Vacuuming With a Robot Hoover is the Best Hands-Off Model We've Tested
This premium Eufy bot is the most hands off model we have tested so far. It vacuums, mop, self-empties, and washes and drys mop pads all without your involvement.
It isn't equipped with advanced cleaning modes and a larger docking station, but provides impressive performance at a fraction of the cost of high-end robotic vacuums. Check This Out has an incredibly compact design that can reach under furniture.
Vacuuming
Vacuuming using a robot hoover is a simple, quick way to keep your floors looking and feeling clean. A lot of the models we've selected are designed to run without your involvement, so you can set them up to clean your floors while you're away or trigger a session from your smartphone. However, you'll want to look for a model with excellent navigation and obstacle detection to ensure that it will not be stuck on the stairs or underneath furniture.
Certain models are better at picking up pet hair from rugs than others, so it's important to select a robot that can effectively and efficiently clean all types of flooring. Look for a model with dust bins that can hold plenty of dirt between emptyings and an nozzle that doesn't lose suction as it rotates to get rid of debris.
The majority of robots require little or any maintenance, other than removing tangled hair from the rotating brush (and wiping its sensors or cameras, as required) after each cleaning session and regularly emptying the dust bin or an auto-emptying base, if the robot has one. If you follow these simple upkeep steps, your robot vacuum should last the same amount of time as a traditional vacuum cleaner and keep your home clean for longer.
While robot mops are generally less versatile than their vacuuming counterparts, some have the added capability of absorbing spills and puddles while they're working. The iLife V3s Pro, a great example of machine, is a fantastic option for those who have carpets, rugs, or wood flooring. It's quiet and has excellent navigation capabilities that have helped it overcome obstacles during testing, and the charging dock doubles as a trash can.
To get the best results, select a robot that can handle both vacuuming and mopping simultaneously. Karcher's RCV 5 can do that, and has other features that are beneficial including live cameras that transmits a blurry picture to your app, so that you can keep an eye on your pet or children, as well as a remote control that is easily programmable. Its navigation may not be as efficient as some of the other models in this collection however, its 500ml dustbin is spacious and doesn't need frequent emptying.
Mopping
Robots that vacuum and mop are relatively new to the market. These robots are more expensive and require an additional tank of water than standalone robots. However, they might be worth the cost for those with hard-to-clean stains clean or pets.
The best robots can clean floors and carpets as well as vacuuming. Many brands are now offering all-in-one robots that do both jobs extremely well. The Combo j9+, for example, is one of the best mopping robots we've tested. It comes with an impressively large dock that can hold up to 60 days of debris. This is a significant improvement over the Qrevo Pro which ran out water after mopping only 30 days of dirt during our tests.
The Tapo RV30 plus from networking giant TP Link is a good two-in-one. It's quiet and compact and has a neat, easy-to-clean appearance. In our test rooms it cleaned the floors accurately and thoroughly. It was particularly effective in cleaning rugs, but it took several runs to clean some areas of stained wood. Its LIDAR navigation is effective as well. It is able to avoid hitting furniture and running over power cables.
It's a bit slow on the stairs, but that's to be expected from a small robot that's designed to overcome obstacles. The only drawback is its mopping pad attachment which was difficult to hold in the right position during our tests. It is also not capable of dealing with dried-on dust which makes it more of a vacuum than a robot mop.
It's still a great choice for those who prefer a hands-off experience and want to clean low-pile or bare carpets equally well. It has decent suction, which has helped to remove dust and pet hair from carpets. A good feature is its automatic carpet recognition which boosts the power of the vacuuming to take on dirt that is embedded. It's also simple to use and comes with a convenient charging dock that automatically empties the dust bin once it's filled, which is a real boon for flat dwellers.
Cleaning Apps
The majority of robot vacuums, mops, and sweepers have an application that lets you customize cleaning routines. You can also select rooms to be cleaned, plan cleaning sessions, and alter settings such as suction, the amount of water and scrubbing power. Some robots offer intelligent dirt detection, which uses map data and past cleaning data to prioritize dirty areas.
You can also use an app to create virtual barriers and no-go zones to keep your robot from dangersome objects, such as cords and pet water bowls. Certain models have laser navigation sensors that allow you to create virtual barriers, while others have small physical barriers and boundary strips can be placed wherever you'd like to limit your floor space.
There are still dangers to be aware of even though the best robot vacuums can recognize and navigate around obstacles. For instance, the main brush can get stuck on long cords or curtains and stop the machine from running. You can prevent this from happening by clearing the area of any cords and tie up any curtains that are long before operating your robot.
Some robots automatically update the software that governs their navigation and obstacle avoidance techniques, which improves performance and reduces wear and tear on the robot's internal components. It is a good idea to check regularly the website of the manufacturer as well as the app of your robot for firmware updates.
If you own a large home, look for a model with multiple cleaning modes. The iRobot Roomba 11S Max, for instance, can mop and vacuum both hard floors and carpeted rooms that have different suction levels. It also has the ability to automatically switch to the highest power setting on carpets and boost its scrubbing power with SmartScrub.
If you're looking to remain completely hands-free, a robotic device with a voice-activated assistant is a fantastic option. The iRobot Roomba 980, for example, can be operated by a single command from Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant. It comes with a compact self-emptying docking station, as well as a powerful cleaning engine that leaves your floors sparkling.