How To Get More Value With Your Robot Hoover

The Best Robot Hoover

The best robot vacuum can vacuum and mop your floors without having to be involved. It will also leave the floors spotless. Its surprisingly affordable price and features that are high-end (such as dirt detection) are great features.

Check your robot's brushes regularly for tangled debris as well as hair. Wash them when necessary. Some models also self-empty their onboard dustbin into a larger one at the base, which decreases the amount of fine dust that is 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 have top-of-the-line motors that can generate up to 5,500 Pascals of suction force. Like other premium iRobot models (including the top choice) they employ intelligent mapping technology to create precise floor plans and eliminate household obstacles such as cords and furniture legs. They also have carpet boost that increases the robot's power when it spots a lot of dirt on the carpet, allowing it cleaned quickly.

The Q5 and Q7 Max Series both scored excellently in our tests on floors that were bare and are especially adept in cleaning hair from dogs. However, they have a few flaws that keep them from being our top choice. One of the flaws of the Q5 is that its navigation system does not feature AI-powered obstacles avoidance. It's also prone to become stuck on socks and shoes, and it couldn't navigate rooms with lots of people efficiently during our tests. It doesn't also come with a camera to look around corners.

Still, it's very good to consider, particularly if you're looking to save money on an Roomba from iRobot and have a mostly unfinished home or office. It's also very quiet and works while you are at work or school. The only thing it doesn't have that you won't find in the pricier iRobot Roomba X30 is edge-to-edge vacuuming on bare floors. It's also less effective when it comes to mopping. It relies on disposable wet wipes that don't adhere very well and cannot handle dried-on debris. The Q5 comes with a self-emptying cradle, however. If you're required to mop, the mopping pad can be swapped for one that is wet in just a few minutes.

2. iRobot Roomba X30

The iRobot Roomba X30 packs impressive vacuuming and mopping capabilities into a sleek, compact package. Its quick navigation and smart cleaning maps make it quick to clean and efficient in tackling larger particles like pet hair. It also comes with self-emptying dustbins as well as powerful suction, and support for virtual boundaries. It's the best robotic hoovers hoover for carpets, but it isn't as effective as some of its competitors in terms of deep cleaning.

This high-performance vacuum and mops utilizes sensors to keep away from obstacles and pet waste. It also learns the layout of your home over time to offer better cleaning. The app lets you set up zones and modify the cleaning schedule. Its battery life is average in comparison to other models.

You can tell the X30 Ultra to remove its mop and extend them when in a carpeted area which prevents cross-contamination. Its flex arm can also be utilized to reach under low-lying furnishings 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+ as well as the iRobot Combo j9+.

During testing, the X30 Ultra was the fastest robot vacuum with mop vacuum/mop in the market to clean the entire house with only 66 percent of its battery left. It did a good cleaning job on different floors and rooms with different flooring types, including certain area rugs. Its obstacle detection was top-notch and it was nimbly avoiding fake dog socks, turds and cables.

It's a little more expensive than iRobot Combo v9+ or iRobot Roomba j9+ but offers superior suction and an onboard bin that automatically empties into the base. It also supports voice commands through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It can even clean the floor after vacuuming it, something hasn't been seen in other robot vacuum/mop combos.

3. Roomba X40 from iRobot

With an elegant, circular design that looks more like a normal Roomba than the competitors' boxy units this robot vacuum and mop combo is one of the most attractive designs in our reviews. iRobot’s latest flagship model is also the most intelligent. 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 hoovers mop or vacuum that has 100% in our testing, thanks to a combination of high-tech sensors that include cameras, a structured lighting system and multiple lasers. The X40 Ultra is also the only robot in our tests that can fully self-refill and empty its base station and it has an its own self-cleaning mop pads.

The X40, like other iRobot products, is easy to use. It has a simple mobile app interface that is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit. The only issue is that it's an eerily noisy device which could be problematic if you run it in the morning before work or in the evening as you attempt to sleep.

It's also quite expensive but not as much as the Ecovacs S8 MaxV Ultra or the Roborock S8 Omni, which are both equally impressive and attractive. If you're willing to live with a little more noise and some extra cost, this is a very capable two-in-one that should satisfy most people.

4. iRobot Roomba L20 Ultra

The L20 Ultra is a top-of-the-range robot vacuum and mop with many advanced features that let you get rid of your chores. Like Ecovacs range-topping X2 Omni and Roborock's S8 Pro Ultra, the L20 is designed to be a hands-off cleaning machine that can take charge of both mopping and vacuuming, with a multifunction 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 front-mounted camera to detect hazards in real-time but this was not reliable in our tests and was sometimes confused by power cords or other obstructions.

Its vacuum has a high suction capacity of 7,000 Pascals which is more than enough to finish the job. It also has an option known as "Intelligent Dirt Detection", which regulates the power of the vacuum and adjusts cleaning frequency for different areas of the house depending on how dirty those areas are.

For bigger homes it's worth looking for a model with spot or zone cleaning modes that allow you to tell the robot hoover and mop to clean one particular area of your house using the app or voice commands. If you have lots of furniture, a stair mode is also a good option. For busy families recharge functions and resume feature that allows your robot vacuum to continue from where it left off could be extremely useful.

iRobot RX3

The RX3 is more sophisticated than the price suggests. It is a good vacuum cleaner and was able to remove 55% of debris in our tests. (It was only second to the Roomba Q5 Pro). It also mops using a single pad and a reciprocating movement that cleans better that most of the robot mop cleaners that we've tested. It's also self-sufficient, with a full-featured app and an auto-emptying, washable base.

The iRobot application is designed to help you navigate a mapping run, which gathers information on your floorplan as well as any "no go" areas that you have marked on the map. It can be used to design cleaning schedules or create the spot-cleaning. It can also be used to it to prioritize your dirtiest areas for better performance. The app has a range of features, including seasonal suggestions, custom mapping, and advanced cleaning settings.

It also has the ability to reach corners and under furniture better because its shape is more rectangular. It features an impressive 8000 Pascal suction as well as clever combs for removing pet hair. And you can create a spot-clean that scours a specific area.

The Miele Scout RX3 Home Vision HD is a sleeker and more affordable alternative to the iRobot Roomba. It's more appealing, Dolce & Gabbana-esque design and its twin cameras resemble cute eyes. It is great at vacuuming, but it's more likely to be caught in low thresholds. It is also louder than other top robot vacuums that we've tested. It also has an app that's less intuitive and a small base station that can't double as a bin to empty.