power.

Both our in-lab and real-world testing confirmed that this vacuum performs the basics well. As a Wi-Fi-connected machine, you can also schedule cleaning sessions and set up voice controls with Alexa or Google Assistant through the app.

Price at time of publish: $250

_{Battery Life: 90 minutes | Cleaning Path Width: 7 inches | Mapping: No | Self-Emptying: No | Filter Type: HE | Smart Capabilities: Programmable schedule, voice control, smart recharge, anti-drop and anti-collision}

Best for Pet Hair

eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 30C MAX

4.3

View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Eufylife.com

Our Ratings

• Setup
  5/5
• Effectiveness
  4.5/5
• Noise Level
  4/5
• Maneuverability
  3/5
• Features
  4/5

If you live in a home with pets, you certainly understand the challenges of keeping your floors clean. That's where a robot vacuum can come in handy. A simple run at the end of the day will capture so much unseen pet hair—you'll be delightfully disgusted when you empty the dustbin. While all of our top picks performed well with pet hair in our lab, the eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 30C MAX offered consistent hair pickup. This mid-price robotic vacuum is ideal for use on hardwood floors and low- and medium-pile carpets, and it has several useful features that make it stand out. We tested this robot vacuum in the lab and at home with two testers and found that it does a fantastic job as long as you have a good Wi-Fi connection. While our initial home tester experienced difficulty with Wi-Fi setup, our lab and long-term home testers found the setup seamless. Our long-term tester reported that it took less than one minute total, and the Alexa integration was swift with an existing Amazon account and convenient when asking the 30C MAX to spot clean.

This model from eufy provides improved suction power and quiet operation, and it can run for up to 100 minutes with only one charge. It features the brand's signature slim design—the vacuum is less than 3 inches tall, so it can glide underneath low furniture. Our long-term tester loved this low profile, which allows the vacuum and charging dock to store discreetly under a bookshelf. The RoboVac also has BoostIQ technology, which automatically increases suction when needed. Our home tester raved about this feature, noting that "it handled pet hair beautifully and even better on the MAX rather than the BoostIQ setting." Our in-lab tester was ultimately impressed with how quick and effective it was at suctioning up a range of debris, including hair, sand, and Cheerios. While it struggled a bit to transition from the hard floor to a rug, it avoided large furniture well and handled pet hair in our home tester's space with total ease.

While this robotic vacuum does an excellent job of picking up pet hair and dirt from hardwood floors and carpets, this model doesn't have floor mapping technology like more high-tech vacuums do, meaning it cleans in a random pattern. It also avoids large objects but not small ones like socks—so you'll need to do some pre-cleaning before running this vacuum. After one month of use, our long-term home tester observed that this model often jumps around, missing debris completely in certain areas, and it repeatedly runs into objects. The vacuum does come with magnetic strips you can lay out around your house to help the vacuum avoid any obstacles, which our initial home tester used and our long-term tester didn't. While effective, our home tester found the strips visually unappealing and the number insufficient to cover all the areas the vacuum should avoid. While this robot vacuum may not be ideal for a larger home, homeowners with smaller spaces to clean will delight in its efficient suction power for quick daily cleanings.

Price at time of publish: $260

_{Battery Life: 100 minutes | Cleaning Path Width: Not listed | Mapping: No | Self-Emptying: No | Filter Type: Not listed | Smart Capabilities: Programmable schedule, voice control, boundary strips, boost mode}