7 Simple Tips To Totally Rolling With Your Robot Hoover

The Best Robot Hoover

The best robot hoover can clean and mop without requiring your attention. It leaves your floors spotless. Its low cost and top-of-the-line features (such as dirt detectors) are a plus.

Make sure to check your robot's brushes regularly for tangled debris as well as hair. Wash them when necessary. Some models also self-empty their onboard dust bin into a larger bin in the base, which reduces the amount of fine dust that is released into the air.

1. Roomba Q5 pro

The Q5 Pro, and its more expensive sibling, the Q7 Max Series are among the most powerful robotic vacuums we have tested. They are equipped with top-of-the-line motors which can pull up to 5,500 Pascals of suction force. Like other iRobots with premium features (including the top model), they use intelligent mapping to design precise floorplans and avoid household obstacles like cords and furniture leg. They also feature carpet boost which boosts the robot's power when it detects a lot of dirt on the carpet in order to get it clean quickly.

The Q5 and Q7 Max Series both scored excellently in our tests of floors with no carpet and are especially adept at cleaning hair from dogs. They do have some flaws, however, that prevent them from being our first choice. For one, the Q5's navigation system does not feature AI-powered obstacle avoidance technology which means it's susceptible to get caught up in socks and shoes and couldn't navigate tight spaces very efficiently in our tests. It doesn't also have a camera to see around corners.

However, it's a good choice, especially if you want to save money on a Roomba from iRobot and have a mostly unfinished home or office. It's also very quiet and operates while you're at work or school. It's not equipped with the edge-to-edge floor vacuuming feature that's offered in the more expensive iRobot Roomba X30. It's also less effective in mopping. It is dependent on disposable wet wipes that don't adhere well and isn't able to handle dried-on debris. The Q5 has a self-emptying dock, though. If you're required to mop, the mopping pad can be changed for one that is wet in just a few seconds.

2. IRobot Roomba X30

The iRobot Roomba X30 packs impressive mopping and vacuuming into an elegant, compact package. Its nimble navigation and intelligent cleaning maps make it quick to clean and efficient in taking on larger particles, such as 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 but it's not as good as other hoovers in terms of deep cleaning.

This top-performing mop and vacuum combination uses advanced sensor technology to avoid obstacles and pet waste, and it also learns your home's layout over time to provide more efficient cleaning. The app allows you to modify zones and alter the cleaning schedule. Its battery life is average in comparison to similar models.

When the X30 Ultra is in a carpeted area, you can tell it to pull back and extend its mops. This can help avoid cross contamination. Its flex arm is perfect for getting under furniture that is low and along baseboards. It's not as efficient on the washboard as our other Editors' Choice Picks, the Ecovacs Ozmo N8Pro+ and the iRobot Combo j9+.

During testing, X30 Ultra was the fastest robot vacuum/mop to complete the task of cleaning a whole home, with 66 per cent of its battery remaining. It also did a great job cleaning a range of floors and rooms with different flooring types, including some area rugs. Its obstacle detection was great, and it avoided fake dog turds and 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 fills up its base, and it supports voice commands via Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It even cleans the floor after it vacuums it, something hasn't been seen in other robot vacuum mop cleaner robot/mop combinations.

3. iRobot Roomba X40

This mop and vacuum combination has a sleek, circular design that appears more like the regular Roomba model than the bulky models from the competition. It's among our most appealing looking robot vacuums. The latest flagship model from iRobot is also the most intelligent. It comes with advanced features, like Enhanced Dirt Detection and future compatibility (another company’s robot that can wash mop pads on its own).

It's also the sole robot cleaner vacuum or mop that scored an absolute 10 out of 10 in our evaluations. This is thanks to a combination high-tech sensors including a structured light system, 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 boasts the industry's highest suction of 12,000Pa and self-cleaning mop pads.

As with other iRobot models, the X40 is user-friendly, offering an easy mobile app interface and integration with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Assistant. The only drawback is that the X40 still a loud unit. This could be a problem in the mornings prior to 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 Roborock S8 Omni, which are equally impressive and attractive. If you're willing to live with a little more noise and a little more cost this is a powerful two-in-one that will please almost everyone.

4. iRobot Roomba L20 Ultra

The L20 Ultra is the top-of-the high-end robot mop and vacuum. It has a range of features that are advanced and will help you forget your chores. The L20 Ultra is a hands-free cleaning device that is similar to Ecovacs 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 vacuum and refills the water tank, and washes and drys mop pads.

The smart robot employs the combination of LIDAR and structured light to draw out the floor plan and detect obstacles, and navigates more effectively than some of its premium competitors. It also comes with a front-mounted camera for real-time detection of hazards, although this wasn't quite 100% foolproof during our tests and was often confused by power cords or other obstructions.

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

For larger houses it's recommended to choose a model that has zone or spot cleaning modes that let you tell the robot to clean a specific area of your home by using the app or voice controls. If you have a lot of furniture, a stair mode is also useful. Also a recharge and resume feature that allows your robot vacuum to continue where it left off is great for busy families.

iRobot RX3

The RX3 is more sophisticated than its price suggests. It is a great job cleaning, removing 55% of the debris we found in our tests (it was second only to the Roomba Q5 Pro). It also mopses with one pad, which uses a reciprocating motion, which is cleaner than the other robot mop cleaners we've tried. It's also self-sufficient, with a full-featured app and a self-emptying, washable base.

The iRobot application is designed to help you navigate an exercise in mapping which collects information about your floorplan, as well as any "no go" areas that you've marked on the map. You can use it to make cleaning schedules, arrange the perfect spot for cleaning or prioritise your dirtiest rooms for better performance. The app also grants access to a host of features like seasonal suggestions, custom maps and advanced settings for your cleaning.

Its shape is more rectangular than other robot vacuums, meaning it can reach corners and underneath furniture better. It is equipped with a powerful 8,000 Pascal suction and intelligent combs to remove pet hair. You can also set up a spot-clean that will thoroughly clean a specific area.

The Miele Scout RX3 Home Vision HD is a more sleek more affordable alternative to iRobot Roomba. It's more appealing, Dolce & Gabbana-esque design and its twin cameras look like cute eyes. It is great at vacuuming, but it is more likely to get caught on low thresholds. It is also louder than other top robot vacuums that we've examined. It also has a less intuitive app and a tiny base station that can't be used as a bin for emptying.