Q5 Pro +

The amount of hair my roborock Q5 Pro+ Robot Vacuum picks up has completely taken over all our vaccuming minus stairs. 100% would recommend with the auto empty dock. The app is easy to use and setup rooms, the dual brush design also makes it super simple to clean.

The roborock Q5 Pro+ is a popular model that seems to last rather long with proper care. The dual rubber brushes do best to pick up fur and hair, especially on carpets, and will best resist tangles.

If I were you, I’d spend a bit more for a combo and look for a reliable and good vacuum only model for the top carpet only floor which is generally cheaper than a combo model. I’d also consider the dreame L40S Pro Ultra (£799) is going to be better for heavy fur shedders since it has the onboard fur compression feature which works when it’s vacuuming to best utilize the dustbin’s space that has a volume of 395mL. The dual brushes mean it’s better for fur pickup on carpets but won’t be as good for just vacuuming carpets compared to vacuum only models . The E25 will be better for raw mopping performance which is better suited for homes with more hard floors than carpet. The E25 will also be a good option for the bottom floor. I’d get something like a cheap second hand roomba or a roborock Q5 or Q8 with or without an autoempty station for the upper floor.

Vacuum only: roborock q5 or q8 max+ or the switchbot k10+ with a tangle resistant all rubber brush. Vacuum and mop combo: MOVA P10 Pro ultra at 399 (I think on Amazon US). This is a de facto last gen flagship and the antitangle TriCut brush (may ship in a bundle or needs to be bought separately from MOVA/dreame but AliExpress resellers can be cheaper) worked great with my long fur corgi’s fur and tumbleweeds. This one is least likely to get stuck compared to the previous options. Compared to other vacuum and mop combos under 400 which are solid budget robots, the p10 pro ultra blows them out of the water. As for the curved legs, I think the MOVA may at first try to ride up them then eventually learn how to properly avoid them. I have the MOVA V50 ultra and after it humped tripod legs on the first day, it was able to “learn” how to smoothly follow the tripod legs and avoid riding up on them on the third day (second day produced mixed results).

That’s fair! My home simply is fur mayhem so I love the autoemptying. Check out the roborock q5 or q8 without an autoempty dock.

I LOVE my Roborock Q5 Pro+. It is fantastic at mapping, great suction, and auto-empties. I have two large dogs and it handles their fur wonderfully. Additionally, you can customize quite a bit about routing/suction, as well as schedules. It can even handle multiple maps if you have stairs.

Sort of. There's also the Eufy L50 and L60 models, which are almost the same except for less suction and a lower price for the L50. Also look at the new Roomba 105 and 705, many Shark models, and the Dyson 360 Vis Nav. As always, check reviews; the Roombas in particular haven't reviewed well. What's more common is a vacuum-only robot with a stationary mop pad that's just stuck on the bottom. Technically, it's a combo with mopping, but the mop is just an add-on, and can be ignored. An example of this is the Roborock Q5 Pro and Pro+, which is the Q5 Max and Max+ with a mop tacked on and a few cosmetic changes. Sometimes, the Pro is even cheaper than the Max, which makes the Pro the smart buy. Just throw the mop plate in a drawer or in the trash. Be careful, though, that you're not sacrificing dustbin space for the water tank. The very similar Roborock Q7 M5 does this, while the Pro has the water tank as part of the mop plate. The most notable model that technically supports mopping, but only as an add-on, is the SwitchBot K10+. It comes with little disposable mopping cloths that attach to hooks on the back of the robot. Ignore the cloths, and you have a very good small robot that can get into lots of tight spaces and which has been reviewed to vacuum well.

Sort of. There's also the Eufy L50 and L60 models, which are almost the same except for less suction and a lower price for the L50. Also look at the new Roomba 105 and 705, many Shark models, and the Dyson 360 Vis Nav. As always, check reviews; the Roombas in particular haven't reviewed well. What's more common is a vacuum-only robot with a stationary mop pad that's just stuck on the bottom. Technically, it's a combo with mopping, but the mop is just an add-on, and can be ignored. An example of this is the Roborock Q5 Pro and Pro+, which is the Q5 Max and Max+ with a mop tacked on and a few cosmetic changes. Sometimes, the Pro is even cheaper than the Max, which makes the Pro the smart buy. Just throw the mop plate in a drawer or in the trash. Be careful, though, that you're not sacrificing dustbin space for the water tank. The very similar Roborock Q7 M5 does this, while the Pro has the water tank as part of the mop plate. The most notable model that technically supports mopping, but only as an add-on, is the SwitchBot K10+. It comes with little disposable mopping cloths that attach to hooks on the back of the robot. Ignore the cloths, and you have a very good small robot that can get into lots of tight spaces and which has been reviewed to vacuum well.

I'll add to the vote for the Roborock Q5 Max, but there are other alternatives: many Shark robots, plus the Eufy L50, L60, C10, and E20 models. A few models put the water tank into the mop plate, and thus do not sacrifice any dustbin space for water storage. An example would be the Roborock Q5 Pro, which is basically the Q5 Max with some cosmetic changes and a mop pad. I've seen the Pro cheaper than the Max, which means you're paying more money just for the privilege of not getting a mop; ditto for the L60 SES vs. Hybrid. So that's something to consider.

So an unknown brand just came out with a fairly pedestrian robot with stationary-pad mopping, and it has a higher rating than some of the highest-regarded robots on the market? Nope. If you really need mopping on a budget, take a look at the Dreame D10+, Eufy L60 Hybrid, or one of the Roborock Q series robots. For a big improvement in mopping for not much more money, look at the Eufy C20 or Dreame L10s Ultra series. Mova can be good, if they've solved their problem with fragile front wheels. If you don't care about mopping, look at the Eufy L60 SES or SwitchBot K10+.

border collie hair is basically the ultimate torture test for these things. since you don't care about mopping, you actually have a huge advantage because you can skip the massive $1000 base stations and just focus on pure vacuum tech. ​to answer your brush question first, here is how they actually work in the real world: bristle brushes: absolutely avoid these. you will spend your weekends sitting on the floor with scissors cutting hair out of them. dual rubber rollers: these (like on roombas or the roborock q5) are awesome for digging dirt out of carpets. the hair doesn't wrap around the middle, but it does get pushed to the very ends. you still have to pop the rollers out every week or two and pull the wads of hair off the little axles so the motors don't burn out. anti-tangle/cutter brushes: this is the absolute holy grail for long hair. ​if you want a pure vacuum setup, the eufy l60 with the self-empty station (ses) is pretty much exactly what you want. the trick is that the base station actually has a physical detangling blade built into it. when the robot docks to empty the dirt, the base physically slices the tangled hair off the roller and sucks it away into the bag. it's incredible for long dog hair and it's super affordable since you aren't paying for mopping features. ​if your house is entirely thick wall-to-wall carpet and you need maximum agitation, the roborock q5 pro+ is the best budget dual-rubber option for pure vacuuming, just be prepared to clean the axles manually. but for a border collie, that eufy hair-cutting station is gonna save your sanity.

border collie hair is basically the ultimate torture test for these things. since you don't care about mopping, you actually have a huge advantage because you can skip the massive $1000 base stations and just focus on pure vacuum tech. ​to answer your brush question first, here is how they actually work in the real world: bristle brushes: absolutely avoid these. you will spend your weekends sitting on the floor with scissors cutting hair out of them. dual rubber rollers: these (like on roombas or the roborock q5) are awesome for digging dirt out of carpets. the hair doesn't wrap around the middle, but it does get pushed to the very ends. you still have to pop the rollers out every week or two and pull the wads of hair off the little axles so the motors don't burn out. anti-tangle/cutter brushes: this is the absolute holy grail for long hair. ​if you want a pure vacuum setup, the eufy l60 with the self-empty station (ses) is pretty much exactly what you want. the trick is that the base station actually has a physical detangling blade built into it. when the robot docks to empty the dirt, the base physically slices the tangled hair off the roller and sucks it away into the bag. it's incredible for long dog hair and it's super affordable since you aren't paying for mopping features. ​if your house is entirely thick wall-to-wall carpet and you need maximum agitation, the roborock q5 pro+ is the best budget dual-rubber option for pure vacuuming, just be prepared to clean the axles manually. but for a border collie, that eufy hair-cutting station is gonna save your sanity.

Q5 Pro+ (or Q5 Max might be equivalent for you). The Q-series is fantastic for vacuuming. Ignore any Q-series mops since they're worthless. The Q5 one is, from what I can tell, the last Q-series without a full camera or mic for Roborock to spy on you with.

For a first robot vacuum under $500 that’s strong on pet hair, compact, and easy to maintain, I’d consider the [Roborock Q5 Pro](https://www.amazon.com/roborock-Q5-Pro-Self-Emptying-Hands-Free/dp/B0C7VN9NWK?crid=26W8YI94Q4OZK&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.CXgchYqIJ4FYSTC49eMOlCuRIaDRZvYbxcAF8H7gC4gMiQDqr2Y9zwh99PiYyDjg4DIOjGuOjWMG_HzvjnJKVBv0iuKixHgiJ3M6ITWTOLz2WR1m37yiYPq7baZFtvoBK4b_PXcULjGLzZy5JWnyku5ikK9Wsb-MQK9EYa0Gx8khMh3hlU-6fhzvM-l_tnHYYO51jwcMgxyipcCpbcnLqbPAQ8pSZqQVXFUYUuNlCOA.b0yLZIIU6zhiO6mfEpRKxgftYzWAx4NQXgdnGhryhqs&dib_tag=se&keywords=Roborock%2BQ5%2BPro&qid=1761754112&sprefix=roborock%2Bq5%2Bpro%2Caps%2C212&sr=8-3&th=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=drxth-20&linkId=42a57cf33084a4e87781b966f25cfc81&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl). It has powerful suction that handles pet hair well, a slim design to navigate under furniture, and a dustbin and filter that are simple to remove and clean, making it a low-maintenance option for keeping your floors consistently clean.