Why We Why We Robot Hoover And You Should Too

The Best Robot Hoover

The best robot hoover can clean and mop without requiring your attention, and it will leave your floors spotless. Its affordable price and high-end features (such as a dirt detector) are both positives.

Examine your robot's brush regularly for tangled debris and hair. Wash them when necessary. Some models will automatically empty their onboard dust bin into a larger bin in the base, which decreases the amount of fine dust that is released into the air.

1. Roomba Q5 pro

The Q5 Pro and its sibling, the more expensive Q7 Max Series, are among the most powerful robot vacuums we've examined. They feature top-of-the-line motors that can pull up to 5,500 Pascals of suction force. And, like other top iRobot models (including the top pick) they utilize smart mapping technology to design detailed floor plans and avoid household obstacles such as cords and furniture legs. They also come with a feature called carpet boost which boosts the robot's power when it detects a lot of dirt on the carpet in order to get it cleaned quickly.

Both the Q5 and Q7 Max Series get very high scores on our tests on floors that are bare They're also particularly adept in removing pet hair. There are some issues however, which hinder them from being our first choice. One of the weaknesses of the Q5 is its navigation system doesn't feature AI-powered obstacles avoidance. It's therefore prone to getting stuck on shoes and socks, and it couldn't navigate rooms with lots of people well during our tests. It also doesn't have a camera that would let it see the corners of a room.

It's still a great deal particularly if your home or office has a lot of unfinished floors and you want to save some money. It's also very quiet and can be used when you're at work or school. It's not equipped with the edge-to-edge floor vacuuming offered in the more expensive iRobot Roomba X30. And it's less effective at mopping, relying on disposable wet wipes that don't hold on well and aren't able to deal with dried-on debris. The Q5 does come with an auto-emptying dock, however. If you want to, you can swap the mopping pad to dry ones in just a few minutes.

2. IRobot Roomba

The iRobot Roomba X30 packs impressive mopping and vacuuming into a compact, sleek package. Its quick navigation and smart cleaning maps make it quick to clean and efficient at taking on larger particles, such as pet hair. It also comes with a powerful suction and a self-emptying bin. It's the most efficient robot hoover for carpets, although it isn't as efficient as some of its competitors in deep cleaning.

This high-performance vacuum and mop utilizes sensors to avoid obstacles and pet waste. It also learns the patterns of your home over time to ensure cleaner and more efficient cleaning. The app allows you to customize zones and change the cleaning schedule. It has a battery lifespan that is similar to other models.

If the X30 Ultra is in a carpeted area, you can tell it to take off and extend its mops. This can help avoid cross-contamination. The flex arm is perfect for getting under furniture that is low 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+ and the iRobot Combo j9+.

During tests, X30 Ultra was the quickest robot vacuum/mop that could sweep the entire house, with 66 per cent of its battery remaining. It also did an excellent job cleaning a range of floors and rooms that had different flooring types, including certain area rugs. Its obstacle detection was top notch and it swiftly eluded fake dog turds, socks, shoes, and bundles of cables.

It's more expensive than iRobot Combo v9+ or iRobot Roomba j9+ but 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 clean the floor even after it has vacuumed. This is a feature we haven't seen in other robotic vacuum/mop combinations.

3. Roomba X40 from iRobot

This robot vacuum and mop combination features a sleek, circular design that looks more like the regular Roomba model than the boxy models of the competitors. It's among our most appealing looking robot vacuum that vacuums and mops vacuums. The latest flagship model from iRobot is also the most intelligent. 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 robot vacuum/mop to score a perfect 10 out of 10 in our evaluations. This is due to the combination of high-tech sensors, including a structured light system, camera, and a variety of lasers. The X40 Ultra was the only robot cleaner we tested that could fill and empty its basestation in a self-contained manner. It also boasted an industry-leading suction of 12,000Pa as well as self-cleaning mops.

Like other iRobot models like the X40 is user-friendly, offering an intuitive mobile app interface as well as integration with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit as well as Google Assistant. The only real drawback is that it's loud, which can be a problem if you run it in the morning before work or in the evening as you try to fall asleep.

It's also quite expensive, but it's not as pricey as the Ecovacs Omni or Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra Both of which are similarly capable and look better. If you're willing to put up with a bit more noise and some additional cost it's 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 a variety of sophisticated features that let you forget about your chores. Like Ecovacs 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 mopping and vacuuming, with a multifunction dock that automatically empties the vacuum's dustbin, refills its water tank and washes and dries its mop pads.

The smart robot uses the combination of LIDAR and structured light to draw out the floor plan and detect obstacles, navigating more intelligently than some of its premium rivals. It also comes with a front-mounted camera that can detect hazards in real-time however this was not completely foolproof in our tests, and could be confused with power cords or obstructions.

Its vacuum has a maximum suction of 7,000 Pascals which is more than enough to complete the task. It also has a feature called "Intelligent Dirt Detection", that regulates the vacuum's power and adjusts the frequency of cleaning for various areas of the house depending on how dirty the areas are.

For bigger homes, it's worth opting for models with zone or spot cleaning modes that let you tell the robot to clean one specific area of your home using the app or voice controls. If you have lots of furniture, a stairway mode is also useful. For busy families, a recharge function and resume feature that allows your robot vacuum to pick up where it left off could be extremely useful.

5. iRobot Roomba RX3

The RX3 is more sophisticated than its price suggests. It has a great vacuuming performance and picked up 55% debris in our tests. (It was only second to the Roomba Q5 Pro). It also mops with one pad, which uses an oscillating motion that is cleaner than the other mop cleaners for robots we've tried. It's also self-sufficient, with a full-featured application and an auto-emptying washable base.

The well-designed iRobot app guides you through an initial mapping exercise that collects information about your floorplan and any "no-go" areas you set on the map. It can be used to design cleaning schedules or to organize an automatic spot-clean. You can also use it to rank your most filthy areas for greater efficiency. The app offers a variety of features, including seasonal suggestions, customized mapping, and advanced cleaning settings.

Its shape is more rectangular than most other robot vacuums, which means it can reach corners and underneath furniture better. It has a powerful 8000 Pascal suction as well as intelligent combs to remove pet hair. You can also set up a spot cleaning that thoroughly cleans a particular area.

The Miele Scout RX3 Home Vision HD offers a sleeker, cheaper alternative to iRobot Roomba. It has a more attractive design, akin to Dolce & Gabbana. The twin cameras are designed like adorable eyes. It does a good job vacuuming, but it is more susceptible to get caught on low thresholds and is noisier than the other top robot vacuums we've examined. It also comes with an app that's less intuitive and has a tiny base station that can't double as a bin to empty.