A robot vacuum can take care of routine cleaning while you get on with other things, provided it can access the rooms and you’re happy to clean its brushes, sensors and bin regularly. For compatible hard floors, a robot mop adds a light wet clean, but Que Choisir’s tests show that mopping doesn’t always replace manual cleaning. Keep a stick or cylinder vacuum for stairs, hard-to-reach areas and occasional messes.
If you want to pick up dust, crumbs and pet hair regularly while you get on with other things, check that the robot can move between your furniture and reach the rooms you want it to clean. You’ll also need to maintain its brushes, wheels and sensors: iRobot support notes that debris can block these parts.
If you’re considering a robot mop, check how the exact model handles rugs, including whether it lifts or removes its mop pads. According to Que Choisir, cleaning results vary by surface, and mopping shouldn’t be treated as a substitute for a thorough manual clean.
An anti-tangle brush or obstacle avoidance feature may suit your needs, provided it’s listed for the model you’re considering. Even so, put away cables and small objects before the robot starts, and check the brushes regularly: these features don’t guarantee an incident-free clean.
First decide which tasks you want to automate, then compare the model’s dimensions and features with your floors and the spaces it needs to get through.
Consider one: for regularly picking up dust, crumbs and pet hair in rooms it can move around.
Bear in mind: you’ll still need to empty and clean its components, even if it has an auto-empty station.
Consider one: to add a light wet clean for compatible hard floors.
Bear in mind: according to Que Choisir, mopping results can be limited; a water station also needs maintenance.
Keep one for: stairs, areas the robot can’t reach and occasional cleaning.
The trade-off: you’ll need to do the cleaning yourself rather than leave it to an automatic cycle.
| Factor | What to check | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Measure each threshold and the clearance under your furniture, then compare them with the limits for the exact model. Check its navigation and obstacle detection. | I want the robot to reach the rooms I need it to clean without getting stuck between furniture, at a threshold or on an object. |
| Floors and rugs | Where available, look at test results for your floor coverings, edges and corners. For a robot mop, check exactly what it does when it encounters a rug. | Do my hard floors and rugs need the same kind of care? I don’t want to assume it’ll perform well in my home based on the advertised suction power alone. |
| Maintenance | Find out what the station automates, and which tasks you’ll still need to do for the bin, tanks, brushes and sensors. Check which accessories you’ll need. | I want to run cleaning cycles while I get on with other things, without assuming the station cleans itself completely. |
| Mopping | Check that your flooring is suitable and find out how the mop pads work. Que Choisir’s mopping tests were carried out on tiles and reported that results were often limited. | A light wet clean would be useful for my hard floors; I’ll use a manual method for stubborn stains. |
This figure alone doesn’t tell you how well a model will clean rugs, tiles, wooden floors or along walls. Que Choisir assesses these surfaces and corners separately in its testing process.
Where possible, compare tests on the floor coverings you have at home, then check for features that matter for pet hair and edges.
Que Choisir found that mopping results were often limited: the feature is better suited to light cleaning than to tackling every stain or giving floors a thorough clean.
Check that your flooring is suitable for the type of mopping offered, and keep a manual way to deal with any mess that proves harder to remove.
A washing station also means managing the water, cleaning the station and replacing the accessories specified for the model.
If the robot can’t get through an opening, it may not be able to clean a room or the area beneath a piece of furniture. A model’s stated threshold-climbing limit doesn’t automatically apply to other models.
Measure your doorways and the clearance under your furniture, then compare these measurements with the specifications for the exact model.
Debris can interfere with the wheels, brushes or sensors, as iRobot support explains. A station doesn’t remove the need to check these components.
Before buying, find out what maintenance is required, which accessories are compatible and which parts need replacing for the model you’ve chosen.
Depending on the configuration, bags, filters, brushes or mop pads may still need replacing.
These brands offer a range of configurations. Compare the features of each model rather than assuming they apply across an entire range.
The French range includes the Q10 S5+ with an auto-empty station, the Qrevo 2 Pro and the Saros 20 Sonic.
The DEEBOT models available in France include robot vacuums and robot mops with stations.
The Roomba range includes robot vacuums and robot mops, with features varying by version.
The X-PLORER range includes connected robot vacuums, including models with mopping functions.
These models combine vacuuming and mopping for routine cleaning. If you’re relying on an automatic clean across several rooms, also compare their specifications with the thresholds, rugs and furniture in your home. A manual vacuum is still useful for areas the robot can’t clean.
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For regular cleaning of hard floors with vacuuming as well, this model combines OZMO Turbo 2.0 mopping with an OMNI station. Its product details list 25,000 Pa suction, ZeroTangle 3.0, TruEdge 2.0 and mop pad washing at 75 °C. Check that it can get over your thresholds and allow time to maintain the tanks, brushes and filters.
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If you want to automate some of the mopping and emptying, this robot’s product details list an OZMO roller, an OMNI station and 16,600 Pa of suction. ZeroTangle 3.0 and TruEdge 2.0 are also mentioned. You’ll still need to fill and empty the tanks and clean the brushes and filters; check your thresholds against the model’s limits.
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For a home with a mix of hard floors and rugs, the product description lists a 10 mm mop lift, a bagless auto-empty station and 3D obstacle avoidance. It also mentions an anti-tangle brush. Check that the mop lift suits your rugs, and clear away cables and small objects before starting a cycle.
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For vacuuming and mopping hard floors, the product details list an OZMO ROLLER 2.0 roller, an OMNI station, ZeroTangle 3.0 and AIVI 3D 3.0 obstacle avoidance. Suction is listed at up to 24,800 Pa. If you have rugs or thresholds, check exactly how this T80S handles mopping and what its clearance limits are; don’t confuse it with the T80 OMNI.
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If hair or pet fur makes brush maintenance difficult, this model lists a FlexiRazor anti-tangle system. Its product details describe a station that empties the bin, washes the mop pads at 75 °C and then dries them, as well as LDS navigation with an RGB camera. You’ll still need to clean the brushes and manage the tanks; check how it handles your rugs and thresholds.
Not in every home. A robot can clean accessible areas regularly, but keep a manual vacuum for stairs, awkward corners and occasional messes. Que Choisir notes that robot vacuum results vary depending on the flooring and areas cleaned.
No. First check that your flooring is suitable for the type of mopping offered and that the model can handle your rugs. Que Choisir’s tests on tiled floors found that mopping results were often limited; they don’t guarantee the same results on other surfaces.
It depends on the model. For example, ECOVACS states that the DEEBOT T10 can clear thresholds up to 2 cm, but this doesn’t apply to other robot vacuums. Measure each threshold and compare its height with the limit stated for the model you’re considering.
Yes. Remove cables and small objects that could get in the way. Even if a model features obstacle avoidance, you’ll still need to prepare the areas you want it to clean.
Depending on the system, you may still need to manage bags or tanks and check the wheels, brushes and sensors. iRobot support explains that debris can block these components, so check the instructions for your chosen model to plan when to clean them.