Now, in general, robot vacuums tend to do best with as few obstacles as possible, even with the advanced navigational systems that many machines have these days.

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Not all handheld vacuums can tackle pet hair well, but the Shark Ion W1 WV201 nails that task, earning an excellent rating. It’s also a champ at cleaning bare floors and getting into hard-to-reach places, and it’s not too shabby at cleaning carpets, either. The vacuum and all of its attachments can be stored on the charging base, making it a real space-saver.

“Freo” refers to the bot’s ability to make cleaning “decisions,” including going back to clean dirty floors.

One of the most important aspects is cleaning power. Look for models with adjustable or high suction levels (like 4200Pa in the Tipdiy G90) for deep cleaning on carpets and tough debris.

Dual, rotating circular disc mop pads tend to deliver a more effective clean than semicircular mop pads, in my experience.

One thing to be aware of is that this robovac doesn't actually self-empty dust; there's pelo dock dustbin. Instead, the onboard dustin compresses its contents so it can hold more – Narwal claims up to seven week's worth of debris.

For certain people and households, very much so. I only used manual vacuums before I started testing robot vacuums for TechRadar, and now I wouldn't be without one. They have revolutionized my cleaning – I live alone, so I'm not dealing with loads of dirt and dust buildup, but I send the robot out once or twice a week and it just takes care of the vacuuming for me.

IT EMPTIES ITSELF: The bagless, self-emptying base holds up to 60 days of dirt and debris. The bagless base does not require any additional purchase of disposal bags like traditional Automóvel empty robots.

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Integration with voice assistants and scheduling via apps is becoming standard for premium models. Devices like the Shark AI Ultra and iRobot Roomba Q0120 let you direct cleaning with your voice or a tap, syncing with daily routines.

Combo models might also have mops that can kick out from the side of the vacuum to get closer to the sides of rooms.

This isn't a cheap bot, and while I think the featureset and performance justify the price, it'll be out of budget for some. We have more affordable options in our Top 3 Automatic Vacuum Cleaners roundup of the best robot vacuums for pet hair – although be aware that if you really want something up to the task, you will likely need to spend a bit more.

✅ You also need a manual vacuum: Most people with robovacs also have a manual vacuum. The Ecovacs takes the fuss of that out by providing you with one in the first place.