The Best Robot Hoover
The best robot hoover can mop and vacuum without needing your attention. It leaves your floors spotless. Its affordable price and high-end functions (such as a dirt detector) are a plus.
Make sure you regularly inspect your robot's brushes for tangled hair as well as large debris, and wash them when needed. Certain models also automatically empty the onboard dust bin and place it in an additional bin at the bottom. This helps 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 that we have test. They are equipped with top-of-the-line motors which can pull up to 5,500 Pascals of suction force. As with other premium iRobot models (including the top choice) they employ intelligent mapping technology to create detailed floor plans and avoid home-based obstacles like cords and furniture legs. The robots also come with a feature called Carpet Boost that boosts its power when it senses dirt on the carpet.
The Q5 and Q7 Max Series both scored excellently in our tests of floors with no carpet, and they are particularly adept at cleaning dog hair. There are some issues, however, that prevent them from being our first option. One of the flaws of the Q5 is its navigation system does not have AI-powered obstacles avoidance. It's therefore prone to get stuck on socks and shoes, and it couldn't navigate through rooms with a lot of people well in our tests. It also doesn't come with a camera that would let it see the corners of the room.
However, it's a good choice to consider, particularly if you're looking to save money on a iRobot Roomba and you have a bare-floored home or office. It's also very quiet and can be used while you're at work or at school. The only thing it doesn't have that you don't get in the pricier iRobot Roomba X30 is edge-to-edge vacuuming on floors that aren't clean. It's also less effective in mopping. It is dependent on disposable wet wipes that don't stick well and isn't able to handle dried-on debris. The Q5 has a self-emptying cradle, however. If you need to clean the mopping pad, it can be changed for one that is wet in just a few seconds.
2. iRobot Roomba
The iRobot Roomba X30 packs impressive vacuuming and mopping capabilities into an elegant, compact package. Its intelligent cleaning maps and nimble navigation make it easy to clean, and efficient in dealing with larger particles, like pet hair. It also has a powerful suction and self-emptying bin. It's the best robotic hoover for carpets but it isn't as effective as some of its competitors in terms of 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 offer better cleaning. The app allows you to customize zones and change the cleaning schedule. It has a battery lifespan that is similar to other models.
It is possible to instruct the X30 Ultra to remove its mops and to extend them when it's in a room with carpet, which helps prevent cross-contamination. Its flex arm can also be used to reach beneath low-lying furnishings and along baseboards. However, it doesn't have the same level of washboard performance as our other Editors' Choice picks, the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo N8 Pro+ as well as the iRobot Combo j9+.
During tests, X30 Ultra was the quickest robot vacuum/mop that could clean an entire home, with 66 per cent of its battery remaining. It also did a great job cleaning a variety of floors and rooms with various flooring types, such as certain area rugs. Its obstacle detection was top-notch and it was nimbly avoiding fake dog turds, socks, shoes and cables.
It's a little more expensive than the iRobot Combo v9+ and iRobot Roomba j9+, but it has superior suction, a dustbin on board that automatically fills up its base, and it supports voice commands using Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It can also clean the floor even after it vacuums. This is a feature that we haven't seen before on other robot vacuum/mop combination.
3. iRobot Roomba X40
With an elegant circular design that looks more like a regular Roomba than the competition's boxy units This mop and robot vacuum is one of the most appealing looking in our evaluations. iRobot's latest flagship model also is among the most intelligent model, with features that are cutting-edge 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 the only robotic mop or vacuum to score an exemplary 10/10 in our tests due to a mix of high-tech sensors, which include a camera, structured light system 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 the industry's highest suction of 12,000Pa and self-cleaning mop pads.
The X40 is, like the other iRobot products, is easy to use. It comes with an intuitive mobile app interface that is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit. The only real drawback is that it's still quite a noisy unit which could be an issue if you use it in the morning before work, or at night when you try to sleep.
It's also a bit expensive, but not as much as the Ecovacs S8 MaxV Ultra or the Roborock S8 Omni, which are equally capable and better looking. If you're willing to put up with a little more noise and some additional cost, this is a very capable two-in-one that should satisfy most people.
iRobot L20 Ultra
The L20 Ultra is the top-of-the high-end robot mop and vacuum. It has a range of features that are advanced and will make you forget about your chores. Similar to Ecovacs range-topping X2 Omni and Roborock's S8 Pro Ultra, the L20 is designed to be a hands-off cleaning machine that takes charge of both vacuuming and mopping, with a multi-function dock that automatically empties the vacuum's dustbin, refills its water tank, and cleans and dry its mop pads.
The smart robot employs an array of LIDAR and structured light to create floor plans and spot obstacles, and navigates more effectively than its more expensive competitors. It also has a camera mounted on the front to detect hazards in real-time, although this wasn't quite 100% foolproof during our tests and was often confused by power cords or other obstructions.
The vacuum cleaner comes with a maximum suction of 7,000 Pascals which is more than sufficient to accomplish the task. It also comes with a feature called "Intelligent Dirt Detection", which regulates the power of the vacuum and adjusts cleaning frequency for different areas of the house based on how dirty those areas are.
For larger houses it's worth looking for models with spot or zone cleaning modes that allow you to instruct the robot to clean a specific area of your home via the app or voice controls. A stair mode can be beneficial if you have lot furniture. Finally the recharge and resume function that allows your robot vacuum to continue where it left off is great for busy families.
iRobot RX3
The RX3 is a more efficient cleaner than you'd imagine from its price. It has a great vacuuming performance, picking up 55% debris in our tests. (It was second to the Roomba Q5 Pro). It also mopses with one pad, which uses a reciprocating motion, which is cleaner than the other mop cleaners for robots we've tested. And it's highly self-sufficient with a full-featured app and a self-emptying, washable base.
The well-designed iRobot application 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 design cleaning schedules or to organize an automatic spot-clean. You can also use it to rank your most filthy areas to improve performance. The app also gives access to a host of features like seasonal suggestions, custom maps, and advanced settings for your cleaning.
It also has the ability to reach corners and under furniture more easily because its shape is more rectangular. It also has a powerful suction of 8,000 Pascal suction and combs with intelligent technology for pet hair. You can also set up a spot-clean which will thoroughly clean an area.
The Miele Scout RX3 Home Vision HD is a sleeker and cheaper alternative to the iRobot Roomba. It is more appealing in its style, much like Dolce & Gabbana. The twin cameras are designed to resemble cute little eyes. It is great at vacuuming, but it is more likely to be caught on low thresholds. It is also noisier than other top robot vacuums that we've test. It also comes with an app that is less intuitive and a small base station that doesn't double as a bin for emptying.