5 Myths About Robot Vacuum Mop Pet Hair That You Should Avoid

The Best Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo

A robot vacuum/mop set-up is the ideal option for pets that shed fur. This machine can vacuum, mop and clean its own dual mop pad.

It also has the greatest suction power of any robot we've tested, at 8000Pa. It also can save your home's maps and set cleaning schedules from its app.

1. Ecovacs Deebot X2 Omni

The X2 Omni robot vacuum-mop is the most recent in the Ecovacs line of hybrid robot vacuum mops. This wet-dry model is equipped with the company's upgraded AIVI 3D 2.0 lidar system that provides improved mapping and obstacle avoidance. The system is dual-laser LiDAR -- similar to what you'd find in self-driving cars and is able to scan up to 32 feet in 270 degrees. This results in more precise mapping and faster response times and better cleaning accuracy.

It also has a rotating mopping mat constructed of chenille, making it much easier to scrub hard-to-clean spots than traditional mop. In my tests the X2 Omni took just over a minute to wash its pad and get to work. I also noticed that it was much more accurate than the previous models, which were able to follow a grid-like path around rooms. It was able navigate corners and edges of my rooms, as well as make "Zambani patterns" both in and out of the middle of the room. It also returned to its OMNI station regularly to empty the trash bin and clean the mop using hot water before starting another task of cleaning.

Like other Ecovacs products, the X2 Omni is a breeze to set up and begin using. It takes just minutes to secure the dock into place, plug it in and connect to your Wi-Fi network at home. After that, you can start the app and get started with your first cleaning project. I was able to dig into the settings and customize my floor plan in about 15 minutes, incorporating specific areas to sweep and mop as well as reworking my wall-mounted furniture placements, and so on. The X2 Omni performed admirably in my tests. It scored high in the areas of pet hair removal and debris removal. It also was near-perfect in its results for crevices and edge cleaning.

2. Deebot T10 Omni

If you're looking for a powerful combination of mopping and vacuuming look into the EcoVACS Deebot Omni. It is the most sophisticated of the T-line offered by the company and comes with the OZMO Turbo2.0 mopping system that makes use of a dual-spinning brush to provide better cleaning than conventional scrubbers. It also has YIKO built-in, a unique natural language processing tech that can respond to a range of voice commands. You can make use of the ECOVACS app to map your home, set up cleaning schedules, and alter settings.

The T10 Omni's biggest flaw is that it's unable to switch from mopping and vacuuming in one run. The T10 Omni comes with two modes that require you to attach and remove mop heads depending on your requirements. This is great for most households, but not for those who lead busy lives.

However, the Deebot Omni is an excellent robot vacuum that delivers outstanding results in our pet hair tests. It was able to remove more than 96% of the debris from our hardwood flooring. This is a remarkable performance. It also did a fantastic job on tile and carpet, removing over 99% of dirt and dust.

This robotic mop and vacuum comes with a large docking station which offers cool water cleaning for the mop pads, and auto-emptying into a 3L plastic bag that is easy to replace, and hot air drying for quick and simple maintenance. It also has a large reservoir of water that allows it to be rinsed and dried more frequently between mopping sessions.

Like many other mopping robots, the Deebot T10 Omni comes with a wash tray at its base that cleans and dries its mop pads as it utilizes them. But it doesn't use a removable tray, meaning that dirty water, dust and other grime slowly build up on the bottom of the tray over time.

3. RoboVac X8 Hybrid

This is the first mopping model made by Anker, which is known for its robot vacuums. It comes with improved smarts, multiple map support, and LIDAR scanning, in addition to twin-turbine suction technology that automatically adjusts to the surface you're cleaning. It's a tempting mid-range robot vacuum cleaner however it doesn't quite deliver on its promise to be an all-in-one solution for floor cleaning.

The X8 Hybrid appears to be a standard robotic cleaner from the top. It has a circular form, the sweeping wheels, as well as an elevated sensor area. Flip it over, however there's a motorised floor brush plus a single side sweeper brush that carries dirt from the edges into the main pathway of the robot's mouth. It's smaller than the main brushes of the iRobot Roomba S9 which I found made it easier to reach under couches and chairs.

The mapping system is quite sophisticated and allows you to set no-mop zones and specific cleaning zones. It is prone to bumping into things, including its own charging station, and isn't very good in climbing over carpets. It did a great job of removing pet hair on floors that were not paved, though, and in our tests, it was able to pick up 89.5% of kitty litter - a figure that is higher than all but the strongest robots we've examined.

While it's controllable via the app, the X8 Hybrid also comes with physical buttons on its base that allow you to select a cleaning mode and switch the robot off or on. You can also use these to set no-go zones and see maps in real-time. It's also a bit chatty, and will tell what it's going to do next (start cleaning) or notify you if something is wrong.

4. ILIFE A4s

This high-tech vacuum model can pick up pet hair, kibble and other debris with great effectiveness. It also maneuvers perfectly around furniture legs. It also comes with an impressive feature set that includes two cleaning modes as well as a self-emptying dock and a real-time obstacle avoidance system. It's Wi-Fi enabled and best controlled through the Neato app where cleaning can be scheduled and the overall maintenance requirements be monitored. The X2 Omni is a great choice for large homes that have a mix of hard and carpet floors. However, it will need some planning in advance to avoid getting entangled with toys, power cables, or other obstacles that might be unexpected.

In our test of hardwood floors and kibble, this TCL Robot Vacuum Cleaner - Wi-Fi Enabled - Ultra Slim performed well and picked up everything from one grain of rice to several pieces of dog food in one sweep. It had a bit of difficulty transitioning to carpets, but in general this vacuum cleaner is great for rooms that have both types of flooring and a variety of pets.

It's not cheap however, if you are able to manage the price, it's a great purchase for those who wish to leave their home hands-free to go about other tasks or to take care of chores. The A4s Pro has a convenient auto-cleaning mode that boosts suction to take on the most difficult spills or dirt. It also has a battery-powered ElectroWall to set boundaries for the robot.

This budget-friendly option from a well-known upstart brand is the most affordable robot we've tested yet and offers an incredible value for cost. Its navigation system is basic and uses a super-basic random pathing algorithm, but it doesn't have room mapping capabilities, which makes it less time efficient than the other models on this list. It's still able to navigate under furniture and into the corners. And its mopping mode was very effective in our tests and picked up hairs that were straying and other debris.

5. Shark iQ

Shark's iQ may not appear as well-built, but it is better in removing pet hair from all surfaces. It does a better job of cleaning low-pile carpet and floors that are not covered. It also makes use of the smart-pathing software for robot vacuum mops better maneuverability. It also lets you assign it to a specific room, and its sophisticated set of automation features include no-go zones and scheduling. It allows you to suspend and resume cleaning which is ideal for homes with pets.

The self-cleaning brushroll is able to prevent knots from pet hair and other debris and its self-emptying bagless docking station can hold up to 30 days worth of dirt before it needs to be cleaned. It comes with angled side brushes to reach into corners and a multi-stage filter system that captures dust, allergens and dander.

This robot vacuum feels solid and well-built. It comes with an app for smartphones that lets you change its vacuum settings and schedule cleaning sessions in advance. The app lets you see the remaining battery life of the iQ, and send push notifications in the event of any issues during a cleaning session. You can also control it using your voice using an Amazon Alexa device or Google Assistant device. If you don't own either of these devices, you can mark areas with physical boundary markers strips.

The iQ is great for cleaning floors that aren't clean and does an adequate job with shaggy and low-pile carpets. However, it doesn't offer the same level autonomy as our top selections. It's also costly and the cost of recurring use can be quite costly.