The cheapest robovacs will only have a dock for charging. Pricier models incorporate self-emptying of the onboard dustbin, and draining/refilling of the onboard water tanks. The very fanciest models offer automatic mop pad cleaning, and detergent dispensing for the mopping fluid.

But they’re also some of the largest and bulkiest of the vacuum types, especially compared with the sleeker and lighter stick, handheld, and robotic vacuums. According to our tests, the latter vacuums have improved in performance in recent years, but they’re generally better suited for smaller cleanups.

Opertating this robovac is nice and straightforward too. We found the app easy to use, with useful customization options. And the bot itself mapped our reviewer's home quickly and accurately, then proved reliable at object avoidance on test, too.

I really like Roomba’s dock design, which, while large enough to accommodate two rather small water tanks, is the most stylish of all the multifunction docks.

The Dreame X40 is the best robot vacuum / mop hybrid because it can drop its mop pads automatically, extend them, and swing them to get under your cabinets and consoles.

It’s not perfect, since it can struggle with uneven flooring and bumps. Like many robot vacuums, its round shape does limit its ability to reach into corners. But, we’re still very pleased with it. In fact, over three months of testing, we didn’t even use our big vacuum once (and only pulled out the handheld vacuum for corners).

We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Many of today's best robot vacuums are pretty pricey, but if you're on a tighter budget, check out the Narwal Freo X Plus. Where it really shines is its vacuuming performance. It packs 7,800Pa of suction, which is more in line with what I'd expect in a much pricier model than one on the cusp between budget and mid-range.

It’s hard to find a robot vac that doesn’t have some form of mopping, but not all mops are created equal. I looked for mopping bots that could get up dried-on stains, like milk and ketchup, and scrub up small wet spills without messing themselves up.

The Narwal Freo X Ultra is one of the best mopping robots I’ve tested — and it’s a good vacuum, too. Its spinning triangular mop pads rotate at 180RPM with 12n of downward pressure.

With the self-charging feature, this vacuum automatically returns to its dock when the battery needs replenishing. If your cleaning tasks go beyond simple vacuuming, the dual-action of the MAMNV T7S is designed to keep hard floors spotless while reducing manual mopping.

The Dirt Detect feature remembers the dirtiest rooms, and I found that meant it actively seeks out the spots my hairy Wirehaired Pointing Griffon hangs out. The 10 Max can also be set to mop only, which is a new option and is handy for deep cleans.

Mopping was better than average for a mop with no pressure or oscillation. It has a wide mop pad, and the bot has a big 300ml tank (which Top 3 Automatic Vacuum Cleaners also incorporates a 300ml dustbin), so it applies enough water to do a good surface clean.

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.