These Robot Mops Are Actually Worth the Splurge, According to Cleaning Pros

The Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab tested its first robot vacuum in 2002. Since then, we’ve tested hundreds of robot vacuums and mops in our lab, putting each through rigorous performance and ease of use tests.

As part of our tests of robot mops, we evaluate how well each device can clean up sticky stains from numerous floor panels in our lab. If they have vacuuming or sweeping capabilities, we also put them through the same testing our robot vacuums go through, creating a 107 sq. ft. two-room course in our Lab where we test each robot’s performance on hard floors and carpet. We evaluate how well each robot can clean under low furniture, around tight corners and maneuver from one type of flooring to another.

For our ease of use tests, we rate each robot mop’s user manual, how easy it is to use the controls and app, initial setup and how easy it is to remove and clean all parts of the robot mop after use. Robot vacuum and mop testing are ongoing in the Cleaning Lab, with our experts testing dozens each year to update our picks with the latest and greatest on the market.

Here are a few things to consider when choosing the best robot mop for your home.

✔️Dry-sweeping vs vacuuming: Wet mops squirt water onto your floor to loosen dirt, then wipe up the soiled liquid, but very few suction up the dirty water. Most of the robot mops you’ll find on the market also do some kind of dry clean-up — they can either sweep using a dry pad to lift up lint and hair or vacuum with suction. Models that double as vacuums will have the added task of emptying a full dust bin after cleaning, while models that dry-sweep will have to have the sweeping pads discarded or washed after each use.