For regular hard-floor upkeep, start by choosing a robot that can navigate your home. Mapping is most useful if you want to schedule cleaning in several rooms or set areas to avoid, while simpler navigation may be enough for a small, uncluttered space. A docking station can reduce the number of tasks you need to do, and mopping can complement routine cleaning, but neither removes the need for maintenance or guarantees that you can stop cleaning manually. Also check the app, network requirements and update conditions for the model you’re considering.
How useful a robot vacuum will be depends as much on the route it needs to take and the items on your floors as it does on the features advertised. Before comparing models, consider which situation best matches your home.
If you want to schedule cleaning by room and set areas to avoid, check the model’s mapping features and whether you can access them through a compatible app. The features described by Rowenta and ECOVACS vary between models, so check what’s available on the robot you’re considering.
An auto-empty station can mean less frequent emptying; some models also take care of mop maintenance. You’ll still need room for the station, and you should check its maintenance instructions. iRobot, for example, sets out how to replace the bags and clean parts of certain Clean Base stations.
Measure low-clearance furniture and thresholds, then check for rugs, cables and small objects along the route. Obstacle avoidance and mop-lifting features mentioned by Rowenta and ECOVACS are available on specific models. They don’t remove the need to check their limitations or prepare your floors.
Start with the route the robot will actually need to take, then decide which tasks you’d like to do less often. Mopping and connected features are only useful if their requirements suit your floors and your devices.
| Criteria | What to check before buying | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Navigation and obstacles | Compare the robot’s height and stated ability to cross thresholds with your furniture and doorways. If you want to control where it goes, check the mapping, no-go zones and room management features for the exact model. | I want the robot to clean several rooms without missing the areas I’ve selected, even if I need to move things out of its way. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this level of route planning. |
| Docking station and maintenance | Check exactly what the station automates, then find out what maintenance is required for the bags, ducts, filters and contacts. | I’m interested in frequent cleaning runs if I don’t have to empty the bin after each one, and I’m happy to maintain the station. For around 27% of consumers, reducing these tasks is the top priority. |
| Mopping hard floors | Check the mopping system, how it handles rugs, and the maintenance needed for the tanks and mops. Look at cleaning results on the floor types, edges and corners that matter in your home. | I mainly want to complement vacuuming with regular damp cleaning, without expecting the robot to tackle every kind of dirt. This is a priority for around 20% of consumers. |
| App and network | Check the model’s support information for the required app, mobile operating system version, Wi-Fi band, any account requirements and update conditions. | Before scheduling cleaning runs, I need to be able to set up the robot with my phone and network, and understand what’s required to access its connected features. Around 20% of consumers put this compatibility first. |
Auto-emptying takes one task off your hands, but not all of them. For the Clean Base stations covered by its maintenance chart, iRobot recommends replacing the bags when prompted and cleaning the suction duct and pre-filter every two weeks.
Check the instructions for the station supplied with your chosen robot. Find out which consumables it uses and whether the parts that need cleaning are easy to access.
A power rating won’t tell you whether the robot will fit under your furniture or cross your thresholds. Nor does it, on its own, show how well it cleans every type of floor, along walls or in corners. UFC-Que Choisir assesses these situations separately in its robot vacuum tests.
Measure tricky passages and compare them with the dimensions and stated limitations of the model you’re considering. To assess cleaning performance, look for results on floors and in areas similar to yours.
Setup requirements vary between robot vacuums. iRobot’s support information lists minimum mobile operating system versions for the Roomba Home setup in question; Roborock states that its Qrevo S only supports 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.
Before buying, check the support information for the exact model, including the app, compatible devices and Wi-Fi bands, required permissions and update conditions.
Mopping, drying and mop-lifting features differ from model to model. The presence of a mopping function doesn’t tell you how well it will clean your floors, along edges or in corners.
Think of mopping as a complement to regular hard-floor cleaning. If you also have rugs, check how the robot handles them, along with the guidance on tanks, mops and approved cleaning products.
These examples can help you identify features and limitations to compare, but they don’t cover every model from each brand. Always check which model a feature applies to before using it as a buying criterion.
Some Qrevo models combine mapping, a multifunction station and mopping for homes looking to schedule regular cleaning runs.
The X-PLORER range includes models worth considering if you’re looking for room-by-room navigation or different types of station.
Some DEEBOT models combine mapping with an OMNI station, with mop-management features to compare depending on whether you have rugs.
Roomba Home and Clean Base support documents are useful for checking app setup and the tasks that still need to be done when you have a station.
No. It can mean you need to empty the bin manually less often, but both the robot and its station still need maintenance. For the Clean Base stations covered by its maintenance chart, iRobot recommends replacing the bags when prompted and cleaning the suction duct and pre-filter every two weeks. Check the instructions for the station you choose.
Before buying, check the requirements for the app used with the exact model, including the mobile operating system, Wi-Fi band and update conditions. As examples for the models concerned, iRobot support lists iOS 15 or later and Android 9.0 or later for one Roomba Home setup process, while Roborock states that the Qrevo S only supports 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.
Don’t assume that a mopping function will replace a thorough clean. How useful it is for regular maintenance depends on your floors, the dirt and the areas to be cleaned. UFC-Que Choisir assesses robot vacuum performance on different floor types, around the edges and in corners.
It gives you another point of comparison when looking at models that display the index. ADEME includes robot vacuums among the appliances covered in France. Check the index for the model you’re considering, but don’t use it to draw conclusions about cleaning performance or whether the robot will suit your home.
Before setting up the app, check its permissions, account settings and information about how your data is used. The CNIL recommends considering privacy issues associated with connected devices. Also check which of the robot’s features require the app.