When it comes to cleaning, everyone loves a shortcut. So imagine a product that mops your floors without you having to lift a finger. The future is here with something called a robotic mop. But are they too good to be true? Consumer Reportsā expert testing reveals whether or not you can ditch that messy mop for good.
Never heard of a robomop? Consumer Reports explains what they are. Robotic mops range from basic models that are operated by remote control to sophisticated hybrid ones that mop and vacuum and are controlled by a remote or an app.
Robotic mops are designed to clean hard-surface floorsālike tile, vinyl, or some hardwoodānot carpet.
To test how well a robotic mop can actually mop, CRās testers spill espresso and V8 juice on ceramic tile and vinyl flooring and then let it dry.
The best robomops tackle the stains and leave a clean floor behind. Hint: Models with spinning mop heads did the best job.
In the navigation test, CR sees how well a mop can avoid obstacles, how well they steer around furniture, as well as how they interact with both cords and carpet fringe.
In CRās tests, the pricey hybrid model from Narwal came out on top, and it has an auto-clean function that will wash the spinning mop heads as well. The Narwal T10 4 in 1 Robotic Mop cost $1,050; on sale, $699; and on Amazon, $799 (Canada, $1,408; on sale, $940; and on Amazon, $1,074).
For much less, the basic Samsung mop matched the Narwal test for test, but it wonāt clean itself. As a bonus, it can also be used as a handheld scrubber for surfaces like your shower. One downside of the Samsung: Itās more than 5 inches tall, which means it may not fit under some furniture or the toe kick of your kitchen cabinets. The Samsung Jetbot Mop cost $300; on sale, $150; and on Amazon, $250 (Canada, $403; on sale, $201; and on Amazon, $335).
If thatās an issue for you, the moderately priced Bissell SpinWave also did well in CRās tests and is less than 3Ā½ inches tall. The Bissell SpinWave Wet and Dry Robotic Vacuum (3115) cost $212 (Canada, $285).
So how long does it take for a robomop to clean your floors? CR says the models in its ratings range from 50 to 100 minutes.