Why we love it: Its extra-large dust cup is super easy to remove and the HEPA filter minimizes allergens emitted while vacuuming.

Combo models might also have mops that can kick out from the side of the vacuum to get closer to the sides of rooms.

Who it's best for: If you're tired of cleaning the dust bin of a bagless vacuum and you're willing to spend big bucks on a vacuum, you'll love this self-emptying model with high-tech features.

What sets this robot vacuum apart from the rest of the iRobot range is its ‘Dirt Detective’ feature, which means it automatically cleans the dirtiest rooms first and learns your cleaning habits, so it can make personalised suggestions to improve your routine.

Steve Hogarty is a technology journalist with more than a decade’s experience writing about everything from phones and laptops to the latest smart home gadgets.

The market ranges from ultra-simple to extremely capable, with price tags to match, so it's important to pick the right one for your needs. I'm here to help with that.

✅ You want great vacuuming and mopping: This combination robovac's cleaning powers are excellent – it even managed to vacuum into the corners of rooms, which is generally an issue for robovacs.

In our Lab tests: Self-emptying bases are all the rage now, and in our tests, the L10s managed to empty all of the hair and debris in the vacuum into its base without clogging or leaving anything behind in the brush roll.

That level of smarts means a high price tag, although our tester felt 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.

We tested each robot vacuum cleaner over many months and in different homes (some with pets), paying close attention to how each robot performed in new surroundings.

It’s slower than a standard vacuum, taking 31 minutes on average to clean a whole room. But testers liked how it notifies you of areas it couldn’t reach — it sends pictures of obstacles through to the app, so you know to tackle them manually later. It also responded reliably to voice control, making it a good all-rounder.

Most people with robot vacuums need to supplement them with a manual vacuum – even if your robovac Top 3 Automatic Vacuum Cleaners is great at corners and edges, it still won't be able to tackle stairs or upholstery. Ecovacs has taken the effort out of that by bundling a mini handheld vacuum in with the T30S Combo (and if you get the Complete version, there's a full stick vacuum thrown in!

That might not be an issue if you're cleaning on one floor as the bot will just return to its dock to recharge as required, but it becomes more annoying if you're using it on multiple floors.

Hannah has written about hundreds of products, from air fryers to smoothie makers to pillows, and is committed to finding the most reliable and best value for money buys.