To keep your floors clean while you’re away, start by choosing a robot whose vacuuming performance suits your flooring and whose navigation works well in your rooms. A docking station can reduce how often you need to empty the bin, but you’ll still need to maintain the brushes and sensors. If you also want it to mop hard floors, check how it performs on your flooring and what water-related maintenance it requires.
You want to schedule cleaning while you’re at work or away on a short trip, without having to empty the bin after every cycle. A docking station can mean less frequent emptying, but you’ll need to make space for it and maintain it.
With carpets, tiles, wooden floors and furniture legs to navigate, check both how the robot performs on each surface and how well it covers the areas that need cleaning. Que Choisir assesses vacuuming performance on different floor types, as well as along edges and in corners.
If you want to start or adjust cleaning cycles from your phone, check that the app is compatible and see which features are available on the model you’re considering. The CNIL also recommends finding out what a connected robot can do before you buy.
For regular cleaning without supervision, first look at how well the robot cleans your floors and gets around your rooms. Then decide which maintenance tasks you want to do less often, and whether mopping or remote control would genuinely be useful in your home.
| Feature | What to check before you buy | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Room and floor coverage | Look for test results on your flooring, including along edges and in corners; check that the robot can pass between and under furniture. | If my rooms have carpets, different floor types and obstacles, I want the cleaning cycles to cover the areas I’ve planned, rather than relying on mapping alone. Around 33% of consumers rank this as their top priority. |
| Emptying and maintenance | Check what the docking station empties, how much space it needs and how easy it is to access the brushes, wheels and sensors. | When cleaning is frequent, having to empty the bin between cycles makes scheduling the robot while I’m away less useful. Around 25% of consumers prioritise reducing these tasks above all else. |
| Occasional mopping | Check that your flooring is suitable, and find out what’s involved in maintaining the mop pads, water tank and any docking station. | On a compatible hard floor, I’d like to add a damp clean alongside vacuuming, without assuming it will remove stubborn stains. Occasional mopping is the main priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Scheduling via an app | Check phone compatibility, available features, software updates and privacy settings. | To adjust cleaning cycles when I’m away from home, I want to be able to set them from my phone and understand the connection requirements. Around 17% of consumers prioritise this level of control. |
A robot that maps your rooms won’t necessarily vacuum equally well on carpets, tiles and wooden floors. Que Choisir also assesses performance along edges and in corners.
Compare results for your type of flooring, and remove cables and small objects before scheduling a cleaning cycle while you’re away.
Que Choisir found that mopping performance was disappointing on most of the models covered in its article on robot mops. Results also depend on the type of dirt, while water and mop pads add extra maintenance tasks.
Consider this feature for occasional cleaning on a compatible hard floor, and check test results and the model’s maintenance instructions.
Automatic bin emptying doesn’t clean the wheels, brushes or sensors. iRobot says that debris or dirty sensors can affect a Roomba’s movement and its ability to return to the base.
Check the model’s manual to see what regular maintenance and replacement parts are required.
Depending on the setup, you’ll also need to factor in docking station bags, mop pads or wear-and-tear parts.
Remote control may require an account and a home network connection. Connected features also involve choices about how your data is used.
Before you buy, check that your phone is compatible, find out about software updates and look for settings that let you limit any connected features you don’t need.
Que Choisir names iRobot, Roborock, Ecovacs, Dreame and Rowenta among the brands in this market. Their inclusion here doesn’t indicate how well any particular model performs or which features it offers.
The Roomba range includes robot vacuum cleaners and models with maintenance stations, depending on the model.
The brand offers robot vacuum cleaners, mop models and docking stations across its ranges.
Ecovacs robots include models with mopping and docking station features.
Que Choisir names Dreame among the brands in the robot vacuum cleaner market.
Que Choisir names Rowenta as one of the established robot vacuum cleaner brands.
These models are designed for regular vacuuming with a docking station; some also offer mopping or wiping. To choose between them, start with your flooring, the space available for the station and the maintenance tasks you’re still happy to do.
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Worth considering if you want to combine regular cleaning with a mopping system. Check the results on your flooring and what’s involved in maintaining the docking station.
The product listing states a suction power of 19,500 Pa, an OZMO Roller 2.0 and a maximum obstacle clearance of 4 cm. These specifications alone don’t tell you how well it will clean each type of flooring.
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Consider this model if you want to empty the bin less often while retaining a wiping function. Check how well each feature works on your flooring.
The product listing states a suction power of 8,000 Pa, LiDAR navigation and an anti-tangle system. The docking station doesn’t eliminate the need to maintain the robot.
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Worth considering if you also want occasional mopping. Check that your flooring is suitable, how well it performs and how much space the docking station needs.
The product listing states a suction power of 12,000 Pa, FlexiArm mop pads and hot-air drying. The docking station still needs to be maintained.
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Consider this model if how often you need to empty the bin is important to you. Also look at its performance on your flooring and what’s involved in maintaining the bin.
The product listing states a suction power of 8,000 Pa, 3D obstacle avoidance and a claimed runtime of 180 minutes. This doesn’t guarantee the same coverage in every home.
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Worth considering if you want to combine vacuuming with occasional mopping. Check which floor types are suitable and what’s involved in maintaining the water system and mop pads.
The product listing states a suction power of 16,200 Pa and hot-water cleaning at 75 °C. Check cleaning performance and scheduling options separately to make sure they suit your needs while you’re away.
Don’t assume it will replace all manual cleaning. A robot can keep on top of everyday cleaning, but its performance depends on the type of flooring and the area being cleaned. Que Choisir tests carpets, tiles, wooden floors, edges and corners separately. Check the results for your home before changing your cleaning routine.
No. It mainly transfers dust out of the robot’s bin. The brushes, wheels and sensors still need regular attention, while a mopping station adds maintenance for its water-related components.
No. Before using the wet-cleaning function, check the robot’s manual and the care instructions for your flooring. Que Choisir advises against using it on wooden floors, particularly solid wood, and reports that mopping performance varies between models.
Check that the app works with your phone, which scheduling features the model offers, how software updates work and what network settings are required. The CNIL recommends finding out what a connected robot can do before you buy, including deciding which features you want to use.
Yes. If you’re buying a vacuum cleaner sold in France, check the repairability index displayed for the model you’re considering. The French Ministry of the Economy says this information must be displayed for vacuum cleaners. However, the index doesn’t tell you how well the model will vacuum your floors.