The Best Robot Hoover
The best robot vacuum can vacuum and mop your floors without your involvement. It will also leave them spotless. Its low cost and top-of-the-line functions (such as dirt detector) are both positives.
Be sure to check your robot's brushes for hair tangled as well as large debris, and wash them when needed. Some models will automatically empty their onboard dust bin 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 more expensive Q7 Max Series, are among the most powerful robot vacuums we've examined. They are equipped with motors that are top of the line and can suction up to 5,500 Pascals. As with other top iRobot models (including the top pick) they utilize smart mapping technology to create precise floor plans and eliminate common obstacles like cords and furniture legs. The robots also have Carpet Boost, a feature that increases its power when it detects dirt on the carpet.
The Q5 and Q7 Max Series both scored very well in our tests on floors that were bare They are also adept at cleaning dog hair. However, they do have a few flaws that keep them from being our top pick. For instance, the Q5's navigation system does not feature AI-powered obstacle avoidance technology 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 also doesn't have a camera that would let it see the corners of a room.
It's still a good value particularly if your office or home has lots of unfinished flooring and you're looking to save money. Additionally, it's quiet and can be used when you're at work or going to school. It doesn't have the edge-to-edge floor vacuuming offered in the more expensive iRobot Roomba X30. It's also less effective in mopping, relying on disposable wet wipes that don't stay on well and aren't able to deal with dried-on debris. The Q5 comes with a self-emptying cradle that can be emptied by itself. And, if you have to, you can swap the mopping pad for a dry one in minutes.
2. iRobot Roomba X30
The iRobot Roomba X30 is a compact, sleek vacuum cleaner that also has the ability to mop floors. Its quick navigation and smart cleaning maps make it quick to clean and efficient in dealing with larger particles such as pet hair. It also has self-emptying dustbins, powerful suction, and support for virtual boundaries. It's the most efficient robot hoover for carpets, but it lags behind some competitors in deep cleaning.
This top-performing mop and vacuum combination utilizes advanced sensors to stay clear of obstacles and pet waste and it learns your home's layout over time to provide more efficient cleaning. The app lets you set up zones and modify the cleaning schedule. Its battery life is average when compared to similar models.
You can instruct the X30 Ultra to remove its mops and to extend them when it's in a carpeted room, which helps prevent cross-contamination. Its flex arm is perfect for getting under low-lying furniture 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 testing, X30 Ultra was the fastest robot vacuum/mop to sweep the entire house, with 66 per cent of its battery remaining. It also did an excellent job cleaning a variety of rooms and floors with various flooring types, such as some area rug. Its obstacle detection was excellent, and it avoided fake dog turds, socks, shoes and bundles cables.
It's a little 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 through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It can even clean the floor after vacuuming, a feature that we've not seen on other robot vacuum/mop combinations.
3. iRobot Roomba X40
With an elegant circular design that appears like a regular Roomba than the competition's compact models, this robot vacuum and mop combo is among the most attractive designs in our tests. The latest flagship model from iRobot is also the most intelligent. It comes with 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 the only robotic mop or vacuum that scored an exemplary 10/10 in our tests, thanks to a combination of high-tech sensors, which include cameras, a structured light system and multiple lasers. The X40 Ultra was the only robot we tested that could fill and empty its basestation autonomously. It also boasted an industry-leading suction of 12,000Pa and self-cleaning mop mops.
As with other iRobot models as well, the X40 is user-friendly, offering a simple mobile app interface and integration with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit as well as Google Assistant. The only drawback is that it's still quite an eerily noisy device, which can be problematic if you run it in the morning before work or in the evening as you attempt to sleep.
It's also a bit costly however, not as much as the Ecovacs S8 MaxV Ultra or the Roborock S8 Omni, which are both equally capable and better looking. This is a dual-purpose vacuum that's extremely powerful however it's more expensive and produce more noise.
iRobot L20 Ultra
The L20 Ultra is the top-of-the line robot vacuum and mop. automatic vacuum has a range of advanced features that help you forget your chores. Similar to 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 care of both vacuuming and mopping, with a multifunction dock that automatically emptys the vacuum's trash bin, refills its water tank and washes and dry the mop pads.
The smart robot employs a combination of LIDAR and structured light to map out floor plans and spot obstacles, navigating more intelligently than its more expensive competitors. It also comes with a front-mounted camera to detect hazards in real-time however, it wasn't reliable in our tests and was sometimes confused by power cords or other obstructions.
The vacuum has a suction capacity of 7,000 Pascals, which is more than enough to finish the job. It also has an option called "Intelligent Dirt Detection", that regulates the power of the vacuum and adjusts the frequency of cleaning for different areas in the house based on how dirty the areas tend to be.
For larger homes, it's worth opting for one with spot or zone cleaning modes that allow you to instruct the robot to clean a particular area of your house by using the app or voice commands. If you have a lot of furniture, a stairway mode is also useful. For busy families, a recharge function and resume feature that allows your robot vacuum to continue from where it left off can be extremely useful.
5. iRobot Roomba RX3
The RX3 is a cleaner with more intelligence than you might expect from its price tag. It's a pro at cleaning, removing 55% of the debris that was found in our tests (it was second only to the Roomba Q5 Pro). It also mopses using only one pad and a reciprocating motion that cleans better that most mop cleaners for robots that we've examined. It's also highly self-sufficient, with a fully-featured app, and a self-emptying, washable base.
The well-designed iRobot app guides you through a mapping session that collects data 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 organize a spot-clean. It can also be used to it to rank your most filthy areas for greater efficiency. The app offers a variety of options, including seasonal suggestions, customized mapping, and advanced cleaning settings.
Its shape is more rectangular than most other robot vacuums, which means it can get to corners and under furniture more easily. It features a powerful 8,000 Pascal suction and sophisticated combs that remove pet hair. And you can set up a spot clean that thoroughly cleans a particular area.
The Miele Scout RX3 Home Vision HD offers a sleeker more affordable alternative to iRobot Roomba. It has a more attractive, Dolce & Gabbana-esque design and its twin cameras appear like cute eyes. It is excellent at vacuuming, but it is more likely to be stuck on low thresholds. It also has a higher noise than other top robot vacuums we've examined. It also has a less user-friendly app and a tiny base station that isn't able to double as a bin for emptying.