Cleaning floors has come a long way since the days of carpet beaters and brooms. Even traditional vacuums transformed the way we clean and freed us from hours (or even days) of what is many people's most hated household chore.
And robot vacuum cleaners offer the ultimate convenience – you don't even have to be home to get the vacuuming done.
The next generation of robot vacs aim to free us from yet another dreaded chore: the mopping
They've evolved considerably from the basic dust-busters that sometimes wreaked havoc in households. (We've all seen videos of unfortunate incidents involving pet poop.)
And many of them now have so much technology on board that they well and truly earn the 'robot' moniker: room mapping, Wi-Fi connectivity, virtual 'walls', apps, self-emptying functions and more.
The next generation of robot vacs aim to free us from yet another dreaded chore: the mopping.
Virtually all the robovacs that come through our labs now have this feature, so we've tweaked our test process to assess how well these robo-mops wash floors, as well as vacuum them.
Here's what to know about robot vacs with mops and which ones to avoid.
Plus, for CHOICE members only, we'll reveal the best bots that mop from our rigorous lab testing.
If you want to find out which robo-mops come out on top, join CHOICE to get instant access to all of our expert, independent reviews.
If you're already a member and you just want to see the best products, you can jump straight to the results now.
We test a robot vac's mopping capabilities by spreading common stains on floorboards, then letting the bot loose to see how well it cleans the floor.
Are robot vacuums with mops any good?
While we'd like to tell you that buying a robot vac means you'll never have to vacuum or mop again, sadly that's not the case.
Our experts say that they're good for keeping the grot to a reasonable level day to day, but you'll still need to bust out your old faithful cleaning tools to do the job properly.
And many robot vacs aren't especially impressive when it comes to mopping in particular, so if you want your floors clean you'll still need a bucket of water and some elbow grease.
(Or you could check our steam mop reviews and hard floor cleaner reviews to find another appliance to make the job easier.)
Will a robot vacuum avoid mopping my rugs and carpet?
While they do need a wash every once in a while, mopping your carpets and rugs isn't exactly a good substitute for a carpet cleaner.
Some robot vacs are better than others at avoiding the Axminster. Some need to be programmed to avoid specific areas; others detect the carpet and either move around it or lift the mopping pads up.
But not all robo-mops are created equal: even if they don't mop your carpet, some models' mopping pads will still come into contact with the edges, which can leave stains.
When we test each robot's mopping chops, we assess how they react to carpet. If a bot goes onto the carpet or dirties the edges, it's marked down.
"Ideally, robot vacs with carpet detection will lift the mopping pads not just on the carpet but also on the area around it, to avoid dirtying the edges of the rug or carpet," says CHOICE robot vacuum expert Adrian Lini.
"Unfortunately a number of models we tested struggled around the edges of the carpet, even if they didn't mop the carpet itself."
Our detailed robot vacuum reviews include expert comments about each product's performance – which gives you better insights into which bot is best.
Some bots can leave a trail of water behind.
How easy is it to use robot vacuums with mops?
Another aspect of our rigorous robot vacuum testing is assessing how easy it is to use the mopping function: attaching, removing and cleaning the mop bin and microfibre pads, filling the tank, and using the settings and controls.
Most models in our current review scored quite well on this metric, with all but four scoring 80% and higher.
With some bots, you'll need to be pretty hands-on, but others are more set and forget.
"Often, the more expensive models will wash (and sometimes even dry) the pads and extract the dirty water for you, and refill themselves from a larger water tank located in the charging dock," says Adrian.
If you want the convenience of a robot vac that takes care of the mopping process, be prepared to pay more
Adrian Lini, CHOICE robot vacuum expert
"Cheaper models tend not to have these features, so you might need to wet the microfibre pads yourself, fill the water tank after each use, then wash the dirty pads by hand.
"If you want the convenience of a robot vac that takes care of the mopping process by itself, be prepared to pay more. If you can't afford the $2000+ for a fancy robot vac, you might be able to find one within your budget if you're okay with doing the extra work for the mopping process."
Mop flop: the $169 Kmart Anko mopping robot vac.
The robot vacuums with mops to avoid buying
Some of these bots might be good for your budget, but they're not much good at mopping your floors: they ranked the lowest for mopping in our labs.
- Mopping performance score: 20%
- Price: $169
iRobot Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo Robot
- Mopping performance score: 20%
- Price: $699
iRobot Roomba Plus 505 Combo Robot + AutoWash Dock
- Mopping performance score: 30%
- Price: $1699
- Mopping performance score: 35%
- Price: $699
What are the best robot vacuums that mop?
The sheer range of robot vacs on the market can make it hard to pick the right one – but that's where we come in.
We independently test and review dozens of new vacuums each year in our onsite labs, with new models added to our reviews on a regular basis. Our experts know exactly what to look for to help you find the best product.
Only members can access our detailed robot vacuum testing data. If you're not yet a member, join CHOICE to get instant access to all of our expert, independent reviews.
Or log in to unlock this article and find out which robot vacs with mopping functionality we rate as the pick of the bunch.
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Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
