10 Things That Your Competitors Teach You About Robot Hoover
The best robot hoover (a fantastic read)
The best robot hoover can mop and vacuum without needing your attention, and will leave your floors spotless. Its price is surprisingly low and features that are high-end (such as dirt detection) are a plus.
Be sure to regularly check your robot's brushes for hair tangled as well as large debris and clean them as required. Certain models also automatically empty the dust bin on board and then deposit it in an additional bin located at the base. This reduces the amount 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 vacuums we've examined. They feature motors that are top-of-the quality and can suction up to 5,500 Pascals. Like other premium iRobots (including the top model) they employ smart mapping to create detailed floorplans and avoid household obstacles such as cords and furniture leg. They also come with a feature called carpet boost that boosts the robot's performance when it detects an abundance of dirt on the carpet in order to get it cleaned quickly.
The Q5 and Q7 Max Series both scored excellently in our tests of floors with no carpet They are also adept in cleaning hair from dogs. They do have some flaws however, which hinder them from being our first choice. One of the Q5's shortcomings is its navigation system does not have AI-powered obstacles avoidance. It's therefore prone to become stuck on socks and shoes, and it couldn't navigate rooms with lots of people efficiently during our tests. It also doesn't have a camera to see around corners.
However, it's a good choice for those who want to save money on an Roomba from iRobot and have a mostly bare-floor home or office. It's also very quiet and can be used when you're at work or at school. It doesn't have the edge-to-edge floor vacuuming available in the more expensive iRobot Roomba X30. It's also less effective in mopping, as it relies on disposable wet wipes that don't hold on very well and can't handle dried-on debris. The Q5 has a self-emptying cradle that can be emptied by itself. If you're required to mop, the mopping pad can be swapped for an awe-inspiring one in a matter of minutes.
2. IRobot Roomba
The iRobot Roomba X30 packs impressive mopping and vacuuming capabilities into an elegant, compact package. Its intelligent cleaning maps as well as nimble navigation make it easy to clean, and effective in tackling larger particles such as pet hair. It also comes with a powerful suction and an automatic bin for emptying. It's the most efficient robotic hoover for carpets, but it isn't as effective as some of its competitors in terms of deep cleaning.
This high-performance vacuum and mops utilizes sensors that help it keep away from obstacles and pet waste. It also learns the structure of your home over time to provide cleaner and more efficient cleaning. You can modify its cleaning schedule and customize zones with the well-designed app. Its battery life is average compared to similar models.
You can tell the X30 Ultra to remove its mops and extend them when in a room with carpet to prevent cross-contamination. Its flex arm can also be utilized to reach under furniture that is low and along baseboards. However, it doesn't have 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 quickest robot vacuum/mop that could clean an entire home and had 66 percent of its battery remaining. It also did a good job cleaning a variety of rooms and floors with different flooring types, including some area rug. Its obstacle detection was top notch, and it nimbly avoided fake dog socks, turds, shoes and cables.
It's more expensive than the iRobot Combo v9+ and iRobot Roomba j9+, however, it comes with superior suction, a built-in dust bin that automatically emptys into its base, and supports voice commands using Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It is able to clean floors even after it has vacuumed. This is a feature that we haven't seen before on other robotic auto vacuum and mop/mop combos.
3. iRobot Roomba X40
With a sleek circular design that appears more like a regular Roomba than the competition's compact models this mop and robot vacuum is one of the most appealing looking in our tests. The latest model from iRobot is also its smartest. It features advanced features, like enhanced dirt detection and future compatibility (another company's robot that can wash mop pads in a self-cleaning manner).
It's also the only robotic vacuum or mop that scored a perfect 10 out of 10 in our testing. This is thanks to the combination of modern sensors, including a restructured light system, a camera, and a variety of lasers. The X40 Ultra was the only robot we tested that could fill and empty its basestation autonomously. It also boasted a suction of 12,000Pa and self-cleaning mops.
As with other iRobot models, the X40 is easy to use, offering an easy mobile app interface and integration with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Assistant. The only real drawback is that it's loud, which can be problematic if you run it in the morning prior to work or at night as you try to fall asleep.
It's also a bit expensive, though it's not as pricey as Ecovacs X2 Omni or the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, both of which are similarly capable and more attractive. If you're willing to put up some more volume and some additional cost this is a efficient two-in-one device that should please almost everyone.
4. iRobot Roomba L20 Ultra
The L20 Ultra is a top-of-the-range robot vacuum and mop with a lot of advanced features that will let you get rid of your chores. Similar to Ecovacs' range-topping X2 Omni and Roborock's S8 Pro Ultra, the L20 is designed to be a hands-free cleaning machine that takes the care of vacuuming and mopping, with a multifunction dock that automatically empties the vacuum's dustbin, refills its water tank, washes and dry the mop pads.
The smart robot uses an array of LIDAR and structured light to map out the floor plan and detect obstacles, navigating more intelligently than its more expensive rivals. It also comes with a front-mounted camera for real-time hazard detection, although this wasn't quite foolproof in our testing and was often confused by power cords or other obstructions.
Its vacuum mop cleaner robot cleaner has a maximum suction of 7,000 Pascals which is more than enough to complete the task. It also has "Intelligent Dirt Detection", which regulates the intensity at which the vacuum works and also alters the frequency of cleaning for different areas of the home according to the amount of dirt they are.
If you have a bigger home, it is worth selecting a model with a spot or zone cleaning mode. This lets you instruct the robot on which part of your house needs to be cleaned by using the app or voice control. A stair mode can be useful if you own a number of furniture. Also, a recharge and resume feature that allows your robot vacuum to pick up right where it left off is ideal for busy families.
iRobot RX3
The RX3 is more intelligent than its price suggests. It's a pro at cleaning, removing 55% of the debris we found in our tests (it was second only to the Roomba Q5 Pro). It also mopses using one pad and a reciprocating motion that cleans better that most mop cleaners for robots that we've examined. It's also highly self-sufficient, with a fully-featured app, and a self-emptying base that can be washed.
The iRobot app is designed to guide you through the mapping process, which gathers information on your floorplan as well as any "no go" areas you've marked on the map. It can be used to design cleaning schedules, or to set up an automatic spot-clean. It can also be used to it to prioritize your dirtiest areas for greater efficiency. The app comes with a variety of features, such as seasonal suggestions, customized mapping, and advanced cleaning settings.
Its shape is more rectangular than other robot vacuums, meaning it can get to corners and underneath furniture better. It also has strong 8,000 Pascal suction and combs with intelligent technology for pet hair. You can also create a spot-cleaner that thoroughly cleans a specific area.
The Miele Scout RX3 Home Vision HD is a more sleek and more affordable alternative to the iRobot Roomba. It's got a more attractive, Dolce & Gabbana-esque design and its twin cameras appear like cute eyes. It does a good job vacuuming but is more prone to be caught by low thresholds and is noisier than the other top robotic vacuums we've tried. It also has a less intuitive app and a small base station that isn't able to double as a bin for emptying.