The Best Robot Hoover
The best robot vacuum can sweep and vacuum your floors with no effort. It also leaves clean. Its low cost and features that are high-end (such as dirt detection) are a plus.
Make sure to check your robot's brushes regularly for tangled debris and hair. Clean them as needed. Some models will automatically empty their onboard dust bin into a larger bin at the base, which decreases the amount of fine dust released into the air.
1. Roomba Q5 Pro
The Q5 Pro and its sibling, the pricier Q7 Max Series, are among the most powerful robot vacuums we've test. They feature top-of-the-line motors that can generate up to 5,500 Pascals of suction force. Like other iRobots with premium features (including the top model), they use smart mapping to create detailed floor plans and eliminate household obstacles like cords and furniture legs. The robots also have the feature of Carpet Boost that increases its power when it detects dirt on the carpet.
Both the Q5 as well as the Q7 Max Series get very high scores on our floor tests that test for bare floors and are particularly effective in removing pet hair. However, they have several flaws that prevent them from being our top pick. One of the weaknesses of the Q5 is that its navigation system doesn't feature AI-powered obstacles avoidance. It's also prone to become stuck on socks and shoes and could not navigate densely packed rooms very well in our tests. It also doesn't come with a camera to look around corners.
Still, it's very good for those who want to save money on an Roomba from iRobot, and you have a bare-floored home or office. Plus, it's very quiet and you can use it when you're at work or school. It doesn't have the edge-to-edge floor vacuuming feature that's offered by the more expensive iRobot Roomba X30. It's also less effective at mopping, using disposable wet wipes that don't stay on for long and don't deal with dried-on debris. The Q5 has an auto-emptying dock, however. If you're in need of it, the mopping pad can be swapped for an awe-inspiring one in a matter of minutes.
2. IRobot Roomba X30
The iRobot Roomba X30 is a compact elegant vacuum cleaner that can mop floors. Its smart cleaning maps and fluid navigation make it simple to clean, and efficient in tackling larger particles, like pet hair. It also features self-emptying dustbins as well as powerful suction, and support for virtual boundaries. It's the most efficient robotic hoover for carpets, however it isn't as effective as some of its competitors in terms of deep cleaning.
This high-performing mop and vacuum combo uses advanced sensor technology to stay clear of obstacles and pet waste, and it will learn the layout of your home over time for more efficient cleaning. You can modify its cleaning schedule and customize zones using the app that is well-designed. It comes with a battery life that is similar to other models.
You can tell the X30 Ultra to remove its mops and extend them when in a carpeted room which prevents cross-contamination. The flex arm can be used to reach under furniture that is low and along baseboards. However, it's not equipped with the same level of washboard performance as our other Editors' Choice picks, the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo N8 Pro+ and the iRobot Combo j9+.
During tests during testing, the X30 Ultra was the fastest robot vacuum/mop that could complete an entire house, finishing with only 66 percent of its battery left. It also did a good job cleaning a variety of rooms and floors with mixed flooring types, including certain area rugs. Its obstacle detection was excellent and it was able to avoid fake dog turds and socks, shoes and bundles of cables.
It's more expensive than the iRobot Combo v9+ and iRobot Roomba j9+, but it has superior suction, a built-in dust bin that automatically emptys into its base, and also supports voice commands through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It can clean the floor even after it has vacuumed. This is a feature we haven't seen in other robotic vacuum/mop combinations.
3. iRobot Roomba X40
With an elegant circular design that looks more like a regular Roomba than the competition's boxes This robot vacuum and mop combo is one of the most attractive designs in our tests. iRobot’s latest flagship model is also among its most advanced. It features advanced features, like Enhanced Dirt Detection and future compatibility (another company's robot that is able to wash mop pads in a self-cleaning manner).
It's the only robotic vacuum/mop that has an exemplary 10/10 in our evaluations, thanks to a combination of high-tech sensors, which include cameras, a structured lighting 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 as well as self-cleaning mops.
The X40 is, like the other iRobot products, is easy to use. It has an intuitive mobile application interface and is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit. The only drawback is that the X40 is still a loud unit. This can be a problem in the mornings before work, or at night when you're trying to fall asleep.
It's also a bit costly 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 live some more volume 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 best robot mop and vacuum. It has a range of advanced features that will 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 takes care of both mopping and vacuuming. It comes with a multifunction dock that automatically empties the vacuum's trash bin, refills its water tank, and washes and dries its mop pads.
The smart robot makes use of a combination of LIDAR and structured light to map out floor plans and spot obstacles, navigating more intelligently than its top competitors. It also has a front mounted camera for real-time detection of hazards however this was not completely foolproof in our tests, and was often confused with obstructions or power cords.
Its vacuum has a suction capacity of 7,000 Pascals which is more than enough to complete the task. It also features "Intelligent Dirt Detection", which regulates how hard the vacuum works and also adjusts the frequency of cleaning for different areas of your home according to how dirty they are.
For larger houses it's worth looking for models that has zone or spot cleaning modes that let you tell the robot to clean a particular area of your home via the app or voice controls. A stair mode can be beneficial if you have number of furniture. For busy families, a recharge feature and resume feature that permits your robot vacuum to resume where it left off could be very beneficial.
5. iRobot Roomba RX3
The RX3 is a cleaner with more intelligence than you'd expect from its price tag. It has a great vacuuming performance, picking up 55% debris in our tests. (It was only second to the Roomba Q5 Pro). It also mopses using a single pad and a reciprocating movement that cleans better that most of the mop cleaners with robots that we've tried. It's also extremely 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 and any "no-go" areas you have marked on the map. It can be used to design cleaning schedules or to set up a spot-clean. You can also use it to prioritize your dirtiest areas for greater efficiency. The app also gives access to a variety of features like seasonal suggestions, custom maps, and advanced settings for your cleaning.
Its shape is more rectangular than most other robot vacuums, which means it is able to reach corners and underneath furniture better. It also has a powerful suction of 8,000 Pascal suction and combs that are intelligent for hair of pets. You can also create a spot-cleaner that thoroughly cleans a specific area.
The Miele Scout RX3 Home Vision HD is a sleeker, cheaper alternative to iRobot Roomba. It has a more attractive, Dolce & Gabbana-esque design and its twin cameras look like cute eyes. More about the author is excellent at vacuuming, but it is more likely to get caught on low thresholds. It is also louder than other top robot vacuums we have examined. It also comes with an app that's less intuitive, and a smaller base station that can't double as a bin for emptying.