The Best Robot Hoover
The most effective robot hoover will clean and mop without requiring your attention, and it will leave your floors spotless. Its low cost and top-of-the-line features (such as dirt detectors) are positives.
Examine your robot's brush regularly for tangled debris and hair. Wash them when necessary. Some models can also 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 tested. They feature motors that are top of the quality and can suction up to 5,500 Pascals. Like other iRobots with premium features (including the most powerful model) they utilize smart mapping to produce precise floorplans and avoid household obstacles like furniture leg. They also come with a feature called carpet boost which boosts the robot's power when it detects the presence of dirt on the carpet, allowing it clean quickly.
Both the Q5 and Q7 Max Series get very excellent scores in our tests on floors that are bare, and they're particularly adept at cleaning pet hair. However, they have some flaws that prevent them from being our top choice. One of the weaknesses of the Q5 is that its navigation system doesn't have AI-powered obstacles avoidance. It's therefore prone to getting stuck on shoes and socks, and it couldn't navigate through rooms with a lot of people efficiently during our tests. It doesn't also have a camera to see around corners.
It's still a good value, especially if your office or home has lots of unfinished floors and you want to save money. Plus, it's very quiet and you can use it when you're at work or going to school. The only thing it doesn't have that you don't get in the more expensive iRobot Roomba X30 is edge-to-edge vacuuming of floors with no floor. It's also less effective at mopping. It relies on disposable wet wipes that don't stick very well and cannot handle dried-on debris. The Q5 does have an auto-emptying dock, however. If you need to mop, the mopping pad can be changed for a wet one in seconds.
2. iRobot Roomba X30
The iRobot Roomba X30 packs impressive mopping and vacuuming into an elegant, compact package. Its quick navigation and smart cleaning maps make it easy to clean and efficient at taking on larger particles, such as pet hair. It also comes with self-emptying dustbins with powerful suction and support for virtual boundaries. It's the best robot hoover for carpets, though it's not as effective as some rivals in deep cleaning.
This high-performance vacuum and mop uses sensor technology that can avoid obstacles and pet waste. It also learns the patterns of your home over time to provide better cleaning. The app allows you to customize zones and change the cleaning schedule. It comes with a battery life that is comparable to other models.
When the X30 Ultra is in a carpeted area, you can tell it to pull back and extend its mops. This helps prevent cross contamination. The flex arm can be used to reach under 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+.
During testing during testing, the X30 Ultra was the fastest robot vacuum/mop in the market to clean an entire home, and it did so with 66 percent of its battery left. It also did a good job of cleaning a mix of floors and rooms with different flooring types, including some area carpets. Its obstacle detection was great, and it avoided fake dog turds, socks, shoes and bundles of cables.
It's a bit more expensive than the iRobot Combo v9+ and iRobot Roomba j9+, however, it comes with superior suction, an onboard dustbin that automatically empties into its base, and also supports voice commands using Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It can also clean the floor even after it vacuums. This is something we haven't seen in other robot vacuum/mop combination.
3. iRobot Roomba X40
The robot vacuum and mop combination has a sleek, circular look that looks more like the regular Roomba unit than the boxy models from the competitors. It is one of our most appealing looking robot vacuums. The newest model from iRobot is its most advanced, with advanced features including Enhanced Dirt Detection Technology and future compatibility with Matter (another company's robot that can wash its own mop pads).
It's also the sole robot vacuum/mop that scored an absolute 10 out of 10 in our tests. This is thanks to the combination of high-tech sensors, including a structured light system, a camera, and a variety of lasers. The X40 Ultra is also the only robot we tested that can completely autonomously refill and empty its base station, and it has an industry-leading 12,000Pa suction and self-cleaning mop pads.
Like other iRobot models as well, the X40 is easy to use, offering an easy mobile app interface, and integration with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit as well as Google Assistant. The only drawback is that it's still quite a noisy unit, which can be problematic if you run it in the morning prior to work, or at night when you try to sleep.
It's also a bit expensive but not as much as the Ecovacs MaxV Ultra or the Roborock S8 Omni, which are both equally impressive and attractive. This is a dual-purpose vacuum that is very efficient however, it's going to cost you more and make more noise.
iRobot L20 Ultra
The L20 Ultra is a top-of-the-range robot vacuum and mop, with a variety of sophisticated features to help you forget about your chores. The L20 Ultra is a hands-free cleaner that is similar to Ecovacs the top of the line X2 Omni or Roborock's S8 Pro Ultra. cheap robot vacuum features a multi-functional dock that can automatically emptys the bin of the vacuum and fills up the water tank, as well as washes and dries the mop pads.
The smart robot uses an array of LIDAR and structured light to map out floor plans and spot obstacles, making it more efficient than its more expensive rivals. It also has a camera mounted on the front to detect hazards in real-time however, it wasn't 100% foolproof during our tests and was occasionally confused by power cords or other obstructions.
The vacuum cleaner has the capacity to suction up to 7,000 Pascals which is more than enough to do the job. It also has an option known as "Intelligent Dirt Detection", that regulates the vacuum's power and adjusts the frequency of cleaning for various areas of the home based on how dirty those areas are.
For larger homes, it's worth opting for models with zone or spot cleaning modes that allow you to instruct the robot to clean one particular area of your house by using the app or via voice commands. If you have a lot of furniture, a stair mode is also a good option. Finally, a recharge and resume function that allows your robot vacuum to continue where it left off is ideal for busy families.
5. iRobot Roomba RX3
The RX3 is more intelligent than the price suggests. It has a great vacuuming performance and picked up 55% debris in our tests. (It was second to the Roomba Q5 Pro). It also mopses using a single pad and a rotating motion that cleans better that most mop cleaners for robots that we've tried. It's also self-sufficient with a full-featured app and a self-emptying, washable base.
The iRobot app is designed to guide you through a mapping run which collects information about your floorplan, as well as any "no go" areas you've marked on the map. You can use it to make cleaning schedules, set up a spot clean or to prioritize your most filthy rooms to improve performance. The app comes with a variety of options, including seasonal suggestions, custom mapping, and advanced cleaning settings.
It can also reach corners and under furniture better because its shape is more rectangular. It also has a powerful 8,000 Pascal suction and combs that are intelligent for pet hair. And you can set up a spot clean that scours a specific area.
The Miele Scout RX3 Home Vision HD is a sleeker and cheaper alternative to the iRobot Roomba. It has a more attractive design, similar to Dolce & Gabbana. The twin cameras are shaped like adorable 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 we have test. It also has a less user-friendly app and a small base station that doesn't double as a bin for emptying.