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 can get under furniture and into corners to get at the mess you can't see.

Jodhaira Rodriguez has tried a variety of floor-cleaning tools in the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab that included a wide range of mop and robot vacuum combinations. She's compiled her top picks for the top models for pet hair.

1. Battery life

When shopping for a robot mop and vacuum, consider the size of your house and the number of pets you own. The larger your home, the more power the robot cleaner will require. Plus, more pets generally mean more hair. It's also important to take into consideration the flooring you have in your home, since certain models are better for cleaning hard floors.

A robotic vacuum and mop must be able to remove pet hair from any floor Best Robot Vacuum Mop Combo For Pet Hair surface--hardwood, tile, and carpet. If you have pets, you might want one that is especially effective in picking up hair. Certain robot cleaners come with a water feature to help with sticky spills or staining. The water in these units can also help to disinfect floors.

Robotic mops that have integrated vacuuming are more likely to have longer battery lives than those that just mop. This is due to the fact that you're using two features together, reducing the amount of time that the device has to charge and then shut off. Some models can even empty themselves into the charging station automatically after each run, drying the pads as they do so. This stops bacteria from forming on wet pads.

For the best robot vacuum and mop combo that can handle pet hair and paw prints, we recommend the Ecovacs deebot X2 Omni. This model is a strong performer in our tests and boasts plenty of smarts, including TrueMapping 2.0 and TrueDetect 3D technology to map your home to create optimal cleaning patterns and avoid bumping into furniture or other obstacles. It also comes with an all-in-one base that houses both clean and dirty water tanks, allowing an easy task of maintaining them.

2. App control

Many robot vacuums and mops have an app that allows you to save your house's maps and create cleaning schedules, and keep track of maintenance requirements. Some even let you control the robot remotely. There are still models that have buttons for power on the charging dock, base station or remote included.

Find models with a cleaning mode that can mop, vacuum or do both, and does not require you to press an on-demand switch to shut off. You can then send the robot to its dock in order to empty its bin, replace a wet mop pad, wash its mop cloth, or refill its water reservoir. It is also important to determine whether the robot is compatible with your voice assistant so you can simply use a voice command such as "OK Google" or "OK Alexa" to initiate the cleaning process or request assistance for a problem and more.

Consider how long you want to spend tending to your robotic cleaner and how much use your floors experience before you decide on a model. For instance, if have a small furniture space or a large floor plan you might choose a model with smaller mop and vacuum capacity. Also, you should be aware that certain mopping robots come with recurring expenses as they can be expensive to purchase and then you'll need to buy mop pads or replacement cloths on top of the need to replace filters side sweeping brushes, rollers and other components that may be recommended for periodic maintenance. Make sure to think about the price of the cleaning product in the first place, as certain brands may recommend purchasing an additional cleaning product to keep your floors looking tidy.

3. Carpet Recognition

The best robot vacuums and mop sets can differentiate between hard and carpets. This means they don't saturate spills or stains. They can also spot areas with more than one type of flooring and schedule cleanings automatically according to the design of your home. These features are usually easy to use, but you'll need to install a separate app on your smartphone.

Some hybrid models don't use any liquid. These robots typically empty into a bag of dust that is stored in the base station. Some robots have an option that allows you to dump the contents of the robot into the trashcan.

Certain robots come with a variety of mopping settings, whereas others can only be used for floors that are dry, such as hardwood or tile. The best robot vacuums and mop combos for pet hair can be used on all types of surfaces. This makes them a great option for homes with a mix of flooring.

When choosing a robot vacuum and mop, consider the size of your house and the amount of the amount of foot traffic it receives. You'll need to choose a model with enough power and battery life to keep up with the daily cleaning of your floors, especially if you have kids or pets.

The top two-in-one robots have superior capabilities that make them worth the cost. Ecovacs Deebot Omni for example is able to mop and vacuum with 8,000-Pa of suction, and comes with a dual-rotating mop heads. It is also able to identify and scan your furniture and other items to keep them out of the way during a clean, and it can even talk to you using two-way audio. It also takes care of its own dirtying, so it automatically heads back to its dock when it's ready for washing.

4. Water tank capacity

Robot vacuums lift dirt and place it in a dust bin or bag, while robot mops scatter cleaning solution across the floor and scrub it off with pads. Some models combine both functions while others have special capabilities to tackle different surfaces. Note the flooring type and foot traffic within your home to ensure that you have the best robot vacuum mop for pet hair cleaning.

The cleaning formula used by the majority of robot vacuums and mop combos will differ from brand to brand. While you can purchase third-party cleaners for these devices but it's best to stick to the brand that is recommended by the manufacturer. This will prevent any damage and ensure that your robot is running as well as it can.

If your mop/robot vacuum combo has a dustbin that you can use, you'll need to empty it regularly. The majority of them come with an indicator that lets you know when it's time change out the bag. You'll also need to replace filters, rollers and side sweeping brushes from time to the time to ensure the best robot vacuum for pet hair on hardwood floors performance.

A self-emptying robot can make this process a lot simpler, allowing you to simply empty the contents of the dustbin into a trash can or recycling bin. However, many of these devices do not automatically wash and dry their mopping pads and cloths, which can lead to mildew and bacterial growth. If your machine isn't equipped with this capability, be sure to remove and wash the pad after each use or place it in a flat area to dry between runs.

The iRobot Combo i5+, the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 as well as the Eureka E10S all have this feature. The budget-friendly iLife V5s Pro focuses on minimalism by removing this functionality.

5. Mop mode

The iRobot Roomba J7 is the most effective robot vacuum and mop combination to clean your floors when you are away. It's not inexpensive but its AI obstacle-avoidance is the best available in the market. It can identify the poop, clean up Cheerios and even sift through the tangled mess of socks and phone cords that tend to accumulate on your flooring. This makes it a good choice for households with children and pets who like to keep their floors clear of clutter.

It's also among the few robots that we tested to clean hard floors, such as hardwood, tile and linoleum. It did a good job cleaning sticky spills, messes, and pet hair from carpets.

It's only flaw is that it's not a 2-in-1 model and can take up to 6 hours to charge. It also requires the manual emptying of the dust bin, unlike most robots that automatically empty into the dust bag in the base station. This can be a pain, especially in larger homes with high ceilings or stairs.

If you're looking for a 2-in-1 that is more traditional, then look into the Ecovacs T10 Plus. It has a powerful suction that is able to easily remove pet hair from carpets. It also has a self-emptying bin. It also comes with scented air filters pods that let you select the scent you prefer. It's a less long-lasting battery than the top models we have reviewed and needs to be recharged regularly.