To keep your floors clean between manual cleans, first choose a robot that can get around your home: carpets, thresholds and obstacles matter just as much as scheduling. The mopping function is mainly intended for maintaining hard floors, while a docking station can mean you need to empty the robot less often, but won’t eliminate maintenance altogether. Before choosing, check which functions are available with your connection, how much space the dock needs and what maintenance is involved.
If your robot needs to run while you’re at work or away from home, check its scheduling, mapping and ability to return to its dock. The documentation from iRobot France and Roborock shows that available functions depend on the model and its connection.
How the robot moves between rooms and behaves around carpets may matter more than the mopping function alone. UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes results by floor type; you should also check the climbing limits and carpet handling for the model you’re considering.
An auto-empty dock can mean you need to empty the bin less often. However, it takes up space and still requires maintenance, as illustrated by UFC-Que Choisir’s guide and iRobot France’s Clean Base documentation.
Start by considering the route your robot will take around your home and the functions you need while you’re out. Then decide whether mopping or a dock is worth the extra maintenance involved.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduling and app | Check which cleaning cycles you can schedule, which functions work without Wi-Fi and whether the app is compatible with your phone. | If your home is empty during the day, being able to start cleaning at chosen times becomes a priority; around 29% of consumers would put scheduling and control first. |
| Floors and obstacles | Measure your thresholds and check how the robot handles carpets, as well as test results for different floor types. | If carpets, thresholds or objects interrupt the route, the main priority is for the robot to reach the rooms you want without damaging your floors; this compatibility would be a priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Mopping hard floors | Check which floor types are suitable and how the mop pads behave near carpets; compare vacuuming and mopping performance separately. | For a large tiled area, wet cleaning may take priority over other functions, as long as you’re happy to clean the mopping system; around 21% of consumers would prioritise this. |
| Emptying and maintenance | Check the dock’s maintenance requirements, consumables and the clearance needed to install it. | If frequently emptying the small dustbin is your main concern, a dock may be the deciding factor, even though it still needs maintenance; around 21% of consumers would prioritise reducing this task. |
A suction power figure alone doesn’t tell you how well a robot will clean a carpet, a corner or a room separated by a threshold. UFC-Que Choisir tests suction on different floor types and around the edges of rooms.
Measure your thresholds and look for results that distinguish between the floor types in your home. Then check the exact model’s threshold-climbing limit.
UFC-Que Choisir reports that mopping results vary between models. Carpets and moisture-sensitive flooring also need particular care.
Use this function only on compatible surfaces, and expect to clean stubborn stains or hard-to-reach areas by hand.
The mop pads and water tanks mean there’s extra cleaning to do after each cycle.
The dock collects dust from the robot, but its components also need looking after. iRobot France, for example, recommends cleaning the duct and pre-filter in its Clean Base dock.
Check the manual for the dock you’re considering to find out where it can be placed, which consumables are compatible and what regular maintenance is required.
Basic cleaning and scheduling don’t necessarily need the same connection: the Roborock FAQ distinguishes between these functions for the Qrevo MaxV, but this may not apply to every robot.
Before buying, check compatibility with your phone, which functions are available offline, any update requirements and the app’s privacy policy.
The DEEBOT range includes vacuum-and-mop robots, as well as models with an OMNI dock.
The French documentation for Roomba robots and Clean Base docks can help you check scheduling options and maintenance requirements.
French-language documentation is available for installing and maintaining some products in the X-PLORER range.
The Qrevo MaxV documentation distinguishes between some direct controls and functions that require a connection.
These models combine an auto-empty dock with a mopping function. If you want to keep your floors clean while you’re out, compare their scheduling options, how they handle your carpets and the maintenance their docks require.
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Worth considering if you want to combine vacuuming, mopping and automatic emptying. The product name states a suction power of 8,000 Pa and a runtime of 180 minutes; these figures alone don’t tell you how well it will perform on your floors.
Check that your network is compatible with 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, and find out how the dock collects dust and which consumables it needs. Also check whether it can cross your thresholds and how the mopping function behaves near carpets.
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Designed for a mix of vacuuming and mopping, this model features the OZMO Roller system and an OMNI dock. Its name states 16,600 Pa, and the dock washes the mop pads with hot water and dries them with hot air.
Allow for refilling the clean water tank, emptying the dirty water tank and cleaning the brushes and filters. Check whether it can cross your thresholds, how it behaves on your carpets and whether your network is compatible with 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.
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This vacuum-and-mop robot with a dock is worth comparing for regular cleaning on hard floors. Its name states 25,000 Pa, an OZMO Turbo 2.0 system and mop pad washing at 75°C.
You’ll still need to manage the dock’s tanks and clean the brushes and filters. Before choosing this model, check its climbing limits, how it handles your carpets and whether the app has the functions you need.
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If thresholds are important to your decision, check this model’s climbing conditions rather than focusing only on its maximum advertised figure. Its name states 19,500 Pa, an OZMO Roller 2.0 and an Omni dock.
The stated limit is 2.2 cm for a single step, and up to 4 cm combined after several attempts: compare these conditions with your thresholds. Check the scheduling and mapping features you need for your cleaning cycles, and be prepared to keep an eye on the tanks, bag and dock.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for a vacuum-and-mop robot with LiDAR navigation, app control and automatic emptying. The product name states 8,000 Pa and a dual anti-tangle system.
Check which features are available on your phone, what thresholds it can cross and how the mopping function handles areas near your carpets. The dock uses a bag, so check which consumables are compatible and what regular maintenance is required.
No. It’s mainly designed to keep floors clean between manual cleans. UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes vacuuming results by floor type and areas of the room, and reports that mopping results vary between models.
No. It can mean you need to empty the robot’s dustbin less often, but the dock itself still needs maintenance. iRobot France, for example, recommends regularly cleaning the duct and pre-filter in its Clean Base. Check the manual for your chosen model to find out which tasks and consumables apply.
Yes, if the model can handle your carpets appropriately and its settings let you mark areas that shouldn’t get wet. Ecovacs France notes that an obstacle in front of a carpet can affect how the mop pad behaves on some DEEBOT models, so check how carpet avoidance or mop-pad lifting works on the specific model.
Not for every function or every model. According to Roborock, the Qrevo MaxV can clean and return to its dock without Wi-Fi, but scheduling and some settings require a connection. Check the manual for the model you’re considering to confirm which functions need Wi-Fi.
Read the manufacturer’s and app’s privacy policies before enabling connected features. Check the sections on the device, data transfers and any camera functions; the Ecovacs France privacy policy, for example, includes sections on the app and Ecovacs Home devices.