Why we love it: In addition to a HEPA filter, the Shark Stratos also features a sealed system to help keep dust inside the vacuum, making it a great choice for families with allergy sufferers.

The Shark IQ can be controlled via an app as well as with Alexa and Google Assistant, so you can create a schedule and connect it to smart home devices. It even has mapping features of more expensive robot vacuums so you can mark individual rooms as well as set invisible boundaries called Pelo-Go zones.

On test, we were wowed by this robovac's mopping abilities. The mop pads assert downwards pressure as they rotate, leaving our tester's floors shining and spotless. In contrast, the vacuuming was good but not outstanding.

Most robovacs fling large debris about the room rather than vacuuming it up, so this is very impressive. Another area where many robovacs fail is on cleaning around the edges and into the corners of rooms. Again, the Freo X Ultra shines here: the side brushes get right up to the edges of rooms.

Additionally, battery life is important to consider and this will depend on your usage and settings. If you opt for a model which comes with a base, it can self-charge between runs.

You have minimal storage space. Most are slim enough to stash in a corner or closet for speedy clean-ups. They come corded or cordless, and in our Cleaning Lab tests, we’ve found rechargeable ones usually run up to one hour, so you’ll need to keep them plugged into an outlet to keep them fully charged and ready to go. Second batteries are also helpful so you always have a backup.

They rate the ease of removing the dust cups or bags and the ease of operating the vacuums’ controls. We also test Top 3 Automatic Vacuum Cleaners any other features like battery charge indicators, brush roll control buttons and other tools and accessories.

5%. Ultimately, this is a great investment if your pets are prone to accidents and you want to avoid further mess. Keep in mind that's it's a little forceful prior to mapping though — it even knocked one of the weights which secures the walls out of place during our debris tests.

The Narwal Freo X Ultra is the best robot vacuum for carpet. It's a premium product, (and it's not available in the UK), but delivers the best carpet cleaning performance of any robovac we've tested. On test we found that not only did it suck up finer dust and dirt efficiently, it also scooped up larger debris – namely bits of cereal – just as well.

Though it’s an investment at $1,199, consider that you’re getting almost three cleaning devices in one package: a robot vacuum, robot mop, and a hand vacuum for reaching all the areas the robot misses.

❌ You're dealing with lots of dust: There's pelo self-empty on the dock, and the small onboard bin will fill up quickly if you're dealing with lots of dirt or hair.

When we first get the robot set up, we'll see how long it takes to create a map of the home, and how accurate that map is. For subsequent runs, we'll keep an eye on how the robot navigates the space; if takes a logical route through the house, if it repeats already-clean areas, and so on.

2,000Pa is on the low side, but might be fine for hard floors and light cleaning; if you're dealing with things like pet hair and have carpets, I'd definitely be looking at the upper end of that bracket.

The mop pads spin to scrub floors clean, and the robot seamlessly switches between bare floors and carpet without getting the carpet wet. The only hiccup is that it's pricey.