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A vacuum-mop combo allows you to complete two chores nobody likes doing without actually having to do any work. These convergence devices, which allow you to sweep, vacuum, and mop your floors simultaneously, are a game-changer. Using one is quicker. It’s easier. It eliminates the need to sling a bucket of dirty water around or figure out how to clean that nasty broom. Finding the best vacuum-mop combo for you is a little more complicated than picking out a standard stick vacuum, but we’ve done the legwork to select and highlight some of the best options currently on the market.

How we chose the best vacuum-mop combos

As a freelance journalist for over 10 years, I’ve reviewed home and tech products for publications including CNN Underscored, NBC News Select, Popular Mechanics, Architectural Digest, Tom’s Guide, The Daily Beast, USA Today’s Reviewed, Apartment Therapy, The Spruce, and Bob Vila. Our personal vacuum-mop combo selections are based on personal testing, extensive research, recommendations from fellow critics, and user impressions.

The best vacuum-mop combos: Reviews & Recommendations

A 2019 study found that sweeping and vacuuming are among America’s top five most-hated chores. And mopping isn’t exactly a picnic, either. Luckily, there are great vacuum-mop combos in many shapes and sizes with different features to ease the burden. And, to make selecting one easier, we’ve narrowed it down to the best. Regardless of what you’re looking for, one of these should get you wet/dry cleaning in no time.

Best overall: Roborock S7MaxV Ultra Robot Vacuum and Sonic Mop 

Why it made the cut: This multi-purpose vacuum-mop combo is easy to use and has more features than we can count.

Specs

  • Type: Robot
  • Weight: 28 pounds
  • Dual water tank: Yes
  • Battery life: 3 hours
  • Price: $1,399.99

Pros

  • Self-cleaning mode
  • Self-refilling
  • Obstacle avoidance
  • Voice and app control

Cons

  • Expensive

There are a lot of reasons to love the Roborock S7MaxV. It has large water tanks, so you can clean for longer without stopping, and the base doesn’t take up much space. It gets crazy battery life by vacuum standards—up to 3 hours on a single charge. It’s also smart—no more getting stuck under the couch—thanks to obstacle avoidance and LIDAR navigation.

Its best features, though, are its self-cleaning cycle and self-emptying capabilities. You can also monitor power through the Roborock smartphone app, as well as set up scheduled cleaning. Truly, it has every feature you could want in a vacuum/mop and makes an excellent addition to a smart home.

Best for pet hair: Tineco Floor ONE S7 PRO

Billy Cadden / Popular Science

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Why it made the cut: Tineco’s Floor ONE S7 PRO can clean both hard floors and area carpets and is a great choice for pet owners.

Specs

  • Type: Upright
  • Weight: 11.3 pounds
  • Dual water tank: Yes
  • Battery life: 40 minutes
  • Price: $639

Pros

  • Cleans area rugs
  • Self-propelling technology
  • Great for smaller homes

Cons

  • Not designed for carpeting
  • Dirty water tank needs to be cleaned often

The TIneco Floor ONE S7 Pro floor clean is self-propelled, holds .87-liters of clean water, and picks up both wet and dry messes—including dog hair. The self-propelled function can actually be quite useful for older folks or kids who need to vacuum and mop at the same time. Unlike regular mopping, you’ll get a thin, quick-drying water trail behind the vacuum. The vacuum runs for 40 minutes, but you’ll rarely need to run it that long if you’re in an apartment or small home. However, we wouldn’t recommend it for carpets—they have other models for that.

The one thing to always remember to do is to empty the .72-liter dirty water container. My roommate did not, and after a week of it sitting in there, I spent a week trying to clean out that smell. The container and vacuum both alert you to do this, so A+ on the vacuum and C- on the roommate.

Best for floors and carpet: Roborock S7+ Robot Vacuum and Mop

Roborock

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Buy it used or refurbished from: eBay

Why it made the cut: It’s expensive but worth it, considering everything the Roborock S7+ can do.

Specs

  • Type: Robot
  • Weight: 15.43 pounds
  • Dual water tank: No
  • Battery life: 180 minutes
  • Price: $949.98

Pros

  • Sonic vibration scrubbing
  • Self-emptying dock
  • Clean hard floors and carpets at the same time
  • Intelligent mop lift
  • Has dustbin and water tank
  • Voice control
  • Multi-floor mapping

Cons

  • No dual water tank

Robot vacuums are everywhere, but automated vacuum-mop combos aren’t as common. The Roborock S7+ brings new convenience to automated cleaning. It uses sonic vibration technology to scrub hard floors up to 3,000 times each minute. Its 300ml water tank stores enough water to mop up without frequently refilling it. On the vacuuming front, it has a self-emptying dock with enough room to hold several weeks’ worth of debris before it needs to be emptied. 

It’s also a smart robot. The S7+ can recognize when it’s approaching the carpet and will lift the mop portion to avoid dragging it. That said, you can also choose to create a no-mop zone to keep the robot away from carpeting. Using precision mapping, you can create a map of your home and identify which areas and rooms to vacuum and/or mop, and even which areas to avoid specifically. 

Compatible with a Roborock app—as well as Alexa, Siri, and Google Home—the S7+ will automatically return to its charging dock when water or power runs low, then pick up where it left off after a refresh. If you’d prefer a robot vacuum-mop combo, Roborock currently sets the standard.

Best with steam: Bissell Symphony Pet Steam Mop  

Bissell

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Buy it used or refurbished from: eBay

Why it made the cut: The Bissell Symphony lets you steam-clean your floor and choose between reusable or disposable pads.

Specs

  • Type: Upright (corded)
  • Weight: 9.74 pounds
  • Dual water tank: No
  • Battery life: N/A  
  • Price: $164.19

Pros

  • Steam mops and steam vacuums
  • Uses both reusable and disposable pads
  • Hands-free emptying

Cons

  • Only one water tank

The Bissell Symphony Pet Steam Mop and Vacuum lets you use the vacuum function separately as a stick vacuum, or you can use it simultaneously with the steam function. There are actually two steam settings: low steam and high steam. Low steam works best for standard cleaning on delicate surfaces like sealed hardwoods and laminates. Having a high steam option helps when you have sticky messes to clean on more durable floors.

The vacuum cleaner also lets you choose between using machine-washable microfiber mop pads, which are better for sealed hardwoods and laminate floors, or Steamboost disposable pads, which can be used on any type of hard floor. When you’re dealing with pet messes, it can be convenient to switch to disposable pads that you throw away.

Best upright: Tineco iFLOOR 3  

Tineco

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Buy it used or refurbished from: eBay

Why it made the cut: The Tineco iFloor3 is cheap and still cleans like a champ.

Specs

  • Type: Upright
  • Weight: 9.9 pounds
  • Dual water tank: Yes
  • Battery life: 25 minutes
  • Price: $299.99

Pros

  • Self-cleaning feature
  • Inexpensive
  • LED display

Cons

  • Recommends proprietary cleaning solution

The Tineco iFLOOR 3’s dual water tank, swivel steering, and self-cleaning functionality drew us to it. It also has a digital display that shows the remaining battery power and other information. To drop the price, the iFloor3 ditches the companion app and voice assistance. It also has a smaller battery—the estimated life is 25 minutes compared to our other choices. It also does not automatically control suction and water flow. On the other hand, it’s the cheapest option on this list. Seems like a fair trade to us.

Best budget: Black+Decker Dustbuster Wet/Dry Handheld Vacuum  

BLACK+DECKER

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Buy it used or refurbished from: Amazon

Why it made the cut: The Black+Decker Wet/Dry Handheld Vacuum is easy to carry, easy to use, and is also cordless.

Specs

  • Type: Handheld
  • Weight: 2.01 pounds
  • Dual water tank: N/A
  • Battery life: Info not available
  • Price: $68.74

Pros

  • Washable foam filter
  • Lightweight
  • Can be used on multiple surfaces

Cons

  • No dual water tank

Having a handheld vacuum-mop combo such as the Black+Decker Wet/Dry Handheld Vacuum is incredibly convenient. It’s cordless, lightweight, and easy to bring exactly where you need it to clean a quick stain or spill. It works on both hard floors and carpets, making it a great kitchen companion and useful for tight spaces like a car. It comes with a wall mount for convenient storage and charging.

What to consider when buying the best vacuum-mop combos

Most vacuum-mop combos operate differently than, say, regular stick vacuums. Instead of dust bins, the majority of vacuum-mop combos have clean water tanks and dirty water tanks. They focus more on using brush rollers to clean wet and dry messes—and most are designed specifically for hard floors instead of carpet. 

When picking the best vacuum-mop combo for cleaning your home, remember that their functionality, ease of use, and emptying procedures can all vary from model to model. Some elements, like longer battery life, are always better, but many things will come down to personal taste. Either way, it’s important to keep them in mind to ensure you pick the vacuum-mop combo that meets your needs.

Functionality

Vacuum-mop combos come in most of the same shapes and sizes as standard vacuum cleaners. Most upright vacuums are relatively lightweight, making them easy to push on the floor. On the other hand, a handheld vacuum may be more convenient for countertop spills or to clean your car. A robot vacuum can be controlled via your smartphone or voice commands, so you don’t have to do any cleaning at all.

It’s also important to keep in mind what kinds of surfaces you need to clean. Some vacuum-mop combos are made to clean both hard floors and area rugs. Others work well on hard floors and carpets. Some vacuum-mop combos can vacuum and steam your floors at the same time. Make sure you pick a vacuum-mop combo that can do everything you want it to.

Corded vs. cordless

Most of the vacuum-mop combos on our list are cordless, but we made sure to include a corded version as well. A corded vacuum can feel tedious since you have to be mindful of the cords and are limited in how far you can vacuum/mop. An extension cord can extend the length, but some manufacturers warn against using one. On the other hand, cordless vacuums tend to last a short amount of time relative to most electronics, so a corded vacuum spares you from having to charge between cleanings.

Dual water tank

Some vacuum-mop combos feature a dual water tank with two chambers: One with clean water that you fill to mop the floor and another that fills with dirty water afterward. It’s an incredibly useful feature that ensures you aren’t cleaning your floor with dirty water. Sadly, you’re less likely to find a dual water tank on a robot vacuum or a handheld model.

Cleaning/self-cleaning process

Some vacuum-mop combos have a self-cleaning process, which means you don’t have to worry about cleaning those nasty brush rollers. The self-cleaning process typically entails putting the machine on the docking station and pressing a button to start the clean cycle, which runs for less than a minute. A self-cleaning feature doesn’t mean the vacuum and mop don’t need to be emptied, though. You will still need to empty and clean the dirty water tank, filters, etc.

If the vacuum-mop combo doesn’t have a self-cleaning process, you’ll need to clean the tanks, filters, and scrubbing pads manually after every use. Some vacuum-mop combos have machine-washable pads, and/or an option to forego cleaning by using disposable pads.

Separately, some mops suggest you use a cleaning solution rather than water. Using a mop that requires a proprietary solution can make the mop more expensive to use over time, especially compared to those that clean with water. 

 FAQs

Q: How much does a vacuum-mop combo cost?

Depending on features, a vacuum-mop combo will cost you $400-$1,400.

Q: How do I maintain my vacuum-mop combo?

The best way to keep your vacuum-mop combo running is to keep it clean. We recommend cleaning its brush rolls after every use. (That’s why we love a self-cleaning model!) 

For self-cleaning upright vacuums, you should fill the clean water tank with water and solution, then place the vacuum on the docking station and press the clean cycle button. That will start a cleaning cycle that lasts for less than a minute. When the cycle ends, remove the vacuum and wipe the tray, then empty the dirty water tank. You should also clean the filters, screens, and water tanks with warm water and mild detergent.
 
With robot vacuum-mop combos, you should clean the mop cloth after each use, and clean the washable filters and main brush every two weeks.  Clean the rest of it, including the side brush, charging contacts, cliff sensors, carpet sensors, and main wheels each month with a soft dry cloth.

Q: Can you use a vacuum-mop combo on all surfaces?

Different vacuums work better on some surfaces than others, and the same is true for vacuum-mop combos. All vacuum-mops can be used on hard floors, including sealed wood, vinyl, and tile. The Roborock S7+ and Black+Decker can be used on both hard floors and carpets, and the Bissell Crosswave can be used on hard floors and area rugs. We always recommend taking stock of what surfaces you’ll need to clean before buying a vacuum, so you can pick a model that will excel wherever you use it.

Q: Is there a robot vacuum that also mops?

Of course. While they aren’t as common as robot vacuums, there are a few robot mops out there, as well as a few vacuum-mop combos. We currently recommend the Roborock S7MaxV if you’re looking for a robot that can vacuum and mop.

Final thoughts on the best vacuum-mop combos

Having a single device that can mop your floor and suck up dirt at the same time makes it easier to clean your home quickly. Even stick vacuums, which require more effort than setting a robot vacuum to run automatically, have become more capable. The point of this cleaning tool is to save time and make you a more efficient cleaner, and that’s exactly what’ll happen when you pick one up. Having a single vacuum that can handle any mess—wet or dry—will be a big upgrade. You’ll even save closet or garage space, which is significant if you live in a smaller space.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.