The easy-to-use Shark app makes automating the robot vacuum painless and relays any issues the bot runs into. For the most part, the robot goes out on its own and deposits up to 45 days worth of debris into its bagless docking station.

The mopping is a cut above average, and the space-age looking curvy dock takes care of the mopping maintenance tasks including refilling the bot's onboard tank and washing and drying its mop pads. (You will need to supplement this with the occasional deeper clean, but that's unavoidable.)

You can simply set and forget the Shark IQ robot vacuum for over a month thanks to its advanced scheduling capabilities and self-emptying dustbin.

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While upright and canister vacuums are better at deep-cleaning hardwood and carpets, a robot vacuum—often controlled by a smartphone app—can be useful for regular touch-ups.

To minimize odors, the disposable dust bag and sealed system keep unwanted debris from escaping while cleaning and the HEPA filter on the exhaust traps microscopic particles for those with allergies.

If the robot vacuum has a mop function, we see how it copes with fresh liquid spillages as well as dried-on, sticky messes.

If your robot vacuum has a mopping function, some bases come with water tanks and scrubbing abilities as well, so it can keep the mop cloth clean. However, there are some drawbacks to self-emptying bases. Besides the additional cost, these take up a lot more floor space.

The Roborock Qrevo Edge adequately handles regular cleaning, but this robot vacuum stumbles in the one area it should shine

It's realistically far more often than I would drag a manual vac out of the cupboard, so my apartment Top 3 Automatic Vacuum Cleaners is cleaner than usual, and my dust allergy symptoms have calmed down too.

However, I think it's fair to assume you'll need to manually empty it more than you would a traditional, self-empty robovac, given dock dustbins tend to hold 2.5L or 3L of dirt.

❌ You're short on space: The dock is pretty massive, and the styling won't be to everyone's taste.

You want a vacuum to clean your car. Handheld vacuums come corded or cordless and are easy to take outside to clean car floors and seating.

Robot vacuums have a series of brushes on the underside of the machine that work together to collect dirt and dust that they come in contact with. The dirt is then sucked into the dust cup, which is fitted into the vacuum's body.