Robot Hoover: A Simple Definition
The Best Robot Hoover
The best robot hoover can mop and vacuum without needing your attention, and it will leave your floors clean. Its low cost and top-of-the-line features (such as dirt detector) are a plus.
Be sure to regularly examine the brushes of your robot for hair tangled and large particles and clean them as needed. Some models also self-empty their dust bin on board into a larger bin in the base, which reduces 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. Like other premium iRobots (including the most powerful model) they utilize intelligent mapping to design precise floorplans and avoid household obstacles like cords and furniture leg. They also feature a feature called carpet boost that increases the robot's power when it spots an abundance of dirt on the carpet in order to get it cleaned up quickly.
The Q5 and Q7 Max Series both scored extremely well in our tests on bare floors They are also adept at cleaning hair from dogs. However, they do have a few flaws, however, that prevent them from being our first choice. One of them is that the Q5's navigation system doesn't include AI-powered obstacle avoidance which means it's susceptible to become entangled in shoes and socks and can't navigate tightly packed rooms very well in our tests. It doesn't also have a camera to see around corners.
Still, it's very good for those who want to save money on an Roomba from iRobot and have a bare-floored home or office. It's also extremely quiet and works when you're at work or school. The only thing it lacks that you won't find in the pricier iRobot Roomba X30 is edge-to-edge vacuuming of floors with no floor. It's also less effective when it comes to mopping. It is dependent on disposable wet wipes that don't stick well and aren't able to deal with dried-on debris. The Q5 has a self-emptying cradle, however. If you need to, the mopping pad can be replaced with one that is wet in just a few seconds.
2. iRobot Roomba X30
The iRobot Roomba X30 packs impressive mopping and vacuuming capabilities into an elegant, compact package. 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 has self-emptying dustbins as well as powerful suction, and support for virtual boundaries. It's the best automatic vacuum robotic hoover for carpets, however it isn't as effective as some of its competitors in terms of deep cleaning.
This high-performance vacuum and mops utilizes sensors that help it keep away from obstacles and pet waste. It also learns the patterns of your home over time to provide better cleaning. The app lets you modify zones and alter the cleaning schedule. Its battery life is average when compared to similar models.
If the X30 Ultra is in a carpeted area, you can tell it to remove and extend its mop. This will help prevent cross-contamination. Its flex arm can also be used to reach under low-lying furnishings and along baseboards. It's not as effective on the washboard as our other Editors' Choice Picks, the Ecovacs Ozmo N8Pro+ and the iRobot Combo j9+.
During testing, the X30 Ultra was the fastest robot vacuum/mop in the market to clean the entire house with the battery at 66 percent left. It did a great cleaning job on various flooring and rooms with different flooring types including some area carpets. Its obstacle detection was excellent and it was able to avoid fake dog turds and socks, shoes and bundles of cables.
It's a bit more expensive than the iRobot Combo v9+ and iRobot Roomba j9+, however it offers superior suction, an onboard dustbin that automatically fills up its base, and supports voice commands using Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It is able to clean floors even after it has vacuumed. This is a feature we haven't seen on other robotic vacuum/mop combinations.
3. IRobot Roomba X40
With a sleek circular design that looks like a regular Roomba rather than the boxy units This mop and robot autonomous vacuum is one of the most attractive looking models in our evaluations. iRobot’s latest flagship model is also the most intelligent. It features advanced features such as enhanced dirt detection and future compatibility (another company’s robot that can wash mop pads in a self-cleaning manner).
It's also the only robot vacuum or mop that scored an absolute 10 out of 10 in our evaluations. This is due to a mix of modern sensors, including a restructured light system, a camera and multiple lasers. The X40 Ultra is also the only robot in our tests that is fully autonomously refill and empty its base station, and boasts an its own self-cleaning mop pads.
The X40 as with other iRobot products, is easy to use. It comes with an easy mobile application interface and is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit. The only drawback is that it's still quite an eerily noisy device that could be an issue if you use it in the morning prior to work, or at night when you try to sleep.
It's also a bit expensive however, not as expensive as the Ecovacs MaxV Ultra or Roborock S8 Omni, which are both equally powerful and more attractive. This is a dual-purpose vacuum that's extremely powerful however, it's going to cost you more and make more noise.
iRobot L20 Ultra
The L20 Ultra is the top-of-the line robot vacuum and mop. It comes with a variety of advanced features that make you forget about your chores. Similar to 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 care of both vacuuming and mopping, with a multi-function dock that automatically emptys the vacuum's dust bin, fills its water tank, and cleans and dry its mop pads.
The smart robot employs a combination of LIDAR and structured light to draw out floor plans and identify obstacles, making it more efficient than its top rivals. It also has a front mounted camera that can detect hazards in real-time but this wasn't foolproof in our tests and was sometimes confused with obstructions or power cords.
The vacuum cleaner comes with an maximum suction of 7,000 Pascals which is more than sufficient to complete the task. It also comes with an attribute called "Intelligent Dirt Detection", that regulates the power of the vacuum and adjusts the frequency of cleaning for different areas of the house depending on how dirty those areas are.
For bigger homes, it's worth opting for models with zone or spot cleaning modes that allow you to instruct the robot hoover and mop to clean a particular area of your house using the app or via voice commands. If you have lots of furniture, a stair-mode is also useful. For families that are busy, a recharge feature 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 a smarter cleaner than you might expect from its price tag. It vacuums well, picking up 55% debris in our tests. (It was only second to the Roomba Q5 Pro). It also mops using one pad, which uses an oscillating motion that cleans better than most of the other robot mop cleaners we've tested. And it's highly self-sufficient with a full-featured application and a self-emptying, washable base.
The iRobot application is designed to guide you through a mapping run, 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, arrange the perfect spot for cleaning or prioritize your most filthy rooms to ensure better performance. The app also provides access to a variety of options, including seasonal suggestions, custom maps and advanced settings for your cleaning.
It is also able to reach corners and under furniture more easily because its shape is more rectangular. It also has strong 8000 Pascal suction and intelligent combs for hair of pets. It also has the ability to set up a spot clean that scours a specific area.
The Miele Scout RX3 Home Vision HD is a sleeker and less expensive alternative to iRobot Roomba. It has a more attractive, Dolce & Gabbana-esque design and its twin cameras look like cute eyes. It does a good job vacuuming, but it is more susceptible to get caught on low thresholds and is a bit louder than the other top robot vacuums we've tried. It also comes with an app that is less intuitive and a small base station that can't double as a bin for emptying.