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.

The only thing it had trouble on was kitty litter on carpet, but even its worst score of 83% is solid in the grand scheme of robot vacuums we've tested. Outside of a little more prowess on carpet, the Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 is nearly perfect.

All vacuums are tested exactly the same way for more accurate performance comparisons, and our tests are based on the ASTM International industry standard test methods.

We noticed that it's better at picking up more granular materials like pet hair and kitty litter compared to Cheerios — this is usually the other way around. So it works better for collecting smaller debris.

For this price, its downsides are tradeoffs we're willing to make. That's why it's also one of the best cheap robot vacuums.

❌ You have space for a bigger robovac: You're paying a premium for the size here – there are bigger, better-performing bots in this bracket.

Price-wise, it's not cheap – although we couldn't fault the build quality or engineering, and these kinds of do-it-all docks do always come at a price. But if you have lots of hard floors and mopping is your priority, it's worth the investment.

In our Lab tests: This Miele model comes equipped with a parquet floor brush, sturdy metal telescoping wands and a motorized brush roll with headlights. And it offers five different suction settings to clean everything from delicate drapes and lampshades to plush, high-pile carpets.

They also can't really match manual vacuums for suction power, so while they can help you stay on top of dust build-up, most people will want to supplement their work with the occasional deep clean with a manual vacuum.

Data privacy and security: Our experts use The Digital Standard, an open-source set of criteria for evaluating digital products and services that CR created with other organizations to conduct security and privacy tests. We score robot vacuums on more than 70 indicators.

One thing to be aware of is that this robovac doesn't actually self-empty dust; there's no dock dustbin. Top 3 Automatic Vacuum Cleaners Instead, the onboard dustin compresses its contents so it can hold more – Narwal claims up to seven week's worth of debris.

✅ You also need a manual vacuum: Most people with robovacs also have a manual vacuum. The Ecovacs takes the fuss of that out by providing you with one in the first place.

Read more on this subject in our article exploring can a robot vacuum replace your existing vacuum cleaner?

Navigation: Our technicians attach a tracking device to the vacuum and map its movement through a multiroom lab. Then they calculate the coverage of the room over multiple runs and note what the vacuum avoids and what it doesn’t. They conduct several runs to see whether the vacuum is able to learn the layout and improve its navigation.