Ever find yourself wishing you had someone to do the hoovering for you? Well, given the rising popularity of robot vacuum cleaners, it seems you're not the only one!
Much smaller, lighter and smarter than upright hoovers, smart robot vacuums offer many advantages. Not only do they take up less room in your house, they can also save you time and effort. Instead of you having to push a heavy vacuum up and down each room, your little wireless robo maid will do the hard work for you at the click of a button (or tap of an app).
While some robot vacuums don't quite match up to their more powerful upright cousins, the ones we tested can pick up all the bits of fluff and dust with ease. Some can hoover a variety of carpets and hard floors, while others can mop away stains before turning on the suction.
Vacuum bots with up to date smart technology can do all sorts of clever things. They can be scheduled to turn on at set times of the day, they can be programmed to take specific routes, they can navigate obstacles and they can give users feedback on where they have and haven't been. Believe it or not, they can even return themselves back to their charging station when they're feeling low on battery, then resume the job once they've recharged!
Things to consider alongside the tech specs when shopping for your robot vacuum include how long the battery lasts, how tall the model is (so you know whether it'll fit under your furniture), what floor types it can handle (including whether it'll stop itself falling down stairs) and the price.
Wondering which models suck? Here are some of the best robot vacuums on the market.
Deebot OZMO 930
Unlike many other robot vacuums, the OZMO 930 can mop AND vacuum. A 300ml smart water tank and a smart sensor ensure it doesn't soak soft surfaces while lifting stubborn stains. At 10.2cm tall, it's not the slimmest but not the tallest either and forgiven because of its dual cleaning capabilities. Once it's done, or when it's running low on charge, it takes itself back to its docking station.
The first time it's used, the bot makes a virtual map of your home, which involves it gently bumping into skirting boards and furnishings to learn boundaries. After that initial run, it knows exactly where to go, avoiding stairs and areas it's already cleaned. If you need it to skip certain areas, you just use the phone app, Amazon Echo or Alexa to control its route.
£549 | Amazon | Buy it now
Vowerk Kobold VR200
At 9cm tall, this diddy D-shaped vacuum can glide under furniture, but it will also avoid stairs and get around obstacles up to 2cm high. It's pretty heavy at 5kg, but you won't have to lift it up very often; a built-in laser scans the area nearly 2,000 times a second to check for obstacles and plan routes, then it hoovers in rows across the room, easily managing tight corners and rounded edges with up to 90 minutes of hoovering time in a single charge.
The VR200 returns itself to its base station when it finishes a job or needs a power boost. It can be scheduled to start at specific times on certain days so you don't even have to think about it, or you can control it via remote or the Kobold Robot App for iOS and Android.
£749 | Vorwerk | Buy it now
Roomba 980
One of the better-known robot vacuum lines, iRobot's latest Roomba handles different floor types with ease. Carpets, laminate, wood and tile floors as well as stubborn pet hair, edges and tiny dust particles are no trouble. It cleans under most sofas and chairs (not all, as it's 10cm tall), navigates around clutter and stops itself falling down stairs, automatically recharging and resuming when required.
The powerful bot comes with a replacement filter and side brush and a base charging station. It's fully compatible with Alexa, or you can use the iRobot HOME app to schedule it remotely. Its greatness comes with a hefty price tag, though.
£868.99 | Amazon | Buy it now
VR101
At under £150, the VR101 is a budget option for those wanting a robot vacuum that does the basics. It can sweep and vacuum on hard floor and short-pile carpet but struggles to get through long-pile carpet. Unlike fancier models that review the entire room's space before starting out, you simply turn the bot on for 20 minutes for small rooms or 60 minutes in larger rooms.
The drop sensor stops it falling down stairs, while soft bumpers save your furniture from being bashed. It's much less technologically advanced than higher priced models, and takes four hours to charge, but it does a pretty good job of the basics.
£74.50 | Amazon | Buy it now
Botvac D3 Connected
Neato's entry-level robot vacuum is a smart, savvy and schedulable cleaner. It can be controlled remotely via an app, Facebook Messenger, Apple Watch, Amazon Alexa, Google Home or IFTTT, so it can thoroughly clean any type of floor of your choosing while you're out of the house. You can even see where it's cleaned via the app, giving you peace of mind that its covered everywhere.
Laser scanners help it avoid collisions while powerful suction and D-shape design ensure all dirt is picked up. In a single charge it can travel 1,800 square feet before automatically returning to its base to recharge. For a mid-price model, it's impressively thorough.
£499.99 | Currys | Buy it now
Robo.com³
At less than 7cm tall, this is an ultra-slim, multi-programme vacuum bot that punches above its current price tag. Hard to reach areas are a cinch, despite the slightly awkward shape of the hoover body. Surface dust is no problem, and the tough bristle brush gives it a good chance of eradicating trodden-in dirt and hair.
The floor polisher pad is a neat addition, giving hard floors a gentle buff after vacuuming them, as are the audible alerts that tell you when it has a blockage or needs maintenance. Like most other vacuum bots, it has in-built navigation sensors to stop it hitting obstacles and can be controlled and scheduled by a remote or an app. It runs for around two hours before taking itself back to the charging station.
£499.99 | Hoover | Buy it now
RX1 Black Bagless
For those bothered by the look of their vacuum cleaner, this model comes in two colours: red or black. Obviously, this doesn't affect this bot's function, and as a product at the lower end of the mid-price bracket it's satisfactory and quite quiet.
A single charge lasts about two hours, and its sensors mean that big objects are avoided, as is repeated cleaning of the same spot. The multiple brushes underneath can wick tiny bits of fluff towards the suction base, though the suction power could be a little stronger.
£399 | Amazon | Buy it now
Verdict:
A winning combination of mopping and vacuuming makes the Deebot OZMO 930 our top pick. It deliverers results well above its price tag range and the super savvy tech is easily integrated with Amazon Echo and Alexa. If you've got the cash to splash and don't mind its height, the versatile Roomba 980 is very good indeed and offers a bit more strength.
