Forget Robot Hoover: 10 Reasons Why You Don t Really Need It
The Best robot vacuum cleaner UK Robot Hoover
The best robot hoover can clean and mop without requiring your attention, and will leave your floors spotless. Its affordable price and high-end features (such as dirt detector) are a plus.
Be sure to regularly inspect your robot's brushes for hair that is tangled as well as large debris and wash them if needed. Certain models also automatically empty the onboard dustbin and deposit it in a larger bin at the bottom. This can reduce the amount of fine dust that is released into the air.
1. Roomba Q5 Pro
The Q5 Pro, and its more expensive cousin the Q7 Max Series are among the most powerful robotic vacuums we've tested. They are equipped with top-of-the-line motors which can generate up to 5,500 Pascals of suction force. Like other premium iRobots (including the top model) they employ smart mapping to produce precise floorplans that avoid obstacles like cords and furniture legs. They also feature carpet boost, a feature that increases the robot's power when it sees a lot of dirt on the carpet, allowing it clean quickly.
Both the Q5 and Q7 Max Series get very good robot vacuum scores in our tests on floors that are bare and are particularly effective in cleaning pet hair. However, they do have a few flaws however, which hinder them from being our top option. One of them is that the Q5's navigation doesn't feature AI-powered obstacle avoidance technology, so it's prone to get caught up in shoes and socks, and is unable to navigate tightly packed rooms very well in our tests. It also doesn't have cameras that let it see the corners of a room.
It's still a great deal for those whose office or home has lots of unfinished floors and you want to save some money. It's also quiet and operates when you're at work or in school. It's not equipped with the edge-to-edge floor vacuuming offered in the more expensive iRobot Roomba X30. It's also less effective in mopping. It relies 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 dock, though. If you're in need of it, the mopping pad can be changed for an awe-inspiring one in a matter of seconds.
2. IRobot Roomba X30
The iRobot Roomba X30 packs impressive mopping and vacuuming capabilities into a compact, sleek package. Its nimble navigation and intelligent cleaning maps make it quick to clean and effective at dealing with larger particles such as pet hair. It also has a self-emptying bin with powerful suction and support for virtual boundaries. It's the most efficient robot hoover for carpets, though it's not as effective as some rivals in deep cleaning.
This high-performing mop and vacuum combo makes use of advanced sensors to avoid obstacles and pet waste and it also learns your home's layout over time for more efficient cleaning. The app allows you to customize zones and change the cleaning schedule. Its battery life is average when compared to similar models.
When the X30 Ultra is in a carpeted space, you can tell it to take off and extend its mops. This helps prevent cross contamination. Its flex arm is great to get under furniture with low levels and along baseboards. However, it doesn't have the same washboard performance as our other Editors' Choice picks, the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo N8 Pro+ and the iRobot Combo j9+.
During tests, X30 Ultra was the most efficient robot vacuum/mop which could clean an entire home and had 66 percent of its battery remaining. It did a great cleaning job on different flooring and rooms with different flooring types, including some area rug. Its obstacle detection was top notch, and it nimbly avoided fake dog socks, turds, 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 is automatically empty into the base. It also supports voice commands through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It can clean the floor even after it vacuums. This is a feature that we haven't seen on other robotic vacuum/mop combinations.
3. iRobot Roomba X40
With an elegant circular design that looks more like a regular Roomba rather than the boxes this mop and robot vacuum is among the most attractive looking models in our reviews. iRobot’s latest flagship model is also its smartest. It comes with advanced features like Enhanced Dirt Detection and future compatibility (another company’s robot that can wash mop pads on its own).
It's also the only robotic vacuum/mop to score an absolute 10 out of 10 in our testing. This is thanks to a combination high-tech sensors, including a structured light system, camera and multiple lasers. The X40 Ultra was the only robot we tested that could refill and empty its basestation autonomously. It also boasted an industry-leading suction of 12,000Pa and self-cleaning mop mops.
Like other iRobot models as well, the X40 is user-friendly, offering a simple mobile app interface as well as integration with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant. The only issue is that the X40 is still a loud unit. This can be a problem in the mornings before work or in the evening when you're trying to sleep.
It's also a bit expensive however, not as much as the Ecovacs S8 MaxV Ultra or Roborock S8 Omni, which are equally capable and better looking. If you're willing with a bit more noise and some extra cost this is a efficient two-in-one device that should delight most.
iRobot L20 Ultra
The L20 Ultra is a top-of-the-range robot vacuum and mop, with many advanced features to help 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 robot mop and vacuum machine that takes care of both mopping and vacuuming, with a multifunction dock that automatically emptys the vacuum's dustbin, refills its water tank, washes and dry the mop pads.
The smart robot makes use of the combination of LIDAR and structured light to map out floor plans and spot obstacles, navigating more intelligently than its top competitors. It also comes with a front-mounted camera for real-time detection of hazards but this was not reliable in our tests and was occasionally confused by power cords or other obstructions.
The vacuum cleaner has the capacity to suction up to 7,000 Pascals which is more than enough to accomplish the task. It also has "Intelligent Dirt Detection", that regulates the amount of time the vac works and alters the frequency of cleaning for different areas of your home in accordance with the amount of dirt they are.
If you have a larger home, it's worth selecting a robot that comes with spot or zone cleaning mode. This lets you tell the robot cleaner which area of your home must be cleaned by using the app or voice control. If you have furniture, a stair mode is also useful. Additionally, a recharge and resume feature that allows your robot vacuum to pick up right where it left off is ideal for busy families.
5. iRobot Roomba RX3
The RX3 is more advanced than its price suggests. It's a pro at vacuuming, picking up 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 that cleans better that most of the mop cleaners with robots that we've tested. It's also extremely self-sufficient, with a full-featured app and a self-emptying, washable base.
The iRobot app is designed to help you navigate a mapping run, which gathers information on your floorplan as well as any "no go" areas you've marked on the map. It can be used to design cleaning schedules or organize an automatic spot-clean. It can also be used to it to rank your most filthy areas for greater efficiency. The app also gives access to a variety of options, including seasonal suggestions, custom maps and advanced settings for your cleaning.
Its shape is more rectangular than other robot vacuums, which means it is able to reach corners and underneath furniture more easily. It also has strong 8,000 Pascal suction and combs with intelligent technology for pet hair. You can also set up a spot clean that thoroughly cleans a particular area.
The Miele Scout RX3 Home Vision HD is a sleeker and cheaper alternative to the iRobot Roomba. It's got a more attractive, Dolce & Gabbana-esque design and its twin cameras appear like cute eyes. It is excellent at vacuuming, however it is more likely to get caught in low thresholds. It also has a higher noise than other top robot vacuums that we have test. It also has a less user-friendly app and a tiny base station that can't be used as a bin for emptying.