Dreame L40 Ultra: two-minute review

With its blend of impressive suction power, rotating mop pads, expert navigation and obstacle avoidance, self-cleaning ability and smorgasbord of AI and software features, the Dreame L40 Ultra is a solid hybrid vac-and-mop system for those looking to simplify their home cleaning regime. In fact, it's one of the best robot vacuums I've tested.

Equipped with advanced LiDAR navigation, the L40 Ultra efficiently and very quickly maps your rooms, cleans in precise patterns and is better than average when it comes to dodging obstacles. With its ample suction power (up to 11,000Pa – up there with the highest you'll find anywhere), the L40 Ultra handles dust, pet hair and small debris very efficiently, whether it's on hardwood, tile or low- to medium-pile carpet. It mops exceptionally well, too.

Personally, I would always recommend opting for a robot model with a self-emptying cleaning system, especially if you have pets. Well the L40 Ultra's dock not only automatically empties the robot's tiny onboard bin but it washes its mops, too, and then dries them using warm air. No, it's not the prettiest looking cleaning station in town but it is equipped with oversized water containers and a much larger dust bag than much of the competition. And that means you'll spend less time doing maintenance.

You can read more about the Dreame L40 Ultra below but, if you're in a rush, take it from me that this model is well worth the investment if you're looking for a competent, reliable and mostly fuss-free hybrid bot to perform the mundane tasks of keeping your floor spaces in tip-top condition on a daily basis.

Dreame L40 Ultra review: price & availability

• List price: $1,499.99 / £999
• Launched: October 2024

Available in white only, the Dreame L40 Ultra comes with a list price of $1,499.99 / £999 (although when it first launched it was cheaper, at $1,249.99 / £899). Even though that puts it in TechRadar's premium price bracket, I think it still represents strong value for money.

The L40 Ultra sits just below the company's flagship X40 Ultra, which costs around $350 (£250) more, mostly because it comes with an extra laser for improved obstacle avoidance.

In terms of other brands' offerings, it's very comparable feature-wise to the Qrevo Master ($1,200 / £949) from Roborock (another Xiaomi-linked company), which sports roughly the same level of suction power and very similar onboard tech, including an extendable side brush arm and rear mop for precise edging.

You can buy direct from Dreame, or head to a third party retailer like Amazon. Seasonal shopping events always include strong robot vacuum deals, and the Black Friday sales can be a particularly good time to shop.

• Value for money score: 4.5 out of 5

Dreame L40 Ultra specs

Dreame L40 Ultra review: design

• Superb vacuuming and mopping features
• Full self-cleaning dock
• Large, jarring clean base

Backed by Chinese behemoth Xiaomi, Dreame is fast becoming a major player in the ever-expanding arena of robot vacuum cleaners and robot mops, and this high-end hybrid model comprising a 2-in-1 vacuum and mopping system is a sterling example of just how much attention to technical detail the company applies to its products, especially when it comes to features, navigation and onboard smarts. In fact, there are many similarities between the L40 Ultra and class-leader Roborock's premium Qrevo Curv and S8 MaxV Ultra models, only this one's for affordable to buy.

Before I get down to the nuts and bolts, I should address the elephant in the room – namely the size and design of the L40 Ultra's charging dock-cum-cleaning station. This white-only model's dock is 59cm in height, 41cm in depth and 34cm in width, and it's clad almost entirely in plastic that attracts pet hair and dust like a cowpat attracts flies. To break up the monotony of so much white, the L40 Ultra also comes with a blingy, rose gold-tinted dustbin cover that some users may actually like. I don't.

Moving on to the robovac itself. Let's start with the little side rotating brush that all robot vacs are equipped with to fling any debris that sits outside of their chassis into the path of the main brush roller. In the vast majority of models the brush is fixed in position and its bristles can only stretch an inch or so beyond the machine's bodywork, which makes cleaning right-angled corners near impossible.

Well, like some of the top end Roborock models, this one is equipped with an articulating side brush mount that pops out on an arm by a few inches so the spinning bristles can reach deep into corners. This is a game-changer because it means you might not need to reach for a hand vac to finish the job. Also, unlike any other model I've tested, this one's side brush doesn't engage when on carpet and that means its bristles will last longer and will be less likely to snag on a rug tassel or wrap itself in a wayward shoelace.

The same thing applies to the L40 Ultra's mopping system, which uses two magnetically attached circular spinning mops on the rear that do an impressive job of keeping hard floors dust- and stain-free. Like Roborock's flagship models, the L40 Ultra's right-hand mop automatically protrudes beyond the chassis by several inches when the device is cleaning around chair legs and along skirting boards. But more than that, this model's mops are automatically ejected and left behind in the base station whenever the bot is out on a vacuum-only run.

Yes, the L40 Ultra's mops will retract when on carpet by 10.5mm, but the thinking behind this particular system is that it's better for any carpet that the bot may need to cross en-route to a vacuum-only session to not have any mops fitted at all. And so it leaves them behind in the dock, just in case. After all, you ideally don't want any dirty wet mops possibly touching the fibers of your favorite deep-pile rug lest they leave some unsightly marks.

Like most modern hybrid units, the L40 Ultra's dock not only charges the robot's ample 5,200mAh battery between cleaning sessions, it also sucks debris from the robot's tiny 300ml bin into a much larger 2.3-liter dust bag. This should happily last a month or two before needing to be disposed of, unless, like me, you have a menagerie of hairy pets.

Because this model also mops, it has two huge water tanks – 4.5 liters for the clean water and an equally voluminous 4 liters for the dirty stuff. I should also add that this model ships with a small 200ml bottle of Dreame-branded floor cleaning solution, which you pour into a separate reservoir next to the dust bag section. This solution is then added to the water that's pumped into the robot's small water tank before it heads out on a mopping run. Like all similarly styled premium hybrid robot vacuums, the L40 Ultra's mops are automatically cleaned in the station on its return and then dried using wafts of warm air.

The robot itself uses LiDAR, an RGB camera, sensors and AI to help it map and navigate around the home, and it's one of the very best systems this writer has so far come across. Its initial mapping run was not only fast but exceptionally accurate, too. In fact, it was the first bot to accurately divide my downstairs open-plan flooring into four separate rooms where others have either joined two rooms together or made the entire ground floor one large room. Incidentally, the same LiDAR, sensor and camera set up is also used to detect obstacles, and very good it is, too. You can read more about my obstacle testing in the Performance chapter below.

One of the biggest issues I have with robot vacs is the propensity of loose rugs I have in every room, and rugs are the robot vac's arch nemesis, especially if they're not fixed down with some of that sticky stuff IKEA sells to keep rugs from slipping on hard floor. Well I'm pleased to report that at no time has the L40 Ultra snagged itself on any rug tassels or ruffled up any rugs while traversing them. I put this down to some extra height at the front of the unit that allows it to ride over almost any rug, no matter how thin and slippery it is. Top marks in this regard.

For some reason, most robot manufacturers still insist on producing circular bots instead D- or square-shaped models. As a result, the main suction area on this model is positioned between its two side wheels with 9cm or non-suction space on either side of its single rubber roller. This is normal for most bots and invariably why they are equipped with a side brush to fling wayward matter into the path of the suction roller. And speaking of suction, this model produces 11,000Pa of power, which is above average and more than enough oomph for hard floors and all but the deepest of carpet pile.

Unlike Roborock and a few other manufacturers that equip their bots with two rubber brush rollers that run in tandem, this model has just one 17cm roller. Nevertheless, I haven't seen any significant reduction in dust collection as a result of having just one. As an added bonus, this model also ships with what Dreame calls a TriCut Brush, specifically designed for cutting loose hair so it doesn't bundle together and block the main suction tube in the cleaning base when it's drawing debris from the robot's bin. It's worth fitting this replacement roller if you have cats or dogs of the shedding variety.

You get ultrasonic automatic carpet detection and five levels of vacuuming power with this model – Quiet, Standard, Turbo, Max and Max+ – and a sliding scale of mop wetness depending on how dirty your hard floor is and whether it's tile, vinyl or delicate wood. I always set vacuum power to either Turbo, Max or Max+ for full efficiency and, because I have engineered wooden floors, somewhere in the middle of the moistness chart when mopping.

Robot vacs of this nature are usually really easy to set up and this one is no different. Simply remove the dock and robot from the box, place the dock somewhere with good access to all your rooms and fill up the fresh water tank (the dust bag is pre-fitted). Next download the Dreame app (iOS and Google), tap the plus sign, select the L40 Ultra and follow the on-screen instructions. A voice assistant will chip in with odd vocal announcements during both setup and day-to-day use, and it goes without saying that this model will also respond to your own voice commands if that is your wont.

• Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Dreame L40 Ultra review: performance

• Excellent vacuum skills
• Decent mopping, too
• Impressive self-cleaning dock

The model Dreame L40 Ultra is an excellent navigator and a stalwart performer when traversing loose rugs. But how well does the L40 Ultra actually clean? Well, if the contents of the dock's dust bag are anything to go by, I'd say it's a winner, especially at collecting the wayward dog and cat hair that my home seems to be engulfed in.

In fact, I can often hear that reassuring whoomph sound as another cardigan's worth of hair is being sucked out of the bot's bin and into the dock's larger-than-average dust bag. What's more, this bin-emptying sequence isn't too loud either. This, alongside the TriCut Brush feature, means I'd rate the L40 Ultra amongst the best robot vacuums for pet hair.

I have no issues to report regarding this model's efficiency at collecting dust and debris whether it's on my hard wooden flooring, the especially hairy carpeted rug sitting in front of my dogs' bed or the entire floorspace of our village hall. It just heads out, cleans the edges first before embarking on systematic parallel lines for the rest of the room and then returning to its dock like clockwork. You can even adjust the frequency with which it returns to its dock to empty the bin.

I've been especially impressed with how well the L40 Ultra has tackled our large village hall. After mapping the 110 square meter area in about seven minutes, it then proceeded to start cleaning the edges and under any tables and chairs before sweeping the main floorspace in perfect parallel lines and what's more, in the direction in which the floorboards were laid. Granted it seemed to skirt around three small areas for some bizarre reason but I still call it a great success.

To date, the L40 Ultra has held enough juice to vacuum the hall's entire floorspace in one fell swoop, while in Turbo mode. That's a remarkable statistic. It took 95 minutes to complete what I consider a huge task for any robot vac with an amazing 54% of battery power still remaining.

The same level of efficiency applies to its mopping system, which is better than any static pad-based moppers out there. No, it won't replace a mop and bucket (or one of the best wet-dry vacuums) for rapid stain removal, mostly because it's too much hassle commanding a robot to mop a specific area that's only a few inches square.

By the time you've opened the app, selected a rough zonal area and waited for the bot to get there, you could have reached down with a damp paper towel and cleaned it up in a thrice. Nevertheless, I did perform such a test on a dried soy sauce stain and was impressed by how well the L40 Ultra dealt with it in three short passes. I put that down to those spinning mops and the downward pressure exerted on them.

Of course, the idea with robot mops is that, if scheduled, they will ensure that any hard floors are kept clean and tidy on a regular basis – and in this case right to the very edge – without any need for reaching for a wet mop, tea towel or paper toweling.

For most of my review period, I generally let the L40 Ultra use its CleanGenius method which purportedly uses AI to identify particularly grubby areas for extended cleaning. I mainly set different vacuum-only and mop-only schedules, even though the bot will happily perform both methods of cleaning during the same time frame. And as I've mentioned above, if performing a dual vac-and-mop function, the L40 Ultra's mops are raised by a couple of centimeters whenever it's crossing a patch of carpet and, if vacuuming only, it will leave the mops in the charging dock.

Obstacle avoidance is a key element when it comes to robot vacs because the last thing you want is a jammed up robot sitting there doing nothing while you're out and about. I give this model almost full marks for obstacle avoidance, though I wouldn't trust it with avoiding dog mess or some items below about two-inches in height.

I noticed this when I laid out an obstacle course comprising a trainer with wayward laces, a neck buff, a woolen glove, a small dog toy and a phone cable. Amazingly, the L40 avoided the trainer and its two extended laces, the neck buff and the phone wire in three different tests. However, it pushed a small soft dog toy forward on two occasions and rode over the glove, thankfully without it jamming up the suction roller.

Hence, like most robot vacs, this model is not infallible when it comes to items less than about two-inches in height. And that means I wouldn't want to trust it with dog mess of any variety. Other than that common anomaly, I give this bot full marks for performance.

• Performance score: 5 out of 5

Dreame L40 Ultra review: app

• Easy to navigate
• Good customization options
• Could be improved here and there

While you can perform two very simple commands – clean and return to home – by tapping two buttons on the robot itself or by shouting ‘Hey Dreame, clean the kitchen' and the like, the vast majority of setting up and customization must be done via the Dreame app, which you can download to your phone for free from Google Play or the Apple App Store.

The Dream app is very reminiscent of that from Roborock and it's very well thought out and easy to navigate. However, there are some elements I'd like to see improved, especially zone cleaning – which doesn't save the command for later use – and the ability to set routines along with daily schedules. That's what I love about the Roborock app. It allows me to create a bunch of manually programmed routines and specific zone cleaning regimes and it saves them all for instant recall from the home page of the app.

On the plus side, the Dreame app lets you see the entire map of your floor plan in either 2D or 3D, and make adjustments like room merging, division and renaming, plus handy stuff like being able to add virtual walls and no-go zones. You can even select the direction of your wooden floors so the bot moves in the direction of the seams for more effective dust collection.

The app also allows you to drive the bot around the home remotely while viewing the scene from the front camera – a handy feature for checking on pets when you're away from home. In the pantheon of robot vacuum apps I'd say it's one of the better ones but still a little way off the wholesale customization possibilities provided by the likes of Roborock.

• App score: 4.5 out of 5

Should you buy the Dreame L40 Ultra?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Dreame L40 Ultra

As per usual, I spent two weeks living with the Dream L40 Ultra and noted where possible any anomalies in its cleaning patterns. Thankfully there are none to report. I also performed a number of spot checks by programming it to clean a specific dog rug and a section of hard flooring with an ingrained stain. I also took into consideration its overall performance and whether or not it fitted comfortably within a home environment.

Read more about how we test robot vacuum cleaners.

• First reviewed November 2024

Proscenic Q8 Max: two-minute review

The Proscenic Q8 Max offers a lot for its budget-friendly price. There's mopping functionality built-in, and it comes with an effort-saving self-empty base to save you from having to constantly empty the onboard dust cup. At 4,200Pa, the suction is surprisingly high for a model in this price bracket, too. I put one to the test to see how it compares to the rest of the best robot vacuums on the market, and I was fairly impressed.

In my cleaning tests, I found it did a good job of sucking up everything from fine dust to larger debris on hard floors, and when amped up to maximum suction mode it also performed well on my carpet-like rugs, although I suspect it would struggle with thick carpet. The suction is powerful enough to pull up long hair, but I did find it easily became tangled in both the main roller and the side brush, and both needed regular de-hairing.

The mop function is great for tackling fresh spillages and keeping hard floors looking smart, but it's not powerful enough for dried-on dirt (although to be fair, even premium robot vacuums struggle with this). This feature is best for maintenance rather than deep cleaning.

You select the suction power and water flow for each room according to floor type, and with three options for each, you have decent control over your cleaning. The bot automatically amped up suction when it sensed it was on a rug, but (unfortunately) did not also shut off water at this point, so you'll need to set up no-go zones on the app to avoid damp carpets.

Using smart 360 LiDAR navigation, the Q8 Max creates detailed maps of your home, and it can store information for up to five levels. On test I found it did a decent job of navigating my apartment, and for the most part avoided obstacles, especially after it had done a few runs and got its bearings properly. The navigation isn't perfect, though. The companion app is easy to follow, allowing for easy scheduling, no-go zones, and room-specific cleaning preferences.

Overall, the Proscenic Q8 Max is a solid choice for anyone looking for a decent robot vacuum on a budget – it compares well to TechRadar's best cheap robot vacuum picks. On test, I was generally impressed with how much time it saved me in keeping the apartment clean, even if it didn't get every single nook and cranny spotless. That's the short version – read on for my full Proscenic Q8 Max robot vacuum review.

Proscenic Q8 Max review: price & availability

• List price: US$299
• Launch date: July 2024
• Available: US only

The Proscenic Q8 Max launched in July 2024 and at time of writing is available in the US only. It sits in the budget range for robot vacuums (TechRadar counts anything under $500 as budget for robovacs), and it's a standout option given its features. It can mop as well as vacuuming, and auto-empties dust into its dock – both features that are unusual at this price point.

For that very affordable price, you get a complete package, including a spare side brush, mop pad, and dust bag. When you consider the convenience of self-emptying alongside smart navigation, customizable cleaning options, and a solid performance, I think the Q8 Max is an excellent deal for the price. However, you'll naturally need to make some performance compromises for this price point (I'll get into that in detail in the Performance section).

• Value for money score: 5 out of 5

Proscenic Q8 Max specs

Proscenic Q8 Max review: design

• Combination vacuum and mop, and does both simultaneously
• Comes with a relatively compact, self-emptying base station
• Various spare parts included

The Proscenic Q8 Max's design is compact and modern. It's slim enough to slide under furniture and features a sleek, all-black look. The robot vacuum is 3.8 inches tall and 12.6 inches in diameter; the charging station is 8.5 by 6.67 by 10.5 inches.

This base station includes a larger dustbin into which the small onboard bin will automatically empty when docked. Unsurprisingly for this price, there's no automatic draining or refilling of the bot's water tank.

I was pleasantly surprised by the minimal plastic that was used to transport the Proscenic Q8 Max. Aside from a few plastic wrappings, most of the unboxing waste was cardboard, something to keep in mind if you value a more sustainable option.

Setup was an absolute breeze; I followed the Quickstart guide and had the robovac up and running in no time. The charging station does double duty, automatically emptying the dustbin into a disposable dust bag (which comes preinstalled). With extras like a spare HEPA filter, side brush, and mop pad included, you won't need to buy replacements right away.

In fact, the only setup annoyance I experienced is that, because it's only compatible with 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, so to be able to connect this device, I had to temporarily change my 5GHz Wi-Fi to 2.4GHz so that the device could connect.

The Proscenic app allows you to map your home, divide rooms, and customize cleaning zones, which was especially useful for my quirky apartment layout. It uses LiDAR for navigation.

There are three suction powers and three water levels, and both need to be manually selected when you start a cleaning session. There is a little automation – for instance, the robot vacuum will increase suction when it detects a rug but won't also turn off mopping on soft floors (I'll get more into this in the Performance section).

• Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Proscenic Q8 Max review: performance

• Solid suction on hard floors; max mode will clear most debris
• Decent navigation and obstacle avoidance, especially after initial setup period
• Mopping fine for light spills, but tough stains need manual intervention

I tested the Proscenic Q8 Max over the course of a few weeks, putting it through its paces in my 21 meter-square, one-bedroom apartment. Let's start with vacuuming performance. There's a maximum suction of 4,200Pa, which is good for this price – I'd expect more like 3,000Pa for a budget model.

There are three suction levels to choose from, and you need to select these manually before setting the robot off on its cleaning task. I threw everything I could at the Q8 Max during testing, from fine dust to hair to larger debris like oats, and tried it on both its lowest and highest suction settings, on hard floors as well as carpet-life rugs.

On the lowest suction mode on hard floor, the robot struggled a bit with finer dust and left some debris scattered. However, it really stepped up on the highest suction power, cleaning up almost everything in sight. Rugs similarly proved a bit of a challenge on the low power mode, but switching to high power yielded much better results.

The side brush was very effective at attacking the debris around the edges of rooms. Of course, the actual robot has to fit into those corners, but as long as it does, the side brush was able to do its job well.

One bigger test for robot vacuums is how well they can deal with hair. I have shoulder-length hair and while I found this robot vacuum picked up strands very well, they did tend to get caught in both the side brush and main brush. For the vacuum to function at its highest potential, I had to regularly clean the brushes to remove the hair.

I appreciated the addition of the self-empty dock, which can hold several weeks' worth of dust, making this a nice, low-effort solution. Many budget robot vacuums just have a simple charge dock, so I appreciated this more advanced option.

One useful feature is that the Proscenic Q8 Max will automatically ramp up suction when it detects that it's moving from a hard floor to soft carpet or a rug. Less impressive is that it won't also switch off mopping when it senses carpet – something I unfortunately discovered after a mopping session that left my rug wet. To prevent this from happening, you can set up no-go zones on the app, which are areas that the Proscenic Q8 Max will not go over during a mopping session.

Rug mishaps aside, I was generally impressed with the Proscenic Q8 Max's mopping powers. It handled everyday spills, like water and even dried milk, very well. However, it didn't manage to clear more stubborn stains – though that's not uncommon for robot vacuums. The water tank and mop pad are easy to install and to clean, and I appreciated the ability to adjust water flow for different floor types via the app.

Some cheaper robovacs require you to manually swap over the backplate when moving from mopping to vacuuming, but that's not the case here: the Proscenic Q8 Max can mop and vacuum simultaneously.

Maintenance was easy too – emptying the dustbin was hands-free for weeks at a time, and cleaning the mop pad and side brush was straightforward. Removing the mopping pads and washing them regularly is key to making sure the moping sessions are leaving your floors as clean as possible. There are models that have docks that can clean your mop pads, but you'll have to pay a lot more for this function (most are at least $1k/£1k. And even then, you'll need to take care of the occasional deep clean of your mop pads.

My testing also included checking how well this robot vacuum navigated my apartment and avoided obstacles like furniture. I found the obstacle avoidance feature worked well after a few sessions, bumping into fewer objects the more I used it. Similarly, there were a couple of sessions where the robot vacuum seemed to be confused and kept going over areas that it already vacuumed/mopped but after a while it settled itself and was pretty consistent.

I also let the robot vacuum map my apartment, and while the initial mapping was slow, the app allowed me to customize and fine-tune the room layouts with ease.

In terms of noise levels, the Proscenic Q8 Max is relatively quiet, especially on its lower settings. During testing, it measured 57.5 decibels in low suction mode, 60.6 decibels on medium, and 66.6 decibels on high. Even at its loudest, it's not overly disruptive, making it a good choice for cleaning while you're home without too much noise pollution.

• Performance score: 3.5 out of 5

Proscenic Q8 Max review: app

• Easy-to-use interface with clear instructions
• Option to set cleaning schedules and room-specific preferences
• Requires 2.4GHz Wi-Fi for setup

During my review period, I used the Proscenic companion app extensively, and overall, I found it intuitive and straightforward. Setting up the robot vacuum and mapping out my apartment was quick, although it did require me to manually swap from my 5GHz Wi-Fi connection to a 2.4GHz one for setup. Once connected, I was able to create a map of my apartment, customize cleaning zones, set up no-go zones, and adjust the suction and water flow levels for specific rooms.

One of my favorite features is the ability to schedule cleaning sessions for different rooms or times of the day. You can also track where the robot has cleaned in real time, which is handy if you're out and about. Additionally, voice control via Alexa, Google Home, or Siri is a nice touch for starting a session hands-free. The app makes the Q8 Max feel even more powerful and personalized, allowing me to clean my home exactly the way I want.

The ability to map up to five levels and store them in the cloud makes this vacuum a great option for people with multiple floors. The app allows you to customize cleaning preferences for each level for added convenience.

• App score: 4 out of 5

Should you buy the Proscenic Q8 Max?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Proscenic Q8 Max

I tested the Proscenic Q8 Max over the course of a few weeks, running it through its paces in my 21 meter-square, one-bedroom apartment. I ran tests to see how it handled both fine dust and larger debris (hello, oats), using both the lowest and highest suction settings. In terms of mopping, I tested it with everything from spilled water to dried milk to see how it would perform on everyday messes and stickier spills.

I let the robot vacuum map my apartment, and checked how well it navigated around obstacles like furniture and rugs. During my review period, I used the app extensively, scheduling cleanings, setting no-go zones, and adjusting suction levels and water flow for different rooms.

Read more about how we test robot vacuum cleaners.

• First reviewed xxx 2024

Roborock Qrevo Curv: two-minute review

I've tested and reviewed numerous robot vacuum cleaners over the years and Roborock is unquestionably my go-to brand for reliable, fuss-free vacuuming with smarts galore. The Beijing-based company's portfolio is chock full of sterling models that push the boundaries of design and function to the max. Where Roborock goes, others tend to follow.

Take the Roborock Qrevo Curv I'm reviewing here. With its immensely powerful suction of 18,500Pa, twin circular mops and ability to ride over thresholds up to around 4cm in height, it's one of the very best robot vacuums I've ever tested. I'd argue it's actually a better option than even the S8 MaxV Ultra, which many consider to be Roborock's flagship model.

In the pantheon of robot vac cleaning stations, the Qrevo Curv's dock is a refreshing change from the ugly norm. With its white, dome-shaped casing and not overly large footprint, this is one model you might not feel the need to hide out of sight. It's a clever bit of kit, too, given that it not only charges the robot and empties its small onboard bin but also washes the robot's mops with hot water and then dries them using hot air.

If you're willing to splash the cash on a brand that's renowned for innovation, reliability, high performance and convenience, the Roborock Qrevo Curv robot vacuum is a darn good place to start.

Roborock Qrevo Curv review: price & availability

• List price: $1,599.99
• Launch date: October 2024
• Availability: US now, UK to follow

The Qrevo Curv was announced in September 2024, and went on sale in the US in October. Originally it could be purchased direct from Roborock for a $1,399.99, but by November it had gone up to $1,599.99. It's also available on Amazon US for the same price.

That's very much in the premium price bracket, and one of the most expensive robot vacuums on the market right now. While for many people, there will be a more basic model that will do a perfectly good job for a much lower price, I'd argue the Qrevo Curv actually isn't bad value for money considering the build quality and smarts included. I have my fingers crossed for a discount in the Black Friday robot vacuum sales.

The Roborock Qrevo Curv is yet to be officially launched in the UK but you can express your interest by visiting the global Roborock website. Expect to pay in the region of £1,400 for the privilege of having one of the most accomplished autonomous cleaning devices in bot-land.

• Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Roborock Qrevo Curv specs

Roborock Qrevo Curv review: design

• Innovative vacuuming and mopping features
• Curvy dock self-empties and cleans/dries mop pads
• 'AdaptiLift' technology to bump it over high thresholds

In the past, Roborock has adopted a less-is-more attitude, with just a handful of sterling models in its roster. However, in around the space of a year, the company's portfolio has increased tenfold to now include a swathe of new models under the Qrevo sub-brand (nine models and counting) of which the Curv is arguably the most stylish and innovative.

Let's start with the bot itself. At a smidge under 13.9 inches in diameter and around 4 inches in height if you count the LiDAR navigation turret, the Qrevo Curv will scurry under most furnishings with ease. However, because it uses laser-based LiDAR to navigate, it will likely treat any valances around sofas and armchairs as solid barriers.

It is therefore advisable to lift any valances when performing the robot's initial mapping run so it can venture beneath. Thereafter, the bot should – but not always – punch through the valence and sweep up all the fluff and dust that inevitably gathers under sofas, arm chairs and beds. (Here's more on how to prepare your home for a robot vacuum.)

LiDAR is far and away the fastest and most efficient form of navigation since it occurs in real time while you watch its progress on the accompanying Roborock app. For added navigational accuracy and obstacle avoidance, the Qrevo Curv is also equipped with an LED headlight and a front-mounted RGB camera that can detect and recognize around 60 objects (though not, I should warn, the majority of dog mess).

On the plus side, a LiDAR-based model like the Qrevo Curv moves around the home using a logical up-and-down pattern rather than cleaning the room in confusing zig-zag fashion like most camera-based navigation systems.

Incidentally, this bot's camera can also be used to make two-way voice calls so you can interact with your pet. I would recommend experimenting with this feature while at home, in case your pet freaks out when it hears your voice coming out of the robot's speaker. The camera will also take snaps of your pet while on its travels, though this is a bit gimmicky since the bot's camera doesn't have an especially high resolution.

One of the standout aspects of the Qrevo Curv is its excellent cleaning efficiency. With a whopping suction power of 18,500Pa (way above the norm of between 5,000 and 10,000Pa), it picks up everything from fine dust to larger debris with ease, making it suitable for carpets of any depth and all types of hard floors. It also features automatic suction control depending on whether it's on carpet or hard flooring.

Heading to the business end, the Qrevo Curv is fitted with a unique tangle-free brush system comprising two short spiral-shaped rubber paddles positioned side-by-side, with a small gap between them so loose pet hair can be forced in the direction of the main suction area. All robot vacs are fitted with a spinning side brush that flicks detritus along skirting boards and in corners into the path of the suction area.

However, the Qrevo Curv goes even further by having an arc-shaped FlexiArm side brush that pops out of the side by an inch or two whenever it detects the corner of a room. It works remarkably well, too.

By nature of their designs, many robot vacs struggle to climb over high thresholds between rooms, but Roborock has nailed this conundrum by dint of an AdaptiLift chassis that raises the entire bot by 10mm whenever it encounters a high threshold or similar barrier.

This means the Qrevo Curv can traverse even the tallest of room dividers with ease, and ride over other fixed obstacles up to around 4cm in height. You can see it in action above, filmed by TechRadar's Homes Editor when it was unveiled at IFA, but I also tested it out myself with books at home.

It truly is an off-piste machine that covers all bases when it comes to navigating an entire home. The raisable chassis also allows the Qrevo Curv to work effortlessly on the deepest pile since it doesn't get easily bogged down.

Like so many robots vacs these days, the Qrevo Curv can also mop floors. Normally I'm not a fan of mopping bots, mostly because they're not as thorough as an upright hard floor cleaner, let alone a mop and bucket. However, I will make an exception for this model, since its twin spinning toweling mops do a great job of giving any hard floor a very decent clean. Like the extendable spinning side brush, the Qrevo Curv's right-hand mop also extends outward to clean along skirting boards and around chair legs. Rather cleverly, the mops lift when vacuuming carpet, the brush lifts when mopping and both lift when heading back to base.

Let's take a close look at the Qrevo Curv's elegant cleaning station/charging bay. It's true to say that the majority of robot vacs' docks are not only pug-ugly to look at but they're pretty enormous in stature, too. While the Qrevo Curv's shiny domed cleaning station is indeed on the portly side (45 x 45 x 45cm), I consider it to be one of the better looking docks on the market. Mind, there's a very good reason this robot vac has such a large dock, since it needs quite a bit of internal space to accommodate its two substantial 2.4-litre water containers – one for clean water, the other for the dirty stuff removed during its mop cleaning regime.

The Curv's deep clean function uses 7C water to clean the mops for maximum grime removal, supposedly removing 99.9% of bacteria in the process. It will even rewash the mops if the base's cleaning sensor still detects some dirt. It then dries the mops using wafts of hot air at 45C. Incidentally, the base of the dock can be easily removed for periodical cleaning of fluff and any large detritus that's attached to the cleaning mechanism.

Robot vacs are divided into two main categories: those that come with a self-emptying dock – like the Qrevo Curv I'm reviewing here – and those that don't. If you have a lot of hairy pets in the home, I would avoid any robot vac that doesn't have a dust-emptying feature or you will have to empty the robot's tiny bin yourself and this will just make you angry.

By contrast, a model like the Qrevo Curv is fitted with a disposable dust bag that collects all rubbish and hair in the robot's bin after every cleaning session. The Qrevo Curv is fitted with a 2.7-litre dust bag which Roborock says should last for up to seven weeks of cleaning before it needs replacing. However, since I have five very hairy pets in the home, I've found myself changing the bag every three weeks or so.

Battery running time is rarely an issue with robot vacs since they will all head back to base for a topup, even mid-clean if necessary. The Qrevo Curv is equipped with a 5200mAh battery, providing up to 180 minutes of cleaning on a single charge, depending on the mode used. This long battery life makes it suitable for larger homes where it will automatically return to the dock to recharge if needed before resuming cleaning where it left off. At around 60dB in standard mode, the Qrevo Curv operates fairly quietly, especially when compared to other high-suction robot vacuums I've tested.

Finally, for those who fancy a fully-integrated floor cleaning system in their home, the Curv is also available with a plumbed-in ‘refill and drainage' feature that automatically fills it with clean water while emptying the dirty water tank.

• Design score: 5 out of 5

Roborock Qrevo Curv review: performance

• Exceptional vacuum performance on all floor types
• Traverses rugs with ease
• Very decent mopping function

Let's start with the setup, which is a veritable breeze since there are just two parts – the robot and the dock. Although Roborock suggests placing the dock in a position with several inches of space either side, I just plonked it between a box and my Gtech AirRAM 3 upright vac and it's had no trouble at all when docking. Syncing to the Roborock app was also extremely simple and involved nothing more than scanning a QR code under the robot's top lid.

Roborock’s Reactive AI navigation system is generally very impressive and in my numerous tests over the past 10 days it has effortlessly avoided most obstacles above two inches in height, while automatically optimizing its cleaning route when anything was in its way. Like so many robot vacs, there’s only so much a camera and sensors can see and once a small item is beneath the camera or close to the front when the robot turns, it will very likely fail to spot it.

The Qrevo Curv is also not very good when it comes to spotting phone cables and will happily ride over them. However, at no point has any cable become snagged under any robot I’ve tested to date – invariably the cable is spat out the other side. And that’s the case with the Qrevo Curv.

Would I trust this robot to avoid a dog mess? Not on your Nelly. In this regard Roborock has some catching up to do to compete with iRobot, whose poo detection is usually very good but still not wholly reliable. The moral with any robot vac is to make sure there isn’t any clutter on the floors – as they all advise in their manuals. After all, you wouldn’t start manually vacuuming the floor with socks, cables and loose Lego bricks all over the shop.

Crucially – for me at least – the Qrevo Curv has behaved remarkably well on my loose rugs without too much ruffling of the edges. I put much of this down to the excellent and very innovative chassis-lifting system and the decent gap between the front of the unit and the floor. To date this bot has negotiated all my rugs with consummate ease, even the really thin, loose ones. And that hasn’t been the case with so many other models I’ve tested.

When it comes to vacuuming, I have no compunction in awarding this model a full five stars. It sucks like a limpet and I really do rate the excellence of the pop-out side brush, which captures stray matter much more easily than models with a fixed side brush. It passed the raw oats test with flying colors, collecting every solitary oat flake without flinging them all over the place. Really impressive.

I’ve always been gobsmacked by the way all the Roborocks I’ve tested over the years have handled pet hair – tons of the stuff. And though some models’ cleaning stations have very occasionally had a spot of bother sucking the most tangled clumps of hair out of the bot’s bin, I think Roborock has improved this area because I haven’t any issues to report with the base’s suction power.

In fact, you can set this model to two levels of emptying frequency: 'Balanced', which is suitable for a cleaner environment; and 'High', which empties the bin during a cleaning session – perfect for pet owners. Basically, after 10 minutes or so into a long task, it will trundle back to the station to have its bin emptied and then carry on where it left off.

If there’s one area I would say could be improved, it’s the smaller-than-average size of the cleaning station’s 2.7-litre dust bag and the weird way it sits in the dustbin chamber. This smaller size means more regular disposal of the bag for pet owners than the usual stated month. It's still a very strong contender if you're on the hunt for the best robot vacuum for pet hair, though.

Its mopping, too, is surprisingly good and much of this is to do with the unit being fitted with spinning mops instead of a rear-mounted pad like the Roborock S7 and S8 models. In my mop test the Qrevo Curv made a very decent fist of removing some dried soy sauce off the kitchen floor after a couple of passes. No, I don't think it's as thorough at mopping as an upright hard floor cleaner or bucket and mop, but for day-to-day use the mops have definitely made a difference to the kitchen floor's appearance, and that's good enough for me.

My final test involved me taking the Qrevo Curv upstairs for use on a very deep pile carpet I inherited from the previous owner and, most surprisingly, it sailed through the trial without ever bogging down. Must be that AdaptiLift feature again. Mind, it did leave a few wheel tracks in its wake but nothing too untoward.

• Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Roborock Qrevo Curv review: app

• Extremely comprehensive
• Easy to use once mastered
• Acres of customization

The Roborock app is extremely comprehensive and takes a good deal of time to navigate through its myriad of settings and preferences. Integration with the app is seamless, allowing users to set no-go zones, virtual walls, schedule cleaning times for both rooms and specific zones, monitor the unit's performance in real time and even add furniture icons to spice up the map. Alternatively, you can leave all the programming to Roborock's SmartPlan feature, which generates suggested cleaning modes while adjusting settings and preferences to suit your floor plan.

The app and bot are also compatible with voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant, adding an extra layer of convenience. Oh, and you get a wide choice of languages and accents, too, so if you live in the UK you can select an English sounding voice which sounds a little like the voice of Alexa.

• App score: 5 out of 5

Should you buy the Roborock Qrevo Curv?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Roborock Qrevo Curv

My home is open plan with mostly wooden hard floor so it's a relatively easy household for any robot to navigate. Nevertheless, I've tested some models that have had a lot of trouble traversing the numerous rugs I have scattered around without ruffling them up into a bundle or becoming trapped. I have had no such issues with the Qrevo Curv. In fact, on a reliability scale of 1 to 10 this one gets a 10 for trustworthiness. It means I can be away from home and when I arrive back I don't have to spend half an hour looking for a stranded bot while readjusting all the rugs. The fact it sailed through all my vacuum and mopping tests without a hitch speaks volumes for the quality of the Qrevo Curv's design and the software that runs it.

Read more about how we test robot vacuum cleaners

First reviewed November 2024

Yeedi C12 Pro Plus: two-minute review

The Yeedi C12 Pro Plus is great for what it is – a mid-tier robot vacuum that will help keep your floors mostly clean between deep cleanings. If your budget is limited to around $600, it might even be among the best robot vacuums for you. Of course, robot vacuums have come a long way so, if you're able to splurge, it might pale in comparison to some of the competition, though you'll have to pay much more for those other options.

It can't get right up to the edges of rooms, it's limited in the smart home department, and it's a little louder than other options. However, its vacuuming and mopping is good otherwise, and Yeedi seems to finally have cracked the code on mapping open-floor spaces, something I've been harping on since I first reviewed the Yeedi Cube and have continued to have issues with just about every other manufacturer since.

While the eye-catching design of the Yeedi C12 Pro Plus' base station is certainly a plus, the more important factor here is the affordability of this robot vacuum. Even disregarding the fact that it's going to see plenty of deals – as is the nature of Yeedi and Ecovacs products – this is a relatively affordable model. While I consider it mid-tier, it's among the most affordable options out there that include mopping functionality.

So, if you're on a budget but still want that mopping ability and can live with some compromises, then this could be the robovac for you. Read on for my full Yeedi C12 Pro Plus review, where I'll dive deeper into its design and how it performs, so that you can decide for yourself.

Yeedi C12 Pro Plus review: price & availability

• List price: $599.99 (about £470 / AU$900)
• Available: US
• Launched: July 2024

Even though Yeedi is owned by Ecovacs, this brand (or sub-brand, rather) seems to only be available in the US. At least this model is slightly more accessible than the Yeedi Cube, not to mention much cheaper than many of the Ecovacs robot vacuums out there.

You will have to make a few concessions for that lower price point. There's no clean and dirty water reservoirs in the base station, and the mopping pad is a flat semicircle rather than spinning discs (which are generally more effective).

You'll also live without quality of life features like mop pad washing and drying – although you can easily remove the mop pad and clean it yourself. So, if you're on a little bit of a budget, you might forgo some conveniences, but this robot vacuum is still a strong contender.

The Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop, which has a similar form factor, will set you back just a little more at $699 (about £559 / AU$1,054). Having reviewed that Shark robot vacuum, I do have to say that it runs a little quieter than the Yeedi C12 Pro Plus. But, it doesn't look quite as cool.

If you want to put the Yeedi C12 Pro Plus' value in context, consider the Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo, a robot vacuum I gave a nearly perfect score to for its great performance, feature set, and wonderful mapping, not to mention the fact that it comes with a handheld vacuum. While the Yeedi is missing a lot of the features, and isn't quite as good when it comes to performance, it's also about double in price at $1,199.99 (about £9500 / AU$1,800).

• Value for money score: 4.5 out of 5

Yeedi C12 Pro Plus specs

Yeedi C12 Pro Plus review: design

• Attractive and unusual looking base station
• Anti-tangling brushroll
• Have to manually switch out backplate for mopping function

Since the Yeedi C12 Pro Plus is mid-tier, it's a bit more stripped down and a little less automated than many brands' newest, flagship models. Despite that, this robot vacuum has some aesthetic appeal.

Available in black or white colorways, the base station's dust bin is actually transparent, showcasing the red metal filter inside that just demands attention. Instead of trying to be discreet, the base station is bold, and that's something I appreciate.

Since it doesn't have water reservoirs, it also doesn't take up a ton of space. There's just a dustbin into which the (small) onboard dust cup self-empties after every use. At 1.5 liters, the dock bin is smaller than many competitors', but should still hold a decent amount of dust and debris. It pops right out with a push of a button, making it easy to empty out every few weeks.

As far as the robot vacuum itself, it has the usual round shape with the protruding center. There's a bumper on the front for when it runs into stuff – I'll talk about object avoidance below, but let's just say it needs the bumper. And there are three buttons on top for basic controls.

There's just one side brush here, but at least the roller underneath is of the anti-tangling variety. There are actually two backplates that come with the Yeedi C12 Pro Plus – one if you just want to vacuum and one to add mopping functionality. The latter adds a 0.4 liter water reservoir and a flat mopping pad that will vibrate and apply downward pressure on the floor as it goes about its business. Since it can't retract this mopping pad, unlike more expensive models that have the spinning mop pads, it will just avoid carpeting when in mopping mode.

• Design score: 4 out of 5

Yeedi C12 Pro Plus review: performance

• Surprisingly good vacuuming, including pet hair
• Solid mopping but doesn't get to the edges of rooms
• Is a bit louder and has mediocre object avoidance

While I did test the Yeedi C12 Pro Plus with various debris to see how it would do, I was surprised to see it pick up a bunch of dust, dander, and pet hair on its first couple runs on what I thought were already clean floors. That's a testament to how well it vacuums up (it boasts 8,000Pa of suction, which is actually higher than you'd usually find on a robovac at this price point).

Beyond that, it did well vacuuming up larger pieces of debris. Just to test that, I threw a bunch of cereal in front of it (a Lucky Charms knock-off, if that's important to you) and it sucked it all right up.

On top of that, the brushroll, even after a good number of cleaning runs, was mostly tangle-free. Keeping in mind that this is a full household with a few people with long hair and a couple of dogs, along with a cat, that's impressive.

It only has one side brush – not unusual, although you will find some robovacs double up here. Also worth noting is that it's a bit louder than some other robot vacuums, with a volume of around 62db if you're a foot or two away.

The mop pad is a wide semicircle that vibrates, as opposed to the spinning disc variety (which tends to perform better). However, on test I was quite impressed. I found this robovac delivered a nice, even mop that dries quickly and it quickly cleans up small spills – I threw a bit of Diet Coke right in front of it to test, and it was wiped up in one pass.

Mopping the edges of rooms is a common issue with robovacs. A handful of premium models feature extra side mops or pads that can shift outwards to get close to the edges of rooms; unsurprisingly there's nothing like that here. That means the mopping can't get right up to the edges of rooms.

Also unsurprising at this price point is the fact that there are no mop pad washing and drying capabilities built into the dock. That means you'll have to manually clean the mop pad if it gets dirty, or you risk tracking soy sauce or, worse, mold, across your floors. There is an extra mop pad supplied, so you can swap it in as you leave a dirty one to dry out.

It's worth noting that, as long as you’re not trying to vacuum carpets, you can leave the mopping backplate on and still do a great job vacuuming. As mentioned before, when in mopping mode, it will avoid carpets. I threw a bath mat in front of the Yeedi C12 Pro Plus, and it cleaned right up to the edge and then backed off.

One area where the Yeedi C12 Pro Plus fell down a little was its object avoidance. Now, it didn't get stuck on anything despite there being plenty of dog toys sitting around, though it did bump into them. But, when placing a squirt bottle in front of it, instead of going around, the robot vacuum just pushed it out of the way.

In terms of battery life, this robot vacuum has 300 minutes of use on a single charge on anything but the most basic of vacuuming operations, you'll still get a lot of use out of this before it needs to charge. On test, I found it could manage 170 minutes when mopping as well as vacuuming, which is pretty impressive. However, like most robot vacuums, it seems to return the base station somewhat frequently (to self-empty usually, so I never saw its battery life dip particularly low.

• Performance score: 4 out of 5

Yeedi C12 Pro Plus review: app

• Easy to use and navigate
• The mapping is very good, even with open floor plans
• Not much in the way of smart home features

Getting the robot vacuum set up in the companion app for testing was clean and straightforward. As with most apps these days, I found the app easy to use and navigate, although it did take a minute of poking around to figure out where everything is – some of the functionality, particularly anything map-related, is tucked behind picture icons in the top right.

There are a number of noteworthy things in the app. Of course, there's the basic ability to set up a schedule and adjust some settings, such as a child lock and 'do not disturb' modes. But what really stands out is the fact that not only does it automatically section off the different rooms when mapping, but it allows you to partition each room into smaller areas as well. Many companion apps that use a line tool can get stuck on this, but even though Yeedi's app uses the same approach, here I had no issues cutting off half or a quarter of a space into a new 'room'.

As great as that is, anyone hoping for smart home features will be sorely disappointed to see that there's no voice assistant or voice assistant support. You'll either need to use the app or the physical buttons on the robot vacuum itself.

• App score: 4 out of 5

Should you buy the Yeedi C12 Pro Plus?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Yeedi C12 Pro Plus review: also consider

Not sold on the Yeedi C12 Pro Plus? Here are some alternatives to consider.

How I tested the Yeedi C12 Pro Plus

To test the Yeedi C12 Pro Plus, I used it for a week to vacuum and mop the hardwood floors and carpeting in my house. I focused on how well the vacuum cleaned the edges of a room as well as around obstacles. I also tested the features listed in the app, most notably the mapping.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed July 2024

SwitchBot K10+ Pro: two-minute review

If you want a compact robotic vacuum cleaner, the pint-sized SwitchBot Mini Robot Vacuum K10+ Pro could be just what you're looking for. Don't be put off by the diminutive design – this robot vacuum is packed with tech, from intelligent room-mapping and app control, to self-emptying and some of the quickest navigation we've ever seen.

It squeezes with confidence – and often at speed – between furniture legs, cleaning carpet inaccessible by larger robots, and the equally compact dock will appeal to those with small apartments, too. It also taps into SwitchBot’s existing smart home ecosystem, and can be controlled by voice via Alexa or Google Assistant.

However, this small robot's suction power isn't a match for bigger, pricier rivals, and the mopping function – which merely drags a disposable wet wipe across the floor – failed to impress. As with many robot vacuums, you need to watch out for high doorway thresholds, as anything over 20 mm will be a struggle for the K10+ Pro to clear consistently (although some of today's best robot vacuums don't have such an issue with this, thanks to some new and innovative engineering solutions) .

Those factors aside, this compact vacuum is still a good option for smaller, mostly carpeted homes, or for focusing on specific zones of larger properties. Install it upstairs, away from the tougher challenges of the kitchen and hallway, and your guest bedrooms will be spotless, while giving up precious little space for the robot and its dock.

That's the short version; read on for my full SwitchBot K10+ Mini Robot Vacuum review.

SwitchBot K10+ Pro review: price & availability

• List price: $599.99 / £599.99
• Launched: August 2024
• Available: US / UK

The $599.99 / £599.99 K10+ Pro sits above the regular $399.99 / £399.99 K10+ in SwitchBot's lineup of mini robotic vacuum cleaners, but some way below the flagship S10, which costs $1,199.99 / £1,099.99.

It looks almost identical to the K10+ but the Pro model gains a set of useful extra features, including a PSD distance sensor for more accurate navigation, a silicon anti-tangle brush, and a 3,000Pa suction system (20 percent more powerful than the K10+). It also benefits from an antibacterial dustbag, which the regular K10+ lacks.

A price difference of $200 / £200 is fairly significant at this end of the robotic vacuum market, especially when the two robots look almost exactly the same. But pet-owners will surely be drawn to the anti-tangle brush of the Pro, along with the extra suction power.

The K10+ Pro’s price puts it roughly on par with other mid-range robotic vacuum like the Roomba Combo J5 Combo from iRobot. That model also works as a mop, but it too requires the user to manually swap the mopping attachment in and out to switch between the vacuum and mop functions. Unlike the SwitchBot and its disposable wet wipes, the Roomba has a washable and reusable (then eventually replaceable) mopping cloth.

The SwitchBot’s price falls between the Eufy Clean X8 Pro (which acts only as a vacuum with self-emptying bin), and the pricier Eufy X10 Pro Omni, which has a rotating and self-cleaning mop.

While not uncomfortably expensive, the SwitchBot K10+ Pro feels like it charges a premium for its compact size. Instead of being a smaller and therefore cheaper model, it sells its dimensions as a benefit rather than a byproduct. That’s mostly fine, but this price point causes the SwitchBot to fall between two categories of robot – ones that only vacuum, and ones that also mop. At 3,000Pa, the suction is fine but a little below what other models at this kind of price point offer.

Buyers will need to decide if they value the compact size above all else. Or, if they would rather spend less and lose the mop, or pay more for a robot that puts a greater emphasis on mopping.

• Value for money score: 3.5 out of 5

SwitchBot K10+ Pro specs

SwitchBot K10+ Pro review: design

• Shallow and compact design
• Self-empties dust into the (also compact) dock
• Unusually, the mop relies on disposable wet wipes

Based on photos alone, you might think the K10+ Pro looks like any other robotic vacuum, but when you see it in person you realize just how compact it really is. It's a circular robot with a diameter of just 9.76 in (24.8cm) – compared to 13.39 in (34cm) for the SwitchBot S1 Plus – and a height, including the top-mounted radar, of 3.62 in (9.2cm). These diminutive dimensions help the SwitchBot drive between and under furniture in ways larger robots cannot.

The docking station and dust bin is also smaller than most of its rivals. It's so compact, SwitchBot suggests you could even tuck it under a chair. The all-round diminutive size makes the K10+ Pro ideal for smaller homes, or even as a second robotic vacuum tasked with cleaning lesser-used parts of a larger home, such as the spare bedrooms or office.

The robot itself has a radar on top, plus sensors on its front and side, and a cliff sensor underneath, to help navigate without crashing, getting stuck or falling down the stairs. There are just two buttons on the robot, for powering it on or off and telling it to go back to its charger. Every other function is controlled by the SwitchBot smartphone app, which is free for iOS and Android.

The top cover is secured by magnets, and when removed reveals a power switch that's only needed during the initial setup process, and the dust bin. The bin's filter is easy to remove and clean, and handily the smartphone app notifies you when the bin has been removed or replaced.

Turn the K10+ Pro over and you'll find a spinning side brush for flicking dust and dirt out from corners of the room, and a rotating anti-tangle brush made from rubber. During my month of testing the brush didn't once get tangled up, although a fair bit of hair collected at either side. Thankfully this doesn't restrict its movement, and is easy to extricate by removing the roller and snipping at the hair with some scissors.

The robot comes with a mopping attachment, which is fitted manually to its underside and, rather unusually, uses wet wipes instead of a washable pad or cloth. SwitchBot says this is an improvement over robotic vacuum cleaners that use washable towels for their mops, since it employs a clean wipe every time. I can see the logic here, but fitting a new disposal wipe after every mop seems wasteful.

Either way, the K10+ Pro won’t give your hard floors a particularly deep clean, since the wipes are simply dragged over the surface with no real pressure behind them. If you need a mopping robot, I'd recommend upping your budget if possible and going for a model with a mechanical spinning mop, like the Eufy X10 Pro Omni or Eufy Omni S1 Pro.

Back to the K10+ Pro, and the compact charge station houses a generous 4-liter dust bag that should last for months before it needs taking out and replacing. The robot automatically empties into the dustbag when its own bin gets full (at a brief but rather loud 83dB), but there's no water supply for the mop, since it uses wet wipes instead.

Although compact, the top-opening charge dock is plenty large enough to house a spare dust bag and filter, plus a pack of wet wipes and a brush for detangling the robot – all of which is included in the box. It makes for a handy way of storing everything associated with the K10+ Pro, instead of inevitably losing its various components in a cupboard elsewhere.

• Design score: 4.5 out of 5

SwitchBot K10+ Pro review: performance

• Quiet, with moderate suction power
• Mop function is not worth the effort
• Good but not infallible navigation

Before I conducted a set of controlled tests with the K10+ Pro, I set it up and simply used it as my vacuum cleaner. The setup process is quick and easy. Just download the SwitchBot app, follow the instructions to connect the robot to your Wi-Fi network (this step failed at first, then worked fine when I tried again), and let it map your home.

I used the app to name each room and adjust the room boundaries slightly. The robot did a decent job of working out where room thresholds were, but got a bit confused by a hallway connecting the kitchen, bathroom, lounge and bedroom. A couple of minutes of tinkering in the app, and the map was perfect.

I was particularly impressed by how it confidently drove under a bathroom cupboard with less than 0.4 in (1cm) of clearance without even a moment of hesitation. I also liked how it could drive itself between the three legs of a table I have next to my sofa. Other, larger robots can't fit through here, or between the legs of my office chair, so the floor between the legs is always missed. Not so with the smaller SwitchBot.

However, while its navigation is mostly very good – and it really is capable of getting to places larger vacuums can't – it repeatedly drove at full speed into a fireplace hearth. This made me question the SwitchBot's intelligence, but I saw no other collisions during the mapping and cleaning process.

The K10+ Pro is quite good at driving over high thresholds, which have been a problem for much more expensive robotic vacuums in the past, like the Eufy S1 Pro. The SwitchBot sometimes had to back up and try a different angle, but it very rarely failed to clamber over what is a rather high threshold between my hallway and kitchen.

The same gung-ho approach couldn't be replicated in the lounge, however, where it repeatedly got stuck in a thick rug. I had to mark this area as a no-go zone in the app, which was disappointing but hardly a surprise. Only one robot that I've tested, the Eufy X10 Pro, has so far managed to successfully wade through the rug without calling for help.

As with other robotic vacuums, the K10+ Pro can be configured to clean each area once or twice, and there are four suction modes to pick from, called Quiet, Standard, Strong and Max. Via the app you can create a room-by-room cleaning plan, with the ability to set a suction strength and cleaning time (once or twice) for each room, before you set the robot on its merry way. It automatically increases suction power when driving from a hard floor to carpet, but doesn’t ramp up the power specifically when there’s more debris to tackle, as some more advanced robovacs can.

For everyday cleaning the K10+ Pro performed well. The app is easy to use and it takes just a couple of taps to tell the robot to clean a specific area, a certain room or the entire floor. It's also easy to create a schedule, which is where robots like these work best. Configure it to clean high-traffic rooms frequently, and this little-and-often approach will keep your floors looking their best. Alternatively, I can see a compact robot like this being perfect for giving your spare bedrooms a weekly clean, or even taking charge of the entire upstairs, while you use a conventional vacuum in the kitchen, hallway and lounge.

Time for the more specific tests. This involves using a mix of oats and flour on hard floors and carpet, then seeing how the robot performs as we cycle through all of suction strengths and cleaning modes.

Quiet mode is fine for a light, frequently vacuum of low-traffic areas, and at just 64 dB it is remarkably quiet. It'll pick up larger debris like oats, but as with other robotic vacuums the K10+ Pro tends to flick everything around on its first pass, rather than pick it all up. You really need to set the vacuum to pass every area twice. That way debris gets flicked around a bit initially, but is mostly collected on the second pass.

Cranking the power setting up to Max increases the volume to 70 dB, and there's a noticeable difference in suction power. More debris is picked up on the first pass, then almost everything else is picked up the second time around. That said, the K10+ Pro still isn't as powerful as some pricier rivals, since it offers just 3,000 Pa of suction, compared to 5,000 Pa or even 8,000 Pa for more expensive options from the likes of iRobot and Eufy. Even on maximum power it failed to suck up flour from the shallow grooves between floorboards, and had a habit of leaving arcs of flour on the floor every time it turned around.

It performed similarly on carpet, where maximum strength wasn't quite enough to pull every bit of flour out of the floor. During this test I also found it failed to clear a circa-2cm threshold between the exposed floorboards of the hallway and the bedroom carpet. This is a common stumbling point for robotic cleaners of all prices, and despite trying for several minutes, the SwitchBot eventually failed to climb onto the carpet and called for help via the app. You'll need to bear this in mind if you're shopping for a robot vacuum, since very few manage this journey from floorboards to carpet reliably.

The K10+ Pro is one of the quickest robotic vacuums I've ever reviewed, driving faster than most others when it has the space to do so. I reckon it would easily clear the challenging thresholds if it gave itself a run-up, but SwitchBot doesn't seem to have programmed it to do so. One for a future software update, perhaps – just so long as it can reliably distinguish between a tricky threshold and a staircase.

Generally, and thresholds aside, the K10+ Pro does a decent job of navigating between rooms. However it will occasionally drive straight into objects, like chair legs and door frames, and do so repeatedly, as if feeling instead of seeing its way around, until a clear path is discovered. Its behavior sometimes reminded me of older, less intelligent robotic vacuums. It's unlikely to damage anything, but this headbutting approach makes the robot seem less smarter than it claims to be.

As is often the case with robotic vacuums, the K10+ Pro is good at light, frequent cleaning, but struggles to pick up absolutely everything when tasked with fixing a specific problem, like the spilled cup of oats and flour used in our tests. The debris left behind was completely removed by a regular handheld vacuum in a matter of seconds.

Moving to the mopping function, and this is really more of a quick wipe than a thorough scrub. More expensive robots have motorized mops that spin and push down onto the floor with real force, but here it's just a case of fitting an included wet wipe and telling the robot to get to work. I like how the wipe holder stores neatly inside the charging dock, but fitting a fresh wipe each time is a bit of a pain.

Attaching the mop switches the robot from vacuum to mopping mode, but this is very much a manual process. You have to fit the mopping attachment (which covers the rotating rubber brush) and tell it to go mop a specific room or area, then detach it to turn the robot back into a vacuum cleaner. The rotating side brush operates in both modes.

While handy for a quick wipe, the mop isn't capable of lifting any serious stains. In fact, it failed to fully remove some freshly split hot sauce from the kitchen floor, despite passing twice over the liquid. The wipe became dirty, so it had clearly done something, but this is really no more than a very light clean. A pack of 30 wipes is included in the box, each with a couple of holes for fixing to the mop attachment, but I can't see many owners buying another pack when they run out.

• Performance score: 3.5 out of 5

SwitchBot K10+ Pro review: app

• Easy to use
• Lots of functionality
• Apple Home requires additional hub

This robot uses the same app as other devices made by SwitchBot, which is handy if you want to build out your smart home with the company's devices, like door locks, motorized window blinds, security cameras and the Bot from which the firm gets its name.

You'll need to buy a SwitchBot Hub for some of these, but the vacuum works fine on its own – although you will need that hub if you intend to control it from Apple Home via the Matter wireless standard. Incidentally, voice control via Alexa and Google Assistant works without the hub.

The setup process is quick and easy, with the robot mapping your home on its first exploratory outing. You can then use the app to split the map into rooms and name them accordingly. With that set, you can ask the robot to go clean a specific room, or create a cleaning plan where a different suction setting is used for each room. It's also possible to draw no-go zones (such as a thick rug that the robot will get stuck in), or draw a specific area you want cleaning.

These are all common features across various robotic vacuums. There's nothing that really makes the SwitchBot app stand out from the crowd, but it's nice to see how the ‘Mini' name doesn't mean it's lacking in features.

• App score: 4 out of 5

Should you buy the SwitchBot K10+ Pro?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the SwitchBot Mini Robot Vacuum K10+ Pro

I set up the K10+ Pro and used it as my only vacuum for a couple of weeks before starting the review. I then carried out a range of specific cleaning tasks to assess its mapping, navigation, suction and mopping abilities.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed October 2024