Vacuuming With a Robot Hoover is the Best Hands-Off Model We've Tested

This top-of-the-line bot from Eufy is the most hands-free model we've tested so far. It vacuums, mops, and self-empties its bin and washes and dry mop pads with no intervention from you.

It's not equipped with the latest cleaning techniques and a bigger docking station, but it delivers outstanding performance for less than half the cost of high-end robotic vacuums. It has a compact design and is able to reach under furniture.

Vacuuming

A robot vacuum is a convenient and quick method of keeping your floors tidy. robotic vacuum cleaner of the robots we've chosen are designed to run on their own without any involvement from you and you can set them up to sweep while you're away, or even trigger an appointment from your phone. You'll need to choose one that has excellent navigation and object detection to avoid getting stuck under furniture or down the staircase.


It is essential to choose a robot vacuum that can effectively and efficiently clean all kinds of flooring. Find a model with a an empty bin that can hold plenty of dirt between emptyings and a nozzle that does not lose suction as it rotates to get rid of debris.

The majority of robots require little or any maintenance, other than removing tangled fur from the rotating brush after every cleaning session (and wiping its sensors or camera as required) and regularly emptying the bin, or using a robot's self-emptying base. If you follow these easy maintenance steps, your robot vacuum will last as long as a regular vacuum, and will help keep your home looking cleaner for longer.

Robot mops are less versatile than vacuums, but they can also pick up spills and puddles. The iLife V3s Pro is an example of such a machine, which is a good choice for people who have wood floors or a combination of carpets and rugs. It's quiet and has solid navigation capabilities that helped it overcome obstacles during testing, and the charging dock doubles as a trash can.

To get the best results, choose the robot that is capable of mopping and vacuuming simultaneously. That's what the Karcher RCV 5 does and it comes with other handy features like live cameras that stream an unreliable image to your smartphone so you can check on your pets or children as well as a remote control that is easily programmed. The navigation isn't as robust as the other models in our selection however, it can elevate itself over low thresholds and comes with a large 500ml trash bin that doesn't have to be cleaned frequently.

Mopping

Robots that vacuum and mop are relatively new to the market. These machines are more expensive and require a separate tank of water compared to standalone robots. However, they may be worth the cost for those with hard-to-clean stains clean or pets.

Some of the best robots that vacuum and mop also be very effective in cleaning floors that are not clean and carpets. There are many brands that offer robots capable of doing both exceptionally efficiently. The Combo J9+, as an example, is one of the top mopping machines we've tested and uses an impressively large dock that can hold up to 60 days of dirt. This is a huge improvement over the Qrevo Pro, which ran out of water after mopping only 30 days worth 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 is clean and easy to maintain an appearance. In our test rooms it cleaned the floors efficiently and thoroughly - it was particularly good at cleaning rugs. However, it required several runs to clean certain areas of soiled wooden. Its LIDAR navigation works well as well. It avoids bumping into furniture or running over power cables.

It's a little slow on the stairs, but that's to be expected from a compact robot that's designed to overcome obstacles. The only issue is that its mopping pads are difficult to attach and didn't remain in place during our tests, and it isn't equipped to handle dried-on dirt and makes it more of a vacuum cleaner than a full-fledged mop.

Despite these shortcomings It's still a good option for those looking for an effortless cleaning experience. It can handle carpets with equal ease. It has decent suction, which allowed it to pick up fine dust and pet hair from carpets. Automatic recognition of carpets is a great feature, since it boosts the vacuuming power to tackle dirt that has been embedded. It's also simple to use and comes with a convenient charging dock that automatically empty the dust bin when it's full. This is a real boon for those who live in flats.

Cleaning apps

Most robot vacuums, mops and sweepers have an application that lets you alter the cleaning routines. You can also choose rooms to be cleaned, schedule cleaning sessions and change settings such as suction, water levels and scrubbing strength. Some robots also offer intelligent dirt detection, which utilizes the data from previous cleaning sessions and maps information to prioritize areas of dirt and optimize cleaning mode.

Having an app also allows you to create virtual barriers and no-go zones to shield your robot from potentially dangerous objects, such as cords or pet water bowls and sharp objects. Some models have laser navigation sensors that permit you to create virtual barriers while others feature small physical barriers and boundary strips can be placed wherever you'd like to limit your floor area.

There are still risks to be aware of, even though the most effective robot vacuums can recognize and maneuver around obstacles. For instance, the main brush could get stuck in long curtains or cords and stop the machine from moving. You can prevent this by clearing the area of any cords and tie up any curtains that are long before operating your robot.

Certain robots automatically update their software that controls the navigation and obstacle avoidance algorithm. This improves performance and decreases the wear and tear on the robot's internal parts. It is recommended to regularly check the manufacturer's website or your robot's app for firmware updates.

If you live in a big house, choose one that comes with several cleaning modes. The iRobot Roomba 11S Max, for instance, can be used to mop and vacuum carpeted floors as well as hard floor rooms that have different suction levels. It can also automatically switch the highest power setting when cleaning carpets, and also boost its scrubbing strength by using SmartScrub.

A robot that has a voice assistant is a fantastic option when you want to keep your hands-free. The iRobot Roomba 980, for instance, can be controlled with a simple command from Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant. It has a compact self-emptying docking station, as well as a powerful cleaning engine that leaves your floors sparkling.