Vacuuming With a Robot Hoover is the Best Hands-Off Model We've Tested
This top-of-the-line Eufy bot is the top hands-off model we've tried so far. It vacuums, mops, self-empties, and washes and drys mop pads all without your involvement.
It's not equipped with the latest cleaning techniques and a larger docking station but delivers a stellar performance for less than half the cost of high-end robotic floor vacuums vacuums. It also has an incredibly compact design that can reach under furniture.
Vacuuming
Vacuuming with a robot is a simple, quick method to keep your floors looking and feeling clean. Many of the robots we've picked are built to operate without the involvement of you and you can set them up to sweep while you're away or trigger the session using your smartphone. You'll want to select one that has excellent navigation and object detection to avoid it getting stuck in furniture or on the stairs.
Some models are better at picking up pet hairs from rugs than others, so it's important to select the right model that will effectively and efficiently vacuum all types of flooring. Find a model with a a dustbin that is able to hold plenty of dirt in between emptying and the nozzle does not lose suction as it rotates to take debris.
Most robots require minimal to any maintenance, other than taking out tangled fur from the rotating brush after each cleaning session (and wiping its sensors or camera as required) and regularly emptying the bin, or using the robot's self-emptying base. If you follow these easy maintenance steps, your robot vacuum will last as long as regular vacuums and keep your home cleaner for longer.
robotic vacuum cleaner mops aren't as versatile than vacuums but some can also remove puddles and spills. The iLife V3s Pro, a good example of this type of machine, is a fantastic choice for those with carpets, rugs, or wood floors. It's quiet and has excellent navigation capabilities that helped it overcome obstacles during testing, and the charging dock doubles as a trash can.
To get the best results, choose a robot that can handle both vacuuming and mopping at the same time. That's exactly what the Karcher RCV 5 does and it comes with other useful features such as a live camera that broadcasts an unreliable image to your app so you can check on your pets or children as well as an easily-programmable remote vacuum cleaner control. Its navigation isn't as solid as other models we've reviewed however, it can elevate it over low thresholds and has an ample 500ml dustbin that doesn't have to be emptying often.
Mopping
Robots that vacuum and mop are relatively new to the market. These robots are more expensive and require an additional tank of water compared to standalone robots. However, they might be worth the extra expense for those with hard-to-clean stains clean or pets.
Some of the Best Robot Hoover robots that vacuum and mop also do a great job in cleaning floors that are not clean and carpets. Many brands are now offering all-in-one robotics that perform both tasks with ease. The Combo J9+, as an example, is among the best mopping robots we've tested and uses an impressively large dock that can hold up to 60 days worth of dirt. This is a significant improvement over the Qrevo Pro, which ran out of water after mopping just 30 days of dirt in our tests.
The Tapo RV30 plus from networking giant TP-Link is another very great two-in-one. It is compact quiet and has a neat, fuss-free look. In our test rooms, it scrubbed the floors thoroughly and accurately - it was particularly good on rugs, but it required several runs to thoroughly clean some areas of soiled wood. Its LIDAR navigation system functions well, avoiding crashing into furniture or crossing power cords.
It's a little slow on the stairs however that's to expected in a compact robot designed to work around obstacles. Its only downside is the mopping pad attachment, that was difficult to use and wouldn't stay in the right position during our tests. It is also not capable of dealing with dust that has dried on and dust, which makes it more like a vacuum than a robot mop.
It's still a great choice for people who prefer a hands-off experience and want to clean low pile or unfinished carpets equally. It has decent suction, which has helped to pick up fine dust and pet hair from carpets. One of the best features is its automatic carpet recognition which boosts the power of the vacuum to take on dirt that is embedded. It's also easy to use and has a handy charging dock that automatically empty the dust bin when it's filled, which is a real boon for flat dwellers.
Cleaning Apps
Most robot vacuums, mops, and sweepers have an app that allows you to alter the cleaning routines. You can also pick rooms to be cleaned, plan cleaning sessions, and alter settings like suction levels, water levels and scrubbing strength. Some robots offer intelligent dirt detection, which uses maps and previous cleaning data to identify dirty areas.
You can also utilize an app to design virtual barriers and no go zones to protect your robot safe from potentially dangerous objects, like cords and pet water bowls. Certain models let you create these virtual barriers with laser navigation sensors, and others come with small physical boundaries or barriers that to place wherever you'd like to block your floor.
The most effective robot vacuums and mops have the capability of being smart enough to recognize obstacles and avoid them, but there are still certain risks to be aware for. The main brush of a robot can get stuck in long cords or curtains and stop it dead in its tracks. You can prevent this by clearing the area of any cords and tying up any curtains that are long before operating your robot.
Some robots automatically update their software that controls navigation and obstacle avoidance algorithm. This improves performance and reduces the wear and tear of the robot's internal components. It's a good idea regularly to check the website of the manufacturer or your robot application for updates to the firmware.
If you live in a big home, select a model that has multiple cleaning modes. The iRobot Roomba 11S Max, for instance, can be used to vacuum and mop on both hard floors and carpeted rooms with different suction levels. It can also automatically change to the highest power setting on carpets and boost its scrubbing power by using SmartScrub.
If you want to be hands-free, a robot that has the ability to speak to a voice-activated assistant is an excellent choice. The iRobot Roomba 980 can be controlled by Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant. It comes with a compact self-emptying docking system and a powerful cleaning motor that will leave your floors sparkling.