Why we love it: Its extra-large dust cup is super easy to remove and the HEPA filter minimizes allergens emitted while vacuuming.

Similarly, the mop was handy – removing the worst of our spillages, making it an ideal kitchen helper. Its charging time is quite lengthy, but as it plugs itself in, this isn’t too much of a bother.

As for the tech, our tester loved the retractable legs and found the app clearly laid out and easy to follow – all the info you need is there, from battery life to dock controls.

One of the big benefits of a Roomba is that they're relatively slim in height, meaning they can venture places other bots can't. On test, we found this one was especially good at handling pet hair, with its grippy rubbery rollers.

The standout feature on the J20 is an innovative mop pad, set on a roller like the wheels of a tank, which works extremely well. It's very much a premium option, but the performance is excellent.

In our Lab tests: The Dreame H12 Pro is an updated version of a previously tested pick with many of the same capabilities and features. We sent it out to consumer testers who confirmed it was easy and effective to use.

It’s heavier as a result, but it wowed our testers who said it didn’t smear any ketchup beyond the already stained area when cleaning – something rarely seen in the lab. Its vacuuming was also methodical and effective, lifting an average of 83 per cent of dust and dirt across the different test room floors.

All vacuums are tested exactly the same way for more accurate performance comparisons, and our Top 3 Automatic Vacuum Cleaners tests are based on the ASTM International industry standard test methods.

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

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

It’s slower than a standard vacuum, taking 31 minutes on average to clean a whole room. But testers liked how it notifies you of areas it couldn’t reach — it sends pictures of obstacles through to the app, so you know to tackle them manually later. It also responded reliably to voice control, making it a good all-rounder.

A few of our other favorite perks on a vacuum at this price point are a TurboBrush tool similar to the motorized pet tools on many pricier models, a retractable cord and onboard storage for the tools.

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.

Alistair is a London-based journalist who has been writing about tech for over a decade. He has tested numerous robovacs over the years for TechRadar, from brands like iRobot, Eufy and Roborock. His favourites match intelligent navigation with smart design.