The Best Robot Hoover
The most effective robot hoover will clean and mop without requiring your attention. It leaves your floors spotless. Its low cost and top-of-the-line features (such as a dirt detector) are positives.
Examine your robot's brush regularly for tangled debris and hair. Wash them if needed. Some models will automatically empty their dust bin on board into a larger bin in the base, which decreases the amount of fine dust released into the air.
1. Roomba Q5 pro
The Q5 Pro, and its more expensive sibling, the Q7 Max Series are among the most powerful robotic vacuums we've test. They have top-of-the-line motors that can generate up to 5,500 Pascals of suction force. Like other iRobots with premium features (including the most powerful model) they employ smart mapping to create detailed floor plans and eliminate household obstacles such as cords and furniture legs. They also feature carpet boost that boosts the robot's performance when it detects a lot of dirt on the carpet to get it cleaned quickly.
Both the Q5 and Q7 Max Series get very good scores in our bare floor tests and are particularly effective at cleaning pet hair. They do have some flaws however, which hinder them from being our first option. One of them is that the Q5's navigation doesn't include AI-powered obstacle avoidance, so it's prone to become entangled in shoes and socks, and is unable to navigate rooms with a lot of people well in our tests. It also doesn't come with a camera to look around corners.
It's still a great option for those who want to save money on an iRobot Roomba and you have a mostly bare-floor home or office. It's also very quiet and operates while you're at work or in school. It doesn't have the edge-to-edge floor vacuuming that is available in the more expensive iRobot Roomba X30. It's also less effective in mopping, using disposable wet wipes that don't hold on very well and can't deal with dried-on debris. The Q5 does come with an auto-emptying dock, however. If you want to, you can swap the mopping pad for a dry one in just a few seconds.
2. IRobot Roomba X30
The iRobot Roomba X30 is a compact elegant vacuum cleaner that can sweep floors. Its quick navigation and smart cleaning maps make it quick to clean and efficient in taking on larger particles, such as pet hair. It also features a powerful suction and an automatic bin for emptying. It's the best robotic hoover for carpets, but it isn't as effective as some of its competitors when it comes to deep cleaning.
This high-performing mop and vacuum combo uses advanced sensor technology to stay clear of obstacles and pet waste, and it will learn your home's layout over time to ensure more efficient cleaning. The app lets you set up zones and modify the cleaning schedule. It has a battery lifespan that is comparable to other models.
It is possible to instruct the X30 Ultra to remove its mops and extend them when it's in a carpeted room to prevent cross-contamination. The flex arm is perfect for getting under low-lying furniture and along baseboards. It's not as efficient on the washboard as our other Editors' Choice Picks, the Ecovacs Ozmo N8Pro+ and the iRobot Combo j9+.
During tests during testing, the X30 Ultra was the fastest robot vacuum/mop to complete an entire house, finishing with only 66 percent of its battery left. It also did a good job of cleaning a mix of floors and rooms with various flooring types, such as certain area rugs. Its obstacle detection was top notch and it swiftly eluded fake dog turds, socks, shoes and cables.
It's a little more expensive than iRobot Combo v9+ or iRobot Roomba j9+ but offers superior suction and an onboard bin that automatically empties into the base. It also supports voice commands via Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It can clean the floor even after it vacuums. This is a feature that we haven't seen in other robotic vacuum/mop combinations.
3. Roomba X40 from iRobot
With a sleek circular design that looks more like a regular Roomba than the competitors' boxy units This robot vacuum and mop combo is one of the most appealing looking in our tests. iRobot’s latest flagship model is also its smartest. It has advanced features, like Enhanced Dirt Detection and future compatibility (another company’s robot that can wash mop pads autonomously).
It's the only robotic mop or vacuum that scored an exemplary 10/10 in our evaluations due to a mix of high-tech sensors that include a camera, structured light system, and multiple lasers. The X40 Ultra was the only robot we tested that could refill and empty its basestation on its own. It also boasted an industry-leading suction of 12,000Pa as well as self-cleaning mops.
Like other iRobot models like the X40 is user-friendly, with a simple mobile app interface as well as integration with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant. The only drawback is that the X40 still a loud unit. This could be a problem in mornings before work, or in the evening when you are trying to sleep.
It's also somewhat expensive, though it's not as expensive as the Ecovacs X2 Omni or Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra both of which are equally capable and more attractive. If auto vacuum to live some more volume and some additional cost it's a powerful two-in-one that will please almost everyone.
iRobot L20 Ultra
The L20 Ultra is a top-of-the-range robot vacuum and mop with a variety of sophisticated features to help you forget about your chores. Similar to Ecovacs range-topping X2 Omni and Roborock's S8 Pro Ultra, the L20 is designed to be a hands-off cleaning machine that takes care of both mopping and vacuuming. It comes with a multifunction dock that automatically empty the vacuum's trash bin, refills its water tank, cleans and dry its mop pads.
The smart robot uses the combination of LIDAR and structured light to draw out floor plans and spot obstacles, and navigates more effectively than its more expensive rivals. It also comes with a front-mounted camera for real-time detection of hazards but this wasn't 100% reliable in our tests and was sometimes confused with obstructions or power cords.
Its vacuum cleaner has a maximum suction of 7,000 Pascals which is more than enough to do the job. It also features "Intelligent Dirt Detection", which regulates the intensity at which the vacuum works and also alters the frequency of cleaning for different areas of your home depending on how dirty they tend to be.
If you own a larger home, it is worth selecting a model with a spot or zone cleaning mode. This allows you to inform the robot of which area of your home must be cleaned by using the app or voice command. auto vacuum cleaner is useful if you have a lot furniture. For busy families, a recharge function and resume feature that allows your robot vacuum to resume where it left off could be extremely useful.
5. iRobot Roomba RX3
The RX3 is more sophisticated than its price suggests. It is a great job vacuuming, removing 55% of the debris we found in our tests (it was second only to the Roomba Q5 Pro). It also mops with a single pad that uses a reciprocating motion, which is cleaner than the other mop cleaners for robots we've examined. It's also self-sufficient, with a full-featured application and an auto-emptying washable base.
The iRobot app is designed to help you navigate an exercise in mapping, which gathers information on your floorplan as well as any "no go" areas that you have marked on the map. It can be used to create cleaning schedules or to create the spot-cleaning. It can also be used to it to prioritize your dirtiest areas for better performance. The app also provides access to a host of options, including seasonal suggestions, custom maps and advanced settings for your cleaning.
Its shape is more rectangular than other robot vacuums, meaning it can reach corners and under furniture more easily. It also has a strong 8,000 Pascal suction and combs with intelligent technology for hair of pets. It also has the ability to set up a spot cleaning that intensely cleans a localized area.
The Miele Scout RX3 Home Vision HD is a sleeker and cheaper alternative to the iRobot Roomba. It's more appealing, Dolce & Gabbana-esque design and its twin cameras look like cute eyes. It is excellent at vacuuming, but it is more likely to be caught on low thresholds. It is also noisier than other top robot vacuums we've examined. It also has an app that's not as intuitive, and a smaller base station that can't double as a bin for emptying.