Vacuuming With a Robot Hoover is the Best Hands-Off Model We've Tested
This high-end bot from Eufy is the best hands-off model we've seen so far. It vacuums, mop, self-empties, and washes and dry mop pads without you having to do anything.
It isn't equipped with advanced cleaning modes and a bigger docking station but delivers a outstanding performance for less than half the cost of premium robot vacuums. It is compact in design and can be positioned to reach under furniture.
Vacuuming
Vacuuming with a robot is a quick, easy method to keep your floors clean and tidy. A lot of the models we've chosen are designed to operate without your involvement and you can set them up to clean while you're away or trigger a session from your smartphone. You'll need to select a robot with excellent navigation and object detection to avoid it getting stuck in furniture or on the staircase.
It is crucial to select a robot vacuum that can effectively and efficiently clean all kinds of flooring. Look for a robot with a large dustbin that will hold a lot of dirt in between emptyings, and a nozzle which doesn't lose suction when it rotates.
Most robots require minimal to no maintenance, other than cleaning the tangled fur off the rotating brush after each cleaning session (and wiping its camera or sensors when needed) and then periodically emptying the bin or using the robot's self-emptying base. If you follow these simple maintenance tips, your robot vacuum will last as long as larger vacuums and keep your home cleaner for longer.
Robotic mops aren't as versatile than vacuums, however some also clean up puddles and spills. The iLife V3s Pro is an example of such a machine, which is a great option for those who have wood floors or a combination of rugs and carpets. It's quiet and has excellent navigation capabilities that have helped it avoid obstacles during testing, and the charging dock doubles as a trash bin.
Pick a robot vacuum cleaner that can also mop simultaneously. This is what the Karcher RCV 5 can do and it comes with additional useful features, such as live cameras that stream an unreliable image to your smartphone so you can check on your pet or kids as well as a remote control that is easily programmed. The navigation isn't as robust as other models we've reviewed however it is able to lift itself over low thresholds and comes with a large 500ml dustbin that doesn't have to be cleaned frequently.
Mopping
Robots that vacuum and mop are relatively new to the market. They're more expensive than standalone robots and require a separate water tank, but the extra cost may be worth it for many people, especially those with difficult-to-clean stains, or lots of pets.
The best robots that vacuum and mop also do a great job cleaning floors with no carpets. Many brands offer robots that can do both jobs exceptionally effectively. The Combo J9+, for instance, 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. That's a big improvement on the Qrevo Pro, which ran out of water after mopping 30 days of dirt during our tests.
The Tapo RV30 Plus from networking giant TP Link is a fantastic two-in-one. It's quiet, compact and has a neat, easy-to-clean appearance. In our test rooms, it cleans the floors quickly and thoroughly. It was particularly good at cleaning rugs. However, it required several runs to clean some areas of stained wood. Its LIDAR navigation is very effective, too. It avoids bumping into furniture and running over power cables.
It's a bit slow on the stairs but that's to be expected from a compact robot that is designed to work around obstacles. The only issue is that its mopping pads are fiddly to attach and didn't remain in place during our tests, and it does not have the capability to handle dried-on dirt that makes it more of a vacuum cleaner than a full-fledged mop.
It's a great option for those who prefer a hands-off experience and want to clean low-pile or unfinished carpets equally. It offers a decent amount of 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 increases the strength of the vacuuming to tackle dirt that has been embedded. It is easy to use, and the charging dock automatically emptyes the dustbin when it is full. This is a fantastic feature for apartment dwellers.
Cleaning Apps
Almost every robot vacuum mop, sweeper, and vacuum comes with an app that lets you customize cleaning routines, choose rooms to clean, plan cleaning sessions, and alter settings such as suction, water level, and scrub power. Some robots provide intelligent dirt detection that utilizes map data and past cleaning data to prioritize dirty areas.
The app allows you to create virtual barriers and no-go zones to keep your robot away from dangerous items like cords or pet water bowls and sharp objects. Certain models let you create these virtual barriers with laser navigation sensors, and others feature small physical boundaries or barriers that you can place wherever you'd like to keep the floor space.
The best robot vacuums and mops are intelligent enough to detect obstacles and avoid them, but there are still some hazards to watch out for. The main brush of a robot could become stuck in long cords or curtains, and stop it in its tracks. You can prevent this by clearing the area of all cords and tying up any long curtains before running your robot.
Certain robots automatically update their software which controls the navigation and obstacle avoidance algorithm. robot vacuum cleaner best buy improves performance and decreases the wear and tear on the robot's internal parts. It is recommended to periodically check the website of the manufacturer as well as the app of your robot for updates to the firmware.
If you own a large house, consider models that have multiple cleaning modes. The iRobot Roomba 11S Max, for instance, can be used to mop and vacuum on carpeted floors as well as hard floor rooms that have different suction levels. It can also switch automatically to the highest power setting when cleaning carpets, and also boost the strength of its scrubbing by using SmartScrub.
A robot with an integrated voice assistant is a great choice when you want to keep your hands off. The iRobot Roomba 980 can be operated by Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant. It has a small self-emptying docking station, as well as a powerful cleaning engine that leaves your floors sparkling.