20 Myths About Robot Hoover: Busted

The Best Robot Hoover

The best robot hoover can mop and vacuum without needing your attention, and leaves your floors spotless. Its low cost and top-of-the-line features (such as dirt detectors) are positives.

Make sure to check your robot's brushes frequently for tangled debris and hair. Clean them as needed. Some models also self-empty their onboard dustbin 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 sibling, the pricier Q7 Max Series, are among the most powerful robot vacuums we've test. They have top-of-the-line motors that can produce up to 5,500 Pascals of suction force. Like other iRobots with premium features (including the top model), they use intelligent mapping to design precise floor plans and eliminate household obstacles like cords and furniture leg. The robots that vacuum and mop also feature a feature called Carpet Boost which boosts its power when it detects dirt on the carpet.

The Q5 and Q7 Max Series both scored very well in our tests of floors with no carpet They are also adept at cleaning hair from dogs. However, they have some flaws that prevent them from being our top pick. One of the flaws of the Q5 is its navigation system does not feature AI-powered obstacles avoidance. It's also prone to getting stuck on shoes and socks and couldn't navigate densely packed rooms very well in our tests. It also doesn't come with a camera that would let it see the corners of a room.

It's still a good value for those whose office or home has a lot of unfinished floors and you're looking to save money. It's also very quiet and can work when you're at work or school. It lacks the edge-to-edge bare floor vacuuming that is offered in the more expensive iRobot Roomba X30. It's also less effective at mopping, using disposable wet wipes that don't hold on well and aren't able to handle dried-on debris. The Q5 comes with a self-emptying cradle that can be emptied by itself. If you need to, the mopping pad can be replaced with a wet one in minutes.

2. IRobot Roomba X30

The iRobot Roomba X30 is a compact elegant vacuum cleaner that can also sweep floors. Its nimble navigation and intelligent cleaning maps make it simple to clean and effective at dealing with larger particles such as pet hair. It also comes with a powerful suction and self-emptying bin. It's the best robotic mop and vacuum robot autonomous vacuum for carpets, though it lags behind some competitors in deep cleaning.

This high-performance vacuum and mop utilizes sensor technology that can stay clear of obstacles and pet waste. It also learns the patterns of your home over time to offer more efficient cleaning. You can change its cleaning schedule and customize zones through the well-designed app. It comes with a battery life that is comparable to other models.

It is possible to instruct the X30 Ultra to remove its mops and extend them when in a carpeted area to prevent cross-contamination. Its flex arm is perfect for getting under low-lying furniture and along baseboards. It doesn't offer 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 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 cleaning a range of floors and rooms that had different flooring types, including certain area rug. Its obstacle detection was top-of-the-line and it was nimbly avoiding fake dog socks, turds, shoes and cables.

It's more expensive than the iRobot Combo v9+ and iRobot Roomba j9+, but it has superior suction, a dustbin on board that automatically emptys into its base, and it supports voice commands using Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It can even clean the floor after it vacuums it, something we've not seen on other robot vacuum/mop combos.

3. Roomba X40 from iRobot

With an elegant circular design that appears like a regular Roomba than the competition's boxes, this robot vacuum and mop combo is one of the most attractive designs in our evaluations. The newest model from iRobot is among the most intelligent and has advanced features like enhanced dirt detection technology and future compatibility with Matter (another company's robot that can autonomously wash mop pads).

It's the only robotic vacuum/mop to score a perfect 10 in our testing thanks to a blend of high-tech sensors, which include cameras, a structured lighting system and multiple lasers. The X40 Ultra is also the only robot vacuum reviews in our tests that can fully self-refill and empty its base station, and it boasts its own self-cleaning mop pads.

Like other iRobot models like the X40 is user-friendly, offering an intuitive mobile app interface and integration with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit as well as Google Assistant. The only real drawback is that it's still quite an eerily noisy device, which can be problematic if you run it in the morning before work or at night as you try to sleep.

It's also a bit costly however, not as expensive as the Ecovacs MaxV Ultra or the Roborock S8 Omni, which are both equally impressive and attractive. If you're willing with a bit more noise and a little more cost it's a capable two-in-one that should delight most.

4. iRobot Roomba L20 Ultra

The L20 Ultra is the top-of-the high-end robot mop and vacuum. It has a range of advanced features that make you forget about your chores. The L20 Ultra is a hands-free cleaning device, similar to Ecovacs' top-of-the-range X2 Omni or Roborock's S8 Pro Ultra. It has a multifunction dock which automatically emptys the bin of the vacuum and refills the water tank, and washes and dries mop pads.

The smart robot makes use of a combination of LIDAR and structured light to map out floor plans and identify obstacles, navigating more intelligently than its top competitors. It also has a front-mounted camera for real-time detection of hazards but this was not foolproof in our testing and was occasionally confused by power cords or other obstructions.

Its vacuum has a high suction maximum of 7,000 Pascals which is more than enough to finish the job. It also comes with an option known as "Intelligent Dirt Detection", that regulates the power of the vacuum and adjusts the frequency of cleaning for different areas in the house depending on how dirty the areas are.

If you own a larger home, it's worth selecting a robot that comes with spot or zone cleaning mode. This lets you instruct the robot on which part of your house needs to be cleaned by using the app or voice command. A stair mode can be beneficial if you have large furniture. Finally the recharge and resume feature that allows your robot vacuum to continue where it left off is ideal for busy families.

iRobot RX3

The RX3 is more advanced than its price suggests. It does a stellar job vacuuming, picking up 55% of debris in our tests (it was second only to the Roomba Q5 Pro). It also mops using one pad and a reciprocating motion that is more efficient than most of the mop cleaners with robots that we've tested. It's also self-sufficient, with a fully-featured app as well as an auto-emptying, washable base.

The well-designed iRobot app will guide you through a mapping session that collects data about your floorplan and any "no-go" areas you mark on the map. You can use it to make cleaning schedules, arrange a spot clean or to sort out your rooms with the most dirt to ensure better performance. The app also provides access to a variety of features like seasonal suggestions, custom maps and advanced settings for your cleaning.

Its shape is more rectangular than other robot vacuums, which means it can reach corners and underneath furniture more easily. It also has strong 8,000 Pascal suction and intelligent combs for hair of pets. You can also create a spot-clean that thoroughly cleans a particular area.

The Miele Scout RX3 Home Vision HD offers a sleeker more affordable alternative to iRobot Roomba. It's more appealing, Dolce & Gabbana-esque design and its twin cameras appear like cute eyes. It does a great job vacuuming, but it is more likely to be stuck on low thresholds. It also has a higher noise than other top robot vacuums that we've tested. It also has a less intuitive app and a small base station that isn't able to double as a bin for emptying.