A Robot Vacuum Cleaner That Also Mops

A robot vacuum cleaner that can also mop the floor, this model from German manufacturer Karcher is an impressive first. Its innovative features, such as cliff-detection and AI mapping helped it to easily gobble up biscuit crumbs and pet hair, but dust proved more difficult.

The app that is compatible adds convenience, allowing you to set virtual walls that help avoid stairs and furniture, or schedule cleaning at certain times. However, its noise levels aren't too great.

Self-emptying

A self-emptying vacuum cleaner can help you save time and effort on cleaning. The docking station contains an enormous storage bin which can be removed once full and replaced. This means that you don't have to empty a small dustbin on the robot itself, and it can reduce health and hygiene concerns when in contact with dust and hair from pets. It also stops a full bin causing a loss of suction and possibly spitting debris back into the living space.

It's worth looking into an automated vacuum that can be automatically empty when you have a family member who suffer from allergies and hay fever. This will prevent dirt from getting back into your home. It's also a great option for those with a busy lifestyle who wish to cut down on the amount of time they spend cleaning their home.

The majority of robot vacuums are operated via mobile apps and voice commands, allowing you to turn them on, off or return them to the dock. Some robot vacuums can tell you if they're tangled with furniture pieces or if their battery is not fully charged.

The higher-end models use cameras and laser sensors to scan the surroundings and figure out the best route before taking on every room. This will prevent them from being tripped by furniture or stranded on cables that are stray.

Most modern robot cleaners are able to create detailed maps of your house that can be accessed via the app. You can save multiple maps, and you may be able to add 'exclusion zones,' which the robot cleaner will not cross. Advanced cleaners with mopping capabilities will also allow you to zone areas for cleaning and add specific pieces of furniture to the map to ensure that they get cleaned.

Smart apps

Many robot vacuums are compatible with smart home technology, so you can make use of an app to manage them. They may also be able to work with smart assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant and you can tell them to clean. This is helpful for those who want to avoid having to repeatedly press the vacuum button, or are worried about your children or pets accidentally turning it off.

The bins in the majority of compact robot vacuums aren't big enough and you'll need to empty them regularly. Some of the top models come with auto-empty features. This means they can take themselves back to their docking station and have their bin onboard emptied automatically. This is an excellent option for those suffering from allergies or hay fever, as it reduces the amount of dust that you come into contact with.

Another feature of some robot vacuums is their ability to sweep your floors. They're more expensive, however they can be extremely beneficial for those who don't want to clean up mess. Some robots that have mopping capabilities include a separate water tank, while others can combine the two functions to create one. This means that they can serve double duty and avoid the hassle of swapping over attachments.

A high-quality robotic vacuum cleaner makes use of a map of your home to guide it. It will create a virtual floorplan for your room by combining sensors including cameras, lasers, and other sensors before it starts to vacuum or mop. You can then look at the maps on your smartphone's app, and you can even add exclusion zones to make sure it doesn't go near certain areas or furniture pieces.

This feature isn't present on all robot vacs but it's a great option for those who have trouble with manual cleaning or aren't able to manage a full vacuum every day. It's especially useful for those with cluttered, high-up spaces since it can clean under tables and other hard-to-reach areas. The nozzle of the robot is able to reach close to walls and furniture without damaging them. Its intelligent directional system makes sure that the robot is able to reach difficult-to-reach places.

Obstacle avoidance

Object avoidance technology can help robots avoid household clutter and debris when they clean. It keeps them from slurping substances that could cause damage or jam internal parts, and it helps you avoid having to pull stuck objects from their suction or move them underneath furniture. Many of the newest models, like smart home appliances and robotic vacuums, have advanced obstacle avoidance technology that works in real-time.

When looking for the top robotic vacuums, select those with advanced technology for obstacle detection. These robots can work in a variety of lighting conditions and can recognize various objects. Top smart robots are equipped with multiple sensors to assist them in gaining an understanding of their surroundings. They can also avoid obstacles when the layout of a room changes. Examples of the latest technology to avoid obstacles include crossed IR sensor and 3D structured lighting and ToF sensors (time of flight).

her latest blog are focused beams of light that reflect off objects, which aids the robot to detect them. This type sensor is found in robot vacuums and other cleaning robots. It is particularly useful in dark rooms. Some more expensive robots also feature 3D structured light that emits a pattern of light pulses and uses the way they're distorted to detect objects in the vicinity. 3D structured light is often coupled with cameras and crossed IR sensors to create an even more comprehensive obstacle-avoiding system.


Cameras are a very popular technology for robot vacuuming and mopping bots. These sensors are monocular or bi-cular and are able to capture images and process them to detect obstacles. The top robotic vacuums that have camera sensors offer an improved obstacle-avoiding solution, and can be combined with other technologies to provide better results.

One of the most advanced obstacle avoidance systems is IRobot's Roomba j7+. The model comes with a built-in camera that can detect objects of different dimensions as well as pet waste. iRobot is so confident in its technology that it provides a warranty called "Pet Poop Promise". If the robot accidentally runs into pet waste, iRobot will replace the device for free.

Cleaning

The best robot vacuum s utilize lasers and sensors to map the area they are cleaning. This helps them avoid hitting furniture, stairs and other obstacles. They can also determine the need for a specific area to be cleaned a second time and return to their dock when their power is running low or their bins are full.

You can connect your robot vacuum to your smart assistant such as Alexa, Google Home or Siri and control it through the app on your phone. This is particularly useful when you are away from home, and need to schedule or start cleaning your home thoroughly. Some models let you manually trigger a cleaning using the app, should you want to deal with spills or staining.

You can get robot mops that can be as common as robot vacuums. They usually come in separate, customized robot mops or hybrid versions with an inbuilt mop attachment. Traditional robot mop plates clip on the back or underside of the vacuum, and are equipped with an insignificant water tank and mop pads. They're fine to polish just-vacuumed floors, but they won't clean a sticky stain like ketchup.

Robotic mop cleaners that are more sophisticated have tanks built in and are designed to mop while they move. They are more suitable for stubborn stains but may take longer to clean a whole room. Certain models also automatically return to their docks and refill their tanks once they're empty, which is beneficial if you suffer from allergies or hay fever.

The best option is the iRobot Scooba 450. It was the only robotic vacuum that made our Best Buy list and it performed well both on hard floors and carpets. It's a bit expensive, but it's excellent performance in our testing means you will save money both on cleaning and electricity. It's also self-emptying so you don't have to empty it manually each time.