You are already familiar with the concept of a robot vacuum cleaner; in fact, you may even have one presently cruising about your carpeted living room. To clean up spills and scrub away grime from hard floors, the newest and finest smart home appliance is the robot mop. If the idea of a robot that cleans floors appeals to you, you may be pleased to learn that you can get a device that does both vacuuming and mopping. If you’re looking for a robot mop, this article will offer you the inside scoop you need to make an informed decision.
Things to consider when shopping for the best robot mop
The act of mopping seems like a huge burden for some reason. Perhaps this is because the least amount of food spillage or a muddy footprint can instantly ruin hours of hard effort. For this reason, it’s not surprising that the idea of a robotic mop is appealing. Keep in mind that these robots are still in their infancy and have limitations before getting too excited. A human-powered mop will get the job done much more thoroughly than even the most advanced robotic mop. If you have kids or dogs and require a gadget to do constant minor cleanups to keep the pandemonium at bay, then we still think robot mops are worth a try.
Consider the steps you would take to clean a floor the old-fashioned way: vacuum it first, then mop the surface with a solution of water and detergent, and finally, mop the area again with clean water to remove the soap and grime.
Actually, that’s not how automatic sweeping machines function. The majority of these robots function more like a Swiffer-style sweeper mop, spraying the floor with water (many specifically advise against using any form of detergent, although some do have proprietary formulations) to loosen any grime, and then dragging a cloth over it to remove, or, in the case of “dry mop” robots, using damp cloths or pads to go over a surface. Here’s the lowdown on vacuum and mop combinations, as well as the scrubbing power of spin mops.
- The Ecovacs Deebot T8 AIVI Robot Vacuum Cleaner and Mop is the best of its kind.
- iRobot’s Braava Jet M6 (6110) Ultimate Robot Mop is the best robot mop for smart charging.
- Eufy by Anker’s RoboVac G30 Hybrid Robot Vacuum is the best robot mop for mapping.
- The BISSELL SpinWave Hard Floor Expert Wet and Dry Robot Vacuum is the best robot spin mop on the market.
- The iRobot 240 Braava Robot Mop is the best affordable robot mop on the market.
Should I get a robot vacuum and mop combo?
From the outside looking in, the concept of a universal machine appears to make perfect sense. In contrast, it’s important to double-check a few details before investing in a product that combines multiple functions. The early types of vacuums that mopped were criticised for leaving soggy rugs even though they were supposed to be able to tell the difference between hard floors and carpet. However, technological advancements mean that they are now much more intelligent gadgets that, with some planning, can create a map of your entire home (see below). Once the space has been mapped, you can designate specific sections as “no-go” zones where the robot is not permitted to enter at all, or “no-mop” zones where it is permitted to vacuum but not mop.
Some machines can transition from vacuuming to mopping with no human intervention, while others require you to change in a mopping module and fill a tank with water.
Best robot vacuum and mop combo: Ecovacs Deebot T8 AIVI Robot Vacuum Cleaner
This robot vacuum and mop has a 240ml water tank, so it can mop more than 2,000 square feet, and it has sophisticated mapping software that lets you designate no-go and no-mop zones. Socks and cords won’t be an issue for the robot’s object recognition technology, and the built-in camera makes it useful as a remote security device with live footage on demand.
What do I need to know about robot mops, battery life, and charging?
As the old adage goes, “a watched pot of water never boils,” so too will a robot that is aware it is being observed fail to reach its full potential. Therefore, you can stop stressing over battery life. You may leave it to clean while you’re at work and come back to tidy floors without having to wonder how it was done.
To accomplish this, however, your robot mop will need a function that sends it back to its docking station when its battery is low, as well as the ability to remember its last cleaning location. If you don’t do this, you’ll end up with a device whose battery dies before the job is done. However, you shouldn’t make your choice based on how long the battery will last. When shopping for a new electronic gadget, it can be helpful to look for options that allow you to send it back, have the battery charged, and then use it again. Remember to read the fine print, as there is no one word for this technology (some brands call it “pinpoint return,” while others call it “smart charging”).
Best robot mop for smart charging: iRobot Braava Jet M6 (6110) Ultimate Robot Mop
Because of its precise mapping of your home and compatibility with home assistants, you can almost tell this smart mop to “mop in front of the kitchen table” after a spill, and it will pick up right where it left off. Utilizable with either water or a specialised cleaning solution, as well as disposable or reusable cleaning pads.
Does my robot mop need mapping technology?
In a number of methods, you can “teach” your robot vacuum or mop to avoid specific rooms or locations. Magnetic tape, often known as barrier tape or boundary tape, is the quickest and easiest solution. Mopping can be hazardous to your Persian carpeting or cat bowls, so tape off the area around them first. As an additional deterrent, you may set up digital barriers that emit infrared signals to tell your robot to keep out of a certain area.
However, there are more appealing and cutting-edge alternatives to each of these strategies today. Through a combination of sensors and a 3D map of your home, the robot mop can move around your house with ease. Most cutting-edge equipment can generate and save several floor plans, which is very helpful for multi-level dwellings, and may be accessed via a mobile app. You can see just how far along your robot is in its cleaning process, and you can even digitally fence off sections that need more frequent cleaning so your robot won’t go there. If a robot mop’s performance can be significantly enhanced by good mapping technology, then the additional cost is justified.
Best mapping robot mop: eufy by Anker, RoboVac G30 Hybrid Robot Vacuum
This vacuum’s suction force of 2000Pa and its customizable mopping module make it an excellent choice for cleaning a wide variety of surface types. This robot vacuum and mop methodically maps your home using laser navigation, recharges itself at its docking station, and then returns to precisely where it left off where it was cleaning.
Spin mop or spray mop?
Wet mops have an on-board reservoir of water (or sometimes cleaning fluid) which they distribute across the floor. Some will gradually feed water into a pad, while others have a spray function to blitz away stains and sticky patches, and then swipe over with a cloth. While some robot mops function as “dry mops,” where a damp cloth or pad is attached and wiped across the floor, “wet mops” have an on-board reservoir of water (or sometimes cleaning fluid
On the other hand, some mops come equipped with a spin mode, which involves spinning pads rather than stationary ones. When it comes to getting rid of sticky splotches and filthy streaks, utilising a spin mop is more successful than simply using water alone.
Best robot spin mop: BISSELL SpinWave Hard Floor Expert Wet and Dry Robot Vacuum
Use the machine-washable mopping pads supplied with this high-quality robot vacuum in conjunction with your preferred cleaning solution to scour and clean hard floors and other surfaces. It features a sensor to detect carpets and other soft surfaces so it can avoid them when mopping.
The best robot mop you can get for under $200
Like many other cutting-edge technologies, a budget-friendly robot mop may be procured, but it is unlikely to match the features of a more expensive one. Therefore, you shouldn’t count on any fancy mapping tech, app-based control, or innate safety safeguards to keep the robot from spilling water on the carpeting or knocking over the stairs.
There are, however, low-cost robotic mops available. Smaller mop robots typically have shorter battery lives (and won’t have a return, recharge, or reboot feature), making them more suited to cleaning enclosed spaces like kitchens and bathrooms than larger, more public areas. Consider them more of a maintenance mop than a tool for removing deeply embedded filth, as their cleaning power is likely to be considerably lower. However, they are worth considering if you are short on time, have a small home, and despise mopping.