Start by choosing a robot that can navigate your home and clean your types of flooring effectively. Mapping is particularly useful if you want to target specific rooms or keep the robot out of certain areas. A docking station can cut down on some of the work involved, while mopping means checking how the robot handles rugs and how its wet components need to be maintained. None of these features, on its own, guarantees that you can stop doing a thorough manual clean.
How useful a robot will be depends as much on the layout of your home as on the jobs you want it to take care of.
If your robot needs to move between tiles or wooden floors and rugs, check how well it performs on each surface, whether it can cross thresholds and how it behaves when mopping. Que Choisir tests performance on rugs, tiles and wooden floors, among other things: results on one type of flooring won’t tell you how it will perform everywhere.
If pet hair or long hair means you need to vacuum frequently, compare the brush design, how easy it is to access the dust bin and what cleaning the robot requires. An advertised anti-tangle feature doesn’t mean you can skip checking the maintenance needed for the model you choose.
If you want to start a cleaning cycle in one room or keep the robot out of a particular area, look for an editable map and check which settings are available in the app for the specific model. iRobot describes these options for its Imprint smart maps, but they aren’t available on every robot.
Start with your flooring and the areas the robot needs to cover. Then decide which tasks you want to cut down on, without overlooking the maintenance that will still be needed.
| Priority | What to check | Consider your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Flooring and obstacles | Compare test results for your types of flooring, including cleaning along edges and in corners. Check the robot’s height, thresholds and access to each room. | I have rugs and several types of flooring: the robot needs to move between rooms and clean the surfaces that matter in my home. |
| Navigation and maps | Check how you can create and edit rooms, no-go zones and routines on the exact model. Find out which features require the app. | I want to clean specific rooms only, so I need to be able to set the robot’s route rather than always starting a whole-home clean. |
| Docking station and maintenance | Distinguish between emptying the dust bin and washing, drying or refilling the mopping components. Check whether bags are needed, the size of the tanks and how much room the station will take up. | Having to empty the bin frequently is a nuisance, but I can still maintain the station, brushes and wet components. |
| Mopping and rugs | Check whether the robot avoids rugs, lifts its mop pads or removes their holders when mopping. Also look at how it navigates when a rug is at the entrance to a room. | I want to maintain my hard floors without wetting rugs that stay in place. Mopping would complement my manual cleaning, not automatically replace it. |
| App and ongoing support | Read the app’s permissions and privacy notice, then check what updates are planned. In France, look up the model’s repairability index and find out which consumables it needs. | If my maps and routines rely on an app, I want to understand how my data is used and be able to find the parts needed for maintenance. |
A figure in pascals doesn’t tell you on its own how well a robot will pick up dirt from rugs, wooden floors or tiles, or clean along edges. Que Choisir tests these surfaces and situations separately.
Look for tests covering the flooring in your home, then check the brushes, the robot’s height and whether it can cross thresholds.
Depending on the model, the robot may avoid rugs, lift its mop pads or remove their holders. Ecovacs notes, for example, that a rug at the entrance to a room may prevent some DEEBOT models from entering in vacuum-and-mop mode.
Identify the rugs and thresholds in your home, then check the documented behaviour of the model and mode you plan to use.
Mop pads and tanks add extra maintenance to your routine.
A station that empties the dust bin doesn’t do the same jobs as one that washes or dries the mop pads. The brushes, tanks and station itself still need attention.
Check exactly what the station does, what you need to do after cleaning cycles and how much space you’ll need to install it.
Depending on the model, you may also need compatible dust bags or mopping accessories.
If map settings depend on an app, its permissions and updates will affect everyday use. France’s CNIL advises considering how connected devices can affect privacy. Robot vacuum cleaners are also among the categories covered by the repairability index, according to the ministry responsible for ecological transition.
Before buying, read the privacy notice, check the features available on the exact model, look up its repairability index and find out the part and consumable reference numbers.
These brands offer useful points of comparison for certain features, but what’s available varies from model to model.
iRobot explains how to create rooms and zones using Imprint smart maps on compatible models.
Depending on the model, Ecovacs offers mapping, mopping and OMNI stations with a range of maintenance features.
For some models, Roborock describes features designed to manage mopping components before the robot cleans rugs.
These robots combine vacuuming with a mopping function, and their product details also mention an emptying or maintenance station. To choose between them, focus on how they perform on your floors and rugs, and on which tasks the station actually takes care of.
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Worth considering if you want to combine regular cleaning with a station that maintains the mopping components. The model title lists 16 600 Pa suction, the OZMO Roller system and an Omni station that washes the mop pads with hot water and dries them with hot air. Compare results on your flooring and check how it behaves in mopping mode around your rugs and thresholds.
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Consider it if you’re looking for a robot mop with an OMNI station. The model title lists 25 000 Pa of advertised suction, OZMO Turbo 2.0 and mop-pad washing at 75 °C. These features alone don’t tell you how well it will perform on wooden floors or rugs. Also check how much room the station needs and how the robot behaves near rugs in mopping mode.
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If pet hair and long hair are important factors for you, this model advertises anti-tangle technology, but it’s also worth considering how easy the brushes are to maintain in practice. The model title lists 16 200 Pa, liquid detection, brush lifting and hot-water cleaning at 75 °C. Check separately how it handles rugs and thresholds when mopping is enabled.
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Worth a look if route planning and reducing the need to empty the dust bin manually are your priorities. The model title lists LiDAR navigation with mapping, an emptying station, 8 000 Pa and up to 200 minutes of run time. That advertised run time doesn’t guarantee it will cover your whole home. Also check how the mop behaves when it comes into contact with rugs.
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According to its title, this model combines LiDAR navigation, a mopping function and an automatic emptying station for scheduled cleaning. It also lists 8 000 Pa and a dual anti-tangle system. Check how easy the brushes are to maintain rather than assuming they’ll stay clear of hair and debris. If your home has rugs, check exactly how the robot navigates in mopping mode and whether it can cross thresholds.
Don’t assume it will replace manual cleaning completely. Use it for regular upkeep and see what still needs cleaning in your home. Que Choisir assesses performance separately on rugs, tiles, wooden floors, edges and corners, and highlights that not all models perform equally well.
Check whether the model avoids rugs, lifts its mop pads or removes their holders while mopping. Ecovacs says that a rug placed at the entrance to a room may stop some of its robots entering in vacuum-and-mop mode. Check the robot’s route against the actual layout of your rooms.
First, check which mapping and scheduling features for your chosen model depend on the app. Before pairing the robot, read the permissions it requests, its privacy notice, the terms for setting up an account and the information about updates. The CNIL highlights the privacy questions raised by connected devices.
Look up the repairability index for the exact model and find the reference numbers for its filters, brushes, bags or mop pads before you buy. According to the ministry responsible for ecological transition, robot vacuum cleaners are among the categories covered by the index. However, the index won’t tell you on its own which consumables are compatible with your appliance.