This Entry-level Robot Vacuum Left Some Of My Expensive Ones In The Dust And It's 35% Off

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• At $199, nan Tapo RV20 Max is an affordable action that useful amazingly well.
• The RV20 Max robot vacuum features beardown 5,300Pa suction, awesome navigation skills that don't usage nan bump-and-run system, and plentifulness of customization options for nan price.
• On nan downside, nan Tapo RV20 Max doesn't person awesome obstacle avoidance, often getting its brushwood tangled pinch cables and mini items.

The Tapo RV20 Max robot vacuum is connected waste for $130 ($70 off) during Amazon Prime Day. 

Also: The champion Prime Day deals you tin shop now.

While I emotion a hands-free robot vacuum and mop that tin do it each pinch small intervention, they tin besides get costly, pinch immoderate flagship models priced astatine almost $2,000. I've been testing nan Tapo RV20 Max for a mates of months, proving that you don't person to walk an limb and a limb for a awesome vacuum and mop. 

The $199 Tapo RV20 Max is simply a elemental robot vacuum that useful amazingly well. Instead of nan bump-and-run navigation you often spot pinch these budget-friendly models, this robot features LiDAR navigation. 

Bump-and-run is simply a mechanical navigation strategy utilized successful cheaper robot vacuums. It has nan robot move successful a consecutive statement until it bumps into an obstacle. The collision instructs it to alteration guidance and past repetition nan process. This collision-based navigation tin consequence successful inefficient sum and nan robot pushing lightweight objects astir nan floor. 

Instead, nan RV20 Max features a LiDAR strategy that scans nan robot's surroundings to create maps and scheme much businesslike routes. The robot past follows a grid-like shape to cleanable thoroughly and scope areas astir objects. At only 3.27 inches tall, it is besides very bladed to fresh nether debased furniture. 

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

While testing, I recovered nan Tapo RV20 Max to beryllium 1 of nan champion low-budget robot vacuums I've used. It offers immoderate of nan champion customization options I've seen for a robot successful its value range, immoderate moreover amended than I've seen successful robots doubly its price. The Tapo app lets you adhd different level maps and moreover adhd carpet areas to customize cleaning connected nan carpet and debar them altogether erstwhile nan mopping characteristic is engaged. 

One of nan only downsides I recovered pinch nan Tapo RV20 Max is its ineffective obstacle avoidance. Though it tin observe and debar furniture, it doesn't do good pinch smaller items connected nan floor. My RV20 Max often sewage its roller brushwood stuck connected mini obstacles for illustration cables and papers. 

Also: 10 ways to maximize your robot vacuum's cleaning ratio and artillery life

Because it's not a self-emptying vacuum, I had to quiet it astatine slightest aft each cleaning. Pet hairsbreadth was 1 of nan RV20 Max's astir important challenges erstwhile cleaning my main floor. I had to quiet its dustbin respective times during individual cleaning sessions, aliases nan robot would get truthful afloat of canine hairsbreadth that its roller brushwood would get stuck. 

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

In keeping pinch its entry-level nature, nan robot has a mini charging dock that only useful to recharge its battery. The dock is unobtrusive and easy fits nether furnishings truthful that nan robot tin enactment retired of view. That said, nan dock is truthful mini and lightweight that it's easy to displacement pinch a tap, and its powerfulness proviso is easy to accidentally unplug, truthful I'd urge keeping it retired of high-traffic areas.

ZDNET's buying advice

The Tapo RV20 Maxis 1 of nan champion budget-friendly robot vacuums I've tested. It has reliable navigation and plentifulness of customization options. This is nan cleanable prime for an affordable robot vacuum and mop for elemental cleaning jobs and mundane vacuuming. 

Also: This robot vacuum performs arsenic good arsenic immoderate flagship models for a fraction of nan cost

If you person pets and want a hands-free solution, I wouldn't urge nan RV20 Max. You person to quiet nan dustbin aft each cleaning, and pinch my canine shedding arsenic overmuch arsenic he does, I person to do it a mates of times during a azygous cleaning session. Similarly, if you person kids who often time off mini toys, paper, aliases different items connected nan level that you don't want to person to prime up earlier each cleaning, RV20 Max whitethorn not beryllium nan correct choice.