self cleaning vacuum and Mop Combos
While robots can't replace a conventional vacuum in picking up ground-in debris such as metal screws and pieces of orzo pasta, they are excellent at sweeping crumbs, dust and pet hair. The best models feature intelligent navigation technology and object avoidance features that allow them to maneuver around cords, toys and other household obstacles.
1. IRobot Roomba i3+ EVO
The iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO is a fantastic robot vacuum that comes with a range of innovative features that make it more easy to maintain than other models. The automatic bin emptying feature is one of the most useful features we've seen in a robotic vacuum. It is a great choice for carpets and hard floors. The app guides you through the entire process. It's also easy to use and set up. Another impressive feature is the ability to go back to the spot where it began in our tests. It did this for 77 minutes on one cleaning before running out of battery.
Contrary to other robovacs we've test, the i3+ EVO has an automatic emptying bin that dumps debris into an external dirt compartment on its charging base when it's filled. This makes it easier to maintain the unit and keeps the i3+ EVO from overfilling, however it must be manually empty after each cleaning session. The i3+ EVO's inner dust bin can hold 2.4L of trash, which is more than enough to get it through several cleaning sessions before needing to replace it.
Like the i7, this model also uses the latest floor sensors to create maps and navigate neat rows. However, the i3+ EVO only stores a single map while the i7 has the capacity to store multiple maps. The i7's map can be used to create virtual barriers and no-go zones, but not the i3+ EVO.
The i3+ EVO is more effective of removing surface debris compared to some other robovacs we've examined, but it's not the most effective in cleaning corners and edges. It's also a bit less gentle on furniture, despite being relatively quiet. It pushed chairs away from walls and caused some collisions with the sides of our test bed, and it got stuck on cords and toys during our testing.
2. Black & Decker Pro Q5
If you're looking to expand your collection of robot vacuums, or are just starting out, the Q5 Pro is a great choice. It packs a lot of power, advanced navigation and a user-friendly automation into a slick design for a reasonable price. It's the most affordable pound-for-pound model on sale right now and even beats some of Roborock's much pricier models in a variety of ways.
This robot is excellent in cleaning floors that are not clean and its avoidance technology helps it steer away from furniture legs or other obstacles. It also excels on carpets and scores an excellent score in our navigation tests. The only snag is that it's a little more raucous than the other models we test, and it doesn't fare similarly in our user satisfaction or predicted reliability tests.
The Q5 Pro has a very large dust bin that is 770ml, which means you won't need to empty it as often as other 2-in-1 robots. The 240-minute runtime is extremely generous when compared to other models we've tried. If the battery is depleted, it returns to its dock and recharges before continuing cleaning where it left off. You can control the Q5 Pro using the app or voice commands using Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
This is among the first robots we've seen to incorporate 3D mapping. This along with other advancements made it perform extremely well in our tests of vacuuming and mopping tests. It is possible to schedule cleanings and set up no-go zones. You can also view the status of your battery. The app is simple to use, but it isn't compatible with Apple HomeKit. This feature is scheduled to be added in 2025. Apple updated its footnote on its website in the beginning of November to reflect the fact that this feature has been delayed until 2025. Some other robots won't work with HomeKit However, many of them are compatible with Siri Shortcuts.
3. TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus
The TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus robot vacuum cleaner is an excellent choice if you are looking for a vacuum that is able to mop and is reasonably priced. It is stylish in design and a lot of amazing features for the money. You can control it with the buttons on the device using the app, or even with voice commands. The device has a long battery life and the vacuum container can be automatically empty.
The TP-Link RV30 Plus does a very good job at cleaning up messes of all kinds and is suitable for light mopping on hard floors. It comes with a replacement mopping cloth and sweeping brush as well as an HEPA filter. It can be connected to a smart hub like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to control the device using voice. The TP-Link RV30 Plus can be quickly set up and can be connected to various floor surfaces by using the automatic mode. This guarantees the best cleaning results for every area and floor type.
Three cleaning modes are available to suit your needs. The vacuuming mode cleans the entire room and makes use of the smart sensor to identify edges, stairs, furniture and other obstacles. The mopping mode is used to clean the floor automatically or to eliminate the stubborn stains and liquid spills. You can combine the two functions to get the most thorough and thorough cleaning.
With powerful suction and three settings for dry mopping, the TP-Link RV30 Plus quickly picks up dust, pet hair, crumbs and other particles from all types of flooring. It can also clean carpets without damaging them due to the special mops.
In its first mapping run, TP-Link RV30 Plus scans your home and stores it with its dual navigation system, which consists of LiDAR and Gyro. The map can be edited in the app, and you can merge or divide rooms as you'd prefer. You can also create virtual walls and no-go zones that will stop the RV30 Plus from wandering in areas you do not want to be in.
4. Eufy iMop
The Eufy iMop robot vacuum and mop is among the top full-featured robots for flooring made of hard wood. It has a high-tech mapping system that maps your home across multiple floors. The well-designed base station almost fully automates the cleaning process. It also provides amazing obstacles-avoiding and navigation.
This model uses an internal dToF LiDAR sensor to map out your home and design efficient cleaning routes. The iMop awed us with its navigation efficiency and coverage evaluations and was adept at avoiding obstacles, including furniture. It's also able to find its way back to the base station, which is a nice feature in the event that it is unable to recharge its battery during cleaning.
The spot cleaning mode allows you to clean a particular area on your floor. It can also be programmed manually to follow a certain direction. This is great if you have narrow hallways or stairs. It did a decent job of cleaning carpets during our carpet cleaning test however, it had trouble with longer pile carpets and carpets. It is also possible to set it to automatically lift the mop pad when it comes in contact with carpet. This is a great feature to avoid mopping your carpets.
The iMop has an onboard dust bin and water tank that empties at the end every cleaning session. The dust bin that is onboard can hold up to 2.5 liters of debris and should only need emptying every couple of cleaning cycles. The water tank can handle more than a dozen mopping sessions before it runs out. The iMop requires less maintenance and cleaning than an average robot vacuum, which can be a big selling point for busy families.
The iMop smartphone app is easy-to-use and comes with a variety of configuration options. It comes with a variety of suction modes, mopping settings and scheduling. It also lets you design virtual walls and no-go zones, to ensure that the robot doesn't wander into rooms that aren't allowed. Additionally, the app lets you view your iMop's status as well as errors messages.