Homes with several rooms and obstacles
If your home has doorways, rugs, low furniture or items left on the floor, look at room-by-room scheduling and how well the model can navigate these spaces. Even with a map, routes need to be clear.
Which homes might suit a robot vacuum?
Homes with rugs or pets
If you need to clean rugs and hard floors where fibres, crumbs or pet hair build up, look for tests that assess different floor types separately. Keep the option of manually cleaning more difficult areas.
Homes where you want to reduce hands-on tasks
An auto-empty station can mean less frequent emptying of the robot’s bin, provided you have space to install it. Also check consumables, compatible parts and the app settings you plan to use.
What should you look for before buying?
For routine cleaning in a small, uncluttered space, random navigation may be enough. If you want to target specific rooms or areas, look for a model with mapping. Either way, check that the model’s specifications suit the routes and floors in your home.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Navigation and threshold crossing | Measure thresholds and the clearance beneath furniture, then compare them with the dimensions and threshold-crossing ability of the model you’re considering. Also identify cables and items that need to be cleared away. | If several rooms are separated by thresholds or cluttered with obstacles, I want the robot to follow its planned route. Around 27% of consumers would make navigation a priority. |
| Vacuuming across different floors | Look for separate test results on rugs, wooden floors and tiles, using dirt similar to what you have at home, particularly fibres or pet hair. | If I have rugs and hard floors to clean regularly, I’d prioritise results on each surface over a single advertised power figure. Around 33% of consumers would consider vacuuming suited to their floors their main need. |
| Station and maintenance | Check how much room the station needs, what cleaning tasks are involved and which bags, filters or brushes are compatible. Look at the repairability rating shown for the model sold in France. | If I want to empty the robot’s small bin less often, I also need to be able to maintain its station and find its consumables. Around 20% of consumers would prioritise reducing hands-on tasks. |
| Mopping and app | Check that your flooring is suitable for mopping, then make sure the app is compatible with your phone. Read its update terms and privacy settings. | If I want to maintain hard floors between manual cleans, I’d like to schedule cleaning and control the connected features. Around 20% of consumers would prioritise this use. |
UFC-Que Choisir’s tests assess vacuuming performance on different floor types. For connectivity, the CNIL recommends checking what data the robot uses and which features you actually need.
Mistakes to avoid
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Judging performance by a single figure
An advertised power rating or run time doesn’t show how well a robot picks up pet hair from rugs or crumbs from corners. UFC-Que Choisir assesses these situations separately.
Look for tests that match your flooring and the dirt you encounter, and plan to clean specific areas by hand when needed.
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Assuming a station means no maintenance
A station may empty the bin or handle certain mopping tasks, but the brushes, filters, sensors and station components still need attention.
Before choosing a model, check which consumables are compatible, whether they’re available and how much space you need around the station.
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Expecting mopping to match a manual mop
UFC-Que Choisir finds that mopping results vary between robots and types of dirt, particularly on tiled floors.
Use this feature for additional maintenance on compatible hard floors, and check the manufacturer’s guidance for your flooring.
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Overlooking the app’s terms of use
Connected scheduling may require an account and a network connection, and involve the processing of usage data. App features may also change over time.
Check compatibility with your phone, update terms, permissions and whether you can disable features you don’t use. The CNIL recommends adjusting these settings to suit your needs.
Brands and ranges to know
Rowenta
The X-PLORER family is worth considering if information about parts and repairability matters to you.
- Rowenta states that the X-PLORER Serie 20 RR6875WH is repairable for 15 years and lists accessories for this model.
- This claim applies to the model mentioned. Check the parts and navigation features of the model you’re considering; don’t assume the same repairability period applies across the whole range.
iRobot
Some Roomba models offer mapping and targeted cleaning, while iRobot lists accessories for several series.
- According to iRobot, the Roomba Combo j5 can organise cleaning by room, area or object. The brand also says Roomba models can cross thresholds up to 1.6 cm high while cleaning.
- Compare this height with your actual thresholds and check the features and accessories for the exact model. Mapping won’t prevent every blockage.
Roborock
The Saros 20 Sonic is an example of a model from the brand that combines a station with features designed for homes where navigating routes needs extra attention.
- Roborock lists an AdaptiLift 3.0 chassis, a stated minimum clearance of 7,95 cm and a RockDock station for the Saros 20 Sonic.
- These features apply specifically to the Saros 20 Sonic. They don’t describe other Roborock models or guarantee cleaning or obstacle-avoidance performance in your home.
Robots to help organise your floor cleaning
These models combine scheduled cleaning with an auto-empty station. Choose between them based on your floors, the thresholds and routes the robot needs to navigate, the space available for the station and how much maintenance you’re happy to do yourself. Their advertised features are no substitute for tests on your flooring.
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White iRobot Roomba Combo 115 AE
Worth considering if you want to schedule vacuuming and mopping while reducing how often you need to empty the bin by hand.
Check the results on your floors, the space needed for the base and the app’s terms of use.
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ECOVACS DEEBOT X9 PRO OMNI
Consider this if you want to schedule vacuuming and mopping across several rooms and let the OMNI station handle more tasks.
The product name mentions an OZMO Roller, hot-water pad washing and hot-air drying. Check the space the station takes up, its consumables and the results on your flooring.
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Q8-Max with mopping function and auto-empty station
Worth considering if you want to organise the robot’s cleaning by area and empty its bin less often.
The product name states that it has LiDAR navigation, advertised suction of 8 000 Pa and an advertised run time of 200 min. Check Wi-Fi 2,4 GHz compatibility and the results on your floors.
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Black Eureka E20 Plus
Consider this if items on the floor and how often you need to empty the bin are important to your cleaning routine.
The product name mentions an auto-empty station, 3D obstacle detection and an advertised run time of 180 minutes. Check how much space you need around the station and look for obstacle-avoidance tests relevant to your home.
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Black roborock Q7 L5+
Worth considering if you want to schedule cleaning by area and reduce manual emptying, particularly in a home with a mix of hard floors and rugs.
The product name states that it has LiDAR navigation, a mopping function and an auto-empty station. The 8 000 Pa figure is advertised suction, not a test result on rugs. Check the station’s dimensions and which bags are compatible.
Frequently asked questions
Can a robot vacuum replace a standard vacuum cleaner?
No, don’t rely on it for every clean. UFC-Que Choisir reports varying results depending on the appliance and flooring. A robot can handle some regular cleaning, but certain areas or types of dirt will still need to be dealt with by hand.
What should I check if my home has rugs and thresholds?
Measure the routes and compare them with the stated threshold-crossing ability of the model you’re considering, then check how it performs on your rugs. iRobot says Roomba models can cross thresholds up to 1.6 cm high while cleaning, but also notes that a thick rug, closed door or moved piece of furniture can disrupt a cleaning run.
Is the mopping function suitable for all flooring?
No. Use it only on hard floors that the manufacturer confirms are compatible, and treat it as an extra for routine maintenance. UFC-Que Choisir reports varying results on stains and advises against using it on solid wood in particular.
What should I check before using a robot’s app?
Check that it’s compatible with your phone, what permissions it requests and how to adjust its connected features. The CNIL recommends reading the information about the data collected and how it’s used, then disabling features you don’t need.
What warranty applies to a faulty new robot bought in France?
For a purchase from a professional seller in France, you can claim under the legal guarantee of conformity for two years from delivery of a new item, according to the Ministry of the Economy. This is separate from any commercial warranty offered by the seller or brand.