Robot vacuum cleaner tested

The development of robot hoovers has made impressive progress in recent years. What was once considered an expensive luxury appliance is now affordable for almost every household. Modern robotic vacuum cleaners navigate autonomously through rooms, create detailed maps of the home and recognise almost every obstacle. Fall sensors, which successfully prevent the robot from falling down stairs, and automatic return to the charging station have significantly increased the user-friendliness of smart cleaning assistants. Unlike in the past, many robotic vacuum cleaners are also able to mop the floor during the cleaning process. One of the biggest advantages of such cleaning assistants is the time they save. While the robot is cleaning the floors, there is more time for other tasks or relaxation. What's more, the robots can be conveniently controlled via smartphone app, making it possible to clean remotely. Thanks to programmable schedules, the robot hoover can even work when nobody is at home. The intelligent cleaners also provide added value for allergy sufferers, as they regularly remove dust and pollen from the floor. But where there is light, there is also shadow. Some robot hoovers rarely achieve the cleaning performance of a conventional hoover, especially in corners or on deep-pile carpets. Anyone who attaches great importance to permanent cleanliness will therefore not be able to avoid occasional manual cleaning. Our editorial team investigated the question of how well robotic vacuum cleaners actually clean and took a look around the market. For our comparison, we finally scrutinised six robot hoovers with and three models without a mopping function.