Vacuuming With a Robot Hoover is the Best Hands-Off Model We've Tested
This high-end bot from Eufy is the most hands-free model we've tested so far. It vacuums, mops, self-empties its bin and washes and dries mop pads without your intervention.
It's not equipped with the latest cleaning techniques and a bigger docking station, but provides stellar performance for less than half the price of top-end robot vacuums. auto vacuum has an incredibly compact design that can reach under furniture.
Vacuuming
A robot vacuum is an easy and quick way to keep your floors spotless. The majority of the robots we've included that we recommend are designed to work without your intervention You can set them to run when you're out or trigger a cleaning session from your smartphone. You'll want to select one that has excellent navigation and object detection in order to avoid getting stuck in furniture or on the stairs.
Certain models are better at picking up pet hair from carpets than others, which is why it's also important to choose a robot that can effectively and efficiently vacuum all types of flooring. Choose a model that has a an empty bin that is able to hold plenty of dirt between emptyings and an nozzle that doesn't lose suction as it rotates to remove debris.
The majority of robots require little or any maintenance, other than removing tangled fur from the rotating brush after each cleaning session (and wiping its camera or sensors as required) and then periodically emptying the bin or using a robot's self-emptying base. If you follow these simple maintenance steps, your robot vacuum should last as long as larger vacuums and keep your home cleaner for longer.
Robotic mops aren't as versatile than vacuums, however some also remove spills and puddles. The iLife V3s Pro is an example of such a machine, which is a solid choice for people with hardwood floors or a mix of carpets and rugs. It is quiet and has excellent navigation capabilities, which helped it avoid obstacles during testing. The charging dock also doubles as trash bin.
To get the best results, choose an appliance that can do mopping and vacuuming simultaneously. Karcher's RCV 5 can do this, and it also comes with other useful features, such as a live camera, which transmits a blurry picture to your app, so that you can monitor your kids or pet as well as remote controls that are easily programmed. Its navigation may not be as precise as the other models in this collection but its 500ml trash bin is large and doesn't require frequent emptying.
Mopping
Robots that vacuum and mop are relatively new to the market. These robots are more expensive and require a separate tank of water, unlike standalone robots. However, they could be worth the extra cost for those with stains that are difficult to clean or pets.
Some of the best robots that vacuum and mop can also do a great job cleaning floors with no carpets. Many manufacturers offer machines capable of doing both exceptionally efficiently. The Combo j9+, for instance, is among the top mopping robots we've tested and uses an impressively large dock that can hold up to 60 days of dirt. This is a significant improvement over the Qrevo Pro which ran out water after mopping only 30 days worth of dirt in our tests.
The Tapo RV30 Plus from networking giant TP Link is a great two-in-one. It is compact quiet and has a neat, fuss-free look. In our test rooms, it scrubbed the floors thoroughly and accurately - it was particularly good on rugs but it took several runs to thoroughly clean some areas of soiled wood. Its LIDAR navigation is very effective 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 work around obstacles. The only drawback is its mopping pad attachment, that was difficult to use to hold in the right position during our tests. It also has a problem handling dust that has dried which makes it more of a vacuum than a robot mop.
It's a great option for those who prefer a hands-free experience and want to clean low-pile or plain carpets equally. auto vacuum has a decent amount of suction, which helped it to pick up fine dust and pet hair from carpets. Automatic carpet recognition is a great feature, as it increases the power of vacuuming to tackle dirt that has been embedded. It is easy to use, and the charging dock automatically emptyes the dustbin when it is full. This is a great feature for apartment dwellers.
Cleaning apps
The majority of robot vacuums, mops, and sweepers have an application that allows you to modify cleaning routines. You can also select rooms to be cleaned, schedule cleaning sessions and change settings such as suction as well as the amount of water and scrubbing power. Some robots also offer intelligent dirt detection, which uses past cleaning data and map data to prioritize dirty areas and optimize cleaning mode.
A smartphone app can also allow you to create virtual barriers and no-go zones to protect your robot from potentially hazardous items like cords, pet water bowls, and sharp objects. Some models have laser navigation sensors that permit you to create virtual barriers while others feature small physical boundaries and barriers that can be put anywhere you want to block the floor area.
The best robot vacuums and mops are intelligent enough to recognize obstacles and avoid them, but there are still certain risks to be aware for. For instance, a robot's main brush could get stuck in long cords or curtains and stop the machine dead in its tracks. You can avoid this by clearing the area of any cords and tying up any curtains that are long before operating your robot.
Some robots automatically update their software which regulates the navigation and obstacle avoidance algorithm. This improves performance and decreases the wear and tear on the robot's internal components. It is a good idea to regularly check the website of the manufacturer as well as the app of your robot for updates to the firmware.
If you live in a big home, select one that comes with multiple cleaning modes. The iRobot Roomba 11S Max, for instance, can mop and vacuum on carpeted and hard flooring rooms that have different suction levels. It also has the ability to automatically switch the power setting to the highest level when cleaning carpets and increase its scrubbing power by using SmartScrub.
If you want to be hands-free, a robot that has a voice-activated assistant is a great option. The iRobot Roomba 980 can be controlled by Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant. It has a small, self-emptying docking station and powerful cleaning motor that makes your floors sparkling.