For regular cleaning across several rooms, choose a robot that can map your home so you can schedule cleaning and set areas to avoid. First, check that it can actually reach your floors and fit under your furniture. A docking station means you need to empty the dust container less often, but it takes up space and needs maintenance. Mopping can help with compatible hard floors, but it won’t always replace a thorough manual clean.
A robot vacuum cleaner is mainly useful for regular cleaning between deeper cleans, as long as it can move around your home.
If you’d rather schedule vacuuming to pick up dust and debris than get an appliance out every time, check your floors, thresholds and areas to avoid. Que Choisir notes that vacuuming performance varies depending on the floor covering.
Mapping with room-by-room settings can help you plan cleaning sessions. Also measure your thresholds, rugs and the clearance under your furniture: navigation alone won’t get the robot over a physical obstacle.
An automatic emptying station can mean you need to empty the dust container less often. However, you’ll need space for it and must keep an eye on bags, where used, as well as filters and brushes. Some mopping models also require you to maintain the mop pads and water tanks.
Start by checking where the robot can move around your home, then decide which tasks you’d like it and its docking station to take care of.
| Criteria | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Navigation | Check whether the specific model offers room-by-room scheduling, no-go zones and support for multiple floors. Mapping doesn’t tell you how well it vacuums: Que Choisir assesses performance on carpets, tiles, wooden floors, edges and corners separately. | I’d like to schedule regular cleaning in several rooms without having to guide the robot every time. |
| Floor access | Measure your thresholds, rug pile and the clearance under your furniture. Compare these measurements with the limits given for the model, allowing some leeway, and clear small objects from its path. | The robot needs to reach the rooms and areas I want it to clean without getting stuck under furniture or at a threshold. |
| Docking station | Check the space, power socket and clearance specified in the manual. Also check which bags or tanks and maintenance parts are compatible. iRobot says that a full bag can prevent dirt from being emptied on the affected stations. | I’d like to empty the dust container less often, but I can make room for the docking station and keep it maintained. |
| Mopping | Check that the function is suitable for your floor covering and, if you have rugs, find out when the mop pads lift. Que Choisir found mopping disappointing on most of the models it tested and advises against using them on wooden floors, particularly solid wood. | I’m looking for extra help with routine cleaning on compatible hard floors, not a guaranteed replacement for a mop. |
| Spot cleaning | Identify stairs and any areas the robot can’t clean properly. Keep a manual cleaning option for these areas and for messes that need immediate attention. | If my home often needs quick, targeted cleaning, I’d rather keep a stick vacuum, either on its own or alongside the robot. |
A map won’t help if the robot can’t get over a threshold or fit under a piece of furniture. For example, Rowenta specifies that its X-Plorer Série 75S+ can climb obstacles up to 18 mm high. This limit applies to that model.
Measure your thresholds, rugs and the clearance under your furniture, then compare each measurement with the specifications for the model you’re considering, allowing some leeway.
Que Choisir found mopping disappointing on most of the robot vacuum cleaners it tested and advises against using them on wooden floors, particularly solid wood. A station that cleans the mop pads doesn’t guarantee that stains will be removed.
Check the guidance for your floor covering and plan to clean dried-on stains or give your floors a deeper clean by hand.
A docking station can mean you need to empty the robot’s dust container less often, but a full bag can prevent dirt from being emptied on the affected iRobot stations. Depending on the model, you’ll also need to keep an eye on the brushes, filters and mop pads.
Before choosing, check which consumables are compatible and what maintenance the manual recommends.
The station needs a power socket and the amount of space specified in its manual. For one specific Rowenta station, the manufacturer requires a hard floor, 0.5 m of clearance on each side and 1 m in front. It must not be installed near stairs.
Choose a location in advance and check the clearance requirements for the station you’re interested in.
The range includes robots with docking stations, as well as models designed for homes with thresholds or rugs.
Its models listed in France include robot vacuum cleaners with laser navigation, automatic emptying stations and mopping functions.
The AutoEmpty and AutoWash stations and their accessories are worth considering alongside the corresponding Roomba model.
These models are designed for regular floor cleaning, with mapping, a docking station or a mopping function depending on the model. Compare their stated specifications with the thresholds, floor coverings and available space in your home. A stick vacuum is still an option for targeted manual cleaning.
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The docking station and mopping function suit households looking for regular cleaning with less handling of the dust container. The model is specified to deliver 19 500 Pa of suction and climb a maximum of 4 cm. The latter figure is cumulative across several attempts, not a single climb. Measure your thresholds and check that your floors are compatible, as well as how much space the docking station needs.
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Its LiDAR navigation and mapping are designed for households that want to schedule cleaning by room. The station can reduce how often you need to empty the dust container. The product listing specifies 8 000 Pa of suction and a 200-minute runtime. Check your thresholds, the guidance for your floor coverings and the space needed for the station.
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This robot combines vacuuming and mopping with an OMNI station for everyday cleaning. The product listing specifies 25 000 Pa of suction and mop pad washing at 75 °C. This temperature doesn’t tell you whether stains will be removed from your floors. Check that your floor coverings are compatible, that the robot can get over your thresholds and that you have enough space for the station. The water tanks also need maintenance.
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Laser navigation and mapping make it possible to schedule cleaning sessions, while the docking station can reduce the need for some manual tasks. The product listing specifies 4 000 Pa of suction and app control. Compare its dimensions and obstacle-climbing limits with your home, check that your floors are compatible and look up the stated noise level for this model.
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This model with a docking station is designed for households that want to empty the dust container less often. The product listing specifies 8 000 Pa of suction, a 180-minute runtime and 3D obstacle avoidance. Check the height of your rugs before relying on the mop pad lift: the product details give a figure of 10 mm. They also specify at least 0,5 m of clearance on each side of the station and 1,5 m in front.
Not in every case. Que Choisir says that robot vacuuming performance varies depending on the floor, and also assesses how well models clean edges and corners. Keep a manual vacuum for stairs, spot cleaning and areas your robot doesn’t clean properly.
No. Que Choisir assesses mopping on surfaces including tiles and advises against using it on wooden floors, particularly solid wood. For each floor covering, check the guidance from both the floor manufacturer and the robot manufacturer before using damp mop pads.
No. A station can mean you need to empty the dust container less often, but iRobot warns that a full bag can prevent dirt from being emptied on the affected stations. Also check the filters and brushes, and, for a mopping model, the mop pads and tanks specified for the model you choose.
Follow the clearance requirements in the manual for the exact model. For example, Rowenta requires one of its stations to be placed on a hard floor, against a wall and near a power socket, with 0,5 m of clearance on each side and 1 m in front. It must not be installed near stairs.