The Best Robot Hoover
The most effective robot vacuum will vacuum and mop your floors without your involvement. It also leaves the floors spotless. Its price is affordable and its high-end functions (such as dirt detector) are both positives.
Check your robot's brushes frequently for tangled debris and hair. Clean them as needed. Some models will also empty the onboard dust bin and place it in a larger bin at the base. This can reduce the amount of fine dust 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 examined. They feature motors that are top-of-the class and can handle up to 5,500 Pascals. Like other iRobots with premium features (including the top model) they employ intelligent mapping to design precise floorplans that avoid obstacles such as cords and furniture legs. They also come with a feature called carpet boost that increases the robot's power when it spots a lot of dirt on the carpet to get it cleaned up quickly.
Both the Q5 and the Q7 Max Series get very good scores in our floor tests that test for bare floors and are particularly effective in removing pet hair. However, they do have some flaws that prevent them from being our top pick. One of the Q5's shortcomings is that its navigation system does not include AI-powered obstacle avoidance. It's also prone to getting stuck on socks and shoes and couldn't navigate rooms with lots of people efficiently during our tests. Also, it doesn't have a camera that would let it see the corners of a room.
It's still a good deal for those whose office or home has lots of unfinished floors and you're looking to save money. It's also very quiet and you can use it while you're at work or going to school. It lacks the edge-to-edge bare floor vacuuming offered in the more expensive iRobot Roomba X30. It's also less effective when it comes to mopping. It relies on disposable wet wipes that don't adhere very well and cannot handle dried-on debris. The Q5 comes with a self-emptying cradle however. And, if you have to, you can switch the mopping pad to dry ones in just a few seconds.
2. IRobot Roomba X30
The iRobot Roomba X30 packs impressive mopping and vacuuming into an elegant, compact package. Its nimble navigation and intelligent cleaning maps make it easy to clean and effective at tackling larger particles like pet hair. It also has a self-emptying bin with powerful suction and support for virtual boundaries. It's the best robot hoover for carpets, but it falls behind some competitors when it comes to deep cleaning.
This highly efficient combination vacuum and mop utilizes advanced sensors to avoid obstacles and pet waste, and it will learn your home's layout over time for more efficient cleaning. breaking news can alter its cleaning schedule and set up zones with the well-designed app. Its battery life is average when compared to other models.
You can instruct the X30 Ultra to remove its mops and to extend them when in a room with carpet, which helps prevent cross-contamination. Its flex arm can also be used to reach beneath furniture with low levels and along baseboards. It doesn't perform as well 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/mop that could clean an entire home with just 66 percent of its battery remaining. It did a decent cleaning job on a variety of flooring and rooms with different kinds of flooring, including certain area rugs. Its obstacle detection was top-of-the-line, and it nimbly avoided fake dog turds, socks, shoes, and bundles of cables.
It's a little more expensive than the iRobot Combo v9+ and iRobot Roomba j9+, but it has superior suction, an onboard dustbin that automatically emptys into its base, and also 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 in other robot vacuum/mop combination.
3. iRobot Roomba X40
With a sleek circular design that appears more like a regular Roomba rather than the compact models this mop and robot vacuum is among the most attractive looking models in our reviews. The latest model from iRobot is among the most intelligent and has advanced features like Enhanced Dirt Detection Technology as well as future compatibility with Matter (another company's robot that is able to wash mop pads).
It's also the sole robot vacuum/mop to score an absolute 10 out of 10 in our evaluations. 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, like other iRobot products, is easy to operate. It has an easy mobile application interface, and it integrates with Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit. The only issue is that the X40 is still a loud unit. This could be a problem in mornings prior to work or in the evening when you're trying to fall asleep.
It's also somewhat expensive, but it's not as expensive as the Ecovacs X2 Omni or the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra Both of which are similarly capable and more attractive. If you're willing to live with a bit more noise and some additional cost, this is a very efficient two-in-one device that should please almost everyone.
4. iRobot Roomba L20 Ultra
The L20 Ultra is the top-of-the high-end robot vacuum and mop. It has a number of advanced features that help you forget your chores. The L20 Ultra is a hands-free cleaner like Ecovacs the top of the line X2 Omni or Roborock's S8 Pro Ultra. It has a multifunction dock which automatically emptys the bin of the vacuum, refills the water tank, as well as washes and dry mop pads.
The smart robot makes use of LIDAR and structured lighting to create floorplans and identify obstacles. It navigates more intelligently than its premium competitors. It also has a camera mounted on the front for real-time hazard detection but this was not foolproof in our testing and was sometimes 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", which regulates the intensity at which the vacuum works and alters the frequency of cleaning for different areas of the home according to the degree of dirt they tend to be.
For larger homes it's worth looking for a model with zone or spot cleaning modes that let you tell the robot to clean a particular area of your home using the app or via voice commands. A stair mode can be useful if you have a number of furniture. For families with busy schedules, a recharge feature and resume feature that allows your robot vacuum to pick up where it left off could be very beneficial.
iRobot RX3
The RX3 is a cleaner with more intelligence than you'd think from its price. It vacuums well and was able to remove 55% of debris in our tests. (It was only second to the Roomba Q5 Pro). It also mops using only one pad and a rotating motion which is cleaner than the majority of the mop cleaners with robots 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 application 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 create cleaning schedules, or to create a spot-clean. You can also use it to prioritize your dirtiest areas for greater efficiency. The app has a range of options, including seasonal suggestions, customized mapping, and advanced cleaning settings.
Its shape is more rectangular than other robot vacuums, which means it can get to corners and underneath furniture more easily. It also has a strong 8000 Pascal suction and combs that are intelligent for hair of pets. You can also create a spot-cleaner that will thoroughly clean 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 look like cute eyes. It is excellent at vacuuming, but it's more likely to be caught in low thresholds. It is also louder than other top robot vacuums we've tested. It also has a less user-friendly app and a small base station that can't be used as an emptying bin.