Blog entry by Jai Bernhardt
The Best Robot Hoover
The best robot hoover can mop and vacuum without needing your attention, and it leaves your floors spotless. Its price is surprisingly low and high-end features (such as dirt detection) are a plus.
Check your robot's brushes regularly for tangled debris and hair. Clean them as needed. Certain models also automatically empty the onboard dustbin and deposit it in an additional bin located at the base. This reduces the amount fine dust 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 that we have test. They feature motors that are top-of-the line and can suction up to 5,500 Pascals. Similar to other iRobots that are premium (including the top model) they utilize intelligent mapping to design precise floorplans and avoid household obstacles like furniture leg. The robots also feature Carpet Boost, a feature that boosts its power when it detects dirt on the carpet.
Both the Q5 and Q7 Max Series get very good scores in our bare floor tests They're also particularly adept in cleaning pet hair. However, they have several flaws that prevent them from being our top choice. For one, the Q5's navigation system doesn't have AI-powered obstacle avoidance and is therefore prone to getting hung up on shoes and socks and can't navigate rooms with a lot of people well in our tests. It also doesn't have a camera that can see around corners.
It's still a great deal for those whose office or home has a lot of bare floors and you want to save money. It's also extremely quiet and operates while you're at work or in school. It lacks the edge-to-edge bare floor vacuuming that is available in the more expensive iRobot Roomba X30. And it's less effective at mopping, relying on disposable wet wipes that don't stay on for long and don't deal with dried-on debris. The Q5 is self-emptying cradle however. If you're required to mop, the mopping pad can be replaced with one that is wet in just a few seconds.
2. iRobot Roomba
The iRobot Roomba X30 packs impressive mopping and vacuuming capabilities into a compact, sleek package. Its nimble navigation and intelligent cleaning maps make it easy to clean and efficient at taking on larger particles, such as pet hair. It also comes with a powerful suction and an automatic hoover bin for emptying. It's the best robotic hoover for carpets, but it falls behind some competitors when it comes to deep cleaning.
This high-performance vacuum and mop uses sensor technology that can keep away from obstacles and pet waste. It also learns the structure of your home over time to offer better 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 comparable to other models.
When the X30 Ultra is in a carpeted area, you can tell it to pull back and extend its mops. This helps prevent cross contamination. The flex arm can be utilized to reach under furniture that is low and along baseboards. It doesn't offer the same level of washboard performance as our other Editors' Choice picks, the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo N8 Professional+ and the iRobot Combo j9+.
In the course of testing, X30 Ultra was the quickest robot automatic vacuum cleaner/mop that could clean an entire home with just 66 percent of its battery remaining. It did a good cleaning job on various rooms and floors with various flooring types, including some area rugs. Its obstacle detection was top notch and it was nimbly avoiding fake dog socks, turds, shoes, and bundles of cables.
It's a bit more expensive than iRobot Combo v9+ or iRobot Roomba j9+ but it has superior suction and an onboard bin that automatically empty into the base. It also supports voice commands via Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It can clean the floor even after it has vacuumed. This is something we haven't seen on other robotic vacuum/mop combos.
3. Roomba X40 from iRobot
With an elegant circular design that looks more like a regular Roomba rather than the boxes, this mop and robot vacuum that vacuums and mops vacuum is among the most attractive looking models in our reviews. The newest model from iRobot is among the most intelligent 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 that has 100% in our testing thanks to a blend of high-tech sensors that include cameras, a structured lighting system and multiple lasers. The X40 Ultra was the only robot we tested that could refill and empty its basestation in a self-contained manner. It also boasted a suction of 12,000Pa as well as self-cleaning mops.
As with other iRobot models like the X40 is user-friendly, offering a simple mobile app interface as well as integration with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant. The only downside is that the X40 still a loud unit. This can be a concern in the mornings before work or during the night when you are trying to sleep.
It's also a bit costly, but not as much as the Ecovacs MaxV Ultra or the Roborock S8 Omni, which are equally capable and better looking. It's a dual-purpose vacuum that's extremely powerful however, it will cost you more and create more noise.
4. iRobot Roomba L20 Ultra
The L20 Ultra is a top-of-the-range robot vacuum and mop with many advanced features to help you forget about your chores. Like Ecovacs range-topping X2 Omni and Roborock's S8 Pro Ultra, the L20 is designed to be a hands-free cleaning machine that can take charge of both mopping and vacuuming, with a multi-function dock that automatically empties the vacuum's dust bin, fills its water tank and cleans and dry its mop pads.
The smart robot uses LIDAR and structured lighting to create floor plans and detect obstacles. It navigates more intelligently than its competitors with premium features. It also has a camera mounted on the front to detect hazards in real-time however, it wasn't foolproof in our testing and was sometimes confused by power cords or other obstructions.
The vacuum cleaner has an maximum suction of 7,000 Pascals which is more than enough to accomplish the task. It also comes with an attribute called "Intelligent Dirt Detection", that regulates the vacuum's power and adjusts the frequency of cleaning for different areas in the home based on how dirty these areas tend to be.
If you have a bigger home, you should consider selecting a model with a the option of cleaning zones or spots. This allows you to instruct the robot on which part of your house needs to be cleaned by using the app or voice control. A stair mode can be useful if you own a lot furniture. Also a recharge and resume feature that allows your robot vacuum cleaners best vacuum to take over exactly where it left off is great for busy families.
iRobot RX3
The RX3 is a cleaner with more intelligence than you'd think from its price. It's a pro at vacuuming, picking up 55% of the debris we found in our tests (it was second only to the Roomba Q5 Pro). It also mops using only one pad and a reciprocating motion that is more efficient than most of the mop cleaners with robots that we've tested. And it's highly self-sufficient with a full-featured app and a self-emptying, washable base.
The iRobot application is designed to help you navigate the mapping process that collects data 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 set up a spot-clean. You can also use it to prioritize your dirtiest areas to improve performance. The app also gives access to many 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 more easily. It also has a powerful 8000 Pascal suction and intelligent combs for 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 sleeker, cheaper alternative to iRobot Roomba. It has a more attractive, Dolce & Gabbana-esque design and its twin cameras resemble cute eyes. It is capable of vacuuming, but is more prone to getting caught on low thresholds and is a bit more noisy than the other top robot vacuum cleaner best vacuums we've tried. It also has an app that is less intuitive, and a smaller base station that doesn't double as a bin for emptying.