Robot Hoover: A Simple Definition

The Best Robot Hoover

The best robot hoover can clean and mop without requiring your attention, and it will leave your floors clean. Its surprisingly affordable price and features that are high-end (such as dirt detection) are pluses.

Examine your robot's brush regularly for tangled debris and hair. Clean them as needed. Some models can also automatically empty their onboard dustbin into a larger one at the base, which reduces the amount of fine dust released into the air.

1. Roomba Q5 pro

The Q5 Pro, and its more expensive counterpart, the Q7 Max Series are among the most powerful robotic cleaner and mop vacuums that we have examined. They have top-of-the-line motors that can pull up to 5,500 Pascals of suction force. As with other premium iRobot models (including the top-rated model) they utilize smart mapping technology to create detailed floor plans that avoid household obstacles such as cords and furniture legs. They also come with carpet boost, a feature that boosts the robot's performance when it sees a lot of dirt on the carpet in order to get it clean quickly.

Both the Q5 and the Q7 Max Series get very high scores on our floor tests that test for bare floors, and they're particularly adept in removing pet hair. There are some issues however, which hinder them from being our first option. One of them is that the Q5's navigation system doesn't have AI-powered obstacle avoidance which means it's susceptible to get caught up in shoes and socks, and is unable to navigate rooms with a lot of people well in our tests. It also doesn't have an image sensor that lets it see the corners of the room.

It's still a great option for those who want to save money on an Roomba from iRobot and have a mostly unfinished home or office. Plus, it's very quiet and you can use it when you're at work or going to school. It doesn't have the edge-to-edge floor vacuuming available in the more expensive iRobot Roomba X30. It's also less effective in mopping, using disposable wet wipes that don't stay on for long and don't deal with dried-on debris. The Q5 is self-emptying cradle, however. And, if you need to, you can swap the mopping pad to dry ones in a matter of minutes.

2. IRobot Roomba

The iRobot Roomba X30 is a compact, sleek vacuum cleaner that also has the ability to sweep floors. Its intelligent cleaning maps as well as quick navigation make it easy to clean, and efficient in dealing with larger particles such as pet hair. It also features an impressive suction system and an automatic vacuum and mop robot bin for emptying. It's the best robot hoover for carpets but it falls behind some competitors when it comes to deep cleaning.

This high-performance vacuum and mops utilizes sensors that help it avoid obstacles and pet waste. It also learns the patterns of your home over time to ensure more efficient cleaning. You can modify the schedule of cleaning and even customize zones with the well-designed app. Its battery life is average compared to other models.

You can instruct the X30 Ultra to remove its mops and to extend them when it's in a carpeted area, which helps prevent cross-contamination. Its flex arm is perfect to get under furniture with low levels and along baseboards. However, it's not equipped with the same level of washboard performance as our other Editors' Choice picks, the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo N8 Pro+ as well as the iRobot Combo j9+.

During testing, X30 Ultra was the quickest robot vacuum/mop that could complete the task of cleaning a whole home and had 66 percent of its battery remaining. It also did a great job of cleaning a mix of rooms and floors with different flooring types, including some area carpets. Its obstacle detection was top-notch, and it nimbly avoided fake dog turds, socks, shoes, and bundles of cables.

It's more expensive than iRobot Combo v9+ or iRobot Roomba j9+ but it has superior suction and an onboard bin that automatically empty into the base. It also supports voice commands via Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It can also clean the floor even after it vacuums. This is a feature that we haven't seen on other robotic vacuum/mop combos.

3. Roomba X40 from iRobot

The robot vacuum and mop combination has a sleek, circular look that looks more like the regular Roomba model than the boxy models from the competition. It is one of our most attractive looking robot vacuums. iRobot's latest flagship model also is its most advanced and has advanced features like Enhanced Dirt Detection Technology as well as future compatibility with Matter (another company's robot that is able to wash mop pads).

It's the only robotic mop or vacuum that scored 100% in our tests thanks to a blend of high-tech sensors, including a camera, structured light system, and multiple lasers. The X40 Ultra was the only robot we tested that could fill and empty its basestation in a self-contained manner. It also boasted a suction of 12,000Pa as well as self-cleaning mops.

The X40 is, like the other iRobot products, is easy to use. It has an easy mobile app interface that is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit. The only real drawback is that it's still quite loud which could be problematic if you run it in the morning prior to work or in the evening as you try to sleep.

It's also somewhat expensive, but it's not as pricey as Ecovacs X2 Omni or Roborock's S8 MaxV Ultra, both of which are equally capable and look better. This is a two-in-one vacuum that is very efficient, but it will cost you more and make more noise.

4. iRobot Roomba L20 Ultra

The L20 Ultra is a top-of-the-range robot vacuum and mop, with many advanced features that will let you get rid of your chores. Like Ecovacs the range-topping X2 Omni and Roborock's S8 Pro Ultra, the L20 is designed to be a hands-free cleaning machine that can take charge of both vacuuming and mopping, with a multifunction dock that automatically empties the automatic vacuum cleaner's trash bin, refills its water tank, cleans and dry its mop pads.

The smart robot uses LIDAR and structured lighting to map out floor plans and spot obstacles. It is more efficient in its navigation than its competitors with premium features. It also comes with a front-mounted camera for real-time hazards detection however this was not foolproof in our tests and was sometimes confused with obstructions or power cords.

The vacuum cleaner has an maximum suction of 7,000 Pascals which is more than enough to accomplish the task. It also has "Intelligent Dirt Detection", which regulates how hard the vacuum works and alters the frequency of cleaning for different areas of the home depending on the degree of dirt they tend to be.

For larger houses it's recommended to choose a model with zone or spot cleaning modes that allow you to tell the robot to clean one particular area of your home via the app or via voice commands. A stairway mode is beneficial if you have lot furniture. For families that are busy recharge functions and resume feature that allows your robot vacuum to continue from where it left off can be very beneficial.

5. iRobot Roomba RX3

The RX3 is a smarter cleaner than you would imagine from its price. It is a great job cleaning, removing 55% of the debris that was found in our tests (it was second only to the Roomba Q5 Pro). It also mopses using one pad and a rotating motion which is cleaner than the majority mop cleaners for robots that we've tried. And it's highly self-sufficient with a fully-featured app as well as a self-emptying, washable base.

The well-designed iRobot app guides you through a mapping run that gathers information about your floorplan and any "no-go" areas you set on the map. You can use it to create cleaning schedules, plan an area for cleaning or to sort out your rooms with the most dirt to improve performance. The app comes with a variety of features, including seasonal suggestions, customized mapping, and advanced cleaning settings.

It also has the ability to reach corners and under furniture more easily because its shape is more rectangular. It also has strong 8,000 Pascal suction and intelligent combs for pet hair. You can also set up a spot-clean that thoroughly cleans the area.

The Miele Scout RX3 Home Vision HD is a sleeker more affordable alternative to iRobot Roomba. It has a more attractive design, akin to Dolce & Gabbana. The twin cameras are designed like cute little eyes. It is excellent at vacuuming, but it's more likely to be stuck on low thresholds. It is also louder than other top robot vacuums we've examined. It also comes with an app that is less intuitive, and a smaller base station that can't double as a bin to empty.