You can simply set and forget the Shark IQ robot vacuum for over a month thanks to its advanced scheduling capabilities and self-emptying dustbin.

When the robot returns to its dock at the end of a cleaning session, it empties its dustbin into a larger bag in the base and refills its water tank for mopping, offering a truly hands-free experience.

The roborock S8 MaxV Ultra Robot Vacuum Cleaner is a pricier option, but for the Em excesso outlay you get a huge amount of power. 10,000Pa promises to dislodge every speck of dust and the mop function also takes into account larger homes with different requirements.

If none of the robot vacuums above take your fancy, here are some other models worth considering. These robovacs all scored highly on test, but just didn't quite make our main guide.

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.

The robot navigated tight spaces and cleaned under kitchen cabinet toe kicks without getting stuck. However, the LIDAR sensor on top makes it too tall to fit under some low-profile furniture. After methodically covering our test floors, the Shark returned to its dock and emptied every speck of debris it collected.

Cleans and Dries Its Mops: The mops are lifted automatically when returning to the base station to ensure your floors stay pristine. Automatic mop cleaning immerses the mops in water and spins them at high speed against grooves in the removable base plate to dislodge dirt.

Here's the table on which robot vacuums are best at picking up dirt and pet hair. Note that while all of the robot vacuums were tested by picking up the same material on the same surfaces, those with an asterisk were tested in a 15 x 15-foot square, whereas the other models were tested in a 5 x 5-foot square.

We offer easy, convenient returns with at least one free return option: no Top 3 Automatic Vacuum Cleaners shipping charges. All returns must comply with our returns policy.

Another benefit is that robot vacuums are short enough to slip under the bed or couch. Because most feature side brushes to help scoop dirt from corners and edges, they can also vacuum along the walls to clean crevices that you might often skip or that your regular vacuum can’t reach.

Our ratings take into account these test results as well as reliability and owner satisfaction data from CR’s member surveys of thousands of robot vacuums purchased since 2013.

Alistair is a London-based journalist who has been writing about tech for over a decade. He has tested numerous robovacs over the years for TechRadar, from brands like iRobot, Eufy and Roborock. His favourites match intelligent navigation with smart design.

Another thing to consider is the cord length. Make sure to choose a model with a long enough cord so that you can move freely around your home while you're vacuuming.

Although the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra is priced on the higher end, it has a bunch of perks. For instance, once the bot is docked, a vacuum in the docking station automatically sucks the contents from the bin into the base. It also features WiFi connectivity and performs superbly at cleaning carpet, bare floors, and pet hair, as well as navigating under furniture and around obstacles.