The Best Robot Hoover
The best robot hoover can clean and mop without requiring your attention, and will leave your floors clean. Its surprisingly affordable price and high-end features (such as dirt detection) are a plus.
Be sure to check your robot's brushes for tangled hair and large particles and clean them as required. Some models will also empty the onboard dustbin and deposit it in an additional bin at the base. This reduces the amount fine dust that gets 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 tested. They feature motors that are top of the line and can suction up to 5,500 Pascals. Like other iRobots with premium features (including the top model) they utilize intelligent mapping to design precise floorplans and avoid household obstacles such as cords and furniture legs. The robots also come with a feature called Carpet Boost which boosts its power when it senses dirt on the carpet.
The Q5 and Q7 Max Series both scored very well in our tests on bare floors, and they are particularly adept in removing hair from dogs. However, they do have a few flaws that keep them from being our top pick. For one, the Q5's navigation system doesn't have AI-powered obstacle avoidance and is therefore prone to getting hung up on shoes and socks, and is unable to navigate tightly packed rooms very efficiently in our tests. It also doesn't have a camera to see around corners.
It's still a great deal for those whose home or office has a lot of unfinished floors and you're looking to save some money. Additionally, it's quiet and you can use it while you're at work or at school. homepage lacks the edge-to-edge bare floor vacuuming feature that's offered in the more expensive iRobot Roomba X30. It's also less effective in mopping, using disposable wet wipes, which don't stick on for long and don't deal with dried-on debris. The Q5 does have a self-emptying dock, though. If you're in need of it mop, the mopping pad can be changed for one that is wet 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 easy to clean and effective at dealing with larger particles such as pet hair. It also comes with a powerful suction and a self-emptying bin. It's the best robotic hoover for carpets, but it falls behind some competitors when it comes to deep cleaning.
This highly efficient mop and vacuum combo makes use of advanced sensors to avoid obstacles and pet waste and it learns the layout of your home over time for more efficient cleaning. The app lets you customize zones and change the cleaning schedule. Its battery life is average when compared to other models.
You can tell the X30 Ultra to remove its mops and to extend them when it's in a carpeted area, which helps prevent cross-contamination. Its flex arm is also perfect for getting under furniture that is low and along baseboards. However, it's not equipped with the same washboard performance as our other Editors' Choice picks, the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo N8 Pro+ as well as the iRobot Combo j9+.
During testing during testing, the X30 Ultra was the fastest robot vacuum/mop that could complete an entire house, finishing with the battery at 66 percent left. It did a good cleaning job on a variety of floors and rooms with different flooring types, including some 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 the iRobot Combo v9+ and iRobot Roomba j9+, however it offers superior suction, a dustbin on board that automatically empties into its base, and also supports voice commands using Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It can even clean the floor after vacuuming it, something we've not seen on other robotic vacuum/mop combos.
3. IRobot Roomba X40
With a sleek, circular design that looks more like a normal Roomba rather than the boxy units, this robot vacuum and mop combo is one of the most attractive designs in our evaluations. The latest model from iRobot is also among its most advanced. It comes with advanced features such as Enhanced Dirt Detection and future compatibility (another company's robot that can wash mop pads on its own).
It's the only robot vacuum/mop to score a perfect 10 in our tests due to a mix of high-tech sensors, including 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 it has an industry-leading 12,000Pa suction and self-cleaning mop pads.
As with other iRobot models, the X40 is easy to use, offering a simple mobile app interface as well as integration with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Assistant. The only downside is that the X40 still a noisy unit. This can be a concern in the mornings before work, or during the night when you are trying to fall asleep.
It's also quite expensive, but not as expensive as the Ecovacs MaxV Ultra or the Roborock S8 Omni, which are equally impressive and attractive. This is a two-in-one vacuum that's very capable however, it will cost you more and produce more noise.
iRobot L20 Ultra
The L20 Ultra is the top-of-the high-end robot vacuum and mop. It has a range of advanced features that help you forget your chores. Similar to Ecovacs the range-topping X2 Omni and Roborock's S8 Pro Ultra, the L20 is designed to be a hands-off cleaning machine that takes the care of mopping and vacuuming, with a multifunction dock that automatically emptys the vacuum's dust bin, fills its water tank and washes and dry the mop pads.
The smart robot uses LIDAR and structured lighting to create floor plans and detect obstacles. It can navigate more efficiently than its competitors with premium features. It also has a front mounted camera that can detect hazards in real-time but this wasn't completely foolproof in our tests, and was sometimes confused with power cords or obstructions.
Its vacuum has a maximum suction of 7,000 Pascals which is more than enough to finish the job. It also comes with an option known as "Intelligent Dirt Detection", that regulates the vacuum's power and adjusts the frequency of cleaning for different areas of the house based on how dirty these areas are.
For bigger homes it's recommended to choose a model that has zone or spot cleaning modes that allow you to tell the robot to clean one particular area of your home using the app or via voice commands. A stair mode can be useful if you own a lot furniture. For families with busy schedules, a recharge function and resume feature that allows your robot vacuum to pick up where it left off could be very beneficial.
iRobot RX3
The RX3 is more sophisticated than the price suggests. It's a pro at vacuuming, picking up 55% of debris in our tests (it was second only to the Roomba Q5 Pro). It also mops with one pad, which uses a reciprocating motion, which is cleaner than the other robot mop cleaners we've examined. And it's highly self-sufficient with a full-featured app and an auto-emptying washable base.
The well-designed iRobot app will guide you through an initial mapping run that gathers information about your floorplan and any "no-go" areas you have marked on the map. It can be used to create cleaning schedules, plan the perfect spot for cleaning or prioritize your most filthy rooms to improve performance. The app also grants access to a variety of features like seasonal suggestions, custom maps, and advanced settings for your cleaning.
Its shape is more rectangular than other robot vacuums, which means it can get to corners and underneath furniture more easily. It has an impressive 8000 Pascal suction, as well as clever combs for removing pet hair. And you can set up a spot cleaning that scours a specific area.
The Miele Scout RX3 Home Vision HD is a more sleek and less expensive alternative to iRobot Roomba. It has a more attractive style, much like Dolce & Gabbana. The twin cameras are shaped like adorable eyes. It is capable of vacuuming, but is more prone to be caught by low thresholds and is a bit louder than the other top robot vacuums we've tried. It also comes with an app that is less intuitive and a small base station that doesn't double as a bin to empty.