The Best Robot Hoover

The best robot hoover can mop and vacuum without needing your attention, and will leave your floors spotless. Its surprisingly affordable price and top-of-the-line features (such as dirt detection) are a plus.

Make sure you regularly check your robot's brushes for hair tangled and large particles and clean them as needed. Some models will automatically empty their onboard dust bin into a larger bin at the base, which decreases the amount of fine dust released into the air.

1. Roomba Q5 Pro

The Q5 Pro and its sibling, the pricier Q7 Max Series, are among the most powerful robot vacuums we've test. They are equipped with top-of-the-line motors which can generate up to 5,500 Pascals of suction force. Similar to other iRobots that are premium (including the top model) they utilize intelligent mapping to design precise floorplans and avoid household obstacles like furniture leg. They also have a feature called carpet boost which boosts the robot's power when it detects the presence of dirt on the carpet, allowing it clean quickly.

Both the Q5 and the Q7 Max Series get very excellent scores in our floor tests that test for bare floors and are particularly effective in cleaning pet hair. However, they do have a few flaws, however, that prevent them from being our first choice. For one, the Q5's navigation system doesn't feature AI-powered obstacle avoidance technology and is therefore prone to get caught up in shoes and socks and can't navigate rooms with a lot of people well in our tests. It doesn't also have a camera that can see around corners.

Still, it's very good, especially if you want to save money on an Roomba from iRobot, and you have a mostly unfinished home or office. It's also very quiet and you can use it when you're at work or at school. It's not equipped with the edge-to-edge floor vacuuming available in the more expensive iRobot Roomba X30. It's also less effective in mopping. It relies on disposable wet wipes that don't stick very well and cannot handle dried-on debris. The Q5 does have an auto-emptying dock, however. If you're required to mop, the mopping pad can be swapped for a wet one in minutes.

2. iRobot Roomba X30

The iRobot Roomba X30 is a compact elegant vacuum cleaner that also has the ability to sweep floors. Its intelligent cleaning maps and quick navigation make it easy to clean, and efficient in tackling larger particles, like pet hair. It also features an impressive suction system and an automatic bin for emptying. It's the best robotic hoover for carpets, however it isn't as effective as some of its competitors in terms of deep cleaning.

This high-performing combination vacuum and mop makes use of advanced sensors to stay clear of obstacles and pet waste, and it also learns your home's layout over time to ensure more efficient cleaning. The app allows you to set up zones and modify the cleaning schedule. Its battery life is average in comparison to other models.

You can instruct the X30 Ultra to remove its mops and to extend them when in a carpeted area which prevents cross-contamination. Its flex arm is ideal for getting under furniture that is low and along baseboards. It's not as effective on the washboard as our other Editors' Choice Picks, the Ecovacs Ozmo N8Pro+ and the iRobot Combo j9+.

During testing, the X30 Ultra was the fastest robot vacuum/mop to complete the entire house with only 66 percent of its battery left. It did a great cleaning job on a variety of rooms and floors with various flooring types, including some area rugs. Its obstacle detection was excellent and it stayed clear of fake dog turds and socks, shoes and bundles cables.

It's a bit more expensive than the iRobot Combo v9+ and iRobot Roomba j9+, however, it comes with superior suction, an onboard dustbin that automatically fills up its base, and it supports voice commands using Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It can even clean the floor after it vacuums it, something we haven't seen in other robot vacuum/mop combinations.

3. iRobot Roomba X40

This robot vacuum and mop combination has a sleek, circular design that appears more like the regular Roomba model than the bulky models from the competitors. It's one of our most attractive robot vacuums. The latest model from iRobot is among the most intelligent, with advanced features including enhanced dirt detection technology and future compatibility with Matter (another company's robot that can wash its own mop pads).

It's also the only robot vacuum/mop that scored an absolute 10 out of 10 in our evaluations. This is thanks to a mix of modern sensors, including a restructured lighting system, a camera and multiple lasers. The X40 Ultra is also the only robot we tested that is fully autonomously refill and empty its base station and boasts an the industry's highest suction of 12,000Pa and self-cleaning mop pads.

As with other iRobot models like the X40 is user-friendly, offering an intuitive mobile app interface as well as integration with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Assistant. The only drawback is that it's still quite loud, which can be an issue if you use it in the morning prior to work, or at night when you try to fall asleep.

It's also somewhat expensive, but it's not as expensive as Ecovacs X2 Omni or Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra both of which are similarly capable and more attractive. This is a two-in-one vacuum that's extremely powerful however, it's more expensive and make more noise.

4. iRobot Roomba L20 Ultra

The L20 Ultra is the top-of-the high-end robot mop and vacuum. It has a number of advanced features that help you forget your chores. Like Ecovacs range-topping X2 Omni and Roborock's S8 Pro Ultra, the L20 is designed to be a hands-free cleaning machine that takes charge of both mopping and vacuuming, with a multifunction dock that automatically empty the vacuum's trash bin, refills its water tank, cleans and dry its mop pads.

The smart robot uses LIDAR and structured lighting to map out floor plans and detect obstacles. It is more efficient in its navigation than its premium competitors. It also has a front mounted camera for real-time hazards detection, though this wasn't completely foolproof in our tests, and was often confused with obstructions or power cords.

The vacuum has a suction maximum of 7,000 Pascals, which is more than enough to complete the task. It also comes with "Intelligent Dirt Detection", which regulates how hard the vacuum works and alters the frequency of cleaning for different areas of your home depending on the degree of dirt they are.

For bigger homes it's recommended to choose models with spot or zone cleaning modes that let you tell the robot to clean a particular area of your home by using the app or voice commands. If you have furniture, a stair-mode is also a good option. Finally, a recharge and resume feature that lets your robot vacuum pick up right where it left off is ideal for busy families.

5. iRobot Roomba RX3

The RX3 is more intelligent than its price would suggest. 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 using one pad, which uses a reciprocating motion that does a better job cleaning than the other robot mop cleaners we've tested. It's also extremely self-sufficient, with a fully-featured app, and a self emptying, washable base.

The iRobot app is designed to help you navigate a mapping run, which gathers information on your floorplan, as well as any "no go" areas that you've marked on the map. You can use it to create cleaning schedules, arrange an area for cleaning or to prioritize your most filthy rooms to ensure better performance. The app comes with a variety of features, including seasonal suggestions, customized mapping, and advanced cleaning settings.

Its shape is more rectangular than most other robot vacuums, meaning it can reach corners and under furniture more easily. It has a powerful 8,000 Pascal suction and intelligent combs to remove pet hair. It also has the ability to create a spot-clean that scours a specific area.

The Miele Scout RX3 Home Vision HD is a sleeker more affordable alternative to iRobot Roomba. It has a more attractive design, similar to Dolce & Gabbana. The twin cameras are shaped like cute eyes. It is excellent at vacuuming, but it's more likely to get caught in low thresholds. It also has a higher noise than other top robot vacuums we've tested. It also has a less intuitive app and a tiny base station that can't be used as an emptying bin.