Robot vacuums have improved tenfold since they were first introduced, both in terms of navigation and pickup. And while the gap between these devices and upright models is indeed closing, there is still admittedly a gap.

Rodriguez updated this story with notes from other Lab analysts’ extensive testing and research notes.

We were particularly impressed by the effectiveness of its row-cleaning pattern — it thoroughly picked up fur and debris even if it blew or knocked them to the sides on an initial passthrough.

Pet owners might want to look for a model that is able to recognize their pet and either avoid it (if it's spooked by the addition of a sentient appliance to the household) or seek it out to check up on it while you're out of the house.

In our Lab tests: Robot vacuums are getting better, smarter and more self-sufficient all the time, and iRobot's Roomba remains one of the top performers in our GH Cleaning Lab tests. This Roomba S9+ picked up 99% of the dry oatmeal, sand, small screws and other debris we spread on hard floors.

Although the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra is priced on the higher end, it has a bunch of perks. For instance, once the bot is docked, a vacuum in the docking station automatically sucks the contents from the bin into the base. It also features WiFi connectivity and performs superbly at cleaning carpet, bare floors, and pet hair, as well as navigating under furniture and around obstacles.

In our tests, it left no debris behind on any bare floor — including vinyl and tile — and it was very easy to maneuver and carry thanks to its oversized wheels, compact design and easy-grip handle.

Robot vacuums do not offer as strong a performance as upright vacuum cleaners, particularly corded ones. It’s for this reason that we don’t recommend throwing away the best vacuum cleaner even if you decide to invest in one of these strong contenders.

We recommend this attachment if you prefer a canister and have deep pile carpets in, say, just the bedrooms. Otherwise, you’ll use a long flat attachment or brush that can be used on bare floors and low, flat rugs.

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.

It can patrol your home while you’re away and livestream what it can see straight to your phone. It can also recognize objects, although its accuracy left something to be desigred. It identified the iRobot Braava jet m6 Top 3 Automatic Vacuum Cleaners robot mop as a cup/plate, and thought a stray dog toy was a sock/towel.

If you have a lot of carpet in your bedrooms, an upright vacuum cleaner or canister with a rotating brush roll will do the best job, whereas a vacuum cleaner with soft bristles or a brush roll that can be turned off is better suited for hardwood floors.

Onboard dustbins tend to be small, so if you're dealing with lots of dust or hair then I'd recommend prioritizing a self-empty dock. However, be aware that the more functions you add, the bigger the dock will be – the ones with water tanks can be pretty massive.

Robot vacuums are impressive devices that will clean your floors well and — thanks to bigger batteries and better robot brains — rarely get tired of doing their job.