To help you find the best vacuums, I've gathered a list of top-performing vacuums from our tests. In the Lab, we put all types of vacuums through extensive testing based on ASTM International industry-standard methods and use a custom-built machine to quantify the amount of embedded dirt that the vacuum cleaners remove from medium-pile carpeting. In addition, we assess bare floor cleaning, pet hair pick up, ease of use and more.

A HEPA filter is a special high-performance filter that traps 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns in size — too small to see with the naked eye, but not too small to be felt by allergy sufferers. A HEPA filter on a vacuum cleaner is best located on the exhaust, where the air blows out of the vacuum and back into the room.

We’ve been waiting for Shark to enter the robot vacuum chat for a while, and we weren’t disappointed.

Clear instructions meant testers found it easy to set up and use, and they liked its app control, but struggled to get the voice tech working. Its docking station is available separately and performed well on test generally, even though the vacuum’s canister didn’t always fully empty into it.

When we first get the robot set up, we'll see how long it takes to create a map of the home, and how accurate that map is. For subsequent runs, we'll keep an eye on how the robot navigates the space; if takes a logical route through the house, if it repeats already-clean areas, and so on.

On test, we were wowed by this robovac's mopping abilities. The mop pads assert downwards pressure as they rotate, leaving our tester's floors shining and spotless. In contrast, the vacuuming was good but not outstanding.

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.)

Looking after all this is our homes editor, Hannah Mendelsohn, who finds the must-try products and writes up our product reviews – including all our vacuum content.

The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra is one of the more expensive robot vacuum cleaners on the Top 3 Automatic Vacuum Cleaners market, but it’s packed with enough premium features to justify its price. It mops and vacuums, switching modes depending on the surface.

It navigates around furniture and cables well but there isn’t an indicator for a full dust bag and at 0.5-litres, you may need to empty it fairly frequently. However, it’s easy to use and its battery lasts for up to 150 minutes.

Who it's best for: This model is a great choice if your floors are mostly wood or laminate, thanks to its large parquet floor brush that safely and thoroughly cleans the cracks and crevices of hardwood floors.

✅ Your priority is mopping: The star of the show here is the innovative and effective roller mop, which continuously siphons dirty water off the mop pad and adds fresh water as it cleans.

The specs stood up on testing too; this robovac's vacuuming powers are some of the very best we've come across. Our tester also found it could tackle the edges of rooms remarkably well, and its mopping is excellent too.

According to some online reviewers, its small wheels can get caught when pulling the vacuum along, and it clocks in at over 20 pounds making carrying it upstairs difficult for some.