For scheduled cleaning across several rooms or the option to set no-go zones, choose a robot with mapping. In a straightforward space, random navigation may be enough if you’re happy with less precise control over where it cleans. A docking station means you won’t need to empty the dustbin as often, but you’ll still need to clean the brushes and empty the station. Before relying on it to clean while you’re away, check how the exact model performs on your flooring, its scheduling requirements and whether any mopping function is compatible with your floors.
A scheduled robot vacuum can help keep your floors clean between proper cleans, provided its features and the maintenance it needs are suited to your home.
If you want to keep your floors clean without starting every cycle yourself, consider how easy it is to set a schedule, how well the robot moves between rooms and what you’ll need to do before and after it runs.
Carpets, wooden floors, tiles, thresholds and furniture all make your choice more dependent on the exact model. UFC-Que Choisir’s testing protocol looks at performance on different floors, along room edges and in corners. Compare those results with your own home.
A docking station can collect dust from the robot between cycles. It doesn’t remove the need to clean the brushes, empty the station or, where applicable, maintain the mopping components. Check the repairability and parts availability for the specific model you’re considering, too.
Start with your floors and room layout, then check how you’ll schedule cleaning and what maintenance will still be needed.
| Priority | What to check | Depending on your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Performance on different floors | Look up test results for the model on your floor types, as well as along edges and in corners. UFC-Que Choisir notes that performance varies depending on the floor. | My rooms have a mix of carpets and hard floors. I want to know where the robot will clean effectively and which areas I may need to go over again. |
| Navigation | Check how it handles rooms and zones, moves around furniture and crosses the thresholds in your home. Mapping alone doesn’t guarantee that it will get past every obstacle. | I want to organise cleaning across several rooms while I’m out. In an open-plan room, simpler settings may be all I need. |
| Scheduling and dust collection | Make sure you understand how to set the schedule. If the model comes with a docking station, check how it collects dust and what extra maintenance it needs. | I want to run regular cycles without emptying the small dustbin after every clean, while still allowing time to clean the brushes and station. |
| Mopping | Check that the floor type is compatible and look at the mopping results for the exact model. UFC-Que Choisir’s tests of this function cover tiled floors and show that results vary. | I’d like a quick damp clean between manual mops, but I don’t want to use it on a floor that isn’t suitable. |
| App and data | Check app compatibility, update requirements, requested permissions and connection settings. According to the CNIL, the data a connected robot may collect depends on its features. | If I need an app to schedule cleaning, I want it to work with my phone and to be able to check which connected features I actually need. |
| Repairability | For a model sold in France, check its repairability index and how long spare parts are stated to be available for that model. According to economie.gouv.fr, the index is a score out of 10. | I’d rather check the maintenance and repair options for the specific robot than assume they’re the same across a brand. |
A docking station can mean less frequent emptying, but it won’t clean every part of the robot for you. Items left on the floor can also interrupt a scheduled cycle.
Before choosing, think about what you’ll need to move out of the way, clean and empty between runs, as well as how to maintain the mopping components if the model has them.
A quoted suction figure or the inclusion of mapping doesn’t tell you how well a robot will perform on carpets, wooden floors, tiles, edges and corners. UFC-Que Choisir tests these surfaces separately.
Compare results for the exact model on the surfaces that matter in your home, and check separately whether it can cross your thresholds.
Mopping results on tiles won’t tell you how the robot will perform on a wooden floor. UFC-Que Choisir specifically advises against using the function covered by its testing protocol on solid wood floors.
Follow the care instructions for your flooring and the robot. If compatibility isn’t explicitly confirmed, don’t use the mopping function on that floor.
A robot that relies on an app for scheduling needs to be compatible with your devices and the way you use them. Repairability and parts availability should also be checked for the exact model.
Before deciding, check the repairability index, the stated parts availability period, update requirements and privacy settings.
It comes down to the model and its configuration. The brand name alone won’t tell you how well it performs on your floors or what maintenance it needs.
Consider the iRobot model you’re interested in in light of your room layout and the floors you need to clean.
When choosing a Rowenta robot, focus on test results for your flooring.
Compare the features of the Roborock model you’re considering with the tasks you want to schedule.
If you’re considering an Ecovacs robot for both vacuuming and mopping, look at each function separately.
When considering a Dreame robot, start with the obstacles and floor types in your home.
These models combine scheduling with navigation features and, depending on the model, a self-emptying or mopping station. If you’re looking for a robot to clean while you’re away, compare the settings, maintenance requirements and compatibility with your home.
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The product information lists mapping, app scheduling and zone cleaning, which can help you organise cleaning across several rooms. Its station handles dust collection and mopping tasks, but needs maintenance too.
The stated ability to cross obstacles up to 4 cm is based on several attempts; it doesn’t guarantee that the robot will get over every threshold. Check performance on your floors and carpets, as well as the app’s requirements.
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The product information describes app-scheduled cleaning, room management and a station that empties the robot and washes and dries the mop pads. The station’s 75 °C mop-pad washing temperature is a stated feature, not a measure of how well it cleans your floors.
Check test results for your carpets and hard floors, make sure the mopping function is suitable for your flooring, and consider the maintenance needed for the brushes and water tanks.
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The product information lists schedules and no-go zones that can be set in the app. It also states a runtime of up to 180 minutes and 3D obstacle avoidance. These features don’t guarantee how well it will clean your home in a particular cycle.
Move cables, small toys and lightweight rugs with fringes out of the way before scheduling a clean. The stated 10 mm mop lift doesn’t prove that the robot is compatible with every carpet.
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For targeted cleaning, the product information lists multi-floor mapping, room-by-room scheduling and no-go zones. It also states a runtime of up to 200 minutes and a 3-litre dust collection container in the station.
The app requires a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network, so check your network and phone are compatible. Also check performance on your floors, whether it can cross your thresholds and whether the mopping function is suitable for your flooring.
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The product information describes schedules and no-go zones that can be set in the app, as well as a station that empties the robot and cleans and dries the mop pads. You’ll still need to maintain both the robot and the station.
The product details advise against mopping long-pile carpets and recommend setting no-go zones for thick rugs. They also state that only Roborock cleaning solutions should be used in the water tank. Check that you’re happy with this requirement before choosing.
No, don’t assume it can. UFC-Que Choisir reports mixed mopping results in its tests on tiled floors and advises against using the function in question on wooden floors, particularly solid wood. Check the test results for the model and your flooring care instructions before switching this function on.
No. It can mean you need to empty the robot’s dustbin less often, but the brushes, the station’s dust collection system and any water-related components still need maintenance. Plan for these tasks based on how often the robot runs.
France’s DGCCRF lists domestic robots among the vacuum cleaners covered by this index in France; economie.gouv.fr describes it as a score out of 10. Check the index for the model you’re considering, but don’t assume it tells you how long spare parts will be available.
Check the stated availability period for the exact model or ask the seller. Don’t assume that a period given for another model from the same brand applies to your robot.
Check that it’s compatible with your phone, its update requirements, the account and permissions it asks for, and its connection settings. The CNIL notes that the data collected by a connected robot depends on its features, so check which ones you plan to enable.