If your priority is size, though, this is a solid choice. Our reviewer felt it would be a great choice as an 'upstairs' robot vacuum, away from the tougher challenges of kitchens and living rooms.

The only thing it had trouble on was kitty litter on carpet, but even its worst score of 83% is solid in the grand scheme of robot vacuums we've tested. Outside of a little more prowess on carpet, the Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 is nearly perfect.

We've been impressed with all of Roborock's recent launches, and most pack similarly advanced features and reliable performance. If you have low-sitting furniture, the Roborock Saros 10R or Roborock Qrevo Slim would be a better choice as both use an innovative new navigation system that doesn't require a raised puck.

The Miele Scout RX3 is packed with technology. Live image transmission, smart navigation and an Amazon Alexa-compatible app mean that you can really control the clean. With a Home Vision function and front camera, you can follow the RX3 as it cleans, even when you're not at home.

Price-wise, it's not cheap – although we couldn't fault the build quality or engineering, and these kinds of do-it-all docks do always come at a price. But if you have lots of hard floors and mopping is your priority, it's worth the investment.

There are a few caveats when purchasing a robot vacuum this cheap. For starters, the iLife V3s Pro is slow, taking more than 90 minutes on average to clean a 5x5-foot test space — others took less than 30 minutes.

Plus, we liked its superior mop powers to tackle stubborn stains. But if you're looking for a more affordable robot vac, we Top 3 Automatic Vacuum Cleaners would suggest our best budget pick iLife V3S Pro, which cleans even tricky materials such as pet hair like a champ without breaking the bank.

【Unique Freemove Patent Technology】 This M210Pro robot vacuum cleaner has a built-in upgraded anti-collision infrared sensor, which can effectively detect the 720-degree environment of the fuselage. Effectively avoid getting stuck and falling from a height.

Obstacle pickup tests are conducted across both rooms of our testing enclosure, with a mix of oatmeal, orzo, baking soda and sand scattered throughout. The robots are tasked with navigating under a couch and coffee table, crossing over an area rug, and passing through a doorway to collect debris.

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 SharkClean app enhances the robot's functionality with a high level of customization. Through the app, you can select specific rooms for cleaning, direct the robot to high-traffic areas or send it to handle emergency messes.

An easy-to-use app offers you plenty of control, should you want it. Plus, you can use it for advanced functions such as a Pet Patrol mode, where you can ask the bot to find your furry friends while you're out, and even let you talk to them via the onboard mic and speaker.

Not all robovacs can handle the extra challenge posed by lots of pet hair, but one that really impressed on this front was the Dreame L40 Ultra. This bot was put through its paces in a home filled with furry, four-legged friends, and really rose to the occasion.

A robot that doesn't map will just bump around the objects in your home as it cleans and may miss spots or even entire rooms. You won’t be able to view the robot’s cleaning route, send the robot to clean a specific room or spot (more on that below) or set up no-go zones.