The Best Robot Vacuum Mop Combo For Pet Hair

If you've got shedding pets, a robot vacuum mop combo can keep your home in check between deep cleanings. These machines get underneath furniture and into corners to clean up the mess you can't see.

Jodhaira has tried a variety of floor-cleaning devices in the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab. This includes many robotic vacuums and mops. She's rounded up her picks for the top models for pet hair.

1. Battery life

The size of your home and the amount of pets you have are important considerations when you're looking for a robotic vacuum and mop combo. The bigger your house is, the more power a robot cleaner will need. Plus, more pets generally result in more hair. It's also important to think about the type of flooring in your home, as certain models are better suited to clean hard floors.

A robotic vacuum and mop ought to be able to clean up affordable pet hair robot vacuums hair from any floor surface - hardwood or tile, as well as carpet. If you have multiple pets, you might want an item that is particularly effective in picking up hair. Certain robot cleaners come with a water feature to help with sticky spills or staining. They also disinfect floors using water.

Robotic mops that vacuum and mop also have a longer battery life. It's because you are using two functions in one device, which reduces the time required to charge and then shut down. Some models have the ability to automatically empty themselves from their charging station after each run, and dry the pads during the process, thus preventing bacteria from growing on wet pads.

Ecovacs Deebot X2 is a top robot mop and vacuum to keep up with pet hairs and prints from paws. This model is a solid performer in our tests and boasts numerous smart features that include TrueMapping 2.0 and TrueDetect 3D technology to map your home for ideal cleaning patterns and avoid hitting furniture or other obstacles. It is also equipped with an all-in-one base, which houses both the clean and dirty water tanks, which makes it easy to maintain.

2. App control

Many robot vacuum and mop combos can be combined with an app that lets you save maps of your home, set cleaning schedules and keep track of maintenance requirements. Some robots can be controlled remotely. You can still find models with the power button on the charging dock, base station or remote included.

In general, search for a model with an option to clean up that vacuums, mops or performs both, and doesn't require you to push an on-demand button to shut off. You can then take the robot to its dock to empty its dirty bin, change a wet mop pad and wash the mop cloth or fill up its water reservoir. It's also good to see if the model is compatible with your voice assistant so you can simply use a voice command like "OK Google" or "OK Alexa" to initiate cleaning or ask for assistance with an issue and much more.

Think about how much time you want to spend tending to your robot vacuum and how often your floors experience before you decide on a model. If you have furniture with a low density, or a large space, you may want to pick a cleaner with a lower capacity for mopping and vacuuming. You also might need to be aware that some mopping robots have reoccurring expenses because they are expensive to purchase. You'll have to purchase mop pads or mop cloths on top of the need to replace filters, side sweeping brushes, rollers and other components that might be suggested for maintenance on a regular basis. Lastly, don't forget about the cost of the cleaning product in general, as some brands recommend that you purchase a second cleaning solution to keep your floors looking fresh.

3. Carpet Recognition

The best robot vacuums and mop combos can tell the differences between carpets and hard surfaces. This ensures that they don't saturate spills or stains. They can also recognize areas with multiple types of flooring and plan cleaning schedules automatically according to the layout of your home. These functions are generally easy to use, but you'll need to install a separate app on your phone.

Some hybrid models don't use any liquid. These machines typically empty into a bag of dust that is stored in the base station. Some robots come with an option that allows you to empty the contents of the robot vacuum for pet hair into a trashcan.

Certain robots can be used on both dry and wet floors, like tile or hardwood. The most effective robot vacuum and mop combos for pet hair are made to work on both types of flooring, making them an excellent option if you have mixed flooring in your home.

When selecting a robotic vacuum and mop, consider the size of your house and how much the amount of foot traffic it receives. If you have children or pets You'll need a machine that has enough power and battery to keep up with the regular cleaning of your floors.

The best two-in-one robots come with top features that make them worth the cost. Ecovacs Deebot Omni for instance is able to mop and vacuum with suction of 8,000-Pa, and comes with a dual-rotating mop heads. It is also able to detect and identify your furniture and other items to keep them out of the way during a clean, and it can even communicate with you using two-way audio. It also takes care of its own dirt and automatically goes back to its dock when it's ready for a wash.

4. Water tank capacity

Robot vacuums lift dirt and place it in a bin or bag, while robot mops scatter cleaning solution over the floor and scrubs it off with pads. Some models can do both and some offer specific capabilities for dealing with different types of surfaces. To ensure that you get best kind of cleaning for your home, make a list of your floors' surfaces and the amount of people use them.

The cleaning formula of most mop and robot vacuums will differ from one brand to the next brand. Although it is possible to purchase third-party cleaners for these machines however, it's recommended to stick to the brand recommended by your manufacturer. This will prevent the possibility of damage and keep your machine functioning as efficiently as it can.

If your robot vacuum/mop combo has a dustbin that you can use, you'll need to empty it frequently. Many come with an indicator that lets you know when it's time to change out the bin. Similar to that, you'll require replacing the filters and side sweeping brushes, rollers and other accessories from time to time to ensure optimal performance.

A self-emptying robot can make this process a lot easier, allowing you simply dump the contents of the bin into a trash can or recycling bin. Most of these machines don't automatically clean and dry their mopping cloths or pads which can cause an increase in bacterial growth. If your machine does not have this feature, make sure to remove and wash the pad after each use, or set it somewhere flat to dry between runs.

This feature is available on the iRobot Combo i5+ as well as the Shark Matrix Plus 2 in 1 and the Eureka E10S. The budget-friendly iLife V5s Pro, on the other hand, focuses on minimalism and removes this functionality.

5. Mop mode

The iRobot Roomba J7 is the most effective robot vacuum and mop to keep your floors clean when you are away. It's not cheap but its AI obstacle avoidance is the best in the business. It can spot urine, sweep up Cheerios and even navigate the tangled mess of socks and phone cords that usually accumulate on your floors. This makes it an excellent option for homes with pets or children and wish to keep their floors tidy.

It's also among the few robots we tested that can clean hard floors, such as tiles, hardwood and linoleum. It was successful in cleaning sticky mess, wet spills and pet hair from carpets.

The only downside is that it's not a 2-in-1 robot, and can take up to 6.5 hours to fully charge. This model also requires the manual emptying of the dust bin unlike the majority of robots that automatically empty into the dust bag in the base station. This can be a pain especially in larger houses with a high ceiling or stairs.

If you prefer a 2-in-1 that is more traditional, then try the Ecovacs T10 Plus. It is equipped with powerful suction that can easily remove pet hair from carpets. It also comes with self-emptying bin. It comes with scent-infused pods so you can select your favorite scent. However, it has a shorter battery life than the top models we looked at and has to be charged regularly.