'My house has never been so clean' – 2024's best robot vacuums tried and tested

Tested by: Charlotte, Netmums' deputy editorial director

What it does:

Mops and vacuums.

How I found using it:

Hoovering is right up there with my most hated household jobs so I was excited to see if a robot vacuum could help me keep on top of the vacuuming with less effort.

The answer is, sort of.

I’ve heard people rave about robot vacuums (and send lots of videos of cats riding on them on TikTok, which isn’t recommended) so was keen to give one a try. The T8 is a reasonably priced model and it mops as well (winning) so is a good option if you don’t want to spend too much money on a vacuum but still want to get great results.

Sleek and slim it looks pretty unobtrusive when it’s in its docking station – mine is cunningly disguised by a plant pot – and is ready to go pretty much straight from the box. It can be controlled by buttons on top of the machine itself, by remote control, via an app on your phone – which will also show you how charged your machine is, or via your smart speaker.

What I loved:

I first tried the vacuum mode and was impressed by the way the robot found its way around the room, getting under the sofa and tv cabinet so I didn’t have to move them as I would when hoovering manually. It even managed to get up a slope in the wooden floor with no problem and doesn’t fall off steps, which is impressive. It has four different suction speeds and is pretty quiet so you can have it on while you’re watching TV or working without it being too disturbing.

It’ll also take itself back to the docking station when it’s finished or needs more charge, very clever.

I was worried it wouldn’t get in to the edges of rooms but it’s actually really good at this – it has spinning side brushes that get right in there.

What could be improved:

However, the robot does have its limits, there are places it can’t reach. Despite being slim it can’t get under the bed or into small oddly shaped spaces, and it can’t do the tops of skirting boards, which means you’ll still need to get the regular hoover out at least once a week to go over any missed bits.

While flat weave rugs are no problem, it does tend to get stuck on my jute rug too, pulling out the threads and it has fights with a tasselled rug in the bedroom, meaning you have to set it free.

While one of the advantages of the T8 is that you can schedule the vacuum to get to work while you’re out of the house or have gone up to bed, I can’t do this as it would get stuck and the rug’s too big to move every time. If you have carpet or floors without rugs though, this is a great function.

In mopping mode you also need to move any rugs, however to be honest, I just let it go over the flat weave one in the kitchen as it doesn’t leave too much water.

Who it's good for:

People who want a top up vacuum

In short, I think this is a good top-up vacuum, it’ll help you keep things clean on a daily basis and you can give them a good going over with a manual machine once or twice a week to get any missed bits.

Tested by: Charlie, Netmums' acting shopping editor

What it does:

Mops and vacuums.

How I found using it:

I had a eufy robot vacuum previously, which had sadly come to the end of its life (more to do with the levels of dust in my house than the machine's mechanics I think), so I was really excited to try this new model from eufy.

It was really easy to set up, which you do via an app. The vacuum has 3D sensors and uses AI to 'map' your rooms so that it can plan a route and knows which areas to avoid, which is a bit mind-blowing, really.

Once it's worked out where it can and can't go, it trundles on its merry way, mopping and vacuuming, and you can set it to do both in each room, or it can just do one function, if you'd prefer.

When it's finished cleaning, it heads back to the auto-clean station, where it washes and dries the mops, ready for the next go.

What I loved:

I have a toddler and two indoor cats, so when I tell you my house needs constant cleaning, I'm not exaggerating.

I'd reached a point where I was considering moving out or asking the toddler to live in the garden, because dealing with the state of the floors every day was getting too much, and finding the time to clean as frequently as I needed to was impossible.

This vacuum has honestly been life changing. While I can't quite give up doing all the chores yet, it does put in a pretty good shift. Downstairs we only have hard floors and no carpet, so the fact it mops and vacuums is ideal, and I've been setting it to come on every morning at 5am so that when I come downstairs the floors are already cleaned and ready to face the chaos of the day.

I'm amazed by the insane technology the eufy x9 Pro has; the fact it maps out your rooms and can 'see' using its lasers means that it can recognise when there's a slipper in the way or a wire it shouldn't chew up, so unlike the robot vacuum I owned before, this one rarely gets tangled up in things it shouldn't.

It also features a child lock option which is ideal for stopping curious hands causing chaos.

Honestly, my house has never been so clean. The cat hair has been kept at bay, the hot air used to dry the mops means there's no odour, and I can rely on it to start the day off well.

What could be improved:

The vacuum itself isn't that big, but the auto-clean station is pretty hefty, which, if you've got a small house like mine is a bit of an issue because it does take up a lot of space.

While some robot vacuums have self-emptying stations, this one doesn't, so you'll need to top up the water tank, empty the dirty water and also empty the dust bin. None of these tasks are difficult but you just need to remember to do them. The app does have an option to check your water levels though, so if you switch this function on you won't wake up to alerts to tell you your vacuum hasn't been able to mop.

The technology is super clever, but some items do still sneak past its sensors, so there's been the odd occasion a wire or rogue sock has found its way into the vacuum, which has caused an error. And, because the child lock is on, it's not that easy to quickly get it up and running again, you have to use the app to send it back to base once you've dislodged whatever's caused the issue. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but if I had to find any improvements for this model, that would be it.

Who it's good for:

Families with pets and young children who want one less everyday stress.

Overall, I LOVE this vacuum and am so glad it's part of the family. It's definitely one of the pricier options on the market, but the technology does really set it apart from other models, so if you have the budget then I'd full recommend plumping for the X9 Pro.

Tested by: Lou, Netmums' associate editor

What it does:

It vacuums and mops and even empties itself of dust at the end of each clean. (You’ll need to empty the water out yourself after a mop).

How I found using it:

I’m a bit rubbish with technology but the vacuum was surprisingly easy to set up. Simply download the app and connect to your vacuum. Then sit back as it does an initial ‘walkthrough’ of your home. This basically means it wheels itself around all the rooms you want cleaning to map its route using smart ‘laser navigation’. Just shut the doors of the rooms you don’t want it to clean (aka any rooms with loads of stuff on the floor).

What I loved:

It’s really quiet, so you can work/ chat/ watch TV while it’s doing its thing. I also liked being able to select the rooms it cleans. This is ideal on days when I’ve got school bags/ shoes/ toys all over the lounge floor. (Don’t judge!). I can simply unselect that room until I’ve put everything away. Our kitchen and hallway are constantly littered with crumbs/ mud so the hoover cleans these rooms every day without me having to lift a finger.

What could be improved:

We have a rug with tassels and the hoover kept getting caught on them. In the end we lifted the rug up for each cleaning session. Which actually was a bonus as who knew how much gross stuff lives under a rug?!

The vacuum is very low to the ground meaning it can also whizz away under sofas. While this meant it cleaned really thoroughly, it also saw it get tangled in the wifi cables we’ve got running underneath our chairs. Eek.

Who it's good for:

The vacuum is brilliant for wooden floors (I’m obsessed with the mopping function) and carpets. It’s also got a powerful suction making it perfect for families with pets. We have a weekly issue of tiny black balls all over our floors from football astros. The vacuum finds them up and sucks them up in no time – result!

Tested by: Laura, mum-of-one and professional cleaner

What it does:

It mops, vacuums and can be voice controlled via Alexa

How I found using it:

As a busy mum and full time cleaner, I welcomed the idea of an automatic robot vacuum cleaner with open arms. For those days when the house needs a general clean just to whisk away the debris on the floor, this handy Proscenic model is perfect.

It’s got sensors that mean it gently nudges against obstacles and turns in another direction meaning it’s not going to damage furniture or knock over plant pots. I’m also a dog owner and wanted to ensure the water bowl wouldn’t go flying if the vacuum went too close – luckily not a drop was spilled! Along the same lines, it’s also quiet and discreet so my scaredy dogs weren’t afraid of it unlike my loud, traditional manual vacuum cleaner.

It’s easy to clean, too. The waste compartment clips on and off with ease, and the brushes come out for getting rid of hair build ups. Everything snaps nicely back together and the collected dirt can just be thrown away.

What I loved:

There are several modes you can select for how you’d like the Proscenic to clean for you, all controlled with the included remote. Options include circular motion, straight lines or simply automatic where it will follow the layout of the room and adjust its path accordingly!

Better still there’s a mop function and cleaning pad that can be clipped onto the front to replace the brushes. Just fill the water compartment with clean water and this handy little machine does the rest.

Dubbed 'adorably cute' by my child, the Proscenic vacuum knows when it’s tired and low on charge and will take itself back home to the charging docking station to replenish its battery. It has sensors to know where 'home' is plugged in so finds its own way once the cleaning is complete.

What could be improved:

The only cons to mention with this model are that it won’t deep clean into the corners or raised areas of your home, meaning you’ll still need to vacuum manually to get the spots it can’t reach.

While the suction and dirt collection was ok, the vacuum cleaner doesn’t provide a thorough clean, especially on carpets. I laid a few test crumbs and bits of paper in its path to see if it’d slurp them up first time. It doesn’t always collect the debris on the first go, especially in a larger room I found some bits got missed.

Lastly the size and shape of the Proscenic meant it did get stuck under our TV cabinet and we had to rescue it. Although the wheels on the bottom provide a fairly strong drive and have built in suspension to escape from tricky spots, it doesn’t always work!

Who it's good for:

Those who want something to lend a hand with the cleaning.

Overall I’ve been impressed with this gadget and it’s certainly taken the pressure off somewhat with regard to the daily cleaning routine I have.

Tested by: Joanna, Netmums' associate editor

What it does:

It's a robot vacuum with mopping technology, too.

How I found using it:

Firstly, the robot has a handy app which does loads; you can monitor the cleaning status, battery levels, customise your cleaning options and set personalised cleaning schedules. And, it can also be controlled via your Alexa.

I'd already done a clean when the robot arrived, but just to test it out I set it off ... and was genuinely disgusted how much fluff and dirt it collected.

Despite having a top brand cordless vacuum, the Ultenic really showed me how much dirt it wasn't sucking up, despite the floors 'looking clean.'

But the game-changer is the fact that it also mops your floors – and you can even pre-set it to clean while you sleep.

What I loved:

I've got friends who tell horror stories about their robot sucking up wires and getting stuck – not this one. We've got plenty of wires that haven't been tampered with, and it effortlessly glides from rug to wooden floor.

It's not just me who's converted – my 13-year-old son absolutely loves it, too. He's taken control of the app, even installing it on his own phone. So now, not only have I got a robot who does my cleaning, but I've got my son to set it up for me and send it on its way. My work here is literally done.

Needless to say he didn't ever touch the vacuum before we got the robot, he probably wouldn't even be able to tell you where I keep it, let alone think to use it. However the robot is his new best friend, he's even named it Rover! It really is like a part of our family now!

What could be improved:

Honestly, I've got no complaints, I love it! The cat on the other hand isn't so keen!

Who it's good for:

Any family home, and can even be used by multiple family members so everyone's responsible for keeping things clean.