{"id":452,"date":"2025-06-11T23:56:32","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T19:56:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.actutech.app\/the-best-robot-vacuum-and-mop-to-buy-right-now\/"},"modified":"2025-06-11T23:56:32","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T19:56:32","slug":"the-best-robot-vacuum-and-mop-to-buy-right-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.actutech.app\/en\/the-best-robot-vacuum-and-mop-to-buy-right-now\/","title":{"rendered":"The best robot vacuum and mop to buy right now"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Robot vacuums that can both mop and sweep your floors have improved significantly in recent years. While they are still not as effective as good ol\u2019 manual labor, if you run them regularly, they will help keep your floors cleaner with much less effort on your part.<\/p>\n

The difference is that newer \u201ccombo\u201d robot vacuum and mop models are designed to actually scrub your floors. The first robot vacuums that could also \u201cmop\u201d simply slapped a thin, flat microfiber pad on the bot that kind of Swiffer-ed your floor. Basically, all this was good for was getting up fine dirt that the vacuum left behind.<\/p>\n

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A robot vacuum with a real mopping system will make your life easier\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

Newer models now come with vibrating or oscillating mop pads, and some even have roller mops. Most models have onboard water tanks to keep the mops wet while in use, and many can wash and dry their mops in their charging docks, which also automatically empty and refill their water tanks, meaning less work for you.<\/p>\n

While most robot vacuums today come with some sort of mopping feature, this guide focuses on those that excel<\/em> at mopping. If you\u2019re more interested in the best vacuum, check out my guide to floor sweeping bots<\/a>. <\/p>\n

The downside to these combo bots with serious mopping chops is that they tend to be bigger and heavier and need more frequent intervention than regular vacuum bots. Water equals gunk, and cleaning their giant multifunction docks, even the self-cleaning ones, can be an icky job. You also have to empty and refill their tanks about once a week.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mopping bots also need to return to their docks more frequently than robot vacuums in order to refill their onboard water tanks. This means they\u2019ll take longer to clean your floors than a dedicated vacuuming model, but they are doing two jobs at once. Robot mops with roller mops will self-clean as they work, negating this issue, but these models are also the largest and bulkiest, as they carry a bigger water tank on board.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Combo bots can mop and vacuum simultaneously, but for especially dirty floors, it\u2019s best to have the option to vacuum first and then mop. A mop-only mode is also good, as you can send the bot to clean up a wet spill without it sucking up water \u2014 something they\u2019re not designed to do, yet.<\/p>\n

If you have a lot of hardwood or tile floors and constantly struggle with muddy paw prints or the general dirtiness of life with multiple pets, people, and kids, a good robot vacuum and mop combo will definitely make your life easier.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Featured in this article<\/h2>\n
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A multifunction charging dock<\/p>\n

This is a charging base that empties the robot\u2019s bin, washes and dries the bot\u2019s mops, and empties and refills its water tank. This is essential if you want to be as hands-free as possible when mopping your floor. <\/p>\n

Some offer hot water washing and drying options that will keep your pads cleaner for longer. But you\u2019ll want to throw them in the wash eventually. A dock that can self-clean the washboard (the area where it cleans the mops) is a nice upgrade, as you won\u2019t have to do it yourself as often.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Big tanks (or a plumbing hookup)<\/p>\n

The bigger the clean and dirty water tanks on the dock, the less often you\u2019ll have to refill them. If the dock can connect directly to the plumbing, even better; it\u2019s a more complicated install, but makes for a more hands-off experience long term.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Better mops<\/p>\n

Mop type matters. The main options are circular and spinning, flat and vibrating, or rolling and self-cleaning. Rolling (like the beater bar on a vacuum cleaner) is my favorite because it does a better job of getting floors really clean. The greater surface area of a roller mop, combined with the self-cleaning function \u2014 the vac sprays water onto the mop as it runs \u2014 makes it a more effective option than flat or spinning mops in most cases. However, oscillating mops that can extend outwards are better at getting into grout between tiles, along baseboards, and under low furniture.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Mops that lift or drop<\/p>\n

If you have low-pile rugs and carpet, mop pads that the robot can lift up (by at least 10 mm) should prevent your carpets from getting damp when the robot rolls over them. However, robots that can remove the mop pads entirely before vacuuming carpets are a good option, especially if you have high-pile rugs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Decent mop pressure and speed<\/p>\n

Specs around mop pressure and rotation speed are similar to those for suction power on the vacuum<\/a>; they matter to some extent, but what\u2019s more important is how effective the pads are. <\/p>\n

The higher the pressure, the more effective it should be on tougher stains. The higher the rotations per minute (RPMs), the more friction the stain has to deal with. It\u2019s hard to judge pressure, as several manufacturers don\u2019t list it and those that do use different measurements, but 12 Newtons, roughly 2.2 pounds of downward pressure, is very good.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A usable app<\/p>\n

A well-laid-out app is key. It should let you choose which rooms to clean, and in what order. Generally, you want a mopping bot to clean the dirtiest room last (think bathroom or hallway) to avoid cross-contamination. I also look for the option to mop only, in addition to mop and<\/em> vacuum, or vacuum then<\/em> mop, and, of course, vacuum only.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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  1. Best robot vacuum and mop<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Best budget robot vacuum and mop<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Best midrange robot vacuum and mop<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. Best robot vacuum and mop for a mix of hard floors and rugs<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. Best robot vacuum and mop for hardwood floors<\/a><\/li>\n
  6. Best robot vacuum and mop for tile floors<\/a><\/li>\n
  7. Best robot vacuum and mop with a plumbing hookup<\/a><\/li>\n
  8. How I test robot vacuums<\/a><\/li>\n
  9. What I\u2019m currently testing and what\u2019s coming next<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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    Best robot vacuum and mop<\/h2>\n

    Multifunction Dock:<\/em><\/strong> Yes, auto empty (3L) and drain\/refill (4L dirty, 4L clean) \/ <\/em>Mop style: <\/em><\/strong>Roller<\/em> \/ <\/em>Mop washing:<\/em><\/strong> Yes, hot water and hot air drying \/ <\/em>Mop pressure:<\/em><\/strong> 4,000Pa at 200 RPM \/ <\/em>Mop lift:<\/em><\/strong> Yes, 10mm \/\u00a0 <\/em>Edge cleaning:<\/em><\/strong> Yes, mop extension \/ <\/em>Mapping<\/em><\/strong>:<\/strong> Yes, lidar \/ <\/em>AI-powered obstacle detection<\/em><\/strong>:<\/strong> Yes \/ <\/em>Suction power:<\/em><\/strong> 18,000Pa \/ <\/em>Vacuum brush style:<\/em><\/strong> Single rubber\/bristle \/ <\/em>Works with:<\/em><\/strong> Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Siri Shortcuts, Matter support promised<\/em><\/p>\n

    Ecovacs\u2019 Deebot X8 Pro Omni<\/a> is a welcome return to form for Ecovacs\u2019 flagship line. Its new tower-less lidar navigation system did a much better job of mapping and navigating than the previous flagship, the Deebot X2 Omni<\/a>, which was constantly getting lost in my tests. However, the most notable thing about the X8 is the Ozmo Roller Mop.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    This is the best roller mopping bot I\u2019ve tested, thanks mostly to the Ozmo\u2019s ability to extend outwards to clean along baseboards and furniture. This is a unique feature on a roller mop (for now) that makes up for the mop\u2019s relatively short length (both the Eufy S1 and Switchbot S10 have longer roller mops).\u00a0At $1,299, the X8 is also one of the less expensive flagship models (though the new X9 Pro Omni retails for $1599.99).<\/p>\n

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    The X8 did an excellent job on my milk, OJ, and dried ketchup tests, absorbing the small spills with one or two passes. It covered the floors evenly, without leaving any streaks or gaps, something that I\u2019ve seen happen with spinning mop pads. When it comes across an edge \u2014 be it a baseboard, furniture like a chair or table leg, or any obstacle \u2014 it extends out its mop to the right to clean as close as possible. It did an excellent job getting the grime up from the stools around my kitchen counter, something most other bots struggle to do.<\/p>\n

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    This is the best roller mopping bot I\u2019ve tested<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

    The self-cleaning brush system kept the bot from smearing any spills it encountered. As it\u2019s cleaning, a scraper squeegees off the dirty water and 16 nozzles spray it with fresh water and solution, if you use it. As with most high-end mopping bots, the dock has the option of auto-dispensing cleaning solution.<\/p>\n

    The X8 was the best vacuuming robot among the serious combo bots I tested, outperforming my Cheerio and oatmeal tests and doing a good job on rugs (when it could reach them). However, its vacuum has a relatively small, single rubber roller brush, which is less effective than Roborock\u2019s and Roomba\u2019s dual roller brush models (which include the S8 MaxV Ultra and the 10 Max).<\/p>\n

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    The X8 uses lidar and a 3D camera for mapping; the latter also facilitates its obstacle detection, which is very good \u2014 it easily navigated fake dog turds and cables while sucking up oatmeal and Cheerios. It\u2019s much better at navigating than the X2, but it did occasionally get itself trapped, including when it went under a chair that was too low for it to get out from. The top of the robot was fairly scratched up after just one week of use. (Worth noting, Ecovacs suffered a hack<\/a> last year in which bad actors could access the camera and microphone on the X2)<\/p>\n

    The X8\u2019s multifunction dock is much smaller than the X2\u2019s and has some nice rose gold accents. Its water tanks are integrated into the dock and supereasy to remove to empty and refill \u2014 there\u2019s no lid to mess with, you just lift up and go. The X8 doesn\u2019t self-clean its washboard, however, and while it\u2019s removable to make it easier to clean, I still had to get on my knees and scrub its base station after just a week of use.<\/p>\n

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    It easily navigated fake dog turds and cables while sucking up oatmeal and Cheerios<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

    The downside of roller mop bots is that they are big and heavy: the X8 weighs a whopping 12 pounds. Despite an ability to lift itself up to clear thresholds, the X8 isn\u2019t as agile as smaller, lighter robot vacs. It struggled with the combo challenge of a large, tasseled, high-pile rug and spindly chair leg. Very few robot vacs tackle that one well, but it got stuck on the chair leg and sucked up the rug tassels. I ended up setting a keep-out zone so it could complete its job.<\/p>\n

    The integrated nature of the roller mop means the bot can\u2019t remove it when it goes to vacuum carpet, as some mopping bots with pads can. It can lift it, but only 10mm, which isn\u2019t going to work for the fluffiest rugs. The X8 does have carpet sensors, and you can choose to avoid them automatically, pass over them, or vacuum only. But its best carpet feature is the option to have it vacuum the carpets first, then mop everywhere else.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    Overall, the Deebot X8 is a stellar vacuum mop combo for anyone seeking a robot that will thoroughly scrub and sweep their floors. With high-end features at a decent price, the X8\u2019s roller mop, slick navigation, and excellent obstacle avoidance will get the job done.<\/p>\n

    Best budget robot vacuum and mop<\/h2>\n

    Multifunction Dock:<\/em><\/strong> No \u2013 just auto empty \/ Mop style:<\/em><\/strong><\/em> Vibrating pad \/ <\/em>Mop washing:<\/em><\/strong> No \/ <\/em>Mop pressure:<\/em><\/strong> 6N pressure, vibrates 3000 times a minute\u00a0\/ <\/em>Mop lift:<\/em><\/strong> Yes, 5mm \/\u00a0<\/em>Edge cleaning:<\/em><\/strong> No \/ <\/em>Mapping<\/em><\/strong>:<\/strong> Yes, lidar \/ <\/em>AI-powered obstacle detection<\/em><\/strong>:<\/strong> Yes \/ <\/em>Suction power:<\/em><\/strong> 6,000Pa \/ <\/em>Vacuum brush style:<\/em><\/strong> Dual rubber \/ <\/em>Works with:<\/em><\/strong> Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Siri Shortcuts<\/em><\/p>\n

    The Roborock S8 is a great vacuum featuring AI-powered obstacle detection, dual rubber roller brushes, and 6,000Pa of suction. These are all features you won\u2019t find on most budget bots, and combined, they mean the S8 does a good job vacuuming hard floors and carpets. Then, its flat mop, which vibrates 3,000 times a second, is very effective at scrubbing hard floors.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    Unlike most robot vacuums in this guide, the S8 won\u2019t automatically fill its water tank or wash its mop; you will have to do that work manually. However, it does have an extra-large onboard water tank, again a feature you won\u2019t find on cheaper mopping bots, which means the mop gets sufficiently wet to be effective.<\/p>\n

    The S8 wasn\u2019t designed as a budget bot; in fact, it was Roborock\u2019s flagship model in 2023, but buying an older model like this can save you a lot of money while still doing a good job. Once $750 for the robot alone, now you can often find it for well under $500, and that\u2019s with its auto-empty dock.<\/p>\n

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    One of my favorite features of the S8 is that it can be set to mop only, and it does an excellent job, moving in a tighter \u201cZ\u201d pattern and going over the floors twice. It also has a slow option for a more thorough cleaning. I liked to send it out to vacuum everywhere first, then recharge and go out again to mop, which resulted in sparklingly clean floors. It does take a long time, though, and it doesn\u2019t have any edge cleaning options, so it won\u2019t mop as well along baseboards or under low furniture as the more expensive models.<\/p>\n

    Another great feature at this price is carpet sensing \u2014 the S8 can raise its mops a few millimeters to avoid dampening your carpets. Most other budget mopping bots require you to remove the mop pads when vacuuming carpet or set keep-out zones around your rugs. However, the mop-raising feature can only clear low-pile rugs, so I had to set no-mopping zones around my plush floor coverings.<\/p>\n

    The S8 requires a fair amount of hands-on time since you have to refill its reservoir manually and wash the mopping pads (you can throw them in the washing machine). But if you\u2019re good with a little more manual labor in exchange for cleaner floors, the S8 is a great option.<\/p>\n

    Read more of my Roborock S8 review<\/a>.<\/h5>\n

    Best midrange robot vacuum and mop<\/h2>\n

    Multifunction Dock:<\/em><\/strong> Yes, auto empty (2.5L) and drain\/refill (2.7L dirty, 3L clean) \/ Mop style:<\/em><\/strong><\/em> Dual spinning pads \/ <\/em>Mop washing:<\/em><\/strong> Yes, hot air drying \/ <\/em>Mop pressure:<\/em><\/strong> 2.2 lbs at 180 RPM\u00a0\/ <\/em>Mop lift:<\/em><\/strong> Yes, 12 mm \/\u00a0<\/em>Edge cleaning:<\/em><\/strong> Yes, swinging motion \/ <\/em>Mapping<\/em><\/strong>:<\/strong> Yes, lidar \/ <\/em>AI-powered obstacle detection<\/em><\/strong>:<\/strong> Yes \/ <\/em>Suction power:<\/em><\/strong> 8,000Pa \/ <\/em>Vacuum brush style:<\/em><\/strong> Single rubber bristle hybrid \/ <\/em>Works with:<\/em><\/strong> Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Siri Shortcuts<\/em><\/p>\n

    The Eufy X10 Pro Omni is an excellent mop vacuum hybrid with a full multifunction dock. Unlike the Roborock S8, it can wash its mop, drain, and refill its water tank. It\u2019s also the cheapest model to offer dual spinning mop pads, and it has very good obstacle detection for this price range.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    However, the X10 has just 8,000Pa suction, no hot water washing, and smaller water tanks. While it has most of the same functions as the top-of-the-line mopping bots, it\u2019s not quite as effective at any of them. Which is sort of the definition of \u201cmidrange.\u201d<\/p>\n

    An edge-hugging mode makes the robot swing its behind into the baseboards to help mop edges, but this is less effective than mop extension found on the more expensive models. With its squarish shape, it gets into corners better than most of the round bots, but its 12mm mop pad lift over carpet wasn\u2019t effective, resulting in its pads getting hung up in a few places.<\/p>\n

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    The Eufy performed very well in my mopping tests, eradicating dried stains with its 2.2 pounds of downward pressure. Thanks to an onboard water reservoir, it didn\u2019t have to head home to fill up as frequently as some bots do. It also has heated mop drying to help prevent the base from getting stinky \u2014 a first in this price range.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    The X10 has great object recognition, allowing it to suck up Cheerios and piles of oatmeal while deftly navigating fake dog turds and cables. However, its navigation sometimes got screwy; it would go into a corner and stay there for a while, trying to figure itself out.<\/p>\n

    Read more of my Eufy X10 review<\/a>.<\/h5>\n

    Best robot vacuum and mop for a mix of hard floors and rugs<\/h2>\n

    Multifunction Dock:<\/em><\/strong> Yes, auto empty (3L) and drain\/refill (4L dirty, 4.5L clean) \/ Mop style: <\/strong>Dual spinning pads \/ <\/em>Mop washing:<\/em><\/strong> Yes, hot water and hot air drying \/ <\/em>Mop pressure:<\/em><\/strong> Unknown\u00a0 \/ <\/em>Mop lift:<\/em><\/strong> Yes, 10.5 mm \/\u00a0<\/em>Edge cleaning:<\/em><\/strong> Yes, mop extension <\/em>Mapping<\/em><\/strong>:<\/strong> Yes, lidar \/ <\/em>AI-powered obstacle detection<\/em><\/strong>:<\/strong> Yes \/ <\/em>Suction power:<\/em><\/strong> 12,000Pa \/ <\/em>Vacuum brush style:<\/em><\/strong> Single, rubber \/ <\/em>Works with:<\/em><\/strong> Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Siri Shortcuts<\/em><\/p>\n

    If you have a lot of fluffy rugs or carpets as well as hard floors, the Dreame X40 Ultra is the best robot vacuum for you. It\u2019s not quite as effective as a mop\u00a0or<\/em>\u00a0vacuum as the Ecovacs Deebot X8, but it\u2019s better suited for high-pile carpet and rugs because it can automatically drop and reattach its mopping pads during vacuuming, e<\/span>liminating the risk of getting your rugs wet or stained. The Ecovacs X8 can only raise its mop 10mm, not remove it, so it struggles on high-pile carpets.<\/p>\n

    Along with dropping its pads, the X40 can also extend and swing them to get under your cabinets and consoles. The X8 can extend to an edge, but won\u2019t get under those low cabinets or furniture. I watched the X40 spread its mops wide apart and swing behind my TV console, allowing it to access the dust wedged a good inch under it.<\/p>\n

    However, because the X40 features dual spinning mop pads rather than a self-cleaning roller mop, it requires more frequent returns to clean the mops, which means it takes longer to clean your home. The X40\u2019s spinning pads are effective at scrubbing your floors, but I found the X8\u2019s roller mop to be better overall and more consistent.<\/p>\n

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    The X40 can clean its washboard and features AI-powered smart dirt detection, which uses its cameras to identify spills, such as milk, or particularly dirty areas. When it spots something, it slows down and performs a more thorough cleaning. It also has an option to just mop. These are features the Ecovacs X8 doesn\u2019t offer.<\/p>\n

    Dreame recently released the X50 Ultra<\/a>, which adds 20,000Pa suction power and the ability to climb over higher thresholds. I\u2019m currently testing this model.<\/p>\n

    Read more of my Dream X40 Ultra review<\/a>.<\/h5>\n

    Best robot vacuum and mop for hardwood floors<\/h2>\n

    Multifunction Dock:<\/em><\/strong> Yes, auto empty (2.5L) and drain\/refill (2L dirty, 3L clean) \/ Mop style:<\/strong> Roller \/ <\/em>Mop washing:<\/em><\/strong> Yes, warm water and hot air drying \/ <\/em>Mop pressure:<\/em><\/strong> 10N, 170 RPM\u00a0\/ <\/em>Mop lift:<\/em><\/strong> Yes, 12mm \/\u00a0 <\/em>Edge cleaning:<\/em><\/strong> No <\/em>Mapping<\/em><\/strong>:<\/strong> Yes, lidar \/ <\/em>AI-powered obstacle detection<\/em><\/strong>:<\/strong> Yes \/ <\/em>Suction power:<\/em><\/strong> 8,000Pa \/ <\/em>Vacuum brush style:<\/em><\/strong> Rubber \/ <\/em>Works with:<\/em><\/strong> Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Siri Shortcuts<\/em><\/p>\n

    If you have mostly hardwood floors, the Eufy Omni S1 Pro is an excellent option. With its sleek, high-tech design and a long 11.4-inch roller mop, this product did an excellent job of keeping the hardwood floors of my main living area spotless.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    I found the Eufy\u2019s longer roller mop to be slightly more effective than the Deebot X8\u2019s, mopping evenly and getting up more dirt on its first pass. While there is no mop extension of edge mopping, its square shape does help it get into corners, and its dual spinning side brushes help pull in debris.<\/p>\n

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    However, its vacuuming prowess is middling; this really is a dedicated mopping robot. With just 8,000Pa suction power and a small rubber brush, it did a decent job of getting up debris, but left several flakes of oatmeal, thanks to its side brushes spinning the debris out beyond the bot\u2019s reach. Its obstacle avoidance is also fairly average; it dodged larger items but struggled with cables.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    The S1\u2019s omni station is quite eye-catching, with a tall, futuristic design, and clear water tanks with glowing lights inside \u2014 although it might be considered an eyesore, depending on your style. Usefully, everything you need to interact with is located at the top, so there\u2019s no need to bend down: a touchscreen display provides controls and the clean and dirty water tanks are easy to remove.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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    If you have tile or scraped wood floors, a bot with oscillating mop pads will be better at getting into the crevices<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

    While it has a mop lift of 12mm (which is higher than the X8\u2019s), it really struggled on my high-pile carpets, to the point where I had to set keep-out zones around them.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    Like the X8, the S1 self-cleans the mop with water jets as it\u2019s working, and you can set how frequently it returns to the base station for a thorough clean with warm water before continuing to mop. It will also dry the mop with hot air, which is effective, if noisy.<\/p>\n

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    Neither the X8 nor the S1 have self-cleaning washboards, something Dreame offers. This is where the dock automatically washes the mopping tray in the dock \u2013 Dreame\u2019s uses little wipers that go back and forth. It still needs to be cleaned eventually, but it does help keep the ick at bay for longer.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    The S1 station\u2019s debris filter got grungy fast and required manual cleaning, although this is fairly straightforward. After a month of use, I also had to disassemble the scraper and filter inside the bot, as well as remove the roller mop. This is something you\u2019ll need to do for all mopping bots, but the Eufy\u2019s was the most involved process, requiring me to disassemble multiple parts.<\/p>\n

    In my testing, I found that roller mops are great for most hardwood floors, but if you have lots of tile or scraped wood floors with grooves and nooks and crannies, a bot with oscillating mop pads will be better, as these do a better job of getting into crevices such as grout lines.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    Best robot vacuum and mop for tile floors<\/h2>\n

    Multifunction Dock<\/em><\/strong>:<\/strong> Yes, auto, empty (2.5L) and drain\/refill (4.1L dirty, 4.5L clean) \/ Mop style: <\/strong>Dual triangular spinning pads \/ <\/em>Mop washing:<\/em><\/strong> Yes, hot air drying \/ <\/em>Mop Pressure:<\/em><\/strong> 2.6lbs at 180 RPM \/ <\/em>Mop lift:<\/em><\/strong> Yes, 12mm \/\u00a0<\/em>Edge cleaning<\/em><\/strong>:<\/strong> Yes, robot swing and fluffer \/ <\/em>Mapping:<\/em><\/strong> Yes, lidar \/ <\/em>AI-powered obstacle detection:<\/em><\/strong> Yes \/ <\/em>Suction power:<\/em><\/strong> 12,000Pa \/ <\/em>Vacuum brush style:<\/em><\/strong> Single, conical rubber bristle hybrid \/ <\/em>Works with: <\/em><\/strong>Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Siri Shortcut<\/em><\/p>\n

    Narwal\u2019s latest flagship mopping bot, the Freo Z Ultra, combines everything I loved about the Freo X Ultra<\/a>, and adds better vacuuming, better object avoidance, an auto-empty dock (a first for Narwal), and a fluffy side brush to polish your baseboards. It also now comes in gray (white robot vacuums are not a good idea, unless you like cleaning your robot vacuum).<\/p>\n

    With its dual, triangular spinning mop pads (the unique shape helps avoid missing spots), the Freo Z is a great choice for homes with lots of hard floors, and especially tile. The oscillating mop pads are slightly better than roller mops at getting into grout lines and other crevices found on natural surfaces. The Freo Z\u2019s downward pressure of 2.6 lbs meant it did a great job of scrubbing up dried-on debris, excelling in my dried ketchup test, even getting the red gunk up from tile grout.<\/p>\n

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    Like the Deebot X8, the Freo Z can recognize various floor materials, including tile, hardwood, and marble, and clean in the direction of the flooring, such as along the wood grain. Unlike the X8, it automatically adjusts pressure and \u201cmopping humidity\u201d based on the floor type, using higher humidity on tile floors than on wood floors, which can be impacted by excessive moisture. The Freo Z also self-cleans its station and has a removable tray, making maintenance easier.<\/p>\n

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    The Freo Z is remarkably quiet, making it a great option for running in a bedroom<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

    Vacuuming is much better than the Freo X, with the Z boasting 12,000Pa. While that\u2019s not as high as the X8, the Freo Z is remarkably quiet, making it a great option for running in a primary bedroom suite where you may have a tile bathroom combined with carpet. <\/p>\n

    As with the X8, the Narwal doesn\u2019t deal well with high-pile rugs, as there\u2019s still only a 12 mm mop lift and no automatic mop removal. However, you can set it to perform one of four actions when it encounters a carpet: sidestep, cross it without cleaning, power boost to clean the carpet more effectively, or regular cleaning.<\/p>\n

    The obstacle detection is vastly improved and very good. A dual camera system<\/a> allows the bot to not only see objects but uses AI to identify what they are and \u201cdecide\u201d how to clean them. The best use of this I saw in testing is when there was a large puddle of water and it automatically switched to mop-only so as not to suck up liquid.<\/p>\n

    Similarly, Narwal\u2019s dirt detect feature is very good. The bot goes back and forth over a stain or dirty area to ensure it\u2019s clean.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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    My two biggest gripes with the Freo Z are that it uses a lot<\/em> of water; it doesn\u2019t have an onboard water tank, so it has to return frequently to refill \u2014 and could only clean my 800 square foot area once before I needed to refill the main tank in the dock. By comparison, the X8\u2019s tank only needed refilling after three runs.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

    Additionally, its app can be frustrating. It\u2019s not easy to navigate, gets hung up between screens, and frequently disconnects from the robot. However, unlike the X8, the Narwal has controls on top of the station to start a clean, and once I had programmed a schedule, I didn\u2019t find myself needing to use the app much at all.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    The fluffy sidebrush feels more of a novelty than a necessity and doesn\u2019t really seem to do much. Also, at this price, it would be nice if the Narwal offered a self-cleaning washboard. However, its washboard is removable, which makes it easier to clean manually.<\/p>\n

    Best robot vacuum and mop with a plumbing hookup<\/h2>\n

    Multifunction Dock<\/em><\/strong>:<\/strong> Yes, auto, empty (4L) and drain\/refill (two separate devices) \/ Mop style: <\/strong>Roller<\/em> \/ Mop washing:<\/em><\/strong> Yes (during use), hot air drying \/ <\/em>Mop Pressure:<\/em><\/strong> 2.2lbs at 300 RPM \/ <\/em>Mop lift:<\/em><\/strong> Yes, 7mm \/\u00a0 <\/em>Edge cleaning<\/em><\/strong>:<\/strong> No \/ <\/em>Mapping:<\/em><\/strong> Yes, lidar \/ <\/em>AI-powered obstacle detection:<\/em><\/strong> Yes \/ <\/em>Suction power:<\/em><\/strong> 6,500Pa \/ Vacuum b<\/strong><\/em>rush style:<\/em><\/strong> Single rubber bristle hybrid \/ <\/em>Works with: <\/em><\/strong>Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Siri Shortcut, Matter<\/em><\/p>\n

    The SwitchBot S10<\/a> is a multitasking robot that hooks into your plumbing for a virtually hands-free sweeping and mopping experience. It\u2019s one of the best robot mops I\u2019ve tested, thanks to its self-cleaning roller mop and the fact that I never had to empty or fill its water tanks. These two features meant I could set it and forget it and have clean floors for weeks.<\/p>\n

    My other favorite feature of the S10 is its dual docking system. Its main dock is a charging \/ auto-empty dock, and there\u2019s a separate battery-powered dock water station that you can put in a different room. This battery-powered dock is what makes the S10 the best plumbing hookup option, as it gives you much more flexibility with placement. Roborock, Dreame, and Narwal also have plumbing hookup docks, but they require power (I\u2019ve not tested either of those yet).<\/p>\n

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    While the SwitchBot is a decent vacuum, it\u2019s not the best. Its relatively paltry 6,500Pa of suction power is low compared to the competition, but the bot\u2019s weight did help the rubber roller brush dig into the carpet and get up most of the cat hair.<\/p>\n

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    S10 frequently got stuck on clothes left on my floor and bath mats \u2014 which are the bane of most mopping bots<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

    Other downsides include the AI obstacle avoidance, which isn\u2019t great. The S10 frequently got stuck on clothes left on my floor and bath mats, its battery life is short, and it lacks high-end features like dirt detection. There is also no edge cleaning function, meaning it didn\u2019t do a great job along baseboards and around furniture.<\/p>\n

    SwitchBot recently announced the SwitchBot S20 Pro, slated to launch this summer. The upgrade addresses some of my issues with the S10, including adding an extendable roller mop and side brush to add edge cleaning, as well as 15,000Pa. It also comes with the option of two all-in-one auto-empty base stations: one with a regular water tank you manually refill, or one that can hook into your plumbing. But it will also work with the battery-powered water station. I plan on testing this soon.<\/p>\n

    Read my full SwitchBot S10 review<\/a>.<\/strong><\/h5>\n

    How I test robot vacuums<\/h2>\n

    I\u2019ve been testing robot vacuums for 6 years and have tested over 60 models. I write The Verge\u2019s<\/em> Best robot vacuum buying guide<\/a> and the Best budget robot vacuum guide<\/a>, and for this guide, I tested 15 different mopping robots.<\/p>\n

    To evaluate the bots, I ran each regularly for at least a week and measured their progress, evaluating how clean the floor stays, how well they navigate, how often I had to refill the tanks, how well the auto-empty function worked, and how easy the app was to use.<\/p>\n

    I run them in my kitchen, where I have hardwood floors, and in a large bathroom with a white tile floor \u2014 one that looks filthy just a day after being cleaned. For specific tests, I deploy a wet and dry challenge. The wet challenge features dried-on OJ and ketchup, plus fresh spills of milk, water, and some kind of sauce. For the dry challenge, I place cereal (usually Cheerios) and oatmeal (a really tough one to clean). I evaluate how well the bots deal with mopping the stains and vacuuming the debris.<\/p>\n

    Finally, I test their obstacle detection by running them through an obstacle course featuring common robot trip-ups, including fake dog poop, cables, socks, and tricky chair legs.<\/p>\n

    What I\u2019m currently testing and what\u2019s coming next<\/h2>\n

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