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

This high-end bot from Eufy is the best hands-off model we've tested to date. It vacuums, mops, self-empties its bin and washes and dries mop pads without your intervention.

It doesn't feature advanced cleaning functions or a bigger docking system, but it offers amazing performance for less than half the price of top-end robotic vacuums. It is compact in design and can reach under furniture.

Vacuuming

A robot vacuum is a convenient and quick way to keep your floors tidy. A lot of the models we've chosen are designed to run on their own without the involvement of you, so you can set them up to clean your floors while you're away, or even trigger the session using your smartphone. You'll need to choose an excellent robot that can navigate and object detection to avoid it getting stuck under furniture or falling down the stairs.

Certain models are better at picking up pet hair from rugs than others, so it's crucial to select an item that is able to efficiently and effectively vacuum all types of flooring. Find a robot that has an enormous dust bin that can hold a large amount of dirt between emptyings, and a nozzle which doesn't lose suction when it rotates.

The majority of robots require little or no maintenance, aside from removing tangled fur from the rotating brush after every cleaning session (and wiping its sensors or camera as required) and periodically emptying the bin or using a robot's self-emptying base. If you follow these easy maintenance steps, your robot vacuum will last as long as a full-size vacuum cleaner and keep your home looking cleaner for longer.

While robot mops are generally less flexible than their vacuum counterparts they do have the ability to clean up spills and puddles while they're doing their thing. The iLife V3s Pro is an example of a machine which is a great option for those with wood floors or a mix of carpets and rugs. It's quiet and has solid navigation capabilities that have helped it overcome obstacles during testing, and the charging dock can also double as a trash bin.

To get the best amazon vacuum results, select the robot that is capable of mopping and vacuuming at the same time. Karcher's RCV 5 does this, and it also comes with other features that are beneficial including live cameras that transmits a blurry picture to your app, so that you can keep an eye on your pet or children and a remote control that's easily programable. The navigation might not be as precise as some of the other models in this collection but its 500ml trash bin is big enough and doesn't require frequent emptying.

Mopping

Robots that vacuum and mops are relatively new to the market. These machines are more expensive and require a separate tank of water than standalone robots. However, they might be worth the cost for those who have hard-to-clean stains clean or pets.

Some of the top robots that mop and vacuum also be very effective in cleaning floors that are not clean and carpets. Several brands now offer all-in-one robots that do both tasks with ease. The Combo J9+ is among the most efficient mopping robots that we've test. It comes with docks that can hold up to 60 days' worth of dirt. This is a huge improvement over the Qrevo Pro which ran out water after just mopping 30 days worth of dirt during our tests.

The Tapo RV30 Plus from networking giant TP Link is a fantastic two-in-one. It's compact, quiet and has an attractive, clutter-free appearance. In our test rooms it cleaned the floors accurately and thoroughly - it was particularly effective in room cleaning Robot rugs. However, it required several runs to clean some areas of stained wood. Its LIDAR navigation system works very well, avoiding crashing into furniture or running over power cords.

It's a bit slow on the stairs but that's expected from a compact robot designed to work around obstacles. Its only downside is the mopping pad attachment, that was difficult to use and didn't stay in its place during our tests. It is also not capable of dealing with dried-on dust which makes it more of a vacuum than a robot mop.

Despite these issues It's still a good choice for those who want a hands-off cleaning experience that can handle carpets that are bare or low-pile with equal ease. It has decent suction, which allowed it to remove dust and pet hair from carpets. Automatic recognition of carpets is a great feature, as it increases the vacuuming power to tackle dirt that has been embedded. It's 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

Most robot vacuums, mop and sweepers have an application that allows you to modify cleaning routines. You can also pick rooms to be cleaned, plan cleaning sessions, and alter settings such as suction, water levels and scrubbing strength. Some robots offer intelligent dirt detection that uses maps and cleaning data to identify dirty areas.

Having an app also allows you to create virtual barriers and no-go zones to shield your robot from potentially dangerous objects such as cords, pet water bowls, and sharp objects. Some models come with laser navigation sensors that allow you to create virtual barriers while others feature small physical barriers and boundary strips can be placed wherever you'd like to limit your floor washing robot space.

The most effective robot vacuums and mops are intelligent enough to spot obstacles and maneuver around them, but there are still some hazards to watch out for. For instance, a robot's main brush can get stuck in long curtains or cords and stop the machine dead in its tracks. To avoid this, you can rid the area of cords and tie up any long curtains.

Certain robots automatically update their software which regulates navigation and obstacle avoidance algorithm. This improves performance and reduces the wear and tear of the robot's internal parts. It is a good idea to periodically check the website of the manufacturer or the app on your robot for firmware updates.

If you own a large home, look for a model with multiple cleaning modes. The iRobot Roomba 11S Max, for instance, can be used to mop and vacuum carpeted floors as well as hard floor rooms with different suction levels. It also has the ability to automatically switch the power setting to the highest level when cleaning carpets and increase the strength of its scrubbing by using SmartScrub.

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