For regular cleaning, start by choosing a robot that can move across the floors and between the rooms in your home. Mapping is useful if you want to schedule individual rooms or mark out zones. A dock can mean less frequent emptying or automate some mop maintenance, but it won’t eliminate upkeep altogether. Before choosing a model with mopping, check how it performs on your flooring, how it handles rugs and thresholds, and which consumables the specific model needs.
A robot can take care of some of the cleaning between deeper cleans, as long as you’re happy to empty and maintain it. UFC-Que Choisir assesses performance on rugs, tiles, wooden floors, edges and corners. Look for tests that cover the flooring in your home.
If different rooms or surfaces need different settings, mapping and no-go zones may matter more than simply setting a cleaning schedule. Check that the robot can physically get around your home, too: a threshold or other obstacle could prevent it from reaching an area.
A self-emptying dock can mean you need to empty the robot less often. Some multifunction docks also take care of mop maintenance. However, depending on the model, you’ll still need to deal with dust bags, water, brushes and cleaning the dock.
Start with the rooms the robot needs to reach, then decide how much programming and maintenance you want. The priorities below are for people looking to hand over some of their regular floor cleaning; each percentage relates to one main need.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Flooring and access between rooms | Measure your thresholds and check the stated limit for the exact model. Look for tests on your flooring, especially rugs and edges. | If my rugs or thresholds stop the robot reaching certain rooms, scheduled cleaning won’t cover the areas I want it to clean. Around 31% of consumers concerned would put compatibility with their home first. |
| Scheduling and zones | Check the mapping, room-by-room cleaning and no-go zone features, as well as app and Wi-Fi compatibility. | In a home with separate rooms, I want to choose which rooms to clean and exclude those that need different treatment. This would be the top priority for around 31% of consumers concerned. |
| Emptying and maintenance | Check how the dock works and look for dust bags, filters, brushes and other parts that match the exact model reference. | For frequent cleaning, I’d rather empty the robot less often while keeping maintenance manageable. Around 23% of consumers concerned would prioritise reducing these chores. |
| Mopping hard floors | Check the guidance for your flooring, how the robot protects rugs, and how the mops and dock are maintained. | If my hard floors are suitable, I’m mainly looking for light maintenance mopping, rather than expecting the robot to tackle every stain. This feature would come first for around 15% of consumers concerned. |
A figure in Pa doesn’t tell you on its own how well a robot cleans rugs, corners or edges. UFC-Que Choisir assesses suction separately across different floor types.
Compare tests carried out on the floors in your home and identify any hard-to-reach areas before choosing a model.
Automatic emptying means less frequent intervention, but the dock and robot still need maintenance. Dust bags, filters, brushes and mops vary by configuration.
Look up the consumables and spare parts for your specific model, then check the maintenance steps in its manual.
UFC-Que Choisir reports that mopping results in its tests on tiled floors are often disappointing. Rugs also bring the added challenge of detecting them or marking out areas that should not get wet.
Use this feature for light maintenance on suitable floors, and check how the model avoids rugs and maintains its mops.
Room or zone settings depend on the model’s features and its connection. Roborock, for example, states that the QV 35A supports 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only.
Before ordering, check that the model is compatible with your network and phone, and that it offers the controls you need.
The range includes robots that map your home and, depending on the model, come with either a self-emptying dock or one that also handles some mop-related tasks.
The Roomba range includes connected models with features such as mapping, obstacle avoidance and automatic emptying, depending on the model.
The X-Plorer range has an official parts and accessories catalogue that you can search by robot reference.
The brand offers robot vacuum cleaners with mopping, with mapping and rug or obstacle handling varying by model.
Dreame is one of the robot vacuum and mop brands featured in the French comparisons mentioned by UFC-Que Choisir.
These robots pair a dock with regular vacuuming, and several also mop hard floors. Choose between dust collection and mop maintenance based on the chores you want to reduce, then check access between rooms and how the robot handles your floors.
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Worth considering if you want vacuuming and mopping, with a dock that washes and dries the mops.
The product name states an advertised suction power of 16 600 Pa, an OZMO roller and an Omni dock. Check how it handles your rugs and remember to maintain the water tanks.
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This model may suit you if you want to schedule cleaning and leave some of the mop maintenance to the dock.
The product name states an advertised suction power of 25 000 Pa and mop washing at 75 °C. Check whether it can cross your thresholds; you’ll still need to deal with the dirty water tank and brushes.
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Worth a look if your priority is emptying the dust less often while scheduling cleaning.
The product name lists an automatic emptying dock, LiDAR navigation, a mopping function and an advertised suction power of 8 000 Pa. Check the threshold limits, how it handles your rugs and which consumables it needs.
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Worth considering for regular vacuuming and mopping if you’re happy to maintain the dock and mops.
The product name states an advertised suction power of 12 000 Pa and hot-air drying. Set no-go zones for high-pile rugs, and check how it handles your other rugs and thresholds.
No. Don’t expect it to handle every floor and surface. UFC-Que Choisir finds that performance varies by flooring and assesses rugs, tiles, wooden floors, corners and edges separately. You may need another way to clean around furniture or give your home a more thorough clean.
Measure your thresholds and compare them with the limit stated in the manual for the exact model. Ecovacs support refers to 2 cm for the case it covers, but this figure doesn’t apply to other models. If you want the robot to mop, also check whether it can detect rugs or let you create no-mop zones.
No. A dust-collection dock means you need to empty the robot’s bin less often, while some multifunction docks also wash or dry the mops. Dust bags, filters, brushes, tanks and the dock still need maintenance, depending on the model.
No. First, check the guidance for your flooring. UFC-Que Choisir reports that mopping results in its tests on tiled floors are often inadequate, and advises against using a robot mop on wooden floors, particularly solid wood, in this context. Protect rugs, too, according to the model’s actual features.