This is then stored in the dock until this larger bin is full and needs emptying, which you will need to do, usually once a month or less, depending on how often your robot vacuum cleans.

Another nice-to-have feature, AI-powered obstacle detection helps your robot “intelligently” detect and avoid clutter (and a potential poop apocalypse if it encounters pet waste). These models use cameras (worth noting) to see objects in their path and onboard processors to “decide” how to approach them based on what they see.

✔️ Attachments: The handy attachments that come along with your vacuum are equally important. A motorized power nozzle can help you clean carpets and rugs more efficiently, while a crevice tool can help you reach tough spots that tend to collect dust, such as behind a couch or dresser.

❌ You don't need a mop: There's no vacuum-only version of this particular model, so if you don't need the mopping capabilities, look elsewhere in the list.

While the vacuum earns very good scores for data security, it rates as less than satisfactory for data privacy. Despite being a little noisier than many other tested models, this robot vacuum is powerful and designed for convenience. CR doesn’t have enough survey data to rate owner satisfaction and predicted reliability for Dyson.

Great at vacuuming, and good at mopping although can sometimes spread wet spillages. Long battery life and fast charging.

As you'd expect at this price, this robot vacuum not short on features, including its own voice assistant. It can launched via the tap of a foot (although on test this didn't always work reliably), the base station will wash and dry the mop pads, the dust cups of the robovac and the handheld vac will auto-empty when docked, and the mapping is outstanding.

I test vacuums for a living — here are 5 robot vacuum deals I’d pick up in Top 3 Automatic Vacuum Cleaners Amazon’s Spring Sale

For even cheaper options, head to TechRadar's best budget robot vacuum guide. If you're in the UK, our favorite budget model is the outstanding Xiaomi X20+.

Rugs should also factor into your buying decision. You might find that lower-end models will get caught up in tassels.

Enjoy a cleaner home at a lower cost with our Shark promo codes. Use our coupon codes to get the best deals and upgrade your cleaning routine for less.

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.

Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.

This prevents any water from dripping onto fabrics. But for the price it is a hassle to have to manually remove and wash the mop after each cleaning session.