Irving Semmens

The Best Robot Hoover

The best automatic vacuum robot hoover can vacuum and mop without needing your attention, and leaves your floors spotless. Its price is surprisingly low and features that are high-end (such as dirt detection) are a plus.

Be sure to regularly check your robot's brushes for tangled hair and large particles, and wash them when needed. Some models can also automatically empty their onboard dust bin 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 examined. They are equipped with motors that are top-of-the class and can handle up to 5,500 Pascals. And, like other premium iRobot models (including the top choice), they use smart mapping technology to design detailed floor plans and avoid common obstacles like cords and furniture legs. They also come with a feature called carpet boost that boosts the robot's performance when it detects the presence of dirt on the carpet, allowing it clean quickly.

Both the Q5 and the Q7 Max Series get very good scores in our tests on floors that are bare and are particularly effective at cleaning pet hair. However, they do have some flaws that prevent them from being our top choice. One of them is that the Q5's navigation system doesn't have AI-powered obstacle avoidance and is therefore prone to get caught up in shoes and socks, and is unable to navigate tight spaces very efficiently in our tests. It also doesn't have a camera that would let it see the corners of a room.

It's still a great option for those who want to save money on an iRobot Roomba and you have a mostly bare-floor home or office. It's also quiet and can be used while you're at work or in school. The only thing it lacks that you don't get in the pricier iRobot Roomba X30 is edge-to-edge vacuuming on floors that aren't clean. It's also less effective in mopping, as it relies on disposable wet wipes that don't stay on very well and can't handle dried-on debris. The Q5 has a self-emptying cradle that can be emptied by itself. And, if you have to change the mopping pad for dry ones in just a few seconds.

2. IRobot Roomba

The iRobot Roomba X30 packs impressive mopping and vacuuming into a compact, sleek package. Its quick navigation and smart cleaning maps make it simple to clean and efficient at dealing with larger particles such as pet hair. It also has an impressive suction system and an automatic vacuum cleaner and mop bin for emptying. It's the best robot hoover for carpets, although it isn't as efficient as some of its competitors in deep cleaning.

This high-performance vacuum and mop uses sensors to avoid obstacles and pet waste. It also learns the patterns of your home over time and ensure cleaner and more efficient cleaning. You can modify its cleaning schedule and customize zones with the well-designed app. It comes with a battery life that is similar to other models.

You can instruct the X30 Ultra to remove its mops and to extend them when it's in a carpeted room which prevents cross-contamination. The flex arm can be used to reach under low-lying furnishings and along baseboards. It doesn't perform as well on the washboard as our other Editors' Choice Picks, the Ecovacs Ozmo N8Pro+ and the iRobot Combo j9+.

During tests, X30 Ultra was the fastest robot vacuum/mop to clean an entire home and had 66 percent of its battery remaining. It also did an excellent job of cleaning a mix of rooms and floors with mixed flooring types, including certain area carpets. Its obstacle detection was excellent, and it avoided fake dog turds, socks, shoes and bundles of cables.

It's more expensive than iRobot Combo v9+ or iRobot Roomba j9+ but offers superior suction and an onboard bin that is automatically empty into the base. It also supports voice commands via Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It can also clean the floor even after it has vacuumed. This is a feature we haven't seen on other robotic vacuum/mop combos.

3. iRobot Roomba X40

The robot vacuum and mop combination is sleek and has a circular look that looks much like a Roomba model than the bulky models of the rivals. It is one of our most attractive looking robot vacuums. iRobot's latest flagship model also is among the most intelligent model, with features that are cutting-edge like Enhanced Dirt Detection Technology as well as 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 tests, thanks to a combination 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 autonomously. It also boasted an industry-leading suction of 12,000Pa and self-cleaning mop mops.

As with other iRobot models like the X40 is easy to use, offering an intuitive mobile app interface as well as integration with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant. The only real drawback is that it's a noisy unit which could be a problem if you run it in the morning prior to work or in the evening as you try to fall asleep.

It's also a bit expensive, but it's not as pricey as the Ecovacs Omni or Roborock's S8 MaxV Ultra Both of which are equally capable and better-looking. This is a two-in-one vacuum that's extremely powerful, but it's more expensive and make more noise.

iRobot L20 Ultra

The L20 Ultra is a top-of-the-range robot vacuum and mop with a variety of sophisticated features to help you forget about your chores. Similar to Ecovacs the range-topping X2 Omni and Roborock's S8 Pro Ultra, the L20 is designed to be a hands-off cleaning machine that can take care of both vacuuming and mopping, with a multi-function dock that automatically emptys the vacuum's dustbin, refills its water tank, washes and dry the 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 for real-time hazard detection but this was not 100% foolproof during our tests and was occasionally confused by power cords or other obstructions.

The autonomous Vacuum has a maximum suction of 7,000 Pascals which is more than enough to finish the job. It also comes with "Intelligent Dirt Detection", which regulates how hard the vacuum works and alters the frequency of cleaning for various areas of the house according to how dirty they are.

For larger houses it's worth looking for one that has zone or spot cleaning modes that allow you to instruct the robot to clean one particular area of your home by using the app or voice controls. A stairway mode is useful if you own a large furniture. Also the recharge and resume feature that lets your robot vacuum take over exactly where it left off is ideal for busy families.

iRobot RX3

The RX3 is a smarter cleaner than you would expect from its price tag. It's a pro at vacuuming, picking up 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 and a rotating motion which is cleaner than the majority mop cleaners for robots that we've tried. It's also highly self-sufficient, with a fully-featured app, and a self emptying base that can be washed.

The well-designed iRobot application guides you through a mapping run that gathers information about your floorplan and any "no-go" areas you set on the map. It can be used to make cleaning schedules, set up an area for cleaning or to prioritise your dirtiest rooms to ensure better performance. The app has a range of options, including seasonal suggestions, custom mapping, and advanced cleaning settings.

It is also able to reach corners and under furniture better because its shape is more rectangular. It is equipped with a powerful 8000 Pascal suction, as well as sophisticated combs that remove pet hair. You can also create a spot-clean that thoroughly cleans a particular area.

The Miele Scout RX3 Home Vision HD is a sleeker and cheaper alternative to the iRobot Roomba. It's more appealing, Dolce & Gabbana-esque design and its twin cameras appear like cute eyes. It does a great job vacuuming, however it is more likely to get stuck on low thresholds. It is also louder than other top robot vacuums that we've test. It also has an app that's not as intuitive and has a tiny base station that does not double as a bin to empty.