20 Irrefutable Myths About Robot Hoover: Busted

The Best Robot Hoover

The best robot hoover can clean and mop without requiring your attention, and will leave your floors spotless. Its low cost and high-end features (such as dirt detection) are pluses.

Be sure to regularly inspect your robot vacuum cleaner best's brushes for hair that is tangled and large debris, and wash them when required. Certain models also automatically empty the onboard dustbin and deposit it in a larger bin located at the base. This can reduce 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 examined. They have motors that are top of the class and can handle up to 5,500 Pascals. As with other premium iRobot models (including the top-rated model) they employ smart mapping technology to design detailed floor plans and avoid common obstacles like cords and furniture legs. They also feature carpet boost that increases the robot's power when it sees an abundance of dirt on the carpet in order to get it cleaned up quickly.

The Q5 and Q7 Max Series both scored very well in our tests of floors with no carpet and are especially adept in removing hair from dogs. However, they have several flaws that prevent them from being our top pick. For instance, the Q5's navigation system doesn't have AI-powered obstacle avoidance, so it's prone to become entangled in shoes and socks, and is unable to navigate tightly packed rooms very efficiently in our tests. Also, it doesn't have cameras that let it see the corners of an area.

It's still a great option to consider, particularly if you're looking to save money on an iRobot Roomba and you have a bare-floored home or office. It's also quiet and operates while you're at work or school. The only thing it's missing that you don't get in the more expensive iRobot Roomba X30 is edge-to-edge vacuuming on bare floors. And it's less effective at mopping, using disposable wet wipes that don't stay on very well and can't deal with dried-on debris. The Q5 has an auto-emptying dock, however. If you're required to clean the mopping pad, it can be replaced with one that is wet in just a few minutes.

2. IRobot Roomba X30

The iRobot Roomba X30 packs impressive mopping and vacuuming capabilities into a sleek, compact package. Its intelligent cleaning maps and quick navigation make it easy to clean, and effective in dealing with larger particles such as pet hair. It also comes with strong suction and an automatic bin for emptying. It's the best robot hoover for carpets, but it isn't as efficient as some of its competitors in deep cleaning.

This high-performance vacuum and mop uses sensors that help it stay clear of obstacles and pet waste. It also learns the structure of your home over time and offer better cleaning. You can modify its cleaning schedule and set up zones through the well-designed app. Its battery life is average compared to other models.

You can tell the X30 Ultra to remove its mop and extend them when in a carpeted area, which helps prevent cross-contamination. The flex arm can be used to reach beneath low-lying furnishings 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+.

In the course of testing, X30 Ultra was the quickest robot vacuum with mop vacuum/mop that could sweep the entire house and had 66 percent of its battery remaining. It did a great cleaning job on various flooring and rooms with different flooring types including some area carpets. Its obstacle detection was top-notch and it was nimbly avoiding fake dog socks, turds and cables.

It's a bit 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 using Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It can even clean the floor after vacuuming this feature, which hasn't been seen in other robot vacuum/mop combos.

3. Roomba X40 from iRobot

With an elegant, circular design that looks like a regular Roomba than the competitors' boxes this mop and robot vacuum is among the most appealing looking in our tests. The latest flagship model from iRobot is also among its most advanced. It has advanced features like Enhanced Dirt Detection and future compatibility (another company’s robot vacuum and mop that can wash mop pads on its own).

It's also the only robot vacuum/mop that scored an absolute 10 out of 10 in our testing. This is due to the combination of high-tech sensors including a structured light system, a camera and multiple lasers. The X40 Ultra is also the only robot we tested that can fully self-refill and empty its base station and it has an the industry's highest suction of 12,000Pa and self-cleaning mop pads.

The X40 as with other iRobot products, is simple to operate. It comes with an intuitive mobile application interface, and it integrates with Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit. The only downside is that the X40 is still a loud unit. This could be a concern in the mornings before work or at night when you are trying to fall asleep.

It's also quite expensive, but not as much as the Ecovacs MaxV Ultra or the Roborock S8 Omni, which are both equally impressive and attractive. This is a dual-purpose vacuum that's extremely powerful, but it will cost you more and produce more noise.

iRobot L20 Ultra

The L20 Ultra is the top-of-the best robot mop and vacuum. It has a range of features that are advanced and will make you forget about your chores. The L20 Ultra is a hands-free cleaner like Ecovacs top-of-the-line X2 Omni or Roborock's S8 Pro Ultra. It has a multifunction dock which automatically empty the vacuum's bin and fills up the water tank, as well as washes and dry mop pads.

The smart robot uses the combination of LIDAR and structured light to draw out floor plans and identify obstacles, making it more efficient than its more expensive rivals. It also has a front-mounted camera for real-time hazard detection, although this wasn't quite foolproof in our testing and was often 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 "Intelligent Dirt Detection", that regulates the amount of time the vac works and alters the frequency of cleaning for various areas of the house according to how dirty they are.

For larger homes it's recommended to choose models that has zone or spot cleaning modes that let you tell the robot to clean a specific area of your home using the app or via voice commands. A stairway mode is beneficial if you have number of furniture. Additionally a recharge and resume function that lets your robot vacuum take over exactly where it left off is great for busy families.

iRobot RX3

The RX3 is more sophisticated than the price suggests. It does a stellar job cleaning, removing 55% of debris in our tests (it was second only to the Roomba Q5 Pro). It also mops with one pad and a reciprocating movement that cleans better that most of the robot mop cleaners that we've tried. And it's highly self-sufficient with a full-featured application and an auto-emptying, washable base.

The well-designed iRobot app will guide you through a mapping exercise that collects information about your floorplan as well as any "no-go" areas you have marked on the map. It can be used to create cleaning schedules, or to create a spot-clean. It can also be used to it to prioritize the most soiled areas to improve performance. The app offers a variety of features, including seasonal suggestions, custom mapping and advanced cleaning settings.

Its shape is more rectangular than other robot vacuums, meaning it can get to corners and underneath furniture more easily. It has an impressive 8,000 Pascal suction and intelligent combs to remove pet hair. You can also create a spot-clean that scours a specific area.

The Miele Scout RX3 Home Vision HD is a sleeker and less expensive alternative to the iRobot Roomba. It has a more attractive, Dolce & Gabbana-esque design and its twin cameras resemble cute eyes. It is great at vacuuming, but it's more likely to be caught on low thresholds. It is also louder than other top robot vacuums that we have examined. It also has an app that is less intuitive, and a smaller base station that doesn't double as a bin for emptying.