The TP-Link Tapo RV30 is an upgrade over the cheaper Tapo RV10. It packs lidar to map your place, and ideally, avoid furniture and other objects. The Plus version also comes with a water tank and mop, as well as an auto empty dock. The dock has space for 4L of dirt, which is good for around two months of standard use, according to TP-Link.
Quick specs
- Suction: 4 levels at 4,200Pa (vacuum), 27,000Pa (dock)
- Wet mopping with 300ml water bin
- 5,000mAh battery for up to 3 hours of cleaning
- Lidar, automapping, multiple floor mapping
My one big issue with the RV10 was the lack of lidar. This meant that it would have to bump into stuff to know what to avoid. The RV30, though, comes with lidar, and does learn your place enough to avoid bumping into furniture. I did notice that during the first two cleaning rounds, the RV30 would keep getting stuck. Since then, it's mostly fine, but it will still get stuck once in a while.
Performance-wise, the RV30 uses an up-and-down pattern to clean your floors. At the standard settings, the vacuum isn't loud at all. I measured it at 70ish dB using my Apple Watch. At Max speed, it's around 76ish dB. The RV30's specs say it runs at 60dB for standard mode. There are four vacuuming modes: Quiet, Standard, Turbo, and Max. It can also boost the suction power when it detects carpets. You can install a mop, though I noticed that the robot vacuum doesn't avoid carpets like the Deebot vacuums would. But I didn't notice any water on my carpet when the RV30 rolled over.
Since the RV30 has carpet detection, it didn't make sense to me why it can't avoid carpets when the mop attachment is installed. You can set up no-go zones, but that would also block the RV30 from cleaning the carpets normally. The RV30 has an app, which also maps your rooms. You can set no-go zones, or merge rooms. Using the Rooms option, you can also select specific room(s) to clean. On average, it takes about an hour to clean a 4-room HDB flat. The 5,000mAh battery supports up to three hours of continuous cleaning. Besides using the app to control, you can also use Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, but there's no Apple HomeKit support.
At just S$100 more than the RV10 at S$509, the Tapo RV30 Plus is actually a decent buy for those who want a good vacuum with just enough smart features. It's good value for money, especially when compared to more expensive alternatives. Get it from Shopee or Lazada.
Note: Review unit provided by TP-Link.
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