That might feel like overkill, but if you're planning to use the L40 Ultra regularly then it's going to save you a significant amount of time and effort.

Historically, robovacs aren't great at cleaning up to the edges of rooms, but today's best robot vacuums add spinning side brushes designed to flick debris into the robot's suction path.

Opertating this robovac is nice and straightforward too. We found the app easy to use, with useful customization options. And the bot itself mapped our reviewer's home quickly and accurately, then proved reliable at object avoidance on test, too.

I really like Roomba’s dock design, which, while large enough to accommodate two rather small water tanks, is the most stylish of all the multifunction docks.

However, I think it's fair to assume you'll need to manually empty it more than you would a traditional, self-empty robovac, given dock dustbins tend to hold 2.5L or 3L of dirt.

This model also avoids obstacles really well, including chocolate pudding we placed in its path to mimic a dog accident. Even when other robot vacuums were getting stuck in the chocolate mess, the ILife V3s Pro Robot Vacuum sailed past it. We also like its low profile (just 3 inches), which allows it to go under beds or couches more easily than taller models, and we’ve even seen it pick up dog hair that had collected under the bed.

The mopping is also a cut above average. On test, we found the rotating pads very effective – great news if you're regularly dealing with muddy pawprints. The does-it-all dock will take care of refilling the bot's water tank, dispensing cleaning fluid, and cleaning and drying its mop pads, too, meaning minimal hands-on time from you.

It's realistically far more often than I would drag a manual vac out of the cupboard, so my apartment is cleaner than usual, and my dust allergy symptoms have calmed down too.

They also can't really match manual vacuums for suction power, so while they can help you stay on top of dust build-up, most people will want to supplement their work with the occasional deep clean with a manual vacuum.

❌ You Top 3 Automatic Vacuum Cleaners want high levels of control: This robovac doesn't always do exactly as its told when it comes to more complex instructions.

This robot vacuum and mop combo is fantastic. It picks up pet hair effortlessly. The slim design fits under furniture easily. The WiFi and app control make cleaning convenient. Schedule cleanings anytime.

Our favorites were selected for their ease of setup, effectiveness, maneuverability, and value. Every machine on this list offers a slightly different package of features, but all have one thing in common: We were impressed by how much they simplified our cleaning routines.

Mopping was better than average for a mop with pelo pressure or oscillation. It has a wide mop pad, and the bot has a big 300ml tank (which also incorporates a 300ml dustbin), so it applies enough water to do a good surface clean.

) This saves you from having to pull out the bin after every few runs and empty it yourself. Instead, you’ll have to replace the bag (and buy new ones) when it gets full, generally about once a month. Many robots now have a self-empty dock option you can add later, although buying them together is generally cheaper.