The Best Robot Hoover

The best robot hoover can mop and vacuum without needing your attention, and will leave your floors clean. Its affordable price and high-end functions (such as dirt detector) are positives.

Make sure you regularly examine the brushes of your robot for tangled hair and large debris, and wash them when needed. Certain models also automatically empty the onboard dust bin and place it in a larger bin located at the base. This can reduce the amount of fine dust that gets 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 vacuum best vacuums we've examined. They feature motors that are top of the class and can handle up to 5,500 Pascals. Like other iRobots with premium features (including the most powerful model) they employ intelligent mapping to design precise floor plans and eliminate household obstacles like cords and furniture legs. The robots also feature Carpet Boost, a feature which boosts its power when it senses dirt on the carpet.

The Q5 and Q7 Max Series both scored excellently in our tests on floors that were bare, and they are particularly adept in removing dog hair. They do have some flaws however, which hinder them from being our first option. One of them is that the Q5's navigation system does not feature AI-powered obstacle avoidance technology and is therefore prone to getting hung up on socks and shoes and couldn't navigate rooms with a lot of people 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 good deal, especially if your home or office has a lot of bare floors and you're looking to save money. It's also very quiet and works when you're at work or at school. It lacks the edge-to-edge bare floor vacuuming feature that's offered in the more expensive iRobot Roomba X30. It's also less effective in mopping. It relies on disposable wet wipes, which don't stick well and aren't able to deal with dried-on debris. The Q5 is self-emptying cradle that can be emptied by itself. And, if you have to, you can switch the mopping pad for dry ones in a matter of just a few seconds.

2. IRobot Roomba X30

The iRobot Roomba X30 is a compact, sleek vacuum cleaner that also has the ability to sweep floors. Its quick navigation and smart cleaning maps make it easy to clean and efficient in taking on larger particles, such as pet hair. It also comes with strong suction and a self-emptying bin. It's the best robotic hoover for carpets but it falls behind some competitors in terms of deep cleaning.

This high-performance vacuum and mops utilizes sensors to keep away from obstacles and pet waste. It also learns the patterns of your home over time to offer better cleaning. You can change the schedule of cleaning and even customize zones using the app that is well-designed. Its battery life is average when compared to similar models.

You can tell the X30 Ultra to remove its mops and to extend them when it's in a carpeted room to prevent cross-contamination. Its flex arm can also be used to reach beneath low-lying furnishings and along baseboards. It's not as effective on the washboard as our other Editors' Choice Picks, the Ecovacs Ozmo N8Pro+ and the iRobot Combo j9+.

In the course of testing, X30 Ultra was the most efficient robot vacuum/mop which could clean an entire home with just 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 some area rugs. Its obstacle detection was top-notch, and it nimbly avoided fake dog socks, turds and cables.

It's a little more expensive than iRobot Combo v9+ or iRobot Roomba j9+ but it has superior suction and an onboard bin that automatically empties into the base. It also supports voice commands through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It is able to clean floors even after it has vacuumed. This is something we haven't seen in other robotic vacuum/mop combos.

3. IRobot Roomba X40

This mop and vacuum combination has a sleek, circular design that looks more like the regular Roomba model than the bulky units of the rivals. It's among our most attractive robot vacuums. The newest model from iRobot is among the most intelligent, with advanced features including Enhanced Dirt Detection Technology as well as future compatibility with Matter (another company's robot that can wash its own mop pads).

It's also the sole robot vacuum/mop that scored an absolute 10 out of 10 in our tests. This is thanks to a combination high-tech sensors including a structured light system, camera and multiple lasers. The X40 Ultra is also the only robot we tested that is fully self-refill and empty its base station and it boasts the industry's highest suction of 12,000Pa and self-cleaning mop pads.

As with other iRobot models as well, the X40 is user-friendly, offering an easy mobile app interface as well as integration with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant. The only drawback is that the X40 still a noisy unit. This could be a problem in the mornings before work or in the evening when you're trying to fall asleep.

It's also quite expensive, but it's not as expensive as the Ecovacs X2 Omni or Roborock's S8 MaxV Ultra Both of which are equally capable and look better. If you're willing to live some more volume and some additional cost this is a efficient two-in-one device that should delight most.

4. iRobot Roomba L20 Ultra

The L20 Ultra is the top-of-the high-end robot vacuum and mop. It has a range of advanced features that will make you forget about your chores. Similar to Ecovacs range-topping X2 Omni and Roborock's S8 Pro Ultra, the L20 is designed to be a hands-off cleaning machine that takes the care of mopping and vacuuming, with a multifunction dock that automatically empty the vacuum's trash bin, refills its water tank and cleans and dry its mop pads.

The smart robot uses a combination of LIDAR and structured light to create the floor plan and detect obstacles, and navigates more effectively than some of its premium competitors. It also comes with a front-mounted camera for real-time hazards detection, though this wasn't 100% reliable in our tests and was often confused with obstructions or power cords.

Its vacuum has a suction capacity of 7,000 Pascals which is more than enough to get the job done. It also comes with "Intelligent Dirt Detection", which regulates how hard the vacuum works and also adjusts the frequency of cleaning for different areas of your home according to the amount of dirt they tend to be.

For larger houses it's worth looking for one with spot or zone cleaning modes that let you tell the robot to clean one particular area of your house by using the app or via voice commands. If you have a lot of furniture, a stair-mode is also a good robot vacuum option. Finally the recharge and resume function that lets your robot vacuum with mop vacuum take over exactly where it left off is great for busy families.

iRobot RX3

The RX3 is a more efficient cleaner than you'd expect from its price tag. It vacuums well, picking up 55% debris in our tests. (It was only second to the Roomba Q5 Pro). It also mops using a single pad that uses a reciprocating motion that is cleaner than the other robot mop cleaners we've tested. It's also self-sufficient with a fully-featured app, and a self-emptying, washable base.

The well-designed iRobot app will guide you through a mapping session that collects data about your floorplan and any "no-go" areas you set on the map. It can be used to create cleaning schedules, plan the perfect spot for cleaning or prioritize your most filthy rooms to ensure better performance. The app also provides access to a variety of features, such as seasonal suggestions, custom maps, and advanced settings for your cleaning.

It can also reach corners and under furniture better because its shape is more rectangular. It is equipped with an impressive 8,000 Pascal suction, as well as sophisticated combs that remove pet hair. You can also set up a spot-clean that thoroughly cleans an 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 look like cute eyes. It is excellent at vacuuming, but it's more likely to be caught on low thresholds. It is also louder than other top robot vacuums that we have examined. It also comes with an app that's less intuitive and a small base station that does not double as a bin to empty.