The 10 Scariest Things About Best Robot Hoover

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

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

It lacks advanced cleaning modes and a larger docking station, but provides outstanding performance at a fraction of the cost of premium robot vacuums. It also features an incredibly compact design that can reach under furniture.

Vacuuming

Vacuuming with a robot hoover is a quick, easy method to keep your floors clean and tidy. The majority of the robots we've chosen are designed to run on their own without the involvement of you and you can set them up to clean your floors while you're away, or even trigger the session using your smartphone. But, you must choose a model that has superior navigation and obstacle detection to ensure it won't get stuck down the stairs or underneath furniture.

Some models are better at removing pet hair from rugs than others, which is why it's crucial to select an item that is able to efficiently and effectively vacuum all types of flooring. Choose a model that has a an empty bin that can hold plenty of dirt between emptying and the nozzle doesn't lose suction as it rotates to take debris.

The majority of robots require little or no maintenance, other than cleaning the tangled fur off the rotating brush after each cleaning session (and wiping its camera or sensors when required) and regularly emptying the bin or using the robot's self-emptying base. If you follow these easy maintenance steps, your robot vacuum should last as long as a regular vacuum cleaner and keep your home looking cleaner for longer.

While robot mops are generally less flexible than their vacuum counterparts, some have the added ability to clean up spills and puddles while they're doing their thing. The iLife V3s Pro is an example of such a device, which is a good option for those with hardwood floors or a combination of rugs and carpets. It's quiet and has excellent navigation capabilities that have helped it overcome obstacles during testing, and the charging dock doubles as a trash bin.

For the best results, pick the robot that is capable of mopping and vacuuming simultaneously. Karcher's RCV 5 is able to do this, and it also comes with other features that are useful like live cameras, which transmits a blurry picture to your app so you can keep an eye on your kids or pet and remote controls that are easily programmed. The navigation isn't as robust as other models we've reviewed, but it can lift it over low thresholds and has an ample 500ml dustbin that doesn't have to be emptied often.

Mopping

Robots that mop and vacuum are relatively new to the market. They're more expensive than standalone robots and require an additional water tank but the extra cost may be worth it for a lot of people, particularly those with difficult-to-clean stains, or lots of pets.

The best robot vacuum deals robots that vacuum and mop also do an excellent job at cleaning bare floors and carpets. There are a number of brands that offer all-in-one robotics that perform both jobs extremely well. The Combo J9+ is among the most efficient mopping robots that we've tested. It comes with a dock that can store up to 60 days worth of dirt. This is an enormous improvement over the Qrevo Pro which ran out water after just mopping 30 days worth of dirt in our tests.

The Tapo RV30 plus from networking giant TP-Link is a good two-in-one. It's quiet, compact and has a clean, fuss-free appearance. In our test rooms, it cleaned the floors thoroughly and accurately and efficiently. It was particularly effective on rugs, but it required multiple runs to fully clean certain areas of soiled wood. Its LIDAR navigation is effective as well. It is able to avoid hitting furniture or running over power cables.

It's a bit sluggish on the stairs however that's to expected from a small robot designed to work around obstacles. The only drawback is its mopping pad attachment, which was a challenge to hold in the right position during our tests. It also lacks the ability of handling dust that has dried, making it more like an ordinary vacuum cleaner than a robot sweeper mop.

Despite these issues however, it's a great option for those seeking an easy-to-clean experience that can take care of bare and low-pile carpets with equal ease. It was able to provide a lot of suction, which allowed it to remove fine dust from pet hair and carpets. One of the most appealing features is its automatic recognition of carpets, which enhances the effectiveness of the vacuuming to better tackle embedded dirt. It is easy 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

Nearly every robot vacuum, mop, and sweeper has an application that lets you personalize cleaning routines, select rooms to clean, plan cleaning sessions, and change settings such as suction, water level, and the power of scrubbing. Some robots also have intelligent dirt detection, which utilizes past cleaning data and map data to identify areas that are dirty and optimize cleaning mode.

You can also make use of an app to create virtual barriers and no go zones to keep your robot away from dangerous objects, such as cords and pet water bowls. Some models come with laser navigation sensors that permit you to create virtual barriers, while others come with small physical boundaries and barriers that can be put anywhere you wish to restrict your robotic floor vacuums space.

There are still risks to be aware of even though the most effective robot vacuums can recognize and navigate around obstacles. The main brush of a robot can be caught in long cords or curtains, and stop it dead in its tracks. To avoid this, you can rid the area of cords and tie up any curtains that are long.

Certain robots automatically update the software that controls their navigation and obstacle avoidance algorithms which enhances performance and reduces wear and tear on the robot's internal components. It is recommended to check regularly the manufacturer's website or the app on your robot for firmware updates.

If you live in a large house, choose a model with different cleaning modes. The iRobot Roomba 11S Max can clean and mop carpeted and hard floors with different suction settings. It also has the ability to automatically switch the highest power setting when cleaning carpets, and also boost its scrubbing power by using SmartScrub.

If you're looking to remain hands-free, a robot that has an assistant that can be activated by voice is a great option. The iRobot Roomba 980 can be operated by Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant. It comes with a compact, self-emptying docking station and a powerful cleaning engine that makes your floors sparkling.