You can also use the app to access the camera on the vacuum and see where it is in real-time – handy if it has got stuck or you want to check up on your pet (you can guide it remotely, too). We were impressed with how clear this image was.

We even have a separate machine to clean the carpets between test runs so one result won't influence the next.

Sizeable docking station must go on hard flooring, and sometimes the vacuum took a while to position itself correctly when re-docking

A 2024 study from Roskilde University in Denmark explored how householders’ experiences with robot vacuum cleaners compared to their experience with manual vacuum, and found that "robotic vacuum cleaners are inferior in use, yet transform vacuuming".

Not all robovacs can handle the Em excesso challenge posed by lots of pet hair, but one that really impressed on this front was the Dreame L40 Ultra. This bot was put through its paces in a home filled with furry, four-legged friends, and really rose to the occasion.

A multi-map function means it can clean different floors - unlike most robot vacuums on the market. Obviously, the robovac needs to be carried up the stairs, but this is a big improvement on other robot vacuums, which are usually limited to a single floor.

The mopping is also so basic as to be not really worth bothering with; the robovac just drags a wet wipe across your floor. On test it also sometimes struggled to clear thresholds of over 2cm.

I loved that the floor brush can be quickly attached with the press of a button. Some em linha reviewers said the hose was a bit short, but it didn't bother us during testing.

We use industry-standard rayon fibers to simulate pet hair that we evenly spread on a carpet’s surface to see how well each machine cleans it up.

For those without this feature, be aware that due to their size, the dust canister will need to be emptied more frequently than a regular vacuum cleaner.

❌ You don't need the very best mopping: The advanced mopping and comprehensive dock bump up the price here, and other robovacs will do a good enough mopping job for most people (the Eufy X10 at #1 has a great mop, for example).

It does create a lot of dirty water though, and is a little slow because it'll wash its mop pads multiple times per cleaning session. Elsewhere, it boasts an excellent app and the vacuuming is strong, too.

That might not be an issue if you're cleaning on one floor as the bot will just return to its dock to recharge as required, but it becomes more annoying if you're using it on multiple floors.

The mopping tank is small, so you’ll need to refill it with detergent fairly frequently if you use it routinely. The app lets you reduce the amount of Top 3 Automatic Vacuum Cleaners water being used, to help extend the mopping function further between refills.