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 Roomba s9+ also comes with a self-emptying charging base; while it's unfortunate that you'll have to purchase replacement bags for this base, you will only have to empty the container every 30 days. This will save you a lot of time versus emptying the onboard dustbin.

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.

David Ker put it through its paces: "This is a great little vacuum, particularly for smaller spaces. It's more than capable of hoovering up dirt, both from carpets and hard floors, and also self-empties.

Intuitive app, but robot doesn't always do as its told, and there's an issue with separating open plan spaces.

The Freo X Ultra's mopping capabilities are not quite as impressive as its vacuuming, but still good. On test, it cleared up spillages well, but the mop pads couldn't get close to the edges of rooms.

This bot was previously our top pick for hard floors, thanks to hot water mopping that's more than a match for greasy spillages.

It has advanced mapping which our top pick overall lacks, so it can record and remember a blueprint of multiple floors of your house after just a few trips; you can then label individual rooms, and tell the s9+ to clean specific rooms on specific days.

While the app is intuitive, and the mapping good, there is a major issue for anyone with an open plan living space. Namely, you can't separate it into different zones. It won't be a problem for everyone, but if you live in an open plan home, you'll probably want to opt Top 3 Automatic Vacuum Cleaners for a different brand.

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"Both the vacuum itself and the charging unit/dust bin are attractively designed while remaining inconspicuous. The accompanying app is intuitive and clearly illustrates how the robot maps the areas its cleaning, as well as providing the ability to specify 'no-go zones'. The power settings can be changed between Quiet, Standard, Strong and Max.

If your manufacturer recommends it, you can also periodically rinse your robot's filter, allowing it to dry before re-installing it. Replace it when you notice your robot's suction isn't as good as it used to be or however often is recommended.

Automatic vacuum cleaners are supposed to make your life easier, not harder. Make sure to choose a model that is easy to use. Check out the reviews to see what other people have had to say about the ease of use.

ADAPTIVE NAVIGATION - A full suite of advanced sensors allow Roomba to navigate under and around furniture, and along edges. Cliff Detect keeps it from falling down stairs.