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

This top-quality bot from Eufy is the most expensive robot vacuum hands-free model we've tested to date. It vacuums, mop, self-empties, and washes and dry mop pads without your intervention.

It's not equipped with the latest cleaning techniques and a larger docking station but delivers a impressive performance at a fraction of the cost of high-end robotic vacuums. It's compact and is able to reach under furniture.

Vacuuming

Vacuuming with a robot hoover (More methods) is a simple, quick method to keep your floors looking and feeling clean. A majority of the robots featured in our top picks are designed to work without your intervention You can set them to run when you're out or start a cleaning session from your phone. You'll want to select one that has excellent navigation and object detection to avoid it getting stuck in furniture or on the staircase.

Some models are better at removing pet hairs from rugs than others, which is why it's important to select the right model that will effectively and efficiently clean all flooring types. Look for a robot with a large dust bin that will hold plenty of dirt between emptying, and a nozzle which does not lose suction as it turns.

The majority of robots require little or no maintenance, other than cleaning the tangled fur off the rotating brush after every cleaning session (and wiping its camera or sensors when required) and periodically emptying the bin, or using the robot's self-emptying base. If you follow these easy maintenance steps, your robot vac should last just as long as a full-size vacuum cleaner and keep your home clean for longer.

Robotic mops aren't as versatile than vacuums but some can also remove puddles and spills. The iLife V3s Pro is an example of such a device, which is a solid choice for people with wood floors or a mix of carpets and rugs. It is quiet and has excellent navigation capabilities, which helped it overcome obstacles during tests. The charging dock also doubles as trash bin.

Choose a robot auto vacuum cleaner cleaner that can also mop simultaneously. That's exactly what the Karcher RCV 5 does, and it also offers additional useful features, such as live cameras that stream a grainy image to your app so that you can monitor your children or pets as well as an easily programmable remote vacuum control. Its navigation isn't as solid as the other models in our collection however it is able to lift its own thresholds to a certain level and comes with a large 500ml trash bin that doesn't have to be cleaned frequently.

Mopping

Robots that mop and vacuum are relatively new to the market. These machines are more expensive and require an additional tank of water, unlike standalone robots. However, they might be worth the extra cost for those who have staining that is difficult to clean or pets.

Some of the best robots that mop and vacuum also be very effective cleaning floors with no carpets. Many brands offer robots that can do both jobs extremely efficiently. The Combo j9+, for example, is among the best automatic floor cleaner mopping robots we've tested and uses an impressively large dock that can accommodate up to 60 days worth of debris. That's a big improvement on the Qrevo Pro, which ran out of water after mopping only 30 days worth of dirt in our tests.

The Tapo RV30 plus from networking giant TP Link is a excellent two-in-one. It's small quiet and has a neat, fuss-free look. In our test rooms, it was able to clean the floors thoroughly and precisely and efficiently. It was particularly effective on rugs but it took multiple runs to fully remove soiled areas from wood. Its LIDAR navigation is effective, too. It is able to avoid hitting furniture and running over power cables.

It's a little slow on the stairs however, that's to be expected from a compact robot that's designed to overcome obstacles. The only drawback is that the mopping pads are difficult to attach and didn't stay put during our tests, and it lacks the ability to handle dried-on dirt and makes it more like a vacuum deals cleaner rather than a full-fledged mop.

Despite these issues, it's still a solid choice for those who want an easy-to-clean experience that can take care of bare and low-pile carpets with equal competence. It has a decent amount of suction that helped it remove fine dust from carpets and pet hair. Automatic carpet recognition is a wonderful feature because it boosts the suction power to tackle dirt that has been embedded. It is simple to use and the charging dock automatically empty the dustbin when it is full. This is a fantastic feature for those who live in apartments.

Cleaning Apps

The majority of robot vacuums, mop and sweepers have an application that lets you modify cleaning routines. You can also select rooms to be cleaned, plan cleaning sessions and adjust settings such as suction levels, water levels and scrubbing strength. Certain robots also provide intelligent dirt detection, which makes use of the data from previous cleaning sessions and maps information to prioritize areas of dirt and optimize cleaning mode.

The app allows you to set up virtual barriers and no-go zones to protect your robot from dangerous items such as cords and pet water bowls and sharp objects. Certain models have laser navigation sensors that allow you to create virtual barriers while others have small physical barriers and boundary strips that can be placed wherever you wish to restrict your floor area.

The top robot vacuums and mops are intelligent enough to recognize obstacles and navigate around them however there are some hazards to watch out for. For example, a robot's main brush can get stuck in long curtains or cords and stop the machine from moving. You can prevent this by clearing the area of all cords and tying up any long curtains before running your robot.

Some robots automatically update the software that controls their navigation and obstacle avoidance algorithms, 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 your robot's app for firmware updates.

If you live in a big home, select one that comes with different cleaning modes. The iRobot Roomba 11S Max, for example, can mop and vacuum carpeted and hard flooring rooms that have different suction levels. It can also automatically change to the highest power setting on carpets and increase its scrubbing capabilities with SmartScrub.

If you're looking to remain hands-free, a robot that has an assistant that can be activated by voice is an excellent choice. The iRobot Roomba 980 can be operated by Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant. It has a small self-emptying docking system and a powerful cleaning motor that leaves your floors sparkling.