Robot Hoover Explained In Fewer Than 140 Characters

The Best Robot Hoover

The best robot vacuum can vacuum and mop your floors with no effort. It also leaves clean. Its low cost and top-of-the-line features (such as dirt detectors) are both positives.

Be sure to regularly inspect your robot vacuum with mop's brushes for hair tangled and large debris and clean them as required. Some models can also self-empty the onboard dust bin and place it in an additional bin at the bottom. This can reduce the amount of fine dust released into the air.

1. Roomba Q5 Pro

The Q5 Pro, and its more expensive cousin, the Q7 Max Series are among the most powerful robotic vacuums we've examined. They have top-of-the-line motors that can pull up to 5,500 Pascals of suction force. As with other top iRobot models (including the top-rated model) they employ intelligent mapping technology to create detailed floor plans and avoid common obstacles like cords and furniture legs. They also have carpet boost, a feature that boosts the robot's performance when it sees an abundance of dirt on the carpet, allowing it cleaned up quickly.

The Q5 and Q7 Max Series both scored extremely well in our tests of floors with no carpet and are especially adept in removing dog hair. However, they do have several flaws that prevent them from being our top pick. For instance, the Q5's navigation doesn't include AI-powered obstacle avoidance which means it's susceptible to get caught up in shoes and socks, and is unable to navigate tightly packed rooms very efficiently in our tests. It also doesn't have cameras that let it see the corners of a room.

Still, it's very good, especially if you want to save money on a iRobot Roomba and you have a mostly unfinished home or office. Additionally, it's quiet and can work when you're at work or school. It doesn't have the edge-to-edge floor vacuuming offered in the more expensive iRobot Roomba X30. It's also less effective in mopping. It relies on disposable wet wipes, which don't stick well and isn't able to handle dried-on debris. The Q5 comes with a self-emptying cradle, however. And, if you need to change the mopping pad to dry ones in a matter of minutes.

2. iRobot Roomba X30

The iRobot Roomba X30 packs impressive vacuuming and mopping capabilities into a sleek, compact package. Its agile navigation and intelligent cleaning maps make it quick to clean and efficient in dealing with larger particles such as pet hair. It also comes with a self-emptying dustbin as well as powerful suction, and support for virtual boundaries. It's the best robot vacuum and mop robotic hoover for carpets, but it's not as good as other hoovers in terms of deep cleaning.

This top-performing mop and vacuum combo uses advanced sensor technology to dodge obstacles and pet waste and it also learns the layout of your home over time for more efficient cleaning. The app lets you modify zones and alter the cleaning schedule. Its battery life is average in comparison to similar models.

You can instruct the X30 Ultra to remove its mops and to extend them when it's in a carpeted room, which helps prevent cross-contamination. The flex arm can be utilized to reach under furniture with low levels and along baseboards. It's not as effective on the washboard as our other Editors' Choice Picks, the Ecovacs Ozmo N8Pro+ and the iRobot Combo j9+.

In tests during testing, the X30 Ultra was the fastest robot vacuum/mop to complete an entire house, finishing with the battery at 66 percent left. 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-of-the-line and it was nimbly avoiding 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, an onboard dustbin that automatically empties into its base, and supports voice commands via Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It even cleans the floor after vacuuming it, something we've not seen on other robot vacuum/mop combinations.

3. Roomba X40 from iRobot

With an elegant circular design that appears more like a regular Roomba than the competitors' boxy units, this mop and robot vacuum is one of the most attractive looking models in our reviews. iRobot's latest flagship model also is its most advanced model, with features that are cutting-edge like enhanced dirt detection technology and future compatibility with Matter (another company's robot that can wash its own mop pads).

It's the only robotic vacuum/mop to score a perfect 10 in our evaluations, thanks to a combination of high-tech sensors that include cameras, a structured light system and multiple lasers. The X40 Ultra is also the only robot in our tests that can fully autonomously refill and empty its base station and it boasts the industry's highest suction of 12,000Pa and self-cleaning mop pads.

Like other iRobot models like the X40 is user-friendly, with a simple mobile app interface, and integration with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Assistant. The only drawback is that it's still quite an eerily noisy device that could be a problem if you run it in the morning before work or at night as you attempt to sleep.

It's also quite expensive but not as much as the Ecovacs MaxV Ultra or the Roborock S8 Omni, which are both equally powerful and more attractive. If you're willing to live some more volume and some additional cost it's a powerful two-in-one that will satisfy most people.

4. iRobot Roomba 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. The L20 Ultra is a hands-free cleaner like Ecovacs the top of the line X2 Omni or Roborock's S8 Pro Ultra. It features a multi-functional dock that can automatically emptys the bin of the automatic vacuum and mop, refills the water tank, and cleans and dries the mop pads.

The smart robot uses a combination of LIDAR and structured light to create floor plans and identify obstacles, navigating more intelligently than its top competitors. It also has a camera mounted on the front for real-time hazard detection however, it wasn't foolproof in our testing and was often confused by power cords or other obstructions.

The vacuum cleaner comes with a maximum suction of 7,000 Pascals which is more than enough to do the job. It also comes with an attribute called "Intelligent Dirt Detection", that regulates the power of the vacuum and adjusts cleaning frequency for various areas of the home based on how dirty these areas are.

For bigger 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 home via the app or voice commands. If you have lots of furniture, a stair-mode is also a good option. For busy families, a recharge feature and resume feature that permits your robot vacuum to continue from where it left off can be very beneficial.

5. iRobot Roomba RX3

The RX3 is more intelligent than the price suggests. It does a stellar job vacuuming, removing 55% of the debris that was found in our tests (it was second only to the Roomba Q5 Pro). It also mops with one pad, which uses a reciprocating motion, which does a better job cleaning than the other mop cleaners for robots we've tried. It's self-sufficient too, with a fully-featured app as well as an auto-emptying, washable base.

The iRobot app is designed to guide you through the mapping process, which gathers information on your floorplan as well as any "no go" areas that you've marked on the map. It can be used to create cleaning schedules or set up a spot-clean. You can also use it to prioritize the most soiled areas for greater efficiency. The app also provides access to a variety of options, including seasonal suggestions, custom maps and advanced settings for your cleaning.

It is also able to reach corners and under furniture better because its shape is more rectangular. It has an impressive 8,000 Pascal suction and intelligent combs to remove pet hair. You can also organize a spot-cleaner that thoroughly cleans a specific area.

The Miele Scout RX3 Home Vision HD is a sleeker and less expensive alternative to iRobot Roomba. It has a more attractive design, akin to Dolce & Gabbana. The twin cameras are shaped like cute eyes. It's good at vacuuming, but is more prone to getting caught on low thresholds and is a bit louder than the other top robotic vacuums we've tested. It also has an app that's less intuitive and has a tiny base station that can't double as a bin for emptying.