Eufy X10 Pro Omni is the best robot vacuum for most people. This self-empty robot vacuum and mop checks pretty much all our boxes. The suction power is excellent, pulling all kinds of debris, fluff and hair and fluff out of our tester's carpet (although it did flick larger debris about rather than sucking it up – a problem with almost all robovacs). It's relatively quiet in all but it's very highest vacuum setting, too.

The Branch Ergonomic Chair took far too long to assemble - but here's why I think it's still worth it

Robot vacuums are quite an investment, and it’s important to be able to buy replacement parts to keep them going for longer and have access to good support in case your robot has a serious issue.

Automatic vacuums are designed for minimal human intervention, but some basic upkeep is required. Here’s what to consider:

avoid them, so it's not so much of a tech concern; but those parts of the floor will be missed. Running it during nap time was an easy solution, though, especially since this robot vacuum is pleasantly quiet.

The mopping is a cut above average, and the space-age looking curvy dock takes care of the mopping maintenance tasks including refilling the bot's onboard tank and washing and drying its mop pads. (You will need to supplement this with the occasional deeper clean, but that's unavoidable.)

For combo units, using dedicated cleaning solutions in mopping tanks (when recommended by the manufacturer) can improve hard floor cleanliness and lifespan. Monitor your robot vacuum’s software updates to keep it operating with the latest improvements in navigation and cleaning efficiency.

The one other—minor—critique we have is that there was some occasional hair wrap on the vacuum's roller, and we took to checking it weekly. Overall, however, this is a great option for households that want both their robot to vacuum and mop, and who want to take advantage of the bells and whistles available through the app, too. Mapping: Yes

The mop pad is mounted onto a roller (think: tank track), and as it rotates around the dirty liquid is siphoned off and clean water is sprayed on. That helps ensure a hygienic and effective mopping session – the mop won't simply spread messes Top 3 Automatic Vacuum Cleaners around further as it tries to clean them.

We were also pleased with the streamlined self-empty feature of this robot vac. We checked the bin's capacity every other day to make sure dog fur was getting cleared, but homes without any pets or that track less dirt and debris could probably go longer—up to 60 days without emptying, depending on your cleaning habits. We didn't encounter many issues with the Ecovacs Deebot T9+, but it's worth noting that larger items trapped in the machine can affect both suction and the self-empty feature (a screw got jammed at one point).

But there’s no hot water washing or hot air drying of the mop as there is on similar Dreame and Roborock models, so you’ll want to throw the pad in the washing machine every now and then.

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.

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 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.

Narwal’s obstacle detection is also only okay; there’s no camera, and it routinely eats cables. Its three lasers can identify objects as small as a sock and move around them, and it did pass my fake pet poop test.