Watch Out: How Robot Hoover Is Taking Over And What Can We Do About It

The Best Robot Hoover

The best robot hoover can clean and mop without requiring your attention. It will leave your floors clean. Its low cost and top-of-the-line features (such as dirt detection) are pluses.

Make sure you regularly check your robot's brushes for hair that is tangled as well as large debris and wash them if needed. Some models will also empty the dust bin on board and then deposit it in a larger bin at the base. This reduces the amount fine dust 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 cleaner vacuums we've examined. They are equipped with top-of-the-line motors which can produce up to 5,500 Pascals of suction force. Like other premium iRobots (including the top model) they employ smart mapping to create detailed floorplans that avoid obstacles like furniture leg. They also have a feature called carpet boost which boosts the robot's power when it spots the presence of dirt on the carpet, allowing it cleaned up quickly.

Both the Q5 as well as the Q7 Max Series get very excellent scores in our floor tests that test for bare floors, and they're particularly adept at cleaning pet hair. However, they have some flaws that prevent them from being our top pick. For one, the Q5's navigation system doesn't feature AI-powered obstacle avoidance technology, so it's prone to become entangled in shoes and socks and can't navigate tightly packed rooms very efficiently in our tests. It also doesn't come with a camera to look around corners.

It's still a good deal, especially if your home or office has a lot of unfinished floors and you want to save money. It's also extremely quiet and works while you're at work or school. The only thing it's missing that you can't find in the pricier iRobot Roomba X30 is edge-to-edge vacuuming on bare floors. And it's less effective at mopping, relying on disposable wet wipes, which don't stick on for long and don't handle dried-on debris. The Q5 comes with a self-emptying cradle, however. If you need to clean the mopping pad, it can be changed for an awe-inspiring one in a matter of minutes.

2. IRobot Roomba

The iRobot Roomba X30 packs impressive mopping and vacuuming into an elegant, compact package. Its nimble navigation and intelligent cleaning maps make it easy to clean and efficient in tackling larger particles like pet hair. It also features self-emptying dustbins, powerful suction, and support for virtual boundaries. It's the best robot hoover for carpets, although it lags behind some competitors in deep cleaning.

This top-performing mop and vacuum combo utilizes advanced sensors to avoid obstacles and pet waste, and it also learns your home's layout over time for more efficient cleaning. You can alter the schedule of cleaning and even customize zones through the well-designed app. Its battery life is average when compared to other models.

It is possible to instruct the X30 Ultra to remove its mops and to extend them when in a carpeted room, which helps prevent cross-contamination. The flex arm is great for getting under low-lying furniture and along baseboards. However, it's not equipped with the same washboard performance as our other Editors' Choice picks, the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo N8 Pro+ and the iRobot Combo j9+.

During tests, X30 Ultra was the most efficient robot vacuum/mop which could complete the task of cleaning a whole home, with 66 per cent of its battery remaining. It also did an excellent job of cleaning a mix of floors and rooms with different flooring types, including certain area carpets. Its obstacle detection was great and it stayed clear of fake dog turds and socks, shoes and bundles cables.

It's more expensive than the iRobot Combo v9+ and iRobot Roomba j9+, however, it comes with superior suction, a dustbin on board that automatically emptys into its base, and 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 before on other robotic vacuum/mop combos.

3. iRobot Roomba X40

This robot vacuum and mop combination has a sleek, circular look that looks more like the regular Roomba unit than the boxy models of the competition. It is one of our most appealing looking robot vacuums. The latest flagship model from iRobot is also among its most advanced. It comes with advanced features, like Enhanced Dirt Detection and future compatibility (another company's robot that is able to wash mop pads in a self-cleaning manner).

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

The X40, like other iRobot products, is easy to use. It has an easy mobile app interface that is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit. The only downside is that the X40 still a loud unit. This could be a problem in the mornings before work or in the evening when you are trying to sleep.

It's also a bit expensive but not as much as the Ecovacs S8 MaxV Ultra or the Roborock S8 Omni, which are equally impressive and attractive. If you're willing to put up with a bit more noise and some extra 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 cleaners reviews vacuum and mop. It has a number of advanced features that make you forget about your chores. The L20 Ultra is a hands-free cleaner, similar to Ecovacs' top-of-the-range X2 Omni or Roborock's S8 Pro Ultra. It has a multifunction dock which automatically empty the vacuum's bin and refills the water tank, and washes and dries mop pads.

The smart robot uses the combination of LIDAR and structured light to create the floor plan and detect obstacles, navigating more intelligently than its more expensive competitors. It also has a front mounted camera for real-time detection of hazards, though this wasn't completely foolproof in our tests, and could be confused with power cords or obstructions.

The vacuum cleaner has a maximum suction of 7,000 Pascals which is more than sufficient to complete the task. It also features "Intelligent Dirt Detection", which regulates the intensity at which the vacuum works and alters the frequency of cleaning for different areas of your home in accordance with the degree of dirt they tend to be.

If you have a bigger home, it is worth choosing a model that has zones or spot cleaning modes. This lets you inform the robot of which area of your home must be cleaned by using the app or voice command. A stairway mode is useful if you have a lot furniture. For busy families, a recharge function and resume feature that permits your robot vacuum cleaner vacuum to continue from where it left off can be very beneficial.

iRobot RX3

The RX3 is a cleaner with more intelligence than you would think from its price. It is a great job cleaning, removing 55% of debris in our tests (it was second only to the Roomba Q5 Pro). It also mops with only one pad and a reciprocating movement that cleans better that most mop cleaners for robots that we've tested. It's self-sufficient too, with a fully-featured app as well as an auto-emptying washable base.

The well-designed iRobot app guides you through an initial mapping exercise that collects information about your floorplan as well as any "no-go" areas you mark on the map. You can use it to make cleaning schedules, plan a spot clean or to prioritise your dirtiest rooms for better performance. The app also grants access to a variety of options, including seasonal suggestions, custom maps, and advanced settings for your cleaning.

Its shape is more rectangular than most other robot vacuums, which means it can reach corners and underneath furniture better. It has a powerful 8000 Pascal suction as well as clever combs for removing pet hair. You can also create a spot-cleaner that will thoroughly clean an area.

The Miele Scout RX3 Home Vision HD offers a sleeker and less expensive alternative to iRobot Roomba. It has a more attractive style, much like Dolce & Gabbana. The twin cameras are designed to resemble adorable eyes. It is excellent at vacuuming, but it's more likely to be caught on low thresholds. It is also noisier than other top robot vacuums that we have test. It also has a less user-friendly app and a tiny base station that isn't able to double as a bin for emptying.