Best Robot Floor Cleaner
Robot mops are more efficient than vacuum cleaners which require you to sweep the floor before they can perform their job. They also excel at cleaning near edges and thresholds.
Our top choice is the iRobot Combo j5+, which scored high marks in CR's tests of mopping and vacuuming. It deftly navigates household obstacles and leaves hardwood floors spotless, while also cleaning low-pile carpets.
iRobot Roomba Combo i5
This robot vacuum and mop is one of iRobot’s most versatile machines. It comes with the standard dustbin that can be used for dry waste as well as a separate water tank for wet waste. The tank is simple to fill and will notify you when it is low. You can also purchase a cleaning solution concentrate that is factory compatible to use with this device.
It is extremely adept at navigating the floor and avoiding obstacles. It comes with an mops retractable that stops carpets from getting wet. The robot is also effective at removing pet fur from different floor surfaces. However, it is loud and doesn't work the job as well as its competitors at picking up dirt and debris from bare floors.
The Roomba Combo i5 makes a ideal choice for those who want an efficient vacuum cleaner that can also mop without the need for additional equipment. It is a good fit for homes that don't have carpeting and are mostly made of hard flooring. However, it's not a good choice for homes with a lot of stairs or large rooms with a lot of rugs. It's also costly but it has the features and performance that justify the price.
It employs the patented Dirt Detect technology to detect areas with heavier dirt buildup and clean them more thoroughly than other 2-in-1s. It also has advanced navigation, which allows it to move in neat rows and cover walls of a room. The mop pads can be washed and reused for 30 times.
Create your own personal cleaning schedule with the iRobot Home app or using your voice assistant1. Utilize the iRobot app to add rooms to be avoided mopping sessions in the future and create the schedule for your Roomba Combo i5.
The iRobot Combo j5+ offers an affordable alternative to the i7 and J9 models. It comes with similar mopping tools but it has a patented dirt-detecting system and a powerful vacuuming. The iRobot J5+ also performs very well in our mopping and vacuum tests, however it's not as efficient as the Ecovacs Deebot X2 Omni in these tests, making the Combo j5+ a less flexible option.
Full Article j5+
The iRobot Roomba Combo j5+ is an all-in-one floor cleaner robot that can mop and vacuum your floors simultaneously. It comes with an advanced navigation system that lets it map out your house and adjust to different floor types. This ensures effective cleaning from one room to the next. It can also detect obstructions like walls, furniture, and pet toys. It also comes with a mopping pad that can tackle dirt, footprints, and dust on one-of-a-kind surfaces.
In contrast to other all-in-one robotic floor cleaners, the Combo J5+ can vacuum and mop simultaneously without having to swap bins or using different settings. Simply connect the mops, fill up the combo bin with water or a compatible cleaner and it will start to work. Alternatively, you can control the robot through voice commands by connecting it to Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant-enabled devices. Moreover the Combo J5+ is designed to understand more voice commands than the majority of 2-in-1 models.
When cleaning is concerned, the Combo J5+ is a great choice on hardwood floors as well as carpets. It has a powerful, 4-stage cleaning system that vacuums up any debris, then mops the floor, and then removes any remaining dirt. This assures that your floors are properly cleaned and look like new.
To keep your carpets dry to avoid soaking your carpets, you can set up No Mop Zones within the iRobot app or make use of voice assistants* to instruct it to skip mopping on those surfaces. Mopping Intelligence helps keep carpets dry, by detecting damp mop pads and lifting them from carpeted areas.
This robotic floor cleaner requires minimal maintenance. The brushes can be removed to remove hair and other particles. The side brush should be cleaned to prevent clogging. You will also have to replace the filter on a regular basis.
The iRobot app provides a variety of controls and features to make your cleaning process as simple as is possible. You can schedule cleaning sessions, view your cleaning history, and customize your settings. In addition the iRobot app will provide you with a an in-depth report of the areas cleaned in your home. It can also help you assess the health of your battery and waste bin. The app is available for free and works on all iOS and Android devices.
Narwal Freo X Ultra
The Freo X Ultra, a highly-rated and functional Gen 4 robotic vacuum and mop is a well-built machine. The price of $1,400 is hard to swallow however, you will find it on sale frequently enough to make the purchase more appealing. The unit looks stunning, and the base takes up very little room in the corner of your home.
The design of this robot addresses a few problems that we've had with other robotic mop and vacuum models, for example, the brushes getting tangled in hair, and the vacuum brush not being able to reach bare floors underneath furniture. The sweeping performance on floors and carpets is also impressive. The vacuum/mop system is equipped with an excellent level of debris pickup, and the mop is able to saturate bare floors quickly.
The mops utilize a clever system that cleans the edges of walls and around furniture. The robot can handle the largest obstacles such as food bowls, toys backpacks, and shoes without any problem. However, it could get stuck or get caught up in smaller and flatter objects such as shoelaces, USB cables and pen.
We used this robot to vacuum and mop a mixture of pile rugs, FLOR carpet tiles and hardwood floors in a large, open house floor plan. With FREO Mind enabled, it vacuumed and mopped a 90m2 area in just 170 minutes which is about the average for Gen 4.
Certain features differentiate this robot from others in its class. The Freo X Ultra has a slew of software, sensor and hardware improvements designed to keep it at the top of its game. It promises 3.5 hours of autonomy for environments of up to 260 square meters.
You can alter a variety of functions with the Freo app, such as how frequently the robot is back to the base station the frequency of mopping, as well as power (silent or smart) and mopping humidity. The app is able to detect soiled spots and create an effective cleaning route. It can also dispense detergent or raise the carpet pads.
Other notable features include a rapid charging battery, an easy-to-read display on the robot's bottom and a handy dock door that opens easily. The Freo X Ultra is the best vacuum and mop for home and apartment owners who are looking to reduce their chores, while keeping their homes tidy and clean.
Miele Scout RX3
Miele isn't a joke in the world of robotic vacuuming and is renowned for quality and technological innovation. This new model aims to take it to the next level with high-end features and superior cleaning performance.
The RX3 comes with a dual suction system smart navigation system that incorporates 3D mapping, and a camera that transmits a live image to your smartphone for simple control. Its powerful four-stage cleaning system provides excellent dust removal on hard and carpet floors, while intuitive side brushes that swing out and dual suction channels remove dust from corners. The 8.5 cm height means it can get under furniture that is low, and front cameras and infrared sensors aid it navigate obstacles and thresholds with ease.
The Scout RX3 impressed us in our tests on how well it cleaned baking powder near corners and baseboards. Its 2,500Pa of suction was a bit weaker than other robots but it moved quickly and was extremely quiet. It didn't mop, however its washable pads were fiddly to attach and could not deal with dirt that had dried on.
The app doesn't have advanced features, such as multiple cleaning modes or automated scheduling. It does support Alexa however, its voice controls aren't very intuitive or responsive. It's also flaky when it comes to getting back to the charging station following running -- other robots can follow a previous route or even follow a wall until they get to their home however the RX3 is a fumbler until it finally gives up and sends a failure message to your phone.
Another issue we encountered was with its intelligent features, specifically the mapping function and digital keep-out zones. It was good at keeping our furniture legs and shoes away, but it was easily hanging up on cables, socks and rug. We decided not to include the Scout RX3 on our Best Buy list. With a decent price tag and impressive performance, the Scout RX3 is worth considering if you're looking for a smarter alternative to traditional uprights.