The Best Robot Hoover
The most effective robot hoover will vacuum and mop without needing your attention. It leaves your floors spotless. Its price is affordable and its high-end features (such as a dirt detectors) are both positives.
Be sure to inspect your robot's brushes for hair tangled as well as large debris and clean them as needed. Some models can also automatically empty their onboard dustbin into a larger bin at 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 feature motors that are top of the quality and can suction up to 5,500 Pascals. As with other premium iRobot models (including the top choice), they use intelligent mapping technology to create precise floor plans and eliminate household obstacles such as cords and furniture legs. They also feature carpet boost which boosts the robot's power when it spots the presence of dirt on the carpet, allowing it clean quickly.
Both the Q5 and Q7 Max Series get very good scores in our bare floor tests, and they're particularly adept in cleaning pet hair. There are some issues, however, that prevent them from being our first option. One of the weaknesses of the Q5 is its navigation system does not have AI-powered obstacles avoidance. It's also prone to getting stuck on socks and shoes and could not navigate densely packed rooms very well in our tests. Also, it doesn't have an image sensor that lets it see the corners of the room.
updated blog post 's still a great option, especially if you want to save money on an Roomba from iRobot, and you have a mostly unfinished home or office. Plus, it's very quiet and can be used while you're at work or going to school. The only thing it lacks that you won't find in the more expensive iRobot Roomba X30 is edge-to-edge vacuuming on bare floors. It's also less effective at mopping, using disposable wet wipes that don't hold on well and aren't able to take on dried-on debris. The Q5 does have self-emptying docks, however. And, if you have to, you can swap the mopping pad for dry ones in a matter of seconds.
2. iRobot Roomba
The iRobot Roomba X30 packs impressive vacuuming and mopping capabilities into an elegant, compact package. Its intelligent cleaning maps and fluid navigation make it simple to clean, and effective in tackling larger particles like pet hair. It also features a self-emptying dustbin with powerful suction and support for virtual boundaries. It's the best robot vacuum for carpets, although it isn't as efficient as some of its competitors in deep cleaning.
This high-performance vacuum and mop utilizes sensor technology that can keep away from obstacles and pet waste. It also learns the structure of your home over time and provide more efficient cleaning. The app allows you to modify zones and alter the cleaning schedule. It has a battery life that is comparable to other models.
When the X30 Ultra is in a carpeted area, you can tell it to take off and extend its mop. This will help prevent cross contamination. Its flex arm can also be used to reach under furniture that is low and along baseboards. It's not as efficient on the washboard as our other Editors' Choice Picks, the Ecovacs Ozmo N8Pro+ and the iRobot Combo j9+.
During tests, X30 Ultra was the most efficient robot vacuum/mop which could complete the task of cleaning a whole home, with 66 per cent of its battery remaining. It also did a good job cleaning a variety of floors and rooms that had different flooring types, including some area rug. Its obstacle detection was top notch, and it nimbly avoided 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 empties into its base, and also supports voice commands via Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It even cleans the floor after vacuuming this feature, which hasn't been seen in other robotic vacuum/mop combos.
3. Roomba X40 from iRobot
With a sleek, circular design that looks more like a normal Roomba rather than the compact models this mop and robot vacuum is among the most attractive designs in our evaluations. The latest model from iRobot happens to be its smartest and has advanced features like Enhanced Dirt Detection Technology and 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 100% in our testing thanks to a blend of high-tech sensors, including a camera, structured light system, and multiple lasers. The X40 Ultra was the only robot we tested that could refill 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.
The X40 as with other iRobot products, is simple to use. It has a simple mobile application interface, and it integrates with Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit. The only real drawback is that it's a noisy unit which could be problematic if you run it in the morning prior to work or at night as you try to sleep.
It's also a bit expensive but not as much as the Ecovacs S8 MaxV Ultra or Roborock S8 Omni, which are both equally capable and better looking. If you're willing with a bit more noise and some additional cost it's a powerful two-in-one that will please almost everyone.
4. iRobot Roomba L20 Ultra
The L20 Ultra is a top-of-the-range robot vacuum and mop with a variety of sophisticated features that will let 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 care of both mopping and vacuuming, with a multifunction dock that automatically empty the vacuum's dust bin, fills its water tank, and washes and dries its mop pads.
The smart robot makes use of an array of LIDAR and structured light to create floor plans and spot obstacles, navigating more intelligently than its top rivals. It also has a front-mounted camera for real-time detection of hazards, although this wasn't quite 100% foolproof during our tests and was sometimes confused by power cords or other obstructions.
The vacuum has a maximum suction of 7,000 Pascals which is more than enough to complete the task. It also features "Intelligent Dirt Detection", that regulates the amount of time the vac works and adjusts the frequency of cleaning for various areas of the house depending on the degree of dirt they tend to be.
For larger houses it's worth looking for a model with spot or zone cleaning modes that allow you to instruct the robot to clean a particular area of your house using the app or voice controls. A stairway mode is beneficial if you have large furniture. Additionally, a recharge and resume feature that allows your robot vacuum to continue where it left off is ideal for busy families.
iRobot RX3
The RX3 is more sophisticated than the price suggests. It is a good vacuum cleaner, picking up 55% debris in our tests. (It was second to the Roomba Q5 Pro). It also mops with one pad that has a reciprocating motion, which cleans better than most of the other robot mop cleaners we've examined. It's also self-sufficient with a full-featured app and a self-emptying base that can be washed.
The iRobot app is designed to guide you through the mapping process which collects information about your floorplan, as well as any "no go" areas you've marked on the map. You can use it to create cleaning schedules, arrange a spot clean or to prioritise your dirtiest rooms to ensure better performance. The app also provides access to a variety of options, including seasonal suggestions, custom maps and advanced settings for your cleaning.
Its shape is more rectangular than other robot vacuums, meaning it can get to corners and underneath furniture better. It also has a powerful 8,000 Pascal suction and combs with intelligent technology for hair of pets. And you can create a spot-clean that scours a specific area.
The Miele Scout RX3 Home Vision HD offers a sleeker and less expensive alternative to iRobot Roomba. It's got a more attractive, Dolce & Gabbana-esque design and its twin cameras resemble cute eyes. It does a good job vacuuming, but it is more susceptible to getting caught on low thresholds and is more noisy than the other top robot vacuums we've tested. It also has an app that's less intuitive and a small base station that does not double as a bin for emptying.