Robot vacuums

Plumbing-connected docks: what installation they need

Published November 7, 2026 · By the BotLineup editors · Prices and specs as of that date, from the pages under Sources

What a plumbed dock does

With a tank-based mopping dock, you fill a clean-water tank and carry the dirty-water tank to a sink. A plumbed dock replaces those two chores by drawing from a household supply line and discharging to a drain.

Some docks only move water internally, so check what "refill" means on a spec sheet. On ECOVACS's US page for the DEEBOT T90 Pro Omni, "Auto Refill and Drain" is marked "No", while "hot-water auto refill from station to robot" is marked "Yes". We read that second line as water moving from the station to the robot, not a connection to your plumbing.

What your home needs

A plumbed dock depends on where water already reaches in your home. Before you choose a model, look for a spot that meets three conditions:

• Household water within reach of the dock
• A drain within reach of the dock
• Enough open floor in front of the dock for the robot to drive in and out

A kitchen or laundry room is more likely to have both connections than a hallway or living room. But plumbing access alone is not enough: a cramped corner can leave the robot unable to approach the dock.

Before ordering, get the model-specific hose lengths and fittings from the installation guide or maker. Describe the supply and drain you plan to use and ask how they connect to the dock. If you are unsure about making that connection, use a plumber.

Kit or built-in

Makers handle the plumbing in two ways, and the choice affects what you buy and where the dock can go.

With a built-in design, the plumbing is part of the dock. SwitchBot's US page for the S10 describes a "Dual-station design". The Water Station connects to household plumbing and auto-refills and drains. A separate Auto-Empty & Dry Station self-empties, dries with hot air, and collects dust for up to 70 days. Because the stations are separate, the water side can sit next to the plumbing while the dust side goes elsewhere. SwitchBot also says retrofit accessories adapt the Water Station to kitchen or laundry plumbing.

For the S20, SwitchBot's support distinguishes tank-base operation from a setup using a separate Water Station. Its refill troubleshooting page explicitly describes the clean-water tank on the base (checked 2026-11-01). SwitchBot's US page for the S20 lists a "Water Supply & Drainage Kit" in the box and also offers a separate "S20 with Auto-Fill & Drain System" bundle. Its support also says the pictured tank-base version needs a separately purchased Water Station for automatic inlet and drainage (checked 2026-11-01). Match that configuration to the exact listing before treating its price as a complete plumbed setup.

Models that offer it

Of the models whose maker pages we checked, these SwitchBot robots offer a plumbing connection:

• SwitchBot S10: plumbing built into the Water Station, RevoRoll roller mop with RinseSync self-washing, $1,199.99 at the SwitchBot store, checked 2026-10-07
• SwitchBot S20: Water Supply & Drainage Kit plus a separate auto-fill and drain bundle, RinseSync roller mop that SwitchBot rates at 1 kg of downward pressure, 20 mm threshold climb, 90-day trash disposal intervals, $799.99 for the S20 listing at the SwitchBot store, checked 2026-10-07

Between these two listings, $1,199.99 − $799.99 = $400. Before treating that as the cost of the S10's built-in plumbing, confirm which S20 configuration the $799.99 price covers.

Some docks look similar but are not plumbed. ECOVACS's US pages mark "Auto Refill and Drain" as "No" for the DEEBOT X11 Pro Omni and the DEEBOT T90 Pro Omni. Both docks wash mops in hot water, which ECOVACS rates at 75 °C. If your home has no water line and drain near a workable dock spot, a tank dock like these avoids the installation question entirely.

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