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

This top-quality bot from Eufy is the most hands-free model we've tested so far. It vacuums, mops, self-empties, and washes and drys mop pads all without your involvement.

It doesn't feature advanced cleaning options or a bigger docking system, but it provides stellar performance at less than half the price of the top robotic vacuums. It is compact in design and can be positioned to reach under furniture.

Vacuuming

Vacuuming with a robot hoover 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 operate without your intervention You can set them to run when you're away or initiate cleaning sessions from your smartphone. You'll want to select an excellent robot that can navigate and object detection in order to avoid getting stuck under furniture or down the staircase.

Certain models are better at picking up pet hairs from rugs than others, so it's important to select a robot that can effectively and efficiently clean all flooring types. Find a model with a dust bins that can hold plenty of dirt in between emptying and the nozzle doesn't lose suction as it rotates to get rid of debris.

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 needed) and periodically emptying the bin, or using the robot's self-emptying base. If you follow these simple maintenance tips, your robot vacuum will last as long as regular vacuums and help keep your home tidy for longer.

Robotic mops aren't as versatile than vacuums but some can also pick up spills and puddles. The iLife V3s Pro is an example of such a device, which is a great option for those who have wood floors or a mix of rugs and carpets. It's quiet and has solid navigation capabilities that have helped it avoid obstacles during testing, and the charging dock doubles as a trash can.

For the best results, pick an appliance that can do both vacuuming and mopping at the same time. That's what the Karcher RCV 5 can do, and it also offers other useful features such as live cameras that stream a grainy image to your app so you can check on your pets or children and also an easily-programmable remote control. Its navigation isn't as solid as other models in our selection, but it can lift it over low thresholds and has a generous 500ml dustbin that doesn't have to be emptied often.

Mopping

Robots that vacuum and mop are relatively new to the market. These robots are more expensive and require a separate tank of water compared to standalone robots. However, they could be worth the extra expense for those with hard-to-clean stains clean or pets.

Some of the top robots can clean floors and carpets as well as vacuuming. Several brands now offer all-in-one robots that do both tasks extremely well. The Combo j9+, for example, is one of the best mopping robots we've tested and uses an impressively large dock that can accommodate up to 60 days worth of dirt. This is a significant improvement over the Qrevo Pro, which ran out of water after mopping 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 quiet, compact and has a clean, fuss-free appearance. In our test rooms, it was able to clean the floors thoroughly and precisely - it did particularly well on rugs, but it required multiple runs to fully clean certain areas of soiled wood. Its LIDAR navigation system works very well too, avoiding bumping into furniture or tripping over power cords.

It's a bit sluggish on the stairs however that's to expected from a small robot that's designed to overcome obstacles. The only issue is that the mopping pads can be difficult to attach and didn't stay put during our tests, and it isn't equipped to deal with dried-on dirt and makes it more like a vacuum cleaner rather than a full-fledged robot mop.

It's still an excellent choice for those who prefer a hands-free experience and want to clean low-pile or plain carpets equally. It has a decent amount of suction that allowed it to remove fine dust from carpets and pet hair. Automatic carpet recognition is a great feature, since it boosts the vacuuming power to better tackle embedded dirt. It is simple to use, and the charging dock automatically emptyes the trash bin when it's full. This is a great feature for apartment dwellers.

Cleaning apps

The majority of robot vacuums, mops and sweepers come with an app that allows you to customize cleaning routines. You can also select rooms to be cleaned, schedule cleaning sessions and adjust settings like suction as well as scrub strength and water levels. Some robots provide intelligent dirt detection that uses maps and previous cleaning data to determine the most soiled areas.

You can also use an app to create virtual barriers and no go zones to shield your robot safe from potentially dangersome objects, such as cords and pet water bowls. Some models have laser navigation sensors that allow you to create virtual barriers, while others come with small physical barriers and boundary strips that can be put anywhere you wish to restrict your floor area.

There are still hazards to be aware of even though the best robot vacuums can recognize and maneuver around obstacles. For example, a robot's main brush can become stuck on long cords or curtains, which can stop the machine from moving. You can prevent this by clearing the area of all cords and tie up any curtains that are long before operating your robot.

Some robots will automatically update the software that controls their navigation and obstacle avoidance algorithms which improves performance and reduces wear and wear on the robot's internal components. It is a good idea to periodically check the website of the manufacturer or your robot's app for firmware updates.

If you live in a huge home, you should choose a model that has multiple cleaning modes. The iRobot Roomba 11S Max can sweep and vacuum carpeted and hard floors with different suction settings. It can also automatically switch the power setting to the Highest Rated Robot Vacuum level when cleaning carpets, and boost its scrubbing power with SmartScrub.

If you're looking to remain hands-off, a robot with an assistant that can be activated by voice is an excellent choice. The iRobot Roomba 980, for example, can be operated by a single command from Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant. It is equipped with a compact self-emptying docking system as well as a powerful cleaning motor that makes your floors sparkling.