To schedule vacuuming in accessible areas, start by choosing a robot that performs well on your floor types. Mopping is only worthwhile if your floors are suitable and you’re happy to take on the extra maintenance. A dock can reduce some of the hands-on tasks, but it takes up space and needs looking after too. As Les Numériques points out, a robot can’t clean stairs, furniture or skirting boards, so you’ll still need to clean these areas by hand.
If you’d like to schedule regular cleaning on tiled or wooden floors, check how well the robot performs on each surface. Que Choisir also assesses edges and corners, where results can differ from those in the middle of a room.
Your choice will depend on how easily the robot can access each room and how it handles rugs. Measure your thresholds, check how the model performs on your floor types and remember to pick up small items that could get in its way.
A dock can mean emptying the robot’s bin less often and, depending on its features, can take care of some mop pad maintenance. However, you’ll need to find a suitable spot for it and look after its own components.
Start with your floors and the routes through your home, then decide whether mopping and a dock would take care of the tasks you want to delegate without adding too much maintenance.
| What to consider | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Performance on different floors | Compare tests on the floor types in your home, such as rugs, tiles or wooden flooring. Look separately at how well the robot picks up dust and debris, and at its results near walls and in corners. Que Choisir uses this approach in its testing. | I want to schedule regular cleaning, but dust also builds up along the walls, so those areas matter just as much as the middle of the room. |
| Rugs and obstacles | Measure your thresholds and compare them with the model’s climbing height. If the robot mops, check how it handles rugs; mapping won’t remove the need to pick up small items. | With rugs or items on the floor, I’d rather know which areas the robot can actually reach before scheduling its cleaning runs. |
| Mopping | Make sure the robot, water and any cleaning products are suitable for your flooring. Don’t judge stain removal by the mopping system alone: Que Choisir found that results were often disappointing for the robot mops it tested. | I’m interested in a damp clean for my compatible hard floors, but I don’t expect it to replace manual cleaning for stubborn stains. |
| Maintenance and dock | Check whether the model automatically empties its bin, manages the water, and washes or dries its mop pads: features vary. Check the clearance needed for installation and the components you’ll need to clean, as described in the manual. | I’d like to empty the bin less often, provided I have enough space and am happy to maintain the dock. |
A figure in Pa doesn’t tell you how well a robot will perform on your rugs, wooden floors or around the edges of rooms. Que Choisir assesses these conditions separately in its testing.
Make a note of your floor types and problem areas, then look for tests of the exact model in comparable conditions.
Que Choisir found that mopping results were often poor among the models it tested. Using water also calls for particular care on wooden floors.
Check the advice from your flooring manufacturer and the robot’s instructions. Keep a manual cleaning option for stains that don’t come off with routine cleaning.
A dock takes up room, and some of its components still need cleaning. The required clearance varies by model: for the Qrevo Curv 2 Flow, for example, Roborock recommends at least 1.2 m in front and 0.4 m on each side.
Measure the space you have in mind and check the manual for your chosen model rather than using the dimensions of a different dock.
Some individual reviews published on Fnac describe difficulties with rugs when using the AIRROBO T20+ and AIIBOT T288 models. They don’t prove that all robot vacuums, or even every model from a particular brand, will behave the same way.
Use these examples to guide your checks: rug height, how mopping mode works and test results for the model you’re considering.
The Qrevo range includes robots with a dock. Roborock’s documentation for the Qrevo Curv 2 Flow also describes a roller mop system.
Dreame France describes the L40 Ultra AE as a robot mop with dedicated rug features and several types of brush.
Ecovacs support describes the DEEBOT T50 OMNI as featuring mapping, edge cleaning and a self-emptying dock.
These models are designed for regular floor care. If a model’s name mentions mopping or a dock, check that these features suit your flooring, the space you have available and the level of maintenance you’re happy to take on.
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Worth considering if you’d like scheduled vacuuming, mopping and a dock in one, after checking you have enough space and that it’s suitable for your floor types.
The product name lists 16 600 Pa suction, OZMO Roller mopping, ZeroTangle 3.0, TruEdge 2.0, hot-water mop pad washing and hot-air drying. These features don’t indicate how well it will perform on your rugs, edges or corners.
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This model combines vacuuming and mopping. Check how it handles your rugs in particular, as well as the space needed for its dock.
The product name lists 25 000 Pa, OZMO Turbo 2.0, ZeroTangle 3.0, TruEdge 2.0, an OMNI station and mop pad washing at 75 °C. Compare tests on your floor types rather than judging performance by these features alone.
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Before considering its mopping mode, check that it’s suitable for your floors and that you have the right space to install the dock.
The product name lists 16 200 Pa, an anti-tangle feature, liquid detection, brush lifting and hot-water cleaning at 75 °C. Check its performance separately on rugs, hard floors, edges and corners.
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Its self-emptying dock means you’ll need to handle the robot’s bin less often. Before choosing, check what maintenance the dock needs and which consumables it uses.
The product name lists 8 000 Pa, an anti-tangle feature, 3D obstacle avoidance and up to 180 minutes of runtime. This quoted runtime doesn’t guarantee that it will cover your home or perform well on your rugs.
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If you’re considering this model to automate more of your floor care, check the manual for the mopping and dock features that matter to you.
Also check how it handles rugs, thresholds and small obstacles, as well as the clearance it needs and the maintenance involved in setting it up.
No. It can handle regular cleaning in accessible areas, but it won’t take care of every cleaning task in your home. Les Numériques points out that robots can’t go up or down stairs, or clean furniture and skirting boards, so you’ll still need a way to clean these areas by hand.
No. Que Choisir warns in particular against using it on wooden floors, especially solid wood. Before using water or detergent, check the guidance from your flooring manufacturer and the robot’s instructions.
No. It can empty the bin and, depending on the model, handle some tasks involving water or mop pads, but its components still need maintenance. For example, Ecovacs support describes cleaning the tanks, cleaning tray, brushes and sensors on the DEEBOT T50 OMNI.
Measure the space and compare it with the clearances specified in the manual for the exact model. For the Qrevo Curv 2 Flow, for example, Roborock requires at least 1.2 m in front of the dock, 0.4 m on each side and 0.9 m above it.