Choose a robot vacuum to regularly collect dust, crumbs and fibres from accessible floors while you’re away, after checking its performance on your flooring and how well it navigates between furniture. The mopping function should be assessed separately for compatible hard floors, while a cordless stick or cylinder vacuum is still needed for stairs, skirting boards, furniture and targeted touch-ups.
Scheduling regular cleaning runs can help keep dust and crumbs under control between manual cleans. Check your actual flooring, the routes between furniture and access to edges and corners – all points assessed by UFC-Que Choisir.
For the model you’re considering, check its navigation and how it handles rugs, cables and objects left on the floor. UFC-Que Choisir’s tests assess movement between furniture and obstacles separately.
Mapping, scheduling and no-go zones may depend on the app. Before setting it up, check its permissions, privacy policy, account requirements and update terms for the specific model.
Best for: scheduling everyday floor care when rooms are sufficiently uncluttered.
Bear in mind: performance on rugs, edges, corners and obstacles varies between appliances, and a robot cannot clean stairs or furniture.
Worth considering: for light maintenance cleaning on hard floors that are explicitly compatible.
Bear in mind: mopping does not replace manual mopping, and a docking station requires you to manage water and mop pads.
Keep one if: stairs, skirting boards, furniture, cluttered areas or difficult rugs are part of your usual cleaning routine.
The compromise: it requires manual input and cannot clean autonomously while you’re away.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Performance on different floors | Compare results on the tiles, parquet, rugs or fitted carpet in your home. Also check how well it picks up dust, crumbs and fibres, as well as how it cleans edges and corners. | I don’t want to infer performance on my rugs or in corners from a single specification sheet. |
| Navigation and rugs | Examine navigation between furniture, no-go zones and the stated conditions for rugs. Compare these with the thickness, colour and material of your own rugs. | The robot must be able to move around while I’m away without constant supervision. I can prepare cables, small objects and delicate rugs before the first cycles. |
| Maintenance and repairability | Check access to the dustbin, filters and brushes. A docking station reduces some tasks but does not remove the need for maintenance; in France, also compare the repairability index and its criteria. | I want to know how long it takes to empty the tank, maintain the brushes and manage a possible docking station. |
| App and privacy | Check the app’s permissions, privacy policy, account terms and features available without an account. Review the update policy for the exact model. | I want to use mapping or scheduling without granting unnecessary access on my phone. |
Vacuuming performance differs on hard floors, parquet, rugs, edges, corners and different types of dirt. A good result in one situation does not guarantee the same result in another.
Match the available test results to the flooring and dirt found in your home, then check performance along walls and in corners separately.
Navigation is a separate consideration from suction. Cables, small objects, very thin rugs and certain items of furniture may require adjustments, a no-go zone or some preparation of the room.
Tidy away cables and small objects before the first runs, then test mapping and no-go zones while you’re at home before setting the robot to work while you’re away.
According to UFC-Que Choisir’s tests, mopping results remain inconsistent. This function is mainly intended for light maintenance of compatible hard floors and does not replace manual treatment of stains.
Check the manufacturer’s recommendations for your flooring, particularly wooden floors, and keep a manual method for more demanding cleaning jobs.
These Joybuy options include robot vacuums with mopping functions, which should be assessed separately for scheduled floor care between manual cleans.
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For scheduled cleaning runs in a home with rugs and items that need preparing.
The product information states 8,000 Pa suction, a bagless station, 3D obstacle avoidance, an anti-tangle brush, app control and 10 mm mop lifting on rugs. Check that the mopping function is compatible with your floors and review the app requirements before buying.
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Worth considering for hard floors and rugs where you need no-go zones and scheduling.
The product information mentions 12,000 Pa, an auto-emptying station, FlexiArm mop pads, a dual anti-tangle system, obstacle avoidance and intelligent navigation. For deep-pile rugs, create the no-go zones recommended by the manufacturer and plan a well-ventilated location for the station.
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For multi-level homes with rugs, hair or pets, if you’re happy to maintain the station.
The model states 16,600 Pa, multi-floor mapping, rug recognition, AIVI 3D object avoidance, an OZMO roller and a station that empties dust, washes and dries the roller. According to the instructions, the app requires an account and a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network; also check compatibility with your flooring.
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For regular cleaning of hard floors and rugs in a home with room for a docking station.
The product information states 25,000 Pa, automatic rug detection, multi-floor mapping, TruEdge 2.0 edge technology and a station that empties dust, washes and dries the mop pads. The clean-water tank is listed as 4 L; plan for refilling, adding detergent and emptying dirty water.
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Worth considering for regularly collecting hair and pet hair in a home requiring autonomous navigation.
The product information mentions 16,200 Pa, anti-tangle technology, liquid detection, brush and mop lifting, LDS navigation, laser and RGB camera avoidance, plus a washing and drying station. The stated noise level is 73 dB(A) in silent mode; check the app features before buying.
Note the flooring in your home, including tiles, parquet, rugs or fitted carpet, then look for results on those same surfaces. UFC-Que Choisir also assesses edge and corner performance separately from suction in the centre of a room.
No. UFC-Que Choisir assesses mopping on hard floors, particularly tiles, and advises against using it on wooden floors, especially solid wood, in the test conditions. Always check the manufacturer’s recommendations for your flooring before using a damp pad or water.
First check the permissions requested and refuse any that are not necessary for your intended use. Also review the privacy policy, account terms, features available without an account and the update arrangements for the specific model.
Yes. DGCCRF lists household robots among the vacuum cleaner categories covered by information requirements for the repairability index. Check the displayed rating and calculation criteria to compare how repairable the products concerned are.