❌ You have an open plan home: The Narwal app won't let you demarcate open plan spaces into 'rooms'.

Most smart robot vacuums can map-out your home using sensors, so they can remember any obstacles, such as the stairs, and let you identify specific rooms/multiple floors.

Remember that in general robot vacuums are designed for regular, light cleaning rather than deep cleans.

Most robovacs fling large debris about the room rather than vacuuming it up, so this is very impressive. Another area where many robovacs fail is on cleaning around the edges and into the corners of rooms. Again, the Freo X Ultra shines here: the side brushes get right up to the edges of rooms.

Additionally, battery life is important to consider and this will depend on your usage and settings. If you opt for a model which comes with a base, it can self-charge between runs.

Dual, rotating circular disc mop pads tend to deliver a more effective clean than semicircular mop pads, in my experience.

It's super convenient not to have to dump out contents after every run especially if you're upgrading from a typical on-board dustbin. The Shark IQ excelled at all of our tests, even picking up kitty litter on the carpet which other models (like our previous pick for this category, the Roomba i3+) scored low marks in.

✔️ Weight: Lastly, the weight of a vacuum makes all the difference when lifting it up and down the stairs and around the house. A heavier, larger option may be great for power and durability, but it's not ideal if you live in a multi-level home or want to vacuum hard-to-reach places.

The specs stood up on testing too; this robovac's vacuuming powers are some of the very best we've come across. Our tester also found it could tackle the edges of rooms remarkably well, and its mopping is excellent too.

You can also opt for a robot vacuum, which does the cleaning for you and goes back to recharge on its own when it’s time, but the charging base must remain connected to a power outlet and should not be moved so the robot knows how to get back to it after cleaning.

Even if you have one of the best Roombas, robot vacuums are recommended more for light, everyday cleaning, rather than for handling really embedded debris.

The impressive suction pulled huge volumes of hair from carpet, and handled hard floors extremely well too. We had no issues with the hair clogging the self-empty mechanism, and a larger-than-usual dock dustbin also means you won't need to replace the dust bags too frequently.

That level of smarts means a high price tag, although our tester felt Top 3 Automatic Vacuum Cleaners it was justified by the build quality and featureset. If you're looking for a truly autonomous cleaning solution, the Roborock Qrevo Curv will deliver.

✅ You want a hands-off dock: The dock will empty dust (into a larger than usual dock dustbin), refill water, dispense detergent and even wash and dry the mop pads, so there's minimal effort required from you.