As a Homes Journalist and Certified Vacuum Expert, I love it when an appliance is both practical and aesthetically pleasing. But while I believe that every household needs a robot vacuum cleaner, they've never quite struck that pretty-but-practical balance.

After all, the best robot vacuums are typically quite intrusive, compromising your home’s design and decor. However, Bosch is looking to change that. The home appliance brand has just launched a fully integrated vacuum and mop robot, designed to fit seamlessly into your kitchen cabinetry - so much so that it becomes ‘invisible’ when not in use.

Created in collaboration with robotics brand ECOVACS, the Bosch Built-In Vacuum and Mop Robot even comes with its own full-service station, where it automatically empties dry and wet debris and dries the mop pads before its next cleaning session. But this integrated design comes at a cost - spatially, practically, and, of course, financially.

Deciding whether a robot vacuum is worth it ultimately comes down to whether you want the convenience of a hands-free appliance doing the work for you - and whether you’re willing to sacrifice the overall ‘look’ of your home to house a freestanding appliance that doesn’t quite match your aesthetic.

The Bosch Built-In Vacuum and Mop Robot removes the freestanding, individualised aspect and turns it into a fully integrated addition that forms part of your kitchen - just like your oven and fridge. It’s hidden within cabinet plinths (the area between your cabinets and the floor), and the docking station is hidden in a cupboard that can be pulled out for maintenance.

When you need it to clean your floors, it’ll move out of its little hidey-hole and make its way around your house. When it’s finished, it’ll take itself back to its hidden home - out of sight and out of mind.

This new development isn’t just about design, though. It’s officially Bosch’s most powerful robot vacuum and mop to date, offering 20,000Pa of suction power, which, for reference, is the same cleaning power as the current number-one-rated robot vacuum cleaner in our guide, the Eufy Omni E25.

It also has an ultra-slim design to clean under furniture, plus smart navigation and multi-level mapping to clean every area of your home. Then, you can control everything via the app.

But what are my thoughts on this new development in the robot vacuum world? Well, I’m torn. On the one hand, I can definitely see the appeal and wholeheartedly agree that robot vacuums are often an ugly addition to any room.

On the other hand, I do find the concept quite limiting, especially as we’re in the midst of a serious robot vacuum revolution right now.

It seems as though new-and-improved models are being released every week, and I think the beauty of buying this appliance - especially if it’s your first robot vacuum - is figuring out the features and modes you like, and what you don’t like. Then, you work your way up from a cheaper model to a more expensive one.

In fact, I feel like my own favourite model changes every time I review a new robot vacuum cleaner, as they're changing so much, and so quickly, too.

For example, the robot vacuum I'm currently testing - the new roborock Qrevo Edge 2 Flow Robot Vacuum Cleaner with Mop (now just £599 at Amazon) has a whopping 35,000Pa of suction power. That's almost double that of the Bosch. And I know of even more coming soon that go well above 40,000Pa.

However, this model requires you to stick with the same robot vacuum to keep it integrated, and you’ll need to enlist a professional to install it properly. So, at just under £3,000 to buy and install, it would be a very expensive mistake if you don’t like the way the robot cleans - or the features it offers.

You’ve also got to consider the fact that this new integrated robot vacuum has to be installed within or next to an under-the-sink cupboard in a kitchen or utility room - meaning you’ll always have to sacrifice cupboard space in those specific rooms. Which, let’s be honest, are typically quite small and limited on storage space anyway.

Could you justify these quibbles in your home? If you value interior design and aren’t fussed about the latest models, I get it. It's a great idea on paper and makes sense for many people.

But with so many other ways to hide a robot vacuum cleaner, I’m not sure I’m 100% sold.

Alternatives to consider

What are your thoughts on a disappearing robot vacuum?

It's no secret that Shark has produced some of the most premium floorcare appliances out there, and the brand already has two spots in our guide to the best handheld vacuum cleaners on the market.

But where does the Shark WandVac Deluxe sit amongst their current offering? After using it in my home for two weeks, I can confidently recommend this handheld vacuum to anyone.

In a nutshell

The Shark WandVac Deluxe quickly became one of the best handheld vacuums I’ve tested (and I've tested a lot). It’s incredibly lightweight, yet doesn’t feel like it’s sacrificed power for its slimline design. In my flour tests, it picked up everything from hard floors and carpets in a single sweep, and the boost mode gives you even more power when you need it.

The WandVac Deluxe also couldn't be easier to use. The attachments slot in and out effortlessly, the charging base doubles as storage for all three tools, and the compact design means I can keep it within easy reach without it feeling like a hindrance. The motorised tool is another big plus, particularly if you want a handheld that can tackle more than just everyday crumbs.

It's surprisingly loud for such a small vacuum, and the dust bin is fairly small, so you’ll need to empty it regularly if you’re using it for bigger cleaning jobs. But neither issue has really bothered me during testing.

Plus, I think the Shark WandVac Deluxe earns its £199.99 price tag. I've grown to prefer this model to other handhelds I've tested, and I'm still surprised at just how powerful it is given its lightweight design. So, if you're looking for a handheld vacuum that is as good for grab-and-go cleans as it is for tougher cleaning jobs, this is one I'd happily recommend.

How I tested

Specifications

• Max. run time:  40 minutes
• Charge time:  3.5 hours
• Bin capacity: 0.13 L
• Weight: 2kg
• Dimensions: 46.99 L x 21.11 W x 11.81 H cm
• Modes: 3
• In the box: Main Unit, Duster Crevice Tool, Motorised Pet Tool, Charging Base, Charging Plug
• RRP: £199.99

Unboxing, set-up, and first impressions

The WandVac Deluxe offered exactly the kind of unboxing experience I'd expect from a premium brand like Shark. Everything arrived neatly packaged in a box that was easy to carry around, and there wasn't a scrap of single-use plastic in sight.

All the components were wrapped in recyclable paper instead, which is a big thumbs up from me in terms of both the product's environmental impact but also in relation to the unboxing experience – it just feels elevated.

While I knew the WandVac was designed to be a lightweight, grab-and-go handheld, I was still surprised by just how sleek it looked once everything was out of the box. It's slimline rather than bulky, but it didn't feel flimsy. It's exactly the sort of streamlined design you'd expect from a handheld vacuum meant to be picked up and used at a moment's notice.

I was also a big fan of the charging base, which doubles up as an accessories holder. All three attachment heads slot neatly into the base, so everything has its own place, and I don't have to go rummaging through a cupboard every time I want to use them.

In terms of assembly, there's actually nothing to do at all. The instruction manual is still nice to have, though, as it provides all the information you need to get the most out of the vac.

It recommends fully charging the device before its first use (which takes around 3.5 hours), so I popped it onto the charging base and saw one of the indicator lights start blinking. Once all the lights stopped flashing, I knew it was fully charged and ready for action.

What's it like to use?

I'm glad to say that the seamlessness of the set-up process continued once I started testing the WandVac Deluxe in my home. The three attachments – crevice, upholstery, and motorised pet – each slot easily into the main unit, and detach just as easily via the tabs on either side of the handle.

There’s no fiddling around or wrestling with the attachments, which, from previous testing experience, I know isn't always a guarantee.

I started by giving the edges of my kitchen floor and living room a quick once-over with the crevice tool, and it didn't take long to get a sense of how much power this little vacuum has. There are three modes to choose from – normal, eco and boost – and although I started off in normal mode, I switched to eco pretty quickly.

In fact, Eco mode was more than enough for the surface-level cleaning I had planned, which was also good news for the 40-minute battery life.

However, the vacuum's noise surprised me; it’s pretty loud for a handheld, especially one this small. I could actually see the vinyl floor in my kitchen move slightly under the nozzle's suction, which gave a clear indication of how much power the WandVac has.

But to actually paint the picture of just how powerful this handheld vacuum is, I put it through our usual flour test. I was slightly more generous with the flour than I intended when scattering it across my kitchen floor, which left me a little worried that I’d made the test harder than it needed to be.

Thankfully, it was no problem for the WandVac Deluxe. I used the wider upholstery tool for this test (despite me very obviously not cleaning upholstery), as I wanted to put this attachment through its paces before I tested the motorised tool later on. And it got full marks from me as it picked up the flour in a single sweep.

It was the same story when I repeated the test on my living room carpet. The WandVac picked up all the flour in its path in a single pass, which is always a satisfying sight.

Speaking of the upholstery tool, this was the perfect attachment for refreshing sofas, pouffes, curtains, and even table runners. It glided effortlessly over surfaces and left the telltale, satisfying streaks on my pouffe, which usually indicate strong suction power.

And I was actually very pleased I had a new handheld vacuum for this purpose, as my previous model (the Gtech ProLite Handheld Bagged Vacuum) lacked an upholstery tool altogether.

Next, I tested the WandVac's 'motorised pet' tool by cleaning the interior of our car. This review was well-timed, as I had an oat-related disaster in the car a few weeks back and I still hadn't got around to cleaning it.

Happily, the WandVac made light work of this job. Not only did it pick up the oats and other debris that had been lingering, but it also cleaned the car seats and removed the oat residue that had worked its way into the fabric when I switched to boost mode.

Using the device in boost mode with the motorised head is a powerful combination, and I seriously doubt the WandVac Deluxe would struggle to clean anything with this pairing.

I'd highly recommend the motorised pet tool for deeper cleaning jobs like this. While I don't have any pets, the way it cleaned our car left me with little doubt about the WandVac Deluxe's cleaning capabilities. It's picked up stubborn dirt and hair in my home, and I'd be confident recommending it to people with pets.

Lastly, in terms of how the WandVac Deluxe actually feels to use, I couldn’t be happier. It’s the lightest handheld vacuum I’ve tested so far, and it's made me realise this is exactly what I want from a handheld.

If a handheld vacuum feels bulky, it kind of defeats the point of having one in the first place. The WandVac’s slimline design fit in my hand like a glove, and I could easily pick it up to tackle different surfaces around my home without feeling like I was lugging an appliance around.

It’s also small enough to leave on its charging base between cleans without creating the sort of visual clutter that can come with bulkier handheld devices.

Cleaning and maintenance

My first thought when I saw the size of the WandVac Deluxe was that the dust bin would need frequent emptying. It looked tiny, and I expected it to be a nuisance.

That said, the small dust bin didn't bother me during testing, and I found it took a surprisingly long time to fill up. And when the time does come to empty the dust bin, it doesn't require too much effort or patience.

It springs open at the touch of the button, so you need to hold it horizontally over a bin; otherwise, you risk spilling the contents on the floor. I had a little trouble reinserting the dust cup after I emptied it, but it's easy enough once you get the knack.

Though I didn't find the small dust bin too much of a hindrance, there are great handheld vacuums out there with a larger capacity, so keep that in mind if you think this would bother you.

As with any vacuum, it's best to clean the filter regularly to keep the device in tip-top condition. Although I struggled to remove the filter holder, I could still access the filter easily enough.

Taking mine out revealed just how much flour I'd used on my earlier tests, but thankfully, most of it came out by tapping the filter over the bin. Rinsing the filter is the best way to clean it fully (just make sure it's completely dry before putting it back into the vacuum).

After using it, the upholstery tool had a little dust and debris on it, but it only took a couple of minutes to wipe it down, too. I'd recommend keeping all attachment heads as clean as possible to keep the WandVac working optimally.

How does it compare to similar models?

Shark is no stranger to producing high-quality handheld vacuums, but where does the WandVac Deluxe sit amongst the brand's current offerings? First, it's the upgrade of the WandVac 2.0, a cheaper (£129.99 compared to £199.99) option with a much shorter battery life (max 15 minutes). The WandVac 2.0 is still good for on-the-go cleaning, but you might struggle to use it for longer jobs like cleaning the car.

Then, there's the Shark PowerBoost Pet Handheld Vac. Our reviewer was impressed by its suction power, lightweight design, and battery life, and this model includes a flexible hose and extra tools for awkward areas, making it slightly more versatile. The PowerBoost's dust cup is slightly larger (0.25L), but I'm not convinced the price hike (£229.99) is worth it. It's not a slimline design like the WandVac Deluxe is, which is my personal preference for handheld vacs.

Finally, the Dyson Car+Boat has long held the top spot in our handheld vacuum buying guide. I tested it myself, and it earned full marks for its impressive cleaning performance.

In standard mode, the Dyson Car+Boat runs for 50 minutes, the longest battery life I've found for a handheld vac. That said, after testing the WandVac Deluxe, I think this is my preferred model for easy handheld cleaning. I prefer the lightweight design to the bulkier Dyson model, but I don't feel like the WandVac Deluxe compromises on power. It's also cheaper than the Car+Boat, which costs £249.99 at full price.

Should you buy the Shark WandVac Deluxe Handheld Vacuum?

I rarely give an appliance five stars in my reviews, because it really needs to tick all the boxes. But testing the Shark WandVac Deluxe has genuinely been a delight. The seriously impressive suction, the three power modes for cleaning flexibility, and the motorised tool for deep cleaning mean it handled everything I threw at it. It's perfect for grab-and-go cleans but also holds its own on tougher jobs.

What really sets the WandVac Deluxe apart for me is how lightweight it is. I’ve tested plenty of handheld vacuums, and I’ve realised that if a handheld feels bulky or cumbersome, it defeats the point. The WandVac Deluxe is slim enough to sit comfortably in my hand, and I can quickly grab it to clean room edges or freshen up soft furnishings without feeling like I’m lugging a hefty appliance around.

The compromises are there, but they're small. It's a little on the loud side (especially in boost mode), and the dust bin is small, but I didn't need to empty it as much as I thought I would. That might change if you use the vacuum for regular heavy-duty cleaning, but for this review, it wasn't a problem.

At £199.99, it isn’t the cheapest handheld vacuum around, but after testing it alongside models from Gtech and Dyson, I think it offers excellent value for what you get. If you want a powerful, lightweight handheld vacuum that can handle more than just the occasional crumb, I’d have no hesitation recommending the Shark WandVac Deluxe.

A major perk of my job is testing cleaning and floor care appliances in my own home - something that has come in very handy after recently moving into a new (slightly neglected) house. And in an effort to restore my old, worn carpets into something that didn’t give me the heebie-jeebies, I decided to take the Shark CarpetForce Upright Carpet Cleaner out for a spin.

Typically, the best carpet cleaners are big and cumbersome, but the new Shark CarpetForce is marketed as a lightweight, compact alternative to these larger, heavier options. But does the cleaning power match its impressive size and weight specs? That was what I wanted to find out.

In a nutshell

At 6.9 kg and with a small footprint and removable wand for easy storage, the Shark CarpetForce Upright Carpet Cleaner is undoubtedly the lightest, smallest, and most manoeuvrable carpet cleaner I’ve ever tested. That alone would be enough to add it to my basket, especially in a world where these appliances can weigh over 15kg and require an entire room for storage.

But the CarpetForce also offers two cleaning modes - Express Clean and Deep Clean - allowing homeowners and renters alike the chance to give their carpets a quick refresh or a deeper, more powerful clean to get right into the carpet fibres. And during testing, Express Clean impressed me with its power and rapid drying time.

On the other hand, Deep Clean mode handled smaller, less-intrusive stains with ease, but it wasn’t quite enough to remove deep-set coffee stains, and the drying time was over 24 hours. Because of this, this carpet cleaner isn’t for those who want to take soiled, stained carpets and restore them to their former glory. Instead, I believe it’s for the everyday user who wants to refresh their carpets with more than just a vacuum cleaner.

Just be warned that with no tools or attachments, this is very much an appliance for carpets and rugs - not your sofas, upholstery or stairs. But for an affordable, compact carpet cleaner that gets the job done quickly and efficiently (and on a small scale), it left me impressed.

Specifications

• Cord length: 6m
• Clean water capacity: 3.8L
• Modes: Deep Clean, Express Clean
• Weight: 6.9 kg
• Dimensions: 32.69 cm L x 26.39 cm W x 110.9 cm H
• In the box: Shark CarpetForce Upright Carpet Cleaner with removable wand, 350ml Shark Deep Clean Ultra formula - Starter Bottle
• RRP: £179.99

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

When a brand says something, I like to think that they mean it. So, things started off well when Shark’s ‘lightest carpet cleaner’ turned up on my doorstep in a compact box weighing no more than 10kg. After all, I’m used to testing carpet cleaners (and even some vacuum cleaners) that weigh significantly more than that.

In true Shark form, everything was packaged incredibly simply and in an eco-friendly fashion - from the outer cardboard box to the paper packaging surrounding the carpet cleaner and the removable wand. The box also included an instruction manual and a starter bottle of the cleaning solution.

I was happy to see that very little assembly was required. All I had to do was click the wand into the top of the unit and remove a few sticky labels before I could inspect it in its entirety.

It's a compact model and so lightweight to carry around the house, and I knew just from looking at it that I wouldn’t have to rehome my husband to find storage space for it (which I’m sure he was happy about, too).

And while I’m used to testing carpet cleaners that also come with hoses and handheld attachments for smaller cleaning jobs, I tried not to be too disappointed. I got the feeling that this carpet cleaner was for everyday refreshes rather than deep fibre penetration and stain removal. But I was eager to test this theory out.

To get ready for the first clean, I removed the clean water tank, unscrewed the cap, and filled it to the handy ‘WATER’ fill line. Then, I topped up the rest of the tank with the solution, which was also marked with a ‘CONCENTRATE’ line.

Then, I popped it back on the unit, ready to start cleaning. From unboxing to ready-to-go, it took no more than five minutes, which is a major win in my (very busy) book.

Using the Shark CarpetForce Upright Carpet Cleaner

We have strict rules for how we test carpet cleaners at Ideal Home, so I started the review process by throwing coffee onto a carpet sample, wiping blue toothpaste next to it, and letting the stains settle and dry for 24 hours. I then set to work on (hopefully) removing these stains with the Shark CarpetForce.

I used the ‘Deep Clean’ mode for these stains, applying the solution by pressing the trigger while slowly pushing the carpet cleaner forward. Then, I released the trigger and pulled the unit back to ‘extract’ the stains and the water/cleaning solution concoction.

One thing I noticed immediately is that Deep Clean mode uses a lot of water - so much so that it started leaking over the sides of the carpet sample. This left it soaking, and while the extraction removed a fair amount, a lot of water remained behind. In fact, it took the carpet sample over 24 hours to feel dry to the touch - a little too long, in my opinion.

The results here were fair. Although the Shark CarpetForce removed the toothpaste stain with no problem during the first Deep Clean, the coffee stain remained - albeit a lot fainter. So, I had to repeat the process a couple of days later, but even then a slight hint of brown still lingered if you looked close enough.

The issue, in my eyes, is that the CarpetForce doesn’t come with a spot-cleaning function or tool that allows for more targeted stain removal. But in Shark’s defence, it didn’t design this carpet cleaner with that in mind.

So, I can’t really fault it for not having a smaller hose or attachment for stains. It is worth considering this if you regularly have to tackle stains, though, as it may be worth buying a separate spot cleaner like the Shark Stainforce.

However, one thing that did impress me during this stain removal test was how lightweight and manoeuvrable the carpet cleaner was, so I then decided to take it for a spin on my living room rug - a cream number that, in hindsight, wasn’t a good choice in a high-traffic area when you live with a dog.

I used Express Clean for this task, and the water usage felt much more appropriate. I could see and feel that it left the rug damp, not sodden, and it looked noticeably cleaner on the first try. But what I loved most was that the rug was completely dry again in less than three hours.

I was so impressed that I decided to tackle the carpeted landing that has been giving me nightmares since we moved into this house. The property was fairly neglected when we moved in, and I had no idea how long it had been since it was last cleaned, so I was fully expecting to be horrified - and I was.

Even in Express Clean mode, the Shark CarpetForce extracted so much dirt and grime that the water turned a disgusting dark brown. But despite giving me shivers, it was extremely satisfying and took very little effort on my part.

Of course, without attachments or tools, I couldn't use this carpet cleaner to clean my carpeted stairs, which was a shame. But for a refresh of rugs and flat carpets, it did a very good job, and the 6m cord length was long enough to offer stretch without the cable getting in the way all the time.

I was also able to use one full tank of water and cleaning solution for three separate cleaning jobs - including one Deep Clean and two Express Cleans on smaller areas - so it went a lot further than I thought.

Cleaning and maintenance

While not having any tools or attachments is undoubtedly a negative for versatility, it’s certainly a positive for cleaning and maintenance. The Shark CarpetForce was surprisingly easy to look after, and not as messy as I was anticipating.

I’ve previously tested carpet cleaners where the brush roll gets ridiculously gunky where debris hasn’t been sucked fully back into the dirty water chamber, but the CarpetForce was fairly clean - just a bit wet, with a little bit of hair wrapped around the brush roll. However, I always have my Pikk-It® Hair Removal Tool (£7.99 at Amazon) to hand whenever I test a floorcare appliance, as this tends to come with the territory.

Despite the few strands caught around the brush roll, though, most of the human (and dog) hair was captured within the strainer that sits within the dirty water tank. In fact, it was completely full to the brim with hair and carpet/rug fibres, but it was easy to tap it into a bin and get rid of it all.

Then, you can pour the dirty water down the sink and clean the foam filter with soap and water. It’s also a good idea to lightly wash the dirty water tank and its removable parts in washing-up liquid and water before air-drying and reassembling. You can also remove the brushroll for a deeper clean.

One ongoing maintenance cost to consider, though, is the cleaning solution. This particular Shark carpet cleaner isn’t compatible with any other solution or carpet cleaning solutions, so you will need to buy it every so often if you’re running low - and a refill of the Deep Clean formula will set you back £14.99 at Shark. You can also buy pet- or stain-specific Shark solutions, too.

A bonus is that - unlike other carpet cleaners I’ve tested - you can store the carpet cleaner with any unused solution in the tank, and you don’t have to empty it after every use.

In terms of storage, this is also undoubtedly the smallest full-size carpet cleaner I’ve ever tested. The wand is removable, making it even smaller and easy to store in smaller homes with limited storage. So, that’s a major bonus in my book.

How does it rate online?

The Shark CarpetForce Upright Carpet Cleaner is still relatively new to the market, but at the time of writing, it has 32 reviews and an overall rating of 4.7 stars out of 5.

Most reviewers praise the ease and manoeuvrability of the lightweight, compact carpet cleaner, saying that it was ideal for giving their carpets a refresh - especially at the low price point.

However, some have criticised how quickly it runs out of water during carpet cleaning. Others noted that it was a shame there were no tools or attachments for cleaning stairs.

How does it compare to similar models?

When comparing carpet cleaners, it’s important to compare with the top-rated model in our guide - the VAX Platinum SmartWash Pet-Design Carpet Washer. This model is significantly more expensive at £350, but it offers much more in the way of deep cleaning.

It comes with a longer power cord for extra reach, plus a 2.5m hose, 2-in-1 anti-microbial tool, SpinScrub tool, and more cleaning solutions. This meant that our reviewer could use it on everything from her rugs and sofas to her stairs with ease.

It also has a hot air dry-only setting that significantly speeds up drying time by removing moisture before you pop it away. However, it is a lot heavier at 8.9kg, and a lot bigger - making it trickier to store.

As it’s a Shark model, it’s also worth comparing it to the Shark CarpetXpert HairPro Pet Deep Carpet Cleaner with Spot Cleaner, which I tested last year and gave a slightly higher 4.5-star review thanks to the built-in spot cleaner and Dry Only mode.

The CarpetXpert is undoubtedly a better carpet cleaner than this CarpetForce in terms of performance and features, but ultimately it depends on what you want to buy a carpet cleaner for. If you want it to give your carpets a big, deep clean, the CarpetXpert will suit you best.

If you want an everyday carpet cleaner that you can whip out quickly for quick spills and refreshes, the CarpetForce is a better option.

Should you buy the Shark CarpetForce Upright Carpet Cleaner?

If you’re after a carpet cleaner that you can keep out of sight in a cupboard and bring out to give carpets and rugs a quick refresh, I genuinely couldn’t recommend the Shark CarpetForce Upright Carpet Cleaner more. It ticks all those boxes, and it's extremely easy to use while effectively removing dirt, hair, and grime.

The compact size makes it an accessible option for those who have previously had to rent a carpet cleaner or pay a professional, and the low price point is a major bonus for those on a budget. However, it’s not perfect.

Its stain-removal abilities are fair, but not fantastic, and without any tools or attachments, its cleaning options are limited to rugs and large carpeted areas. This means that you’ll still need to buy another cleaning tool - like a smaller spot cleaner - for targeted stain removal, cleaning upholstery and furniture, and cleaning stairs.

But all in all, the Shark CarpetForce offers much of what it promises, and for under £180 I really do think it’ll be a welcome addition to many people’s cleaning routine.

Today, Dyson announced it’s adding a wide range of floorcare appliances to its already-stellar lineup. But perhaps most exciting is its first sub-£500 robot vacuum - a nice step away from the premium price we’ve come to expect from this premium brand.

While the best robot vacuum cleaners have become the new must-have appliance in homes across the UK, they’re not cheap. Many of the top models - including Dyson’s own robot vacuums - retail for anywhere between £700 and £1,000. But the new Dyson R1 Nurovi Dry breaks the mould at just £499.99… and it promises excellent cleaning power, too.

The Dyson R1 Nurovi Dry isn’t alone, though. It’s one of THREE new robot vacuums unveiled by Chief Engineer Jake Dyson at the Dyson Unveiled Event in Berlin today (which I was lucky enough to get an invite to), and you can read on to find out what makes these new robot vacuums so special.

The affordable R1 Nurovi Dry forms part of the new Nurovi range, aimed at offering varying levels of innovation and cleaning power across three very different machines: the R1 Nurovi Dry, R2 Nurovi Wash+Dry and the Dyson R3 Nurovi Spot+Scrub™ UV.

All three offer varying features and price points, but to cut the jargon, I’ve put the information you need into an easy-to-understand table below:

Of course, the cheapest R1 option is undoubtedly the most basic model, and it's worth weighing this up if you’re buying your first robot vacuum cleaner.

But if you primarily have soft flooring in your home and don’t need a robot vacuum that also mops, it’ll suit you perfectly. Especially with the new, souped-up cleaning technology and the side-sweeper system that aims to reach nooks and crannies like never before.

If you do want a robot vacuum that’ll mop your floors, the R2 is the mid-range option offering both wet and dry cleaning with new Reuleaux triangle pads designed to offer an effective and efficient clean that covers every inch of your floor - something that robot vacuums with round pads often miss.

And this is what Dyson wants from this new era of robotics. Speaking at the event, Jake Dyson explained, ‘With the Dyson Nurovi robots, we’ve rethought things from the ground up – from how debris is captured, to how edges and corners are cleaned, and how the machine senses and adapts to its environment.’

‘The result is a range of robots that clean intelligently, precisely, and effectively across every surface,’ he added.

But if you’re not a fan of robot vacuums, you don’t have to worry. Dyson unveiled a whopping 12 new home appliances at the unveiling - including the new Dyson W1 PencilWash (£299 at Dyson), which builds on the success of the original PencilWash by offering a self-cleaning roller dock and a more absorbent roller.

Or if you’re in the market for an old-school vacuum cleaner with a twist, the iconic vacuum brand has also reimagined the Dyson Big Ball Konical Vacuum Cleaner (£399.99 at Dyson).

You’ll probably recognise this classic design as one of Dyson’s first big successes, but this new model has been upgraded to include the Konical head (which can be seen on the Dyson V16 Piston Animal), improved cyclone technology for powerful suction power, and self-righting ball technology - which means it’ll never fall over.

Fans of the best cordless vacuums, and more specifically the hugely popular Dyson V15 Cordless Vacuum, will also be happy to hear that the brand will release its most powerful V15 model ever in 2027.

I’ll share more details on this in the coming months, but from what I hear, it’s going to be extremely versatile and very powerful.

Things are looking exciting over at camp Dyson!

I test vacuum cleaners for a living. And while I know that a large majority of consumers love the convenience of a cordless vacuum, I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’ll almost always favour corded. That’s because these appliances clean… and they clean well.

Luckily for me, Shark just dropped a brand new corded vacuum: the Shark PowerDetect Transformer LX5001UKT Corded Upright Vacuum Cleaner. But this ‘triple threat’ model isn’t like any other model I’ve seen before, so I was desperate to see if it could compete with the best vacuum cleaners out there - not forgetting the best Shark vacuum cleaners.

In a nutshell

While I do love my job, testing vacuums for a living often takes the shine off cleaning my own house. But I can honestly say that testing the Shark PowerDetect Transformer Corded Upright Vacuum - and then using it in my home as my regular vacuum cleaner - has been pretty exciting.

I had assumed that the 3-in-1 transformation was a novelty that would soon wear off. But two weeks on, I’m still marvelling at how one vacuum can offer so much and deliver such impressive cleaning results - and have even mastered the art of transforming it from upright to stick and then handheld in three seconds flat. I dare you to try and beat that.

As a vacuum, it’s powerful, convenient, and smart in a way that makes cleaning incredibly easy, detecting everything from different floor types to the amount of debris it needs to pick up. And the corded nature means it offers boosted power (compared to cordless vacuums) and unlimited runtime, with a lengthy cord that let me stretch from one side of my house to the other without unplugging.

However, I did have some niggles. Not only did I struggle to find the right tool to vacuum my carpeted stairs, but in upright mode it’s also large and heavy, making manoeuvrability and storage a little tricky. Let’s not forget that it’s almost £500, making it one of Shark’s most expensive vacuums on its roster.

Specifications

• Weight: 8kg
• Cord length: 8m
• Bin volume: 1.3L (upright), 0.2L (handheld)
• Physical modes: 3 (upright, handheld, stick)
• Cleaning modes: 4 (Detect, Hard Floor, Carpet/Low Pile/Thick Carpet/Area Rug)
• Noise level (tested by us): 77- 79 dB
• In the box: Floorhead, vacuum pod, wand, handheld unit, accessory posts, anti-odour cartridge, crevice tool, pet multi-tool, pet power brush, accessory bag
• RRP: £499.99

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

It’s quite literally my job to test vacuum cleaners (yes, really!) so I’m no stranger to big-box deliveries. And while the Shark PowerDetect Transformer came in a hefty 11.5kg box that made me glad I had my Wheetabix that morning, I understood why when I opened it.

After all, the box was packed to the rafters - and in eco-friendly packaging, no less - with so many goodies inside. This included the main floorhead, vacuum pod, wand, handheld unit, accessory posts, anti-odour cartridge, crevice tool, pet multi-tool, pet power brush, and accessory bag.

As I pulled everything out of its packaging, two things initially struck me. 1) Everything felt very sturdy and well-made, which is something I’ve come to expect from Shark. 2) I really loved the green colourway. However, as I was assembling everything, I noticed that the green really picked up dust, so I made a mental note to check on this during testing.

Assembly was very easy, though. I started by inserting the anti-odour cartridge into its home on the floorhead, attaching the wand to the floorhead, and then slotting the handheld portion of the unit to the wand. This is where the cord attaches to the unit, so I unwrapped it and wound it around the dedicated cord holder for the time being.

Then, the last step was to attach the accessory posts to the vacuum pod and then slide the vacuum pod onto the main unit. This is by far one of the heaviest parts of the vacuum, but the pod slid on quickly and efficiently, with little wriggling or faff.

With everything assembled, I could then take a step back and assess the vacuum as a whole. My verdict? It looked good, felt robust, and was certainly an interesting concept. I was just a little worried that it would be fiddly with so many moving parts and modes, so I wanted to get started and see for myself.

Luckily, this model is corded, so I didn’t have to wait for anything to charge. I could just get cracking!

Using the Shark PowerDetect Transformer Corded Upright Vacuum

Before I take any new vacuum for a spin around my home, I always complete a few dedicated tests to help me compare models and ultimately assign a star rating that reflects its performance and price. So, I threw some sugar, porridge oats, rice and my dog’s pet hair on the floor to see how well it reacts to - and removes - different types of debris.

For this test, I put the Shark PowerDetect Transformer in its upright form and turned on Detect Mode so it could adjust its cleaning power according to the floor type and debris level. And as you can see in the video, it tackled all the debris incredibly well and removed everything from the floor in a single forward pass.

So well, in fact, that you can actually see the pet hair being sucked into the rollers before it’s even touched them. And as I live with a dog that sheds a lot, this was amazing to see.

I then repeated the same test on carpet, and the results were identical. And when I began to use it as my everyday vacuum, I continued to find that the Detect Mode was extremely responsive and efficient. It reacted instantly when I moved from my hard flooring to my rug, and the edge cleaning and the floorhead lights picked up dust and debris I didn’t even know was there.

And while I did try out the Manual Surface Modes - which allow you to choose a specific floor type on your own - I didn’t feel like I needed to, as the automatic adjustments of Detect Mode always offered the optimal clean. However, it’s nice to have the option to use them if you have particularly delicate flooring.

I also found myself using the upright mode more often than the stick mode, as the large debris chamber makes it handy for deep, whole-home cleans. But having the option to switch into stick mode in seconds? Well, this was very handy - especially when I needed to clean under furniture or wanted to quickly clean up a dedicated spill. After all, the onboard debris bin for the stick portion is pretty small at just 0.2L.

Of course, the elephant in the room is that this new vacuum cleaner is corded and on the heavier side in upright mode - a dealbreaker for some. But Shark has been very generous with the 8m cord, and I was able to vacuum the majority of my downstairs from the same plug socket. It also propels itself forward when you push gently, so it doesn’t feel as heavy as it is.

But if you have a larger home, you will need to get into the habit of unplugging and replugging to ensure you vacuum every inch. And you’ll still need to carry it upstairs if you want to use it in upright mode - but there at least is the option to take off the upright pod and only take the stick portion upstairs.

As I do with all vacuum cleaners, I also test the noise levels using a decibel meter app on my phone. And one thing to note with the Shark PowerDetect Transformer is that it came in at around 77-79db. This is actually very average for a vacuum cleaner, and while the noise level doesn’t change when you switch modes, the sound does.

The only way to describe it is that Detect Mode sounds quite airy, while the other dedicated floor modes are a bit whinier. Personally, I don’t mind this - and neither does my dog - but if you’re sensitive to sounds, this is something to consider.

Using the attachments

Another aspect of the Transformer’s transformation is that it quickly detaches from the vacuum - either in upright or stick form - into a handheld. Of course, this isn’t new and something that most cordless vacuum cleaners offer, but it’s still something I like to test out properly. Especially as the Shark PowerDetect Transformer also comes with a few accessories.

Included as standard are the crevice tool, pet multi-tool and pet power brush. I always find the crevice to be handy for vacuuming down the sides of the sofa, and Shark’s iteration did the job well. The multi-tool was also a particular favourite of mine.

This tool can be used with or without the bristles (you simply press the lock button to take them apart), and worked wonders on the dirty footstool my dog sleeps on. It removed all the lingering mud he brings into the house and most of the hair. However, that hair then got stuck on the underside of the tool, which I had to remove manually.

Then there’s the pet power brush, which I had high hopes for. This one let me down a bit, though, as I was expecting a motorised tool that would rotate of its own accord and work hard to remove hair and debris - especially on my carpeted stairs. It wasn’t like this, though.

It wasn’t motorised at all, and it seemed like the suction power was lacking, so it missed a fair bit of debris on the stairs. This left me in a bit of a loop as I typically use a motorised tool to vacuum my stairs, so I didn’t quite know how to clean them. In the end, I opted to use the multi-tool again.

Of course, the handheld section is once again corded so you do have to be cautious of the length of the cord - but I’m used to this as someone who has tested numerous corded vacuums, and I don’t mind it.

It’s also worth noting that this model is compatible with many other accessories, too. This includes a duster crevice tool, a home & car detail kit, and an under-appliance wand - and a full list of compatible accessories can be found in the instruction manual or on the website.

All in all, the handheld’s cleaning abilities were ok, but my favourite thing was the fact that, after I’d finished using the handheld portion, I could pop it back onto the main vacuum unit (with the upright vacuum pod attached) and it would automatically empty itself into the larger dust bin.

This is a new feature I loved, as it meant I could use it quickly without having to empty it after each use. In fact, I could use it multiple times without needing to empty the larger debris chamber.

You can see this in the video above - just keep an eye on the handheld dust bin if you don't have the sound on.

Cleaning and maintenance

When the time comes to empty the larger debris chamber/vacuum pod, you can easily remove it from the vacuum and empty it directly in the bin. This is a sealed HEPA chamber, so it shouldn’t release any harmful pollutants into the air.

When you do this, you can also see the pre-motor filter, which needs to be rinsed and air-dried every month. The post-motor filter can be found by pressing the ‘Filter Door’ button, which can be cleaned in the same way every year.

The handheld vacuum portion also comes with its own pre- and post-motor filters, which can be removed when you open up the dedicated dust chamber. Again, the pre-filter needs to be rinsed every month under cold water and left to air dry - but the post-motor filter every six months.

As the floorhead has anti-hair-wrap technology, I didn’t need to remove any hair from the rollers at any point during my two-week testing period, which was a massive bonus. Plus, the anti-odour cartridge released an amazing scent that made my home smell clean after vacuuming. These don’t last forever, though, so will need to be replaced when the scent disappears if you want to continue using it.

Aside from that, very little maintenance is required for the Shark PowerDetect Transformer. But I will say that my earlier prediction was correct, and the green colourway does pick up a lot of dust and becomes quite dirty in use - but this was nothing a quick dust couldn’t fix.

It also needs to be stored in its upright form, really, so it is still quite big and might not suit smaller households with limited storage. So, just beware if you live in a tiny flat.

How does it compare to similar models?

The Shark PowerDetect is a first for Shark, so it’s hard to compare it to anything else. However, it builds upon the specs and features of the Shark PowerDetect Powered Lift-Away Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner I reviewed in November 2025, so it’s a good idea to start there.

The two models look almost identical and offer the same PowerDetect technologies to deliver a deep clean to your floors. The difference is that the original PowerDetect is only a corded upright (with a Lift-Away Pod for smaller jobs), while the new Transformer combines the upright with stick and handheld modes.

So, it really comes down to what you’re after. If you already have a stick vacuum you love and don’t see yourself giving up anytime soon, the OG PowerDetect will still offer that corded power you’re after - and for almost £100 less. But if you want one new vacuum that will do it all and offer multiple variations of itself, it’s probably worth shelling out that extra cash for the Transformer.

Verdict: Should you buy the Shark PowerDetect Transformer LX5001UKT Corded Upright Vacuum?

At my testing facility (AKA my home), I always have at least five vacuums to choose from at any one point. And if I find myself reaching for one vacuum over another even when my official testing process has finished, I know it’s a good’un - and that’s exactly what’s happened with this model.

If you have the money to invest in a new vacuum, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with the Shark PowerDetect Transformer. It’s extremely powerful, offers so many effective cleaning features, and is multi-purpose so you’ll never need to buy a secondary vacuum - or even a handheld vacuum. It’s your all-in-one solution for whole-home cleaning.

However, it is expensive, and upright corded vacuums don’t suit everyone. But if you’ve only ever used cordless stick vacuums, I do think this model could be a great gateway into the corded realm, as its corded stick form offers a happy medium that lets you taste a bit of everything... for a price.

As a home tech reviewer, I've spent the best part of a decade testing appliances out in my home. And I've had the pleasure of taking some of the best robot vacuum cleaners out for a test drive.

Recently, I got my hands on the iRobot Roomba Plus 415 Combo, and it's a strong cleaner but a poor driver. Of course, which of those observations you care about more depends entirely on what kind of home you keep. So, this is everything you need to know.

In a nutshell

The 415 sits at the entry point of the new Roomba Plus range, vacuuming and mopping in the same run, with an AutoWash dock that empties the bin, washes the pads, and dries them with warm air at 45°C. Suction is quoted at 20,000Pa, which iRobot says is 2.8 times that of the older Roomba 505, though the number is less important than the two DualClean pads spinning at 200 RPM underneath.

ClearView LiDAR handles navigation, and the map-building is quick, with the resulting plan coming out pretty accurately. Sadly, there's no camera-based obstacle recognition at this tier, and after a day of watching it drag a cat toy into the hallway, that omission is my defining impression of the machine.

In fact, I've learned that there is a specific noise a robot vacuum makes when it detects a charging cable and mistakes it for a rug. A rising whine, then the sound of furniture scratching and, in the worst cases, ornaments dropped to the floor as a table falls over. I heard it three times in the first hour with the Roomba Plus 415 Combo, which is a shame because between those moments it did some of the best floor cleaning I've had from a robot in this end of the market.

​The dock is the other thing worth discussing, mainly for what it isn't. At 33 x 33 x 48.5 cm, it takes up roughly half the floor of the MOVA P50 Pro Ultra I tested in the same flat a few weeks ago, and it went into its corner without anything else having to move. Anyone who has tried to house a self-washing dock in a small flat will understand why that's such an important detail.

Specifications

• Suction power: 20,000Pa
• Mop function: Yes
• Pad lift: 10mm auto-lift on carpet detection
• Navigation: ClearView LiDAR
• Multi-floor mapping: Yes, up to 3 maps
• Dock functions: Auto-empty, pad wash, 45°C heated drying, self-cleaning cycle
• Dust bag: AllergenLock, up to 3 months
• Cleaning modes: Vacuum only, mop only, both together, vacuum then mop
• Robot dimensions: H8.35 x W30.3 x D29.8cm, 2.9kg
• Dock dimensions: H48.5 x W33 x D33cm, 5.3kg
• Compatible with: Roomba Home app, Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant

How I tested

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

The packaging consisted of too much cardboard and more plastic than I'd like to see in 2026, but that’s not a knock on iRobot specifically.

The cardboard at least goes out with the paper, but the dock arrives inside a full plastic sleeve, and the smaller parts each get their own compartment on top of that. I've said this about every robot vacuum I've tested, and I'll keep saying it.

What's inside is better organised than the outside suggests. A quick start guide, the dock, the robot, clean and dirty water tanks, an edge-sweeping brush, two pairs of mop pads, a spare AllergenLock bag, and both UK and US power leads.

Assembly is where the price shows itself. Everything goes together, but nothing clicks, and the way the panels sit feels flimsy, making me double-check that I'd done it right. Sliding the dock into its corner, I spent most of my energy making sure I didn't knock the water tanks off the top, which may only be a problem on the first day, but it didn't inspire much confidence.

It did, however, pass the test I apply to everything that arrives in a box: whether I can set it up without reading the instructions. The dock is intuitive, the pads only fit one way round, and the app takes over from there.

The robot itself is nicer-looking than most. There's a faux fabric patch across the top and a minimal set of buttons, which is a welcome change from the glossy black plastic discs that make up most of this category. It looks like something that belongs in a room rather than something you'd hide in a cupboard.

One absence I noticed straight away is that there's nowhere to add detergent. Other models have an auto-dosing compartment that meters cleaning solution into every run, but the 415 washes with water alone. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it's worth knowing about if you're used to a floor cleaner that also leaves a smell afterwards.

Ease of use

The Roomba Home app is clean and user-friendly, and the initial mapping run was quick and accurate. You get four cleaning modes, spot cleaning, zone and room selection, scheduling, and the usual voice assistant support across Alexa, Siri and Google.

Where it fell down for me was in the manual controls. I wanted to trigger an auto-empty and a pad wash on demand, partly to time them and partly because I'd just run the machine through BBQ sauce, and I couldn't find an obvious way to do either. They may well be in there, but after twenty minutes of looking, I'd given up, and a feature you can't find is basically a feature you don't have.

Performance

​As per how we test robot vacuums at Ideal Home, I also put the Roomba Plus 415 Combo through some messy tests.

The BBQ sauce test was a roaring success, and I don't say that lightly, given how many robot mops fail it. A fresh, sticky spill on laminate, and the 415 took it up in a single pass, scrubbed rather than smeared, with nothing travelling onto the cream rug sitting alongside. It just dealt with it, then paused a few moments later to wash its pads.​

Edge cleaning is the other genuine strength. The pads and the sweeping brush get right up against the skirting, and the back corner of my lounge by the cat flap, which is permanently filthy in a way no upright vacuum solves, came up lovely and clean.​

Hair pickup was also strong. In the interests of full disclosure, this was my hair rather than the cat's - Jet having made himself unavailable for brushing at the critical moment - but three good tufts of it went up in one pass with no hesitation.

Carpet detection works, and, more usefully, you can hear it working. There's a reassuring uptick in fan noise as it crosses onto a rug, and the pads lift out of the way, so nothing came up damp the next morning.​

Unfortunately, object avoidance is the worst I've tested this year. It’s not cautious or oversensitive like many robots, but simply absent.

Cat toys were dragged from the lounge into the hallway rather than avoided; the robot got tangled in charging cables almost immediately and, at one point, made a determined attempt to climb Jet's puzzle feeder. It also ate my feet, twice, while I was sitting still.

This is the LiDAR-only tier, and iRobot's own product page claims obstacle recognition that steers around cords, shoes, and toys. On the evidence of a full day, I'd treat that claim with a healthy dose of scepticism. The mapping is genuinely good, and the coverage is systematic, but the machine has no idea what any individual object is and behaves accordingly.

It's also deliberately, methodically slow, which I don't mind at all in a machine that runs while I'm out, but it is a problem when you have to babysit.

Cleaning and maintenance

Following the BBQ sauce test, while I was feeling positive about its performance, I opened the robot afterwards to check the brush and found not only remnants of sauce inside but also every strand of hair from the earlier test tightly wrapped around the roller.

On a machine sold on tangle-free rubber brushes, that's a real mark against it, and the sort of thing that turns into a five-minute job with scissors every couple of weeks (or more if you lose hair as I do).

The dock handles the rest well enough. It auto-empties into the AllergenLock bag, pad-washes between runs, and then dries with warm air at 45 °C. That's cooler than the 75°C wash some rivals manage, and whether it's enough to stop pads going sour is a question I can only answer with more time.

​The tanks lift out easily and refill without fuss, and the filters need to be changed every three to six months. Bags and pads are an ongoing cost, and I'd expect it to fall in a similar range to other models in this class.

How does it compare to similar models?

The MOVA P50 Pro Ultra, which I tested in the same flat, has better plumbing and a genuinely anti-tangle brush, but its dock is nearly twice the footprint, and it split the sauce test that the 415 passed outright.

​The Eufy Omni E25 holds a five-star rating from Ideal Home and delivers stronger raw suction, so a mostly carpeted home is better served by it.

​Within iRobot's own range, the step up to the Roomba Plus 575 adds AI visual recognition alongside LiDAR, which is exactly what the 415 is missing. If your floors have cables, pet toys or anything else it might eat, I'd work out what that gap costs before saving money at this tier.

Verdict: Should you buy the Roomba Plus 415 Combo?

If your home is mostly hard flooring and you're reasonably disciplined about clearing the floor, yes, and fairly happily. The mopping is one of the best I've seen at this price; the edges get proper attention, and the dock is small enough that finding it a home isn't a project in itself.

But the object avoidance is a problem, and it isn't a small one. A robot vacuum earns its money by being something you don't have to think about, and this is a machine you have to tidy up for. Every cable, every toy, every pair of shoes left by the door becomes something you deal with before you press start. Whether that's a fair trade depends on how much clearing you were going to do anyway.

As it’s literally my day job to test floorcare tools and appliances, I’m under no illusion that these products often look the same. But when I learned of the brand-new Joseph Joseph UltraClean Microfibre Floor Mop Cleaning System (£80 at Joseph Joseph), it's fair to say that its alien-like appearance intrigued me.

My guide to the best mops already includes a Joseph Joseph mop that I rate very highly. But the UltraClean is a first from the innovative brand known for its space-saving, design-led products. It’s their first mop AND bucket set, to reimagine mopping so you’re only ever cleaning with clean water - instead of pushing dirt around.

But while I have a lot of thoughts about the look of this new mop (more on that later), my first task was to try it out for size and see how well the brand’s new SprayClean technology fares in a real home and against real-life messes. This is how it got on - and why I'm not surprised it sold out once already.

Featuring separate clean and dirty water tanks, the UltraClean is designed to remove dirty water from your mop pad while spraying it with clean water every time you rinse. This allows you to use the perfect amount of water, ensuring you don’t make any mopping mistakes or oversaturate your hard flooring.

This was highly effective when I tested it myself, leaving them damp to the touch but not overly wet. In fact, my floors were dry again in just 5 minutes on a relatively gloomy day with the windows closed. That was its first tick.

And while there’s a lot going on in the way of technology, this doesn’t affect the UltraClean’s ease of use. All you have to do is fill up the clean water tank, add your detergent if desired - I love this Wild Rhubarb Method Floor Cleaner (£4.50 at Amazon) - and then pump it a few times to kickstart the process.

When it's time to refresh the mop, simply pump it again to spray clean water onto the mop pad. At the same time, the dirty water will be scraped into the dirty water tank - leaving behind a clean mop head and a satisfyingly dirty bucket of brown/grey water.

And while the new Joseph Joseph UltraClean was only released a few months ago, it proved so popular that it sold out instantly and has only just come back in stock.

Plus, its impressive reviews prove I’m not the only one who appreciates its cleaning power. One reviewer wrote, ‘The clean and dirty water separation is brilliant, and you can clearly see it lifting dirt. It feels solid and well-made, and it’s very satisfying (if slightly alarming!) to see how much dirt collects in the bucket.’

Another raved, ‘The mop is very lightweight, yet gives a brilliant, effortless clean in hardly any time. I never thought I’d ever say this about a mop, but it looks extremely stylish too!’

That last comment is where things get a little murky for me, though, as I’m still unsure on the design front. On the one hand, it’s very on-brand for Joseph Joseph, and I’d definitely be able to pick it out of a line-up. My husband also loves the modern, alien-like aesthetic and even told me he’d be happy to keep it on display if we didn’t have space in the cupboard to store it.

I’m not as convinced, though. I find the look a little weird and a bit too out there for me, but I will admit that it’s grown on me the longer it’s been in the house. And I guess that’s the difficulty of designing something that’s so very different to the other mops on the market; some people will love it, while others won’t.

But, ultimately, most customers want to buy a mop based on its cleaning power, and the Joseph Joseph UltraClean has that in spades. Plus, it makes an impact.

However, I wouldn’t be doing my job properly if I told you that this new mop was perfect. The price is a big issue for me, especially when you consider that, while impressive, the technology isn’t exactly unique. In fact, it’s very similar to another mop I tested recently, the Vileda H2PrO Flat Mop System (£51.50 at Argos).

As you can see from the pictures below, the basic features of these mops are very similar. They both have separate clean and water chambers, they both offer flat, machine-washable mop heads, they’re both relatively compact, and they both use the same clean-water spraying mechanism within the bucket.

The main difference is the price, with the Vileda mop coming up almost £30 cheaper. The Vileda is also much smaller, making it better suited to smaller spaces. But while they both offer squeaky-clean results, I can confidently say that the Joseph Joseph offers more in the way of manoeuvrability.

The all-access rotating mop head, combined with the telescopic handle, makes it extremely easy to clean smaller nooks and crannies. And while it's extremely lightweight in hand, in true Joseph Joseph form, it still feels very high-quality. Although for £80, I'd expect nothing less.

Whatever mop you buy, though, it’s important that you always vacuum before mopping to ensure the cleaning process is as effective and efficient as possible. Alternatively, you could invest a little more into one of the best vacuum mops that’ll do both jobs for you.

Alternatives to shop

So, will you be joining me in my 'weird' mop era?

The Kärcher SCV 4 promises to take some of the legwork out of cleaning by vacuuming and steam cleaning hard floors at the same time, while doubling up as a regular vacuum on carpets. As someone who's tested plenty of floorcare appliances for Ideal Home, I was keen to see whether this multi-tasking model could compete with the best steam cleaners and mops (and the best vacuums) out there.

After putting it through its paces around my home, there was plenty that impressed me - but it's not without its drawbacks.

In a nutshell

The Kärcher SCV 4's biggest selling point is its ability to vacuum and steam hard floors at the same time, and I was impressed by how effectively it managed both. It made my vinyl kitchen floor look noticeably cleaner after just a few passes, while the sensitive steam mode will be helpful for delicate hard flooring. Better still, it only uses water, so there's no need to buy a separate cleaning solution.

It performed well in my tougher cleaning tests. Flour and raw egg disappeared from my kitchen floor in a single pass, although it struggled slightly more with a large pile of baked beans, with a few getting caught underneath the floorhead. For everyday crumbs and spills, though, I'd be more than happy to reach for it.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was how well the SCV 4 worked as a standalone vacuum on carpet. It picked up almost all of my flour test in one sweep and glided smoothly across the floor, making it a seriously versatile appliance. The self-cleaning mode and powerful LED headlights are handy additions, too.

My main reservations are its bulk and corded design. It can't reach right up to the edges of a room or fit into every tight space, and I found the long cable less convenient than using a cordless cleaner. But if you're happy to sacrifice some manoeuvrability for a solid cleaning performance and want one appliance that can steam hard floors and vacuum carpets, the SCV 4 is a worthy pick.

How I tested

Specifications

• Weight: 7.1kg
• Dimensions: H:122 x W:31 x L:31 cm
• Clean water tank capacity: 500ml
• In the box: main unit, cleaning roller, descaling cartridge, cleaning station, accessories holder
• RRP: £339.99

Unboxing and set up

The Kärcher SCV 4 arrived in a fairly large box that was a little awkward to carry around, but thankfully not too heavy. Inside, all of the parts were neatly packed in cardboard, but there was still some plastic wrapping, which I’d personally prefer to see less of. You can recycle this kind of plastic at most larger supermarkets, at least.

Setting everything up was pretty straightforward thanks to the quick-start guide and (somewhat bulky) instruction manual. The handle slots easily into the main unit, and the cleaning roller is fitted into the roller cassette. I found getting the cassette back into place a little fiddly, but it only took me a few minutes to get it back in place again.

You’ll also need to insert the descaling cartridge into the water tank before getting started. This is included to help protect the appliance from limescale and extend its lifespan, which I thought was a nice addition. Another plus is that you only need to fill the tank with water, so there’s no separate cleaning solution to keep buying.

Design-wise, I wouldn't exactly call the SCV pretty. As someone who loves a cordless vacuum, I'm used to sleek, compact appliances that don't have trailing wires. This isn't necessarily a critique of the product; it's just not my personal preference. But I was hoping the bulk meant it would pack a powerful punch and fare well against heavy-duty cleaning.

Performance

Once I'd filled the water tank up and plugged the SCV 4 in, it was good to go. As the appliance heats up, the screen display lights up with flashing icons for each of its cleaning modes: vacuuming, regular steam mode and a sensitive steam mode, designed for more delicate floor surfaces, such as laminate and sealed wooden floors.

Vacuuming can also be combined with either steam setting, which is a major plus - to be able to vacuum and steam at the same time is never a guarantee, so I was looking forward to putting this feature to the test.

Hard floors

To get used to the feel of the SCV 4, I took it for a quick turn around my vinyl kitchen floor, starting with the vacuum and regular steam functions switched on together. From the off, I could tell this was a powerful appliance - so powerful that it almost seemed to move by itself. Very little effort was required from me to push it around the floor, despite the fairly bulky build. It's also fairly noisy, though not at a level I'd deem unpleasant.

As I passed the SCV 4 around my kitchen, the floor became visibly damp, while crumbs and other small pieces of debris all but disappeared. After just a few passes, the surface looked noticeably cleaner.

While vinyl is hard-wearing enough to withstand regular steaming, I did try the sensitive steam mode as well. Less steam comes out, but the floor still seemed pretty clean afterwards. It's a good option if you have delicate hard flooring in your home.

I'm also a fan of the SCV 4's LED headlights. These are pretty powerful and do a good job of illuminating hidden messes on the floor, especially in darker corners and areas that are harder to see.

For a more controlled test (and as part of how we test products at Ideal Home), I scattered flour, baked beans and a raw egg across the kitchen floor to see how the SCV 4 would cope with these kinds of messy spills. Given how much food we somehow seem to get on the kitchen floor on a weekly basis, I was pretty keen to see the results.

It was impressive to watch the flour and egg disappear in a single pass, but the device definitely struggled more to pick up the beans.

Some were pushed around the floor rather than immediately sucked up, and when I thought I'd finished, I discovered that a few had actually become lodged along the underside of the floorhead rather than making their way into the waste tank. I had to wipe these away with some kitchen roll afterwards.

That said, this was a fairly big chunk of baked beans concentrated in one spot, and the SCV 4 still dealt with most of the mess surprisingly well. The liquid was successfully collected in the dirty-water tank, too, and the floor itself was left looking clean.

Based on this test, I'd be confident reaching for it to deal with everyday kitchen mishaps and smaller food spills, although I'd probably pick up the bulk of chunkier spills first rather than expecting it to replace a dustpan entirely.

Carpets

The SCV 4 can also be used as a regular vacuum cleaner on carpets (though the steam function shouldn't be used here).

It's fair to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the SCV's performance as a vacuum. It glided smoothly across my living room carpet and left behind those satisfying vacuum lines that make it easy to see where I've cleaned.

To put its suction to the test, I scattered some flour across my living room carpet, and it picked up almost everything in a single sweep. Steam vacuums can sometimes prioritise their steaming capabilities over vacuuming, so I was pretty pleased with this result.

I've tested plenty of vacuum cleaners for Ideal Home now, and in terms of straightforward pick-up power, the SCV 4 held its own against some of the best performers I've tried.

Where it falls slightly short as an everyday vacuum is its size. The handle lowers until it's almost flat, which means you can technically reach underneath furniture, but the bulky floorhead still needs enough clearance to fit.

It was also too wide to squeeze through the gap between my sofa and pouffe, something my usual vacuum manages comfortably. It also won't clean the edges of a room, so even if you did choose to use the SCV 4 in place of a standard vac, you'd probably need a good handheld vacuum to use alongside.

I also just prefer the ease of a cordless model compared to a corded one. This might come down to personal preference, but I found the trailing wire of the SCV 4 a bit annoying when I was trying to clean. The cord is also pretty long, which does mean you can comfortably clean larger spaces - but on the flip side, there's more cord to avoid and wrap up when you're done.

Cleaning and maintenance

Handily, the SCV 4 has a self-clean mode, so there's no need to spend a lot of time keeping the device working in tip-top condition. The process is carried out with the vacuum sitting on its cleaning stand, where it runs water through the roller and internal system to help flush out any lingering dirt.

A word of warning, though: make sure you actually put it on the stand before pressing the self-clean button. I made the mistake of starting the cycle while the SCV 4 was still sitting loose on my kitchen floor, at which point the powerful roller sent it trundling off by itself. Amusing in hindsight, but not something I’d recommend repeating, as my floor was quite wet afterwards.

The self-clean function takes a few minutes to complete and does get rather noisy. It also uses a fair bit of water, but the roller brush looked much cleaner afterwards.

The self-clean function takes care of some of the day-to-day upkeep, but it doesn’t remove the need for a little hands-on cleaning, particularly after messier jobs. It's recommended to empty the dirty-water tank after each use, and following my flour, egg and bean test, mine definitely needed more than a quick rinse.

Emptying and washing the tank itself was straightforward, but I had to go in with an old toothbrush to remove the last traces of bean sauce from some of the harder-to-reach areas.

I also wiped around the inlet to the dirty-water tank, where a fairly unappealing combination of bean juice and matted hair had collected, and took the opportunity to rinse the filter at the same time. None of this was especially difficult, but it’s worth bearing in mind that the more ambitious you get with wet food spills, the more cleaning you’re going to need to do afterwards.

Overall, I found maintenance pretty manageable. For everyday vacuuming and steaming, the self-clean cycle should keep much of the routine upkeep to a minimum, while the removable parts are easy enough to rinse when needed. Just don’t expect the machine to completely clean up after itself if you’ve asked it to tackle half your dinner.

How does it compare to similar models?

Currently residing in the top spot of our vacuum mop guide is the Shark HydroVac Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner, which is perhaps the main other model to consider when weighing up whether to buy the Kärcher SCV 4. The Shark offers cordless convenience and a much lighter build, so it's probably going to feel easier to use on a day-to-day basis. But the Shark can't be used on carpets, so you'll save on storage space if you use the SCV 4 as a regular vacuum as well as a mop.

It's also worth comparing it to the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge, another lighter, cordless and easy-to-manoeuvre mop that might be better for everyday cleans. The Bissell is slightly more expensive though (£379.99), and you'll have to commit to an ongoing cost of cleaning solution fairly regularly.

There's also the more affordable Kärcher Floor Cleaner FCV 3, which our reviewer found very easy to steer around hard floors. This is a cordless model with a run time of 30 minutes, and does a great job of both vacuuming and mopping. The main drawback is that it doesn't provide steam cleaning, which is where you'll get a deeper clean on hard floors. But if it's just a mop and vacuum you're after, the FCV 3 is a worthy pick.

How does it rate online?

There aren't a tonne of reviews of the SCV 4 online yet, but those that are out there are fairly positive. It has an impressive 4.8-out-of-5-star rating on the Kärcher website (from 24 reviews), and a 4.4-star rating on Amazon (from 19 reviews).

Customers praise the powerful vacuuming and steam cleaning capabilities, and like the fact that it can be used in place of a regular vacuum. People are most impressed that it can vacuum and steam clean at the same time, though there are critiques around the SCV 4's bulk and the fact that it can't clean the edges of a room.

Should you by the Kärcher SCV 4 Steam Cleaner Vacuum?

The Kärcher SCV 4 isn't the lightest or most nimble floorcare appliance I've tested, but it does an impressive amount to justify its bulk. Being able to vacuum and steam hard floors at the same time makes it a good option for quick but thorough cleans, and during testing it made easy work of everything from everyday dirt to flour and a raw egg.

Its vacuuming performance was one of the biggest surprises for me. It picked up flour from my carpet almost entirely in one sweep and performed just as well as some of the best vacuums I've tested for Ideal Home. That makes the SCV 4 a versatile option if you want one appliance that can tackle both hard floors and carpets, rather than a vacuum mop you'll only be able to use in certain rooms.

The sensitive steam mode also makes it a solid choice for homes with more delicate hard flooring, as you can reduce the amount of steam without giving up the benefits of steam cleaning altogether.

But there are compromises. Its bulky floorhead struggles to clean the edges of a room, the cord makes it less convenient than a cordless model, and my baked bean test showed that chunkier spills can leave some debris caught underneath the roller. The self-clean mode makes maintenance easier, although messier jobs will still require some hands-on cleaning afterwards.

I'd recommend the SCV 4 most to anyone who prioritises thorough floor cleaning over lightweight convenience. It's particularly appealing if you have a mix of hard floors and carpets, want the hygienic benefits of steam without having to keep buying cleaning solution, and would rather invest in one capable multi-purpose appliance.

If grab-and-go cleaning and easy manoeuvrability are your priorities, however, one of the lighter cordless vacuum mops I've compared it to will probably suit you better.

I may be Ideal Home’s Certified Expert in Vacuums, but I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve only recently come to love and appreciate robot vacuums. For many years, I thought they were overpriced and over-hyped, and the models I tested just weren’t giving me the results I expected for such a high-ticket appliance.

But after trying more of the best robot vacuum cleaners and talking to engineers and brands over the past year, I have realised that - for the most part - the problem wasn’t the robot vacuums themselves. Instead, it was the way I was using them, and the state of my house, that resulted in subpar cleaning capabilities.

Since then, I’ve learned that a little prep can go a long way when you live in a normal, everyday home that has shoes on the floor and wires cluttering up the space. And decluttering before using my robot vacuum has drastically improved the efficiency and effectiveness of my new favourite appliance.

Of course, whether a robot vacuum is worth it typically depends on its features. And in today’s modern world, most (but not all) robot vacuum cleaners are equipped with high-tech navigation technology and obstacle avoidance that allow them to clean their way around a house almost completely unaided.

But the reality is that even the most advanced robot vacuums can’t clean under the items on your floor. This leaves gaps in the cleaning cycle that can build up over time and leave your floors looking dirtier and dirtier.

This is echoed by Katie Lillywhite, Small Appliance Expert at AO.com. She says, ‘While robot vacuums are designed to navigate around everyday household furniture, decluttering floors before each cleaning cycle can significantly improve their performance. A clear floor allows the vacuum to follow its route more accurately.’

This is something I didn’t do when I first started using robot vacuums - often because I have to test their navigation skills and obstacle avoidance as part of how we test robot vacuum cleaners at Ideal Home. But I also didn’t tidy up beforehand because I didn’t see these items through the eyes of a robot vacuum cleaner.

After all, as an organisation obsessive, I like to think that my home is pretty tidy. I try not to leave clothes on the floor, and I don’t have any kids who leave toys on the floor.

But I’ve since learned that smaller, less obvious types of clutter - like charging cables and extension leads, shoes, the occasional loose change and my dog's food and water bowls - can also impact a robot vacuum cleaner’s cleaning ability and lead to unreliable, ineffective results. It can also damage the robot vacuum if you’re not careful.

Katie adds, ‘Without decluttering, objects can obstruct the vacuum's progress or become caught in moving parts. This can lead to missed sections of flooring and interrupted cleaning cycles, making the robot vacuum less effective.’

However, it’s important to note that you don’t have to have a whole-home declutter to get the most out of your robotic investment. Before I put my robot vacuum on to vacuum and mop the floors in my home, I spend two minutes walking its route to pick up clutter that would have normally disrupted its cleaning cycle.

If it’s a permanent addition, like my dog’s food and water bowls, I’ll pop them on the kitchen worktop and place them down again later. If it’s temporary clutter that shouldn’t be there, I either rehome it immediately or place it in my clutter bucket to deal with when I have more time.

My only warning with this is that you need to set a deadline for clutter buckets. For example, I give myself until the end of the day to put clutter back in its home, as you’re at risk of creating even more clutter if you ignore it for days on end.

And the beauty of decluttering before using a robot vacuum is that the more you do it, the less time it takes. I’ve become more aware of what I’m keeping on my floors, and I find I’m finding less and less clutter now that I know this is a no-go area. Now, I spend 30 seconds max tidying up my home before my robot vacuum works its magic.

Plus, my floors have never been cleaner, as my robot vacuums can work to the best of their ability with no interruptions!

So, take this as your sign to spend two minutes decluttering before you use your robot vacuum.

The Miele Triflex HX3 Aqua promises to combine the brand's powerful cordless vacuuming technology with a separate AquaTwister mop attachment, giving you the option to vacuum carpets and hard floors before refreshing surfaces with a wet clean.

I put it to the test in my busy family home to see if it could compete with the best vacuum cleaners and the best vacuum mops on the market. While there's a lot to be impressed with, it isn't without its compromises. Here's everything worth knowing.

In a nutshell

I've tested my fair share of vacuums and vacuum mops, but the Miele Triflex HX3 Aqua is one of the most versatile models I've used. As a mum of three, I rely heavily on both mopping and vacuuming my floors daily, so convenience is key - and Miele has put a lot of thought into the design. It has a clever three-in-one configuration, with a generous selection of attachments, and a wall bracket to store everything.

Performance is where the Triflex HX3 Aqua really shines. I was really impressed by its suction on carpets, which left them looking and feeling noticeably cleaner than my usual vacuum, and the AquaTwister attachment left my hard floors looking fresh and streak-free. It isn't the lightest model, and it did feel heavier to push on carpets, but the results made up for the extra effort.

The separate AquaTwister mop attachment means you get a proper cordless vacuum that can also mop hard floors, rather than a hard floor cleaner trying to do everything - a real advantage if you have a mix of carpets and hard floors, or limited storage space. I did personally find swapping between the two floor heads a bit of a hassle, and it did interrupt my cleaning routine more than I'd have liked.

Throughout testing, I was always conscious of the £789 price tag. It's undeniably expensive, and whether it's worth the investment does really depend on how much you'll use the mop function, as there are many more affordable hard floor cleaners out there. But while I didn't find it flawless, its excellent cleaning performance and thoughtful design do still make it an easy vacuum to recommend.

How I tested

Specifications

• Weight: 3.6 kg
• Dimensions: 1297 x 260 x 280 mm (H x W x D)
• Max run time: Up to 70 minutes
• Modes: 3
• Water capacity: 300ml
• Bin volume: 0.5L 
• Charge time: 4 hours
• In the box: cordless vacuum, wall mount, power supply unit, removable battery, multi floor XXL electrobrush, 2 x mop pads, cleaning solution, Aqua Twister, crevice nozzle, dusting brush, XXL SPD 20 upholstery nozzle, accessory storage
• RRP: £789

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

The Miele Triflex HX3 Aqua arrived in a sturdy cardboard box. Although it wasn't particularly light, it was still manageable to carry inside myself. Inside, I found another box, this time branded with the product images.

It opened sideways, and straight away I could see everything was neatly packed. Many of the components were wrapped individually in paper bags, rather than plastic, which left me with a good first impression.

After removing the top layer of moulded cardboard, however, I was greeted with the full collection of parts and accessories. I'll admit, I felt a little overwhelmed at first as there are a lot of different pieces to get your head around.

Alongside the vacuum itself, the box included the Aqua Twister attachment, wall mount, power supply unit, removable battery, multi-floor XXL electrobrush, two mop pads, cleaning solution, crevice nozzle, dusting brush, upholstery nozzle, accessory storage, quick-start guide and user manual.

From a sustainability point of view, the packaging scored well. Most of the protective wrapping was paper-based and easy to recycle, although there were a couple of foam and plastic bags which weren't clearly labelled with disposable instructions. Overall though, it did feel like Miele had made an effort to reduce plastic packaging.

One of the standout features of the Miele Triflex HX3 Aqua is its three-in-one design. The PowerUnit can be placed at the bottom of the suction tube to reduce wrist strain when cleaning larger areas, or positioned at the top to help clean under low furniture. It can also be removed altogether and used as a handheld device for stairs, upholstery and smaller cleaning jobs.

To get started, I placed the unit in the bottom position by attaching it to the floor head. It clicked together easily and intuitively, including the removable battery, which simply slides into place underneath the PowerUnit. Within a couple of minutes, the vacuum was fully assembled and ready to use, and more straightforward than I was expecting considering all the different components in the box.

Before I could use it, I needed to charge the battery, which took around 4 hours to reach full charge - fairly typical for a cordless vacuum. The digital display shows the percentage charge while it's plugged in, so it's easy to track how long a full charge takes.

Using the Miele Triflex HX3 Aqua

As a vacuum

There's a small digital display that sits on the top of the handle of the Miele Triflex HX3 Aqua, with a power button and two controls underneath. The button on the right lets you switch between three suction settings (Eco, Low and High), while the one on the left activates the Boost function, delivering 10 seconds of extra suction power when you need it.

By default, the vacuum starts in Eco mode, which is a medium power level designed for normal, everyday soiling. While it uses FloorDetect technology to adjust the suction power and brush speed depending on the floor surface, it doesn't detect heavier dirt or debris, so you need to switch to High mode or the 10 second Boost function to tackle tougher messes. You can also manually switch between the three power settings, but doing so drains the battery much quicker when using the highest setting.

To familiarise myself with the vacuum, I started by taking it for a spin around the downstairs of my home, which has a mixture of both carpet and laminate flooring.

The vacuum activates in the same way most modern cordless models do - by placing your foot on the floor head and pulling the handle backwards. It glided smoothly over hard floors; it felt lightweight in hand, and the flexible swivel head made it easier to manoeuvre around corners and furniture.

One thing I did notice was that in Eco mode, while the suction power was enough to pick up everyday crumbs, it wasn't quite as powerful when there was larger debris, so I found myself switching to High mode, which made a noticeable difference in cleaning performance and tackled the bigger mess with ease.

The first time I used the Miele Triflex HX3 Aqua on carpets, I was surprised at how different it felt to manoeuvre. It didn't feel as lightweight or glide as effortlessly as it did on floors, and I found myself applying more manual effort. I've got to say, though, that the results were much more impressive. The suction power was immediately noticeable, and it lifted a lot of dust and debris from my carpets. Compared with my regular vacuum, they looked and felt cleaner after just one clean.

I also put the Miele Triflex HX3 Aqua through its paces with a number of controlled tests, which is part of how we test vacuums at Ideal Home. The 'debris test' involves throwing various sizes of debris on the floor and seeing how quickly and effectively the vacuum picks it up.

I scattered some flour, crushed Cheerios and Weetabix across my kitchen floor, and then, keeping the vacuum in Eco mode, I passed it over the debris. While the vacuum had no trouble picking up the flour, it struggled with the bigger mess and pushed the Cheerios further along the floor. I switched to ‘High’ suction mode, and this did make a difference, although it still took a few further passes before it completely picked up everything on the floor.

One thing I did notice was that the estimated remaining battery life dropped much more quickly when I used the higher suction setting.

I then repeated the same test on carpet, and the results were more impressive here. Within the first pass, the vacuum lifted most of the mess and left my floors looking noticeably cleaner.

Overall, although I did need to apply more effort, I did find the vacuum's performance stronger on carpets than on hard floors, particularly when there was larger debris to tackle.

Using the attachments

The Miele Triflex HX3 Aqua also comes with a selection of smaller attachments designed to tackle areas beyond floors. While I think these are useful additions that add to the vacuum's versatility, how much you use them will come down to your own cleaning habits.

I started by testing the upholstery nozzle on my stairs, using the vacuum in handheld mode. It was comfortable to use, and I didn't feel any strain while cleaning the steps, but I was a little disappointed with the nozzle's performance.

It doesn't have any bristles, just a rubber edging, which I didn't find as effective at picking up embedded debris. My stairs were left looking cleaner afterwards, though, and it was convenient to be able to switch to handheld mode rather than reaching for a separate vacuum.

The dusting brush was another useful addition, and I used it to clean my sideboard and other surfaces. It did make a difference to the amount of dust collected, although I personally couldn't see myself replacing my usual dusting method with it for a full clean.

The crevice nozzle was probably the attachment I found the most useful. My breakfast bar stools are a magnet for collected crumbs and trapped dust, so it came in really handy here - its suction power was impressive, and it was satisfying to see how clean the chairs looked after.

As a mop

While the Miele Triflex HX3 Aqua is first and foremost a vacuum, it also comes with a separate AquaTwister mop attachment for mopping hard floors. Setting it up was really simple - there are two round cleaning cloths which attach onto the bottom of the mop easily (they stick on like Velcro).

The AquaTwister mop has a removable plastic water container which sits on the top of the floorhead. To remove it, there's a yellow release button on the inside that you press to remove the container.

I then turned it upside down on a flat surface, removed the rubber stopper and filled the tank with the recommended amount of cleaning solution and water, following the ratio instructions in the manual. Once filled, I popped it back in place and swapped the standard vacuum floorhead for the AquaTwister attachment, ready to start mopping.

One feature I particularly liked about the Miele Triflex HX3 Aqua is that it cleverly detects the change in attachments from the vacuum floorhead to the AquaTwister, so you don't need to change any settings as it adjusts automatically.

As soon as I switched it on, the twin rotating pads started spinning, and the LED lights illuminated the floor ahead to help spot any hidden dirt.

Straight away, I could tell I wouldn't need to do much work; the mop feels like it has a self-propelling motion and it glided effortlessly across my floors. In use, it reminded me of the Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic, which also uses rotating pads. The main difference is that the Shark is a steam mop and arguably feels more powerful, whereas the Miele is designed as an attachment rather than as a dedicated steam mop.

My floors were left with a light layer of moisture and felt noticeably cleaner, and they were dry enough to walk on within a couple of minutes.

I also had an ideal opportunity to test its performance on bigger spills after accidentally spilling some coffee on my kitchen floor. Considering the spill was fairly large, it removed most of it within the first pass and lifted most of it after a couple more passes. It left the floor looking much cleaner with very little effort on my part.

Afterwards, I could just throw the mop pads in the wash, which made the clean-up process feel quick and hassle-free.

Cleaning, storage and maintenance

Cleaning the Miele Triflex HX3 is relatively straightforward, but like most floor cleaners, it requires basic upkeep. There is a 'Max' mark on the dust container, but the manual recommends emptying it before it reaches that level. To remove it, first detach the PowerUnit from the main vacuum, press the release button on the side of the dustbin, and lift it away from the main unit. The lid can then be opened over a bin, using the release catch on the bottom.

For deeper cleaning, the vacuum has a two-stage filtration system made up of a pre-filter and a fine-dust filter. Miele advises cleaning the fine dust and pre-filter at least once every three months, but when I removed it after a couple of weeks, it was already covered in dust and dirt, so it really depends on how often you're going to be using the vacuum.

The roller brush can also be removed using the arrow on the flap on the side of the floor head. When I did this, I was shocked at how much hair (I won't lie, I'm definitely the culprit) was wrapped around the brush. Luckily, it was easy to remove and cut away with scissors.

I appreciated the fact that the mop pads were coloured, as I've previously tested white ones, and even though they're washable, it can be hard to keep them looking their best. These mop pads are machine washable, and as they remove easily, maintenance feels very straightforward. Miele also supplies an extra couple of pads, which is a small touch but genuinely useful.

Although the Miele Triflex HX3 comes with several different attachments, it also includes an accessories holder and a wall bracket, so everything can be stored compactly together when not in use.

How does it compare to its predecessors and similar models?

The Miele Triflex HX3 Aqua builds on its popular lineup of cordless vacuums, particularly the original Triflex HX1. Like its predecessor, it features Miele's 3-in-1 design, allowing the unit to be positioned in different ways depending on the task.

The main addition with the HX3 Aqua is the AquaTwister, so you can use it to mop floors, too. Rather than replace the traditional vacuum design, Miele has introduced mopping as an additional feature, so it doesn't scrimp on performance. The most noticeable difference is the price point, as the HX3 is significantly more expensive, but it's a huge step up in terms of versatility.

In terms of other brands, it's worth comparing to the Bosch Unlimited 7 Aqua, which is also a cordless vacuum with a mopping function. Our reviewer also scored it 4 stars. The main differences are that it does have a lower price tag and the attachments are arguably more effective, but the battery life isn't as long, and the dustbin is smaller, so it will need emptying more regularly.

How does it rate online?

At the time of testing, the Miele Triflex HX3 Aqua was still relatively new, but I did find a handful of reviews across different online retailers.

On Miele's website, the cordless vacuum has seven reviews and an impressive 4.7-star rating. Users praise it for being practical and versatile, with one reviewer describing it as a significant improvement on the HX1. The only notable criticism was that emptying and cleaning felt more complicated than expected.

There are a further six reviews on Currys, with customers awarding it a 4.2-star rating. Opinions were slightly more mixed, although customers still praised its strong cleaning performance. The main criticisms centred on the separate vacuum and mop attachments, with one reviewer feeling the machine was overpriced for what it offers.

It's also stocked on John Lewis, and has a 4-star rating. Feedback told a similar story: some users were really impressed with the vacuum suction and mopping function, but the separate mopping and vacuuming attachments and ease of use made it less convenient to use.

Verdict: Should you buy the Miele Triflex HX3 Aqua?

I do think the Miele Triflex HX3 is a great choice if you're looking for a premium cordless vacuum that can do more than just pick up everyday dirt. Its impressive suction, flexible design and added AquaTwister attachment make it a versatile option for homes with a mix of hard floors and carpets. It's particularly ideal if you want to avoid having multiple cleaning appliances taking up valuable storage space.

At £789, it won't be the right choice for everyone. If you mainly need a hard floor cleaner, there are more affordable options available, and if you prefer a vacuum that can mop and vacuum at the same time, switching between the attachments may feel like an inconvenience.

Overall, if you want a high-quality vacuum with the flexibility to tackle everything from carpets, stairs and upholstery to refreshing hard floors, the Miele Triflex HX3 is a strong contender.

Shark has just dropped four ‘Luxe’ colourways of its uber-popular PowerDetect UV Reveal Robot Vacuum (£1039.99 at Shark). And as the proud owner of the OG black colourway, I must admit that I’m a little jealous of this chic, aesthetic upgrade.

This handy, hands-free model has already staked its claim in my best robot vacuum cleaner guide thanks to its impressive suction power, squeaky-clean mopping ability, and the ridiculously smart UV Reveal technology that uncovers hidden stains on your floors. But while I’ve used it every day since testing it, the black colourway has always been a bit… meh.

These four new colourways are designed to fight back against the traditional black-and-white appliance trend, though. They will work with your home decor and will suit those who want their appliances to be a showpiece in their home - and I think they clean up very nicely.

Adding Evergreen, Espresso, Dove, and Deep Harbour colourways to the roster, Shark has broken away from the ‘ugly’ and ‘boring’ home appliances we’re used to. And luxurious upgrades like this are something I’ve rarely seen in my time as Ideal Home’s Certified Expert in Vacuums. Most of the time, robot vacuums are an addition to the home, rather than a well-thought-out inclusion.

And while I gave the PowerDetect UV Reveal Robot Vacuum an almost perfect 4.5-star review for its mess-busting performance, one of my biggest niggles was that the black colourway was a magnet for dust and dirt. As a lover of colourful, chic home decor, it was also impossible to tuck in the corner without it sticking out like a sore thumb.

However, the brand describes this new Luxe Collection as ‘Elevated design meets exceptional performance - now in a premium finish crafted to live beautifully in your home.’

This is a smart move on Shark’s part, as it’s difficult to hide a robot vacuum cleaner at the best of times. But it’s even harder when a robot vacuum clashes so much with your interior decor. So, offering customers the chance to choose a colour that forms part of their interior decor opens up a whole new world of cleaning capabilities - without compromising on style.

And the good news is that Shark has used an existing robot vacuum cleaner to experiment with this new ‘Luxe’ look, instead of launching an entirely new model. This means that expert vacuum testers like myself have already tested its cleaning power and rated it pretty positively, and customers have already had their chance to independently review it, too.

The bad news is that those people (like me) who already own the black or white colourway are now stuck with these monochromatic colours. Plus, the ‘Luxe’ colourways also come at a premium price and will set you back an extra £40, taking the price point over £1,000.

This means it's really an investment piece rather than a throwaway purchase, but one of the things I’ve learned while testing robot vacuum cleaners is that if you buy cheap, you often buy twice. Premium models typically offer more in terms of functionalities, quality, and overall cleaning power, and the Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal Robot Vacuum is one of them.

Just be warned that every appliance has limitations, and Shark robot vacuums famously offer a very basic app with basic floor mapping. Personally, I find the app to be refreshingly simple compared to overly complicated competitors, but the brand does cut out customers who want to clean both levels of their homes by not offering multi-floor mapping. Even luxurious colourways can’t make up for that.

But even if a robot vacuum doesn’t work for your home, Shark also has ‘Luxe’ colourways in their cordless Shark PowerDetect Speed Vacuum Cleaner, too. I gave this full-size vacuum cleaner an impressive 5-star review - and the new colourways are slightly different, so may suit your home better.

My vote is that ‘Espresso’ will be the ‘it’ colour of the year....

As Ideal Home’s Certified Expert in Vacuums, I test vacuum cleaners day in and day out. Couple that with homeownership and being a dog mum, and I feel like I’m constantly cleaning and emptying my vacuum’s dustbin. That’s why I’ve really come to love auto-empty vacuums.

And while the best Dyson vacuum cleaners come in so many different shapes and forms, this big-name brand hadn’t entered the auto-empty chat until recently. So, when I got the chance to test out the new Dyson V10 Konical Cordless Vacuum and Auto-Empty Dok for myself, I jumped at the chance. But how did Dyson’s first auto-empty vacuum hold up?

In a nutshell

I love it when the best vacuum cleaners get a refresh, and welcoming auto-empty vacuums to the market is a switch-up we’ve been crying out for. After all, everyone knows that emptying a vacuum’s dust bin is the worst (and messiest) job of all. But the Dyson V10 Konical Cordless Vacuum and Auto-Empty Dok was a strange one for me to review.

From a cordless vacuum cleaner point of view, Dyson has nailed it with the V10 Konical. The 150AW of power is more than enough for everyday cleaning and tackled my rigorous debris testing with ease, and the brand’s famous conical floorhead dealt with the pet hair in my home without getting tangled or caught once. It’s also extremely lightweight, has a long 60-minute run time, and has an average-sized dust bin on the main unit.

The brand’s new Auto-Empty Dok, however, didn’t impress me the same way. Although I liked the onboard tool storage, it was way too big and cumbersome for my house and stood out like a sore thumb in terms of both size and aesthetics. And while, in theory, the Auto-Empty Dok should empty the V10 Konical vacuum automatically after each use, I found that it struggled to expel all of the debris and hair almost every time.

Of course, larger homes with less pet and human hair may find space for it and experience full auto-emptying capabilities. But these niggles, and the fact that I’d need to buy replacement dust bags in the long run, left me feeling a little disheartened. However, I do see the vacuum itself being a huge hit, and I think it was a great idea from Dyson to allow customers to buy the vacuum without the Dok. It’s obviously cheaper this way, and I’ve popped links to where to buy it below.

Specifications

• Weight: 2.65kg (vacuum), 7.2kg (Dok)
• Suction power: 150 Air Watts (AW)
• Bin volume: 0.5L (vacuum), 2.5L (Dok)
• Run time: 60 mins
• Charge time: 4 hours
• Modes: Eco, Medium, MAX
• Noise level (tested by us): 79-86dB
• In the box: Main unit, Auto-Empty Dok, Conical Floorhead, Mini Motorised Tool, Crevice Tool, Wall Dok

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

Floorcare appliances aren’t exactly small, and I’m used to receiving large parcels as Ideal Home’s Floorcare Editor. But was I expecting the box of the Dyson V10 Konical and Auto-Empty Dok to be as giant as it was? Well, no.

Not only was the box almost as tall as me (I come in at 5’2”), but it was also incredibly heavy at almost 20kg. There were some carry handles to make manoeuvrability easier, but I still struggled to get it over the threshold of my home by myself. So, bear this in mind if you live solo or have any mobility issues.

Inside the main box was a game of eco-friendly Tetris, as it was filled with three more boxes - one large one and two smaller ones. I soon learned that the larger box held the Auto-Empty Dok, one of the smaller ones held the base of the Dok, and the third held the V10 Konical vacuum in its entirety.

There was very little plastic to contend with, which pleased me, and as someone who hates reading instructions, I was happy to learn that I could assemble both the Dok and the vacuum without consulting the written instructions. In fact, it took me less than two minutes to get everything where it needed to go.

One thing I loved straight off the bat was that everything was very self-contained. The vacuum sits in the Dok, and both the dust bag (which was already inserted, although Dyson also provides a spare) and the tools sit in their respective compartments within the Dok. This is a nice perk for me, as smaller vacuum bits and bobs do tend to go walkabout in my house.

However, the (very big) elephant in the room was that this vacuum and its Dok aren’t small. The Dok is huge and completely overtook my dining room. Granted, I’m in the process of moving house, and my dining room is also serving as a storage space for boxes, but there’s no denying that this will really stand out in any home.

This was a bit off-putting for me, to be honest, as I do feel like it could have been designed to be smaller, but I appreciate that looks and size aren’t everything. So, I let the Dyson V10 Konical charge on the Dok for a few hours before testing it out properly.

Using the Dyson V10 Konical Cordless Vacuum and Auto-Empty Dok

Offering 150 Air Watts (AW), the Dyson V10 Konical Cordless Vacuum sits comfortably alongside the Dyson V8 Cyclone in terms of power. And what I loved about this budget-friendly model was that it offered just enough power for everyday cleaning - and the V10 Konical is no different.

This was proven when I threw oats, rice, and sugar onto my hard flooring as part of our vacuum cleaner testing process. The idea here is that a good-quality vacuum with effective suction power should be able to remove all of the debris from the floor in as few passes as possible - ideally just the one forward pass. Amazingly, that’s exactly what the Dyson V10 Konical did. There were a few stragglers that needed a backwards pass, but overall I was really impressed with the pickup power.

I then repeated the process on carpet, and was just as impressed. It tackled both the larger debris and the smaller debris with ease - and one look at the onboard dust canister proved that it also managed to pick up some lingering hair that was embedded into my carpet fibres.

I continued to be impressed with the Dyson V10 Konical as I continued using the cordless vacuum around my house for general cleaning. At 2.65kg, the cordless vacuum is incredibly lightweight and manoeuvrable, and I personally love the conical floorhead and its pickup ability (although I do know that some people don’t like it as much as Dyson’s older design).

It tackled hard flooring, carpets, and rugs with ease, and I didn’t feel like the suction power lowered as I moved from one flooring type to the next. Plus, the classic Dyson green laser made invisible dust and debris visible - offering a more efficient overall clean.

There are three modes available - Eco, Medium, MAX - but I rarely found myself having to stray from Eco, as this was enough to tackle the everyday debris in my home over the course of almost two weeks. Because of this, I was able to make use of the 60-minute run-time, which is extremely generous.

Using the attachments

The Dyson V10 Konical and Auto-Empty Dok comes with two attachments: the classic crevice tool and a mini motorised tool. These can be used when the vacuum is in its handheld form, and overall I found this to be super quick and convenient to grab for smaller messes.

It’s extremely lightweight in handheld mode, and while the crevice tool is nothing remarkable (I’ve yet to find a crevice tool from any brand that has wowed me, as it’s just a nice extra), it still managed to get into the smaller nooks and crannies of my house.

As a dog mum and the owner of woollen carpets that hide hair and debris, I love any motorised tool, and the Dyson motorised tool was definitely a handy addition to my cleaning routine. I used it to clean everything from my carpeted stairs to my dog’s bed and a velvet sofa bed, and found it did exactly what I needed it to.

Another thing I do really love is that the tools can be stored in a little compartment on the Dok. This meant that they were always accessible for when I needed them, but still tucked away so they didn’t clutter up my space.

It’s also worth noting that you can buy extra accessories for the V10 Konical on the Dyson website if you need more. These vary in price from around £19 up to £80, so they can be expensive, but it’s nice to have the option to add more if you would benefit from using them.

Cleaning and maintenance

The beauty of the Dyson V10 Konical Cordless Vacuum and Auto-Empty Dok is that cleaning and maintenance is fairly limited. The vacuum itself has an on-board dust capacity of 0.5L, which was enough to successfully vacuum my small three-bed terrace without needing to empty it. But even if you do fill up the 0.5L onboard capacity before you finish vacuuming, you can simply pop it on the Auto-Empty Dok and empty it in seconds.

Dyson claims that the onboard bagged capacity of 2.5L should offer space for up to 60 days’ worth of dust, depending on your cleaning habits. And after almost two weeks of testing, I can confirm that it’s nowhere near full.

The Auto-Empty Dok wasn’t flawless, though. I have a very hairy household thanks to my dog’s hair and my long hair that seems to get everywhere. And while the V10 Konical excels at sucking up this hair without it getting stuck, the Dok doesn’t have as much luck. On almost all occasions, the auto-emptying function just couldn’t pull the last bit of hair out of the onboard canister and down into the bag.

This didn’t happen every time, but it happened enough for it to become annoying and meant that I either had to start cleaning with the canister already partially filled, or I had to manually remove it. So, it seemed to defeat the object of the Auto-Empty Dok slightly.

Of course, another negative of being a bagged Dok is that you need to buy replacement bags. Dyson includes two as part of the purchase, but at the time of writing, I can’t actually find the replacement bags on the Dyson website. So, this is something that Dyson needs to address as soon as possible, as ongoing costs are a factor many people consider when buying a new vacuum.

Nevertheless, the Dok also serves as a charging point for the V10 Konical, and it will start charging it as soon as you pop the vacuum on it. This means that you’ll never be without battery power - as long as you remember to place it back on the dok. A full recharge takes about 4 hours.

In terms of other cleaning and maintenance, the Dok has a HEPA filter that needs to be washed every two months - or when the Dok alerts you with a warning light. All you need to do is pull it out, rinse it under cold water, allow it to air dry fully for at least 24 hours, and then re-insert.

The vacuum itself also has a washable filter, which should be washed every two to four weeks depending on use and cleaning habits. Again, let it dry completely before putting it back in the vacuum.

How does it compare to similar models?

I’ve tested a lot of vacuums over the years, but auto-empty docks are still relatively new to the game. Because of this, it’s hard to compare it to many alternatives, but there’s no denying it’s very similar to the Shark PowerDetect Speed Clean and Empty Pet I tested a few months ago.

These are two new auto-empty vacuums from two very big vacuum brands, and they’re also at a fairly similar price point - the Dyson is £569.99, and the Shark is £499.99. They also both have the exact same suction power of 150 Air Watts (AW), and two attachments that can be stored on the docks.

There are some differences, though. The Shark auto-empty dock is bagless - meaning it’s less hygienic but will cost less in the long run- while the Dyson is bagged - which means it’ll suit those who struggle with allergies better. But you will need to pay for bags as the months go by.

There’s also the size difference. For me, the Shark is way more accessible for the everyday household as it’s so much smaller, even with the auto-empty dock. It’ll neatly tuck away in a corner, and it looks fairly inconspicuous thanks to the variety of colourways available.

The Dyson is not inconspicuous. It’s big, it’s bold in its black colourway, and I think Dyson has limited its customer pool by making it so large. For my cosier home, the Shark suits me better. If you have the space, though, the Dyson should fit into a larger home.

In terms of performance, though, they’re both incredibly similar and offer many of the same functionalities. So, which one is better ultimately depends on your preference in terms of size, look, and ongoing maintenance.

Verdict: Should you buy the Dyson V10 Konical Cordless Vacuum and Auto-Empty Dok?

I’ve now spent almost 500 hours testing vacuum cleaners with Ideal Home, and this has definitely been one of the most difficult vacuums to rate. Because, yes, I would recommend the Dyson V10 Konical Cordless Vacuum.

It offers the premium quality and capabilities you’d expect from a big name like Dyson, and I genuinely enjoyed cleaning with it and seeing the impressive results. At £469.99, I do think it’s on the cheaper end of the Dyson spectrum, and is a nice, affordable option for those who can’t quite justify their more expensive models.

However, the Auto-Empty Dok just didn’t hit the mark for me. Considering it adds over £100 to the price tag, I expected it to blend seamlessly into my home and offer a convenient, auto-emptying function that meant I wouldn’t need to lift a finger until the dust bag was full and needed replacing. As that wasn’t the case - and the Dok is just way too big for my liking - I’m not sure I’d recommend it unless you have the space.

I’d like to think that this is a first iteration for Dyson, though, and they’ll continue to work on bringing more auto-empty docks into the mix as the years go by. After all, the idea is there, and I do believe people want auto-empty docks in their homes. But the execution is just a little off.

I have been, until fairly recently, a robot mop denier. Too often it means paying several hundred extra pounds for a machine to drag a damp wipe across your floor and call it cleaning, and the results tend to look like a floor that’s been made a bit wet rather than properly washed.

So, I was intrigued to take the P50 Pro Ultra Robot Vacuum - from the fairly under-the-radar MOVA brand - for a spin, to see if a smaller brand can offer wet (and dry) floor cleaning features that some established brands still haven't quite nailed. My take? It's certainly a contender for one of the best robot vacuum cleaners out there.

In a nutshell

The P50 Pro Ultra is a vacuum-and-mop combo with a self-emptying, self-washing, self-drying dock, and its real strength is in the mopping. At the start, it had a low bar and a hostile jury, but what changed my mind, more than any of the headline numbers, was the plumbing: a 4L clean water tank, a 3.5L dirty one, a separate detergent compartment, and two rotating pads that spin against the floor instead of being towed across.

Hot water at 75°C also cleans the pads between runs, warm air dries them, and 32 moisture levels mean you can dial the water down for laminate and up for vinyl without thinking about it every time.

On paper, the vacuuming is just as impressive, with 19,000Pa of suction quoted on the box. In practice, on my laminate and vinyl it was never anything less than thorough, though on a thicker rug, it's fine rather than exceptional, and I'd weigh that carefully if your home is mostly carpeted.

Where it consistently surprised me was at the edges. The back door off my lounge has a catflap within it, which means that patch of floor and skirting is permanently filthy in a way no upright vacuum ever quite solves. The P50 gets right into it, both vacuuming and mopping, and after a few sessions, that corner looked better than it has since I moved in. So, consider me impressed.

Specifications

• Suction power: 19,000Pa
• Max. run time: 210 mins
• Charge time: 3.5 hours
• Dust capacity: 3.2L bag in dock (up to 75 days)
• Water tanks: 4L clean, 3.5L dirty
• Mop function: Yes, dual rotating pads, 32 moisture levels, 75°C wash and 45°C dry
• Maps: Up to four floors
• Dimensions (with dock): H42 x W45.8 x D47cm
• Weight (with dock): 13.76kg
• Compatible with: MOVAhome app, Alexa, Google Home

How I tested

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

No getting around it: the MOVA P50 Pro Ultra Robot Vacuum has too much packaging. Thankfully, it's almost entirely cardboard and recyclable, so it went out with the paper rather than into landfill, but I'll always favour brands that keep the box count down in the first place. Boxes inside boxes inside a box, with a cardboard sleeve on top for good measure, will never not be frustrating.

It's also a hefty machine. At 13.76kg with the dock, and 47cm deep, this takes up considerably more floor than I'm used to, and I've tested quite a few self-emptying models before. In a one-bedroom basement flat, finding it a home meant genuinely rearranging a corner, but I managed it, which suggests most people will be able to tuck it away somewhere. Still, if you're short on floor space, I'd measure before you buy rather than after.

Setup itself is quick and easy. You simply fit the ramp extension plate, attach the mop pads to their holders, fill the clean water tank, drop the cleaning solution into the auto-detergent compartment, and dock the robot. The tanks lift out from the top of the dock with a nice handle, which is appreciated when you're carrying 3.5L of dirty water to a sink.

Then comes the app, and as always with these machines, it works far better once you've committed to it. Once the MOVAhome app was downloaded and the robot connected to the Wi-Fi, the experience was lovely. First, you send your new robot friend off to look around, room by room, building a map.

I was shocked, in a good way, that not only did it find its way into every room, but it worked out which room was which. It labelled the primary bedroom, the corridor, the bathroom, the kitchen, and the living room. More impressively, it identified the back portion of my lounge as a dining hall, which it can only have worked out by recognising a table and chairs and drawing a conclusion.

I then spent far too long editing that map, placing tiny bits of furniture and curtains around the plan to give the robot as much information as I could. You might not be as into that sort of thing as I am, but it does mean the app rewards fiddling, if you're the fiddling type.

Ease of use

The app has depth without being intimidating, and the setup flow walks you through the options one at a time rather than dumping an entire settings menu on you. AI-driven MopExtend, which swings the pad out at walls and table legs, is toggled on during setup.

So is the pets-in-the-home setting, which makes the robot more cautious around anything living, and an optional feature that captures animated GIFs of your pets while it cleans.

There's a voice assistant too, woken with "Hey MOVA", which works well enough for those who want or need a hands-free experience.

The choices that actually change the outcome are simpler than the feature list suggests. You can run a deep clean, toggled on and off in the app, with the only real trade-off being a longer cycle and more water used.

You can also choose whether the robot vacuums and mops simultaneously or does one job and then the other. I went with simultaneous for my first proper run, largely because I wanted to see whether it could multitask.

Turns out it could, and it did an admirable job of navigating a flat with a confusing layout that is also, at present, half-renovated. I'd cleared what I could from the floor before mapping, but there was still plenty in its way, and it worked around all of it without getting stuck or crying for help in a doorway. Stray wires are still an issue, but it never got stuck on any curtains.

Performance

The single most impressive thing was that its initial look around had correctly identified every rug in the flat, so it didn't try to mop them. No wet edges or damp patches to discover the next morning.

On a thicker pile, it can lift the pads by 10mm, and if you set it up that way, it will drop the pads back at the dock entirely before vacuuming the carpet and collect them again afterwards. It's a clever bit of engineering, and removes the one big anxiety that has always stopped me leaving a robot mop running unsupervised.

Edge cleaning is the other genuine strength. Both the side brush and the mop arm extend outward, so skirting boards, kickboards and the gap beside the catflap get properly attended to.

Object avoidance is a more mixed picture. In vacuum mode it's quite sensitive, sometimes to the point of giving a stray shoe a wider berth than it needs and leaving a small unswept halo behind. In mop-only mode it seems noticeably less cautious. Neither behaviour is a problem, exactly, but the inconsistency seems odd.

I ran the two tests I always run when testing robot vacuum cleaners for Ideal Home. The first was cat hair, in tufts, on a hard floor. The P50 picked up one tuft cleanly but treated the second as a solid object and drove around it. I'd call that a draw, and it's worth knowing if you live with a heavy shedder. The anti-tangle brush is excellent in its main job, though, and I've yet to cut a single hair off the roller.

The second was the sauce test, using sticky BBQ sauce, and here the result was genuinely split. Roughly half of it came up instantly, scrubbed away rather than moved around, but the other half got spread, and some of it travelled onto the cream rug sitting alongside. That's the limitation of any rotating pad system on a fresh wet spill, and it's why I'd still reach for kitchen roll first and let the robot handle the residue rather than the incident.

For dried-on marks, though, it's a different machine altogether. Coffee rings and dried splatter are exactly what those spinning pads and hot water are for.

Cleaning and maintenance

This is where the P50 earns back the space it takes up. After each run, the robot empties itself into a 3.2L bag in the dock, good for around 75 days of debris, then washes its own pads with 75°C water and detergent before drying them with warm air. That means no sour mop smell, which is a normal failure point for cheaper models.

The clean tank, dirty tank and detergent compartment are all easy to remove, fill and rinse, which sounds like faint praise until you've wrestled with a model where they aren't.

My only regular job was tipping the dirty water away, and even that didn’t come around every time (depending on how much mopping you're asking of it).

You will need to buy replacement dust bags, filters and eventually mop pads, which comes to somewhere in the region of £40 to £60 a year with moderate use. That's normal for the category rather than a MOVA quirk, but it's a running cost to factor in, and it's worth registering your purchase so the three-year guarantee is straightforward if you need it.

How does it rate online?

Owner reviews of the MOVA P50 Pro Ultra skew strongly positive, particularly from people who bought during a sale. On Amazon and in robot vacuum Reddit communities, the recurring praise is for the mapping, the mopping and the dock automation, and there's a consistent line of reasoning that goes something like: flagship Roborocks and Dreame models may be marginally better, but not by enough to justify the gap in price.

There have been scattered owner reports of front wheel failures on early P50 Pro units, with at least one person describing two units going the same way within weeks. That appears to be an anomaly rather than a pattern, and MOVA has reportedly revised the part since.

How does it compare to similar models?

The obvious comparison in this price bracket is the Eufy Robot Vacuum Omni E25, which Ideal Home rated a perfect five stars. That model uses a rotating roller mop rather than dual pads and hits harder on raw suction, so if your home is largely carpeted, it could be the better buy. The MOVA takes the edges and corners more convincingly, and the removable-pad trick is something Eufy doesn't offer.

Verdict: Should you buy the MOVA P50 Pro Ultra?

If your home is mostly hard flooring, yes, and I say that pretty enthusiastically. The mopping ability is the reason to buy the MOVA P50 Pro Ultra Robot Vacuum, and I don't say that lightly given where I started. Two spinning pads, real tanks, hot water washing and an arm that reaches the edges add up to a machine that actually cleans a floor rather than giving the illusion of being helpful.

But I'd measure your floor space before you commit. The dock is a substantial object, and no amount of clever design gets around 47cm of depth in a small flat. I found a corner in a one-bedroom basement, so it can be done, but it took some negotiating.

As Ideal Home’s Certified Expert in Vacuums, you could say that I’m a little obsessed with floorcare. I’m also lucky to have a regular rotation of vacuum cleaners to test in my house (yes, this really is my job), which means I’ve gotten hands-on with vacs of all makes and models.

But the best vacuum cleaners aren’t a one-size-fits-all appliance. From cordless vacuums to cylinder and upright models, you can even buy vacuum mops to tackle dry and wet messes. Plus, there’s the hands-free option of the best robot vacuum cleaners.

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’m a robot vacuum cleaner convert, but until recently I’d only ever really used my robot alongside my regular vacuum. So, I decided to ditch my hands-on appliance in favour of a fully hands-off approach for an entire week. And this is what I learned along the way.

1. They're a help, rather than a hindrance

I created a whole testing criteria for robot vacuum cleaners at Ideal Home, as I only ever want people to buy appliances that will positively serve them and their homes. And one thing I definitely learned over a solid week of only using a robot vacuum was that they are a massive help.

There’s something so satisfying about watching something else do a cleaning task for you, and across the week I set mine to vacuum AND mop while I was working from home or taking the dog for a walk. And the bonus is that this consistency rarely wanes, as these robots thrive on planned routes, cleaning schedules and routines.

However, there is a caveat: this isn’t the case across the board. And after testing countless robot vacuums, I can confidently say that more expensive models with enhanced features always do a better job, as cheaper models often struggle with obstacles and navigation, making them more of a hindrance.

That’s why I’d always suggest buying a robot vacuum as an investment, rather than a cheap model off the cuff. Sure, the same goes with regular vacuums, but the truth is that there’s less risk, as you can often pick up a cheap cordless vacuum that gets the job done extremely well without the same fluctuations in effectiveness and efficiency.

2. They’re a hands-free hero if you're short on time

Due to what I thought was poor planning on my part, I timed my week-long robot vacuum cleaner marathon with the week before moving house. But while I was spending every free moment boxing up my belongings and dismantling furniture, I was able to perfectly test the hands-free nature of robot vacuums compared to regular vacuums.

Aside from filling and emptying the clean and dirty water tanks, I didn’t have to touch the robot vacuum at all during testing. I set schedules on the app to clean at certain times, chose my cleaning settings (something you need to consider if you’re buying your first robot vacuum) and let it loose in my house.

It vacuumed and mopped without any further input from me, emptied its debris, cleaned itself, and charged itself without me needing to do anything. And in the end, I was still able to benefit from clean floors - just as I would have if I’d used my regular vacuum to clean by hand.

Because of this, robot vacuum cleaners can really be a game-changer for parents or shift workers who just don’t have much time to dedicate to cleaning. However, just be warned that robot vacuums can’t clean everything - and they won’t be able to clean tight corners, stairs, or targeted messes.

3. I could probably get rid of my regular vacuum, but I won’t

As you can probably tell, my week-long stint with a robot vac made me fall in love all over again. And if I swapped my regular vacuum for a powerful handheld, I do think the robot, coupled with this smaller cleaning tool, will cover all the bases a robot alone might miss. However, I’m not going to get rid of my regular vacuum just yet.

That’s because floor cleaning isn’t a one-size-fits-all task; it's a very personal choice, and I like to have options when cleaning my home. For me, I like to clean my floors using a full-size vacuum, a handheld vacuum, or a robot vacuum cleaner - or all three. This allows me to mix up suction levels, tools, ease of use and accessibility.

Plus, my regular vacuum still has plenty of power left, so there’s no point in getting rid of it, given how long vacuum cleaners last. But if your vacuum is nearing the end of its life, it’s definitely worth considering your floor-cleaning options and deciding whether a robot vacuum has a place in your home.

In my opinion? I still think robot vacuum cleaners are worth it, and as someone privy to industry secrets before the general public, I can also tell you there are some very exciting new features and models on the horizon.

Alternative robot vacuums that I rate

Will you be adding a robot vacuum to your cleaning line-up?

Vacuum mops have become one of my favourite cleaning gadgets, simply because they cut one of the most time-consuming household jobs in half. I've tested plenty of models, so for it to really impress me, it needs to stand out from the crowd.

The Tefal X-Clean 7 Cordless Wet & Dry Vacuum Mop did exactly that. After putting it through its paces in my family home, it quickly earned a spot among the best vacuum mops I've tested.

In a nutshell

I didn't expect to be quite as impressed with a hard floor cleaner. But after testing the Tefal X-Clean 7 Cordless Wet & Dry Vacuum Mop around my busy family home, it's saved me so much time - and even made cleaning my kitchen floors feel like less of a chore. Not only does it vacuum, mop and dry floors, but it also does so with minimal effort required on my part. This is all thanks to its powerful self-propelling function, which I'd go as far as saying is the best I've come across (and I've tested a lot of vacuum mops).

I can't fault its cleaning performance either. It cleared up everyday mess from my three children with ease, and even removed beans, flour and a cracked egg in a single pass. My floors were only left lightly damp afterwards, too, so there was no waiting around for them to dry before you could walk on them.

Tefal have really paid attention to the design, too. It feels premium, and features such as the built-in LED headlights and 180° flat-edge design make it super versatile for tackling hard-to-reach areas. There are three modes to choose from - Auto, Max and Eco - and it uses automatic dirt detection, adjusting the suction power and water flow accordingly. It also has an impressive 50-minute run time, which is one of the longest I've come across on a vacuum mop.

It falls short of a 5-star review because it won't fully replace a vacuum cleaner, as it's only suitable for use on hard floors, and at £449 full price it is an investment. The clean water tank also sits on top of the main floorhead, which is a quirky feature, and I found it took a little getting used to, but it's decently sized so you won't need to refill mid-clean. Overall, it's a really impressive, powerful floor cleaner that's perfect for busy households.

How I tested

Specifications

• Weight: 5.98 kg
• Dimensions: 325 x 300 x 1192 mm
• Max run time: 50 minutes
• Modes: 3
• Clean water tank capacity: 600ml
• Charge time: 3.5 hours
• In the box: Wet dry cordless vacuum cleaner, additional soft cleaning roller and filter, charging and cleaning base, cleaning brush.
• RRP: £449.99

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

The X-Clean 7 Cordless Wet & Dry Vacuum Mop arrived in a large, oblong-shaped cardboard box. Although it was slightly awkward to carry single-handedly because of the size, it was noticeably lighter than I'd expected.

I opened the outer packaging to find another cardboard box, this time branded with the Tefal logo and product images. Inside, all the components were neatly secured between a layer of moulded cardboard, and wrapped individually in plastic bags, labelled as '50% recyclable'. I always pay attention to how eco-friendly the packaging is, and while I'll always favour brands that use 100% recyclable material, it's not something I've come across regularly.

The box contained the main vacuum mop and handle, an additional soft cleaning roller, the charging base, a cleaning brush and a user manual.

Assembly was incredibly simple; all I needed to do was insert the handle onto the base and pop it on the charging station to charge before use. And my first impressions of the Tefal X-Clean 7 were positive - it instantly felt premium and well made. It was lightweight too, and I appreciated the fact that the charging station was compact enough not to take up too much room (always a bonus when you're short on storage space!).

Once connected to power, the LED display on the top of the main unit activates, and a voice prompt confirms that it's charging. It took around 3.5 hours to reach full charge, which is fairly typical for a vacuum mop.

Before getting started, I needed to fill the clean water tank. Rather unusually, the tank is located at the front of the main body, just above the floor head, and I won't lie, it did confuse me for a second! It's not something I've come across before, and my first reaction was that the tank wouldn't hold as much water as a typical upright design. But at 600ml, it's on the larger side for a vacuum mop, so it's deceptively bigger than it looks once you remove it.

The tank then clips away from the main unit easily; there's a release button on top of the unit which you press to pull it away. The manual advises that adding cleaning solution is optional, but also comes with a warning not to use any foaming, vinegar or greasy products.

There's also no solution included, and I do think the guidance could be a little clearer, something I picked up on when reading online customer reviews. Personally, I try to stick to natural, chemical-free cleaning products anyway, so I decided to stick to water initially to see how it performed.

The manual advises filling the water tank with clean water between 10°C and 50°C. I found it slightly more fiddly to fill because of its shape, and even though it's described as transparent, I did find myself having to pay attention to how full it was, especially as there's no fill line. That said, there's a flashing icon on the LED display to let you know when the tank is empty, as well as a voice prompt, so it's not a dealbreaker.

Using the Tefal X-Clean 7 Cordless Wet & Dry Vacuum Mop

The Tefal X-Clean 7 has three cleaning modes: Auto, Eco and Max. When the machine is turned on, it defaults to Auto mode, which detects dirt and automatically boosts suction power and water flow when it comes across messier areas.

To get started, I stepped on the floor nozzle, pulled the handle towards me and pressed the power button. As the unit powered on, the LED headlights on the base lit up the floor ahead, making it easier to spot hidden dirt. I also noticed it sounded louder than I was expecting, probably on a par with my regular vacuum.

I started by taking it for a spin around my kitchen floors, which are all laminated, to familiarise myself with it. Straight away, what I noticed was how smooth it felt to manoeuvre. As soon as I switched it on, a self-propelling motion activated to help the machine glide across my floors with barely any effort needed from me.

I've tested my share of vacuum mops, and I'd easily say this was the most powerful I've come across. I really felt like the mop was doing the cleaning for me, and all I had to do was steer it in the direction I wanted it to go.

I also really appreciated the LED lights on the base of the machine, which illuminate any hidden dirt, and were particularly useful for hard-to-see areas, like under my dining table.

The auto-adjustment worked really well, too. I could clearly hear when the machine boosted its suction, while the coloured ring on the LCD screen gave a visual indication of when it had detected a dirtier area.

The handle also has a 180° flat edge design, which made cleaning under furniture easier. Because of the size of the floorhead, I couldn't reach completely under my sideboard unit, but the flexible design made it much easier to reach underneath my kitchen table - an area I always struggle to clean - without needing to crouch down awkwardly. The voice prompt also lets you know when the machine is cleaning underneath low furniture, confirming that the suction levels have been adjusted. I thought this was a handy feature - although I can imagine the voice updates may feel jarring after a while.

The vacuum mop left a light layer of moisture behind, but this dried within a couple of minutes, so the floor was ready to walk on almost straight away - something I appreciate in a busy home.

To really put its cleaning power to the test (and as part of how we test products at Ideal Home), I cracked an egg on the floor, squirted ketchup and threw a handful flour directly in the vacuum mop's path. This is where it really impressed me.

After switching on the unit, keeping it in Auto mode, I slowly glided it over the mess. It cleared every trace within the first pass. Given the amount of debris in its path, I was genuinely surprised at how quickly it removed everything, with barely any effort on my part. I've carried out this test before on plenty of vacuum mops, and even the most powerful models usually need a couple of passes to pick everything up, so its cleaning performance is definitely one of the Tefal X-Clean 7's standout features.

Immediately after, I emptied the dirty water tank - which pulls outwards from the front of the machine easily - and poured the contents away. As you'd expect, the grime inside the tank wasn't pleasant to say the least, so if you are using the machine to clean up bigger messes, you'll want to empty and rinse it straight away.

This is where the self-cleaning feature comes into its own. After use, I placed the machine on its docking station, and pressed the self-clean button at the top of the handle. I know from testing other vacuum mops that this stage can be pretty noisy, and this was no exception. The roller was automatically rinsed, and all the dirt and debris were flushed into the dirty water tank. The cycle lasts three minutes, after which the dirty water tank was full of filthy water, which I took as a reassuring sign that it had done its job.

Having little ones means I'm constantly mopping up spills, and I had more than one opportunity to see how well the Tefal X-Clean 7 cleaned up large liquid spills, thanks to my one year old's new favourite hobby of throwing milk, water and anything she can get her hands on, all over the floor.

I kept it in auto-mode, and once again, I didn't really need to do much. It suctioned up the puddles with ease, leaving just a light layer of moisture behind. Unlike some models, there's no dedicated 'Dry Only' mode, but I didn't find it made any difference to its performance.

Cleaning, storage and maintenance

Cleaning and maintenance are straightforward and made even easier thanks to the self-cleaning function. Before starting the self-cleaning and self-drying cycle, the manual advises emptying the dirty water tank and making sure the clean water tank is full. It's also worth noting that the function won't start if the battery has less than 20% charge.

Beyond that, Tefal manual recommends cleaning the different parts of the machine once a week. There are a few handy illustrations showing how to remove and clean each component, using a cloth and the cleaning brush that's included. This includes removing the filter that sits on top of the clean water tank and rinsing it out.

There's no guidance on how to how often to clean the roller itself, but from experience it's worth doing regularly, as bits of debris can get trapped between the roller and the floorhead.

Thankfully, the manual includes a step-by-step guide for removing and replacing it when needed. Tefal recommends replacing both the roller and the filter every six months. I like the fact that a spare roller brush and filter are included in the box, as it feels reassuring to know long-term running costs should be kept low.

How does it compare to its predecessors and similar models?

The Tefal X-Clean 7 Cordless Wet & Dry Vacuum Mop builds on the strengths of the X-Clean 4, which was awarded a 4.5-star rating by Ideal Home's Content Editor Lauren when she reviewed it.

The biggest upgrades include a new lay-flat design, which makes it easier to reach under furniture, as well as LED headlights to help illuminate hidden dirt. During her testing, Lauren found the X-Clean 4 struggled with smaller spills, whereas the X-Clean 7's automatic dirt-detection felt much more responsive to everyday mess.

It's also worth comparing it to the Shark HydroVac Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner, which really impressed me during testing. Both models have built-in LED highlights, but I think the Tefal has the edge thanks to its more powerful self-propelling motion and hot air self-drying function, which helps keep the roller fresh between uses. It does come with a higher price tag, though.

I've also tested the Kärcher Floor Cleaner FCV3, which I found impressively lightweight and easy to manoeuvre. It also has three cleaning modes and is more affordable, making it a strong option for lighter cleaning tasks. But when it comes to overall performance the Tefal X-Clean 7 comes out on top.

How does it rate online?

The Tefal X-Clean 7 Cordless Wet & Dry Vacuum Mop currently holds a 4.5-star rating on the brand's website, from 62 customer reviews. Impressively, 92% of customers recommend the product, with feedback praising the suction power and ease of use. The price point does receive mixed reviews, and one reviewer did highlight the lack of guidance around cleaning solution caused confusion.

Elsewhere, on Very, it has a 4.5 star rating from 58 reviews. Although it's worth noting that a good proportion of the reviews were collected as part of a promotion. Feedback was similar, with users commenting on the impressive power and overall cleaning performance, but listing the affordability as a drawback.

Verdict: Should you buy the Tefal X-Clean 7 Cordless Wet & Dry Vacuum Mop?

For busy households who regularly vacuum and mop hard floors, and are looking to cut down on cleaning time, I really couldn't recommend the Tefal X-Clean 7 Cordless Wet & Dry Vacuum Mop enough. There's no shortage of hard floor cleaners on the market, and this one does have a high price tag, but its incredible cleaning performance, powerful self-propelling motion, 50-minute run time, edge cleaning abilities and flexible handle make it really stand out from the competition.

As long as you're happy emptying the tanks and keeping on top of basic maintenance, it takes much of the hassle out of cleaning floors. My only really niggle is that I wish I could use it on carpets, too!

Shark has a few carpet cleaners to its name, but the brand's newest release, the Shark CarpetForce Upright Carpet Cleaner EX500UK (£179.99 at Shark), definitely stands out from the crowd as it's officially their lightest model to date.

Of course, you probably don’t need me to tell you that the best carpet cleaners are big, bulky and heavy. This often makes them difficult to manoeuvre and even more difficult to store - especially in smaller homes where cupboard space is limited. And while renting a carpet cleaner is always an option, Shark has made buying one more accessible than ever.

The Shark CarpetForce Upright Carpet Cleaner is designed to be compact, lightweight, and seriously convenient, delivering full-size power in a ‘fun-size’ form that’s easy to use and store. At just £179.99, it also takes the cake as one of the cheapest carpet cleaners I’ve come across.

Coming in at just 6.9 kg, the Shark CarpetForce Upright Carpet Cleaner is officially lighter than any other full-size carpet cleaner in my guide - and it even comes with a removable wand that makes it smaller to store in tighter spaces.

In fact, my number-one-rated model, the VAX Platinum SmartWash carpet washer review, weighs 8.9kg, and the hefty Rug Doctor Deep Upright Carpet Cleaner comes in at a whopping 14.25kg. And while some of them do fold down, they are nowhere near as compact as Shark’s new model.

But while I’d initially questioned whether a lighter, smaller carpet cleaner could successfully clean carpets, Shark claims that the CarpetForce offers up to six times deeper cleaning than traditional vacuuming, using its DirtDistrupt brush roll to get deep into carpet fibres and lift, loosen, and remove all kinds of debris.

The 3.8-litre clean water tank capacity is also what you’d expect from a full-size carpet cleaner, and it’s compatible with Shark’s Deep Clean Pro Formula (£14.99 at Shark), which is specifically designed to refresh carpets and remove odours from pets or even smoke.

But if that doesn’t quite suit your carpet-cleaning needs, it’s also compatible with the Shark Deep Clean Ultra With Stain Guardian (£19.99 at Shark), which is for more targeted spot cleaning and for protecting against future staining.

And while we all know that the most annoying part of cleaning carpets is waiting for them to dry, Shark’s Express Clean Mode supposedly offers a 50% faster dry time compared to the Deep Clean Mode. This means you can get on with your day much quicker.

On paper, the Shark CarpetForce Upright Carpet Cleaner definitely has a lot of perks - most notably the sub-£200 price point. But I always like to test these claims for myself, so keep your eyes peeled for a full review coming soon.

I do already love the idea of a compact, lightweight carpet cleaner though...

With daily spills, muddy footprints and the general chaos of family life, my carpets rarely stay clean for long. So when the new VAX Platinum SmartWash XL Advanced Carpet Cleaner promised hassle-free cleaning, larger water tanks and a self-rinse function, I was keen to see whether it could give my carpets a much-needed refresh.

I tested it on everything from well-trodden carpets to sticky ice-lolly spills to see whether it could compete with the best carpet cleaners on the market. Here's what I found.

In a nutshell

The VAX Platinum SmartWash XL is a carpet cleaner that gets the essentials right. It's fair to say it had its work cut out in my busy family home, and it did an excellent job of lifting everyday dirt and reviving my tired-looking carpets. While the transformation wasn't always dramatic, I was impressed with how much better-maintained my surfaces looked after testing.

There's no denying it's a big machine, but carpet cleaners aren't exactly known for being lightweight and compact. That said, its design feels practical rather than excessive. The large water tanks meant I wasn't constantly stopping to empty or refill them, and the self-rinse storage tray is a standout feature that helped to take some of the hassle out of post-cleaning maintenance.

It also includes a hose and hand tools, allowing it to double up as a spot cleaner. I found these especially useful for tackling upholstery, stairs and targeted stains, and I even used them to clean my toddler's buggy, which came up noticeably cleaner. While I can't see it replacing my dedicated spot cleaner, I can see the appeal of having one machine to handle multiple cleaning tasks around the home.

It isn't perfect, though. Its size means it's not the easiest to lift up and down stairs or to find storage space for. I also found its performance was strongest on everyday dirt, general refreshes and fresher stains, rather than deep-set marks that had time to settle in. Even so, for keeping carpets looking clean, fresh and well-maintained, it's an impressive all-round performer.

Specifications

• Weight: 9.4kg
• Number of modes: 3
• Clean water tank capacity: 3.8L
• Dirty water tank capacity: 2.7L
• Cord length: 9m
• Dimensions: 44D x 32.6W x 109H centimetres
• In the box: 2.5m hose, 2-in-1 antimicrobial tool, (bristle attachment and rubber attachment) SpinScrub^™ hand tool, accessories bag
• RRP: £379.99

How I tested

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

The VAX Platinum SmartWash XL arrived at my doorstep in an unmistakably large, branded box. I wasn't expecting it to be lightweight, and it did have two carry handles on either side, which made lifting it easier, but it's worth noting that if you have mobility issues, you might need a hand.

Opening the box, my initial reaction was slight overwhelm at the number of components inside. Everything was securely packed and neatly organised, although most parts were wrapped individually in LDPE 4 plastic, which typically can't be recycled through normal household collections.

I've previously tested the VAX ONEPWR Cordless Compact Carpet Cleaner, and comparatively, the packaging did feel more eco-friendly, with all the parts wrapped in paper rather than cardboard.

The contents included a hose extension, 2-in-1 antimicrobial tool, (bristle attachment and rubber attachment) SpinScrub^™ hand tool, accessories bag and user manual.

Set up was really straightforward. The main unit arrives in three parts, so the first thing I did was assemble it, which took less than a minute. All I needed to do was insert the handle into the main unit - which clicked into place easily - before placing the clean water tank onto the main base.

Once assembled, it was obvious it's not a lightweight, compact machine. At 9.4kg, it falls within the typical weight range for a full-sized carpet cleaner, but its generous dimensions make it one of the largest models I've tested.

Before plugging it into power, I took a couple of minutes to properly take in the design. It takes up more floor space than I was expecting, but the size feels practical rather than excessive. The floorhead and clean and dirty water tanks are very generously sized, suggesting they're designed to tackle large cleaning jobs with few interruptions for emptying and refilling. The two large wheels on either side of the machine are also prominent features, making manoeuvring easier.

It's a corded machine, but the cord length is probably the longest I've come across at nine metres, so you don't need to worry about switching sockets mid-clean. While I wouldn't describe it as sleek or stylish (or most carpet cleaners, for that matter), its robust, purpose-built design made me optimistic that it would be up to the task of cleaning my tired-looking carpets.

Using the VAX Platinum SmartWash XL Advanced Carpet Cleaner

To get started, I removed the clean water tank and filled it with warm water up to the indicated fill line, as instructed in the manual. There is a bottle of cleaning solution included in the box, though if you fill the water tank to capacity, it will use up most of the solution. As soon as I added the solution, the water immediately turned cloudy.

I also underestimated how big the tank was until I'd filled it and noticed how much heavier it felt. That said, it was still easy to secure it back in place on the machine.

To activate the machine, you first need to press the handle release pedal located on top of the left wheel, and then press the power button at the top of the handle. This took a little getting used to, as the cleaner won't start unless the handle is reclined before the power button is turned on.

There are three cleaning modes: the default 'Wash Dry' setting for everyday cleaning, 'Spot' for tackling stubborn stains and spills, and 'Dry Only', which is designed to leave carpets dry in as little as one hour.

I started by giving my living room carpets a general refresh. While I try to keep on top of spills, because I live in a busy household, it doesn't take much for them to start looking tired. With no specific stains to target, I opted for the 'Wash Dry' mode for an overall clean.

There's no denying the machine is loud - noticeably more so than a regular vacuum - but that's fairly typical for a full-sized carpet cleaner. Using it like a vacuum, I began by making slow forward and backwards passes across the carpets. It felt much heavier than the VAX Compact Cordless, but it was still manageable to manoeuvre and smoother to push than I was expecting.

The SmartWash Motion Sense technology automatically senses whether you are pushing forward to dispense solution or pulling back to extract. As I moved the machine forward, it released the cleaning solution onto the carpet, and the LED display read 'Wash'; pulling it back switched the display to 'Dry' as it vacuumed up the residue.

While I generally try to limit the use of harsh chemicals where possible, one of the first things that struck me was how fresh my carpets smelled almost immediately. It was also incredibly satisfying (not to mention embarrassing) to see just how much was being extracted. After only a couple of passes, the carpets looked noticeably cleaner, brighter and fresher. My usually very unobservant husband even commented on how much better they looked afterwards, before I'd even pointed it out!

Despite the carpets in my toddler's nursery being the newest in the house, they were looking worse for wear after a late-night Calpol mishap. Admittedly, I didn't tackle it straight away, and the spill had become trodden in, leaving behind a sticky, dark patch that I was desperate to remove.

I sprayed the affected area with the pre-wash solution that's included in the box, and left it to soak for five minutes. I then turned the cleaner on, switched to 'Spot' mode, and made a few passes over the stain. The patch looked noticeably better almost immediately, but it was clear that a deeper clean would be needed to lift the remaining residue. Rather than continuing to soak the surrounding carpet, I decided to switch to the hose attachment for more targeted cleaning.

The hose compartment is neatly concealed behind a cover on the front of the machine, which pulls down to reveal the connection port. As I was focusing on a stubborn stain, I opted for the SpinScrub hand tool attachment. It was straightforward to attach; I connected the tool to one end of the hose and inserted the opposite end into the machine's connection port.

The 2.5m hose length felt generously long, so I was able to comfortably reach the stain without repositioning the machine. After switching on the power, I pressed the trigger on the forward stroke to release the solution. The spray pattern initially took me by surprise, as the water sprayed outward in both directions rather than directly ahead, so I had to adjust my positioning to make sure I covered the area.

As its name suggests, the SpinScrub tool rotates continuously, so I didn't have much to do other than guide it over the stain. The rotating brush helped lift more residue from the carpet, noticeably improving the appearance of the affected area. While it didn't completely remove the stain, the remaining mark was subtle enough that it would be difficult to spot unless you knew where to look.

The testing period also coincided with the recent UK heatwave, so a blackcurrant ice-pop spill on my carpets was aptly timed.

Unlike the Calpol stain, I tackled this straight away using the SpinScrub brush attachment, and the results were much more impressive. After the first pass, most of the spill had already disappeared, and I didn't need to apply any pressure or scrubbing. It also left my carpet only lightly damp.

As part of how we test carpet cleaners at Ideal Home, we carry out a number of controlled tests. One of these involves squirting tomato ketchup onto a carpet sample to assess how well the carper cleaner can remove it. For this test I left the ketchup to sit for a good hour before tackling it.

Using the SpinScrub brush attachment, I could see the solution was making a difference, although the results were not as immediate as they had been with the fresh blackcurrant stain. I needed to apply more pressure, and spend a couple of minutes scrubbing the area before most of the ketchup lifted.

The carpet sample was also noticeably wetter as a result of repeatedly spraying the area. After around four hours it was completely dry, but although it was lighter, the stain was still fairly visible. I suspect a second treatment would have improved the results further, but it did suggest that the Platinum SmartWash XL performs better when stains are treated as quickly as possible.

I was also keen to see how it tackled upholstery, so I used the 2-in-1 antimicrobial tool on my sofas, which were in need of a general refresh. It attaches via the hose in the same way as the SpinScrub tool, so all I had to do was swap over the attachment. My sofa easily shows marks as it's a light-coloured fabric, and there were a couple of visible marks I wanted to tackle.

The results genuinely surprised me. I wasn't expecting the difference to be as noticeable as it was with the SpinScrub, but the attachment glided effortlessly over the fabric. Once dry, the sofa looked fresher, brighter and generally much cleaner than before.

Finally, I used the VAX Platinum SmartWash XL to tackle a job I'd been putting off - cleaning my toddler's buggy. As well as looking generally grubby from everyday use, there were a couple of chocolate marks on it so I was keen to put it to the test here.

As I was dealing with specific stains, I initially used the SpinScrub tool. However, the buggy's awkward fabric and crevices made it difficult to extract much of the cleaning solution, so I switched to the 2-in-1 hand tool instead.

This proved to be a better option. It was much easier to manoeuvre around the buggy's different surfaces, and into tighter spaces, and it successfully removed the chocolate marks. Once dry, I was impressed with how much cleaner and fresher the fabric looked, and the buggy as a whole felt more revived.

Cleaning and maintenance

One of the features that sets the VAX Platinum SmartWash XL apart from its competitors is its self-rinse and storage tray, which flushes hair and debris from the brush roll. It's something many vacuum mops have, and I've always found it to be a genuinely practical and useful feature - especially when it comes to keeping maintenance to a minimum.

Naturally, I was keen to see how it worked on a carpet cleaner. Before running the cycle, the dirty water tank must be emptied as usual, and the clean water tank must be filled with warm water. I did get caught out at this stage, as I'd underestimated how much cleaning solution would remain in the tank, so I had to pour half of it down the drain, which felt quite wasteful.

The machine slots onto the plastic storage tray, at which point the 'self-rinse' indicator light illuminates on the LED screen. I pressed this to activate the cycle. It is incredibly loud as the rollers are rinsed and dirt and debris are flushed into the dirty water tank, and the process lasts around three minutes before the icon switches off once the cycle is complete.

Some additional manual maintenance is required to keep the Platinum SmartWash XL Advanced performing well. While the self-cleaning cycle does a good job of cleaning the system after each use, after a few cleaning sessions, I noticed a build-up of debris and dirt in the floorhead nozzle. Thankfully, cleaning it is simple - it unclips from the front of the machine and can be rinsed under warm water.

I also occasionally needed to remove bits of debris caught in the brush rolls. They detach easily enough from the floorhead, although I found refitting them slightly fiddly. The end caps need to slot in first before brushes can be aligned on either side.

How does it rate online?

The online feedback for the Platinum SmartWash XL Advanced is among the best-rated I've seen for a product review. On the VAX website, it holds an impressive five-star rating and has 24 customer reviews. Customers praise its ease of use and performance, with the majority of users impressed by the results. The self-cleaning function is also noted as an additional useful feature.

It's a similar story on Amazon; there are 17 customer reviews and a 4.9-star rating. Although many users point out its large size, it doesn't seem to be a drawback, with the majority noting how easy it is to use.

How does it compare to similar models and its predecessors?

The Platinum SmartWash XL Advanced builds on previous popular VAX models, including the VAX Platinum SmartWash and the VAX Spotwash Home Cordless – which our Ideal Home reviewers awarded 5 stars and 4.5 stars respectively. The biggest difference comes down to convenience - the Platinum SmartWash XL features larger tanks and a spot mode for boosting cleaning power when tackling stubborn stains.

It's also worth mentioning the ONEPWR Compact Cordless Carpet Cleaner - the most notable difference being that it's cordless (the UK's first cordless carpet cleaner, in fact). The ONEPWR Compact Cordless is much lighter, making it easier to manoeuvre and move between rooms, but the trade-off is that the water tanks are smaller and it lacks the self-rinse function and storage tray. In terms of performance, they deliver similar results on targeted stains, but the Platinum SmartWash XL has the edge for general refreshes.

I've previously tested the Rug Doctor Deep Upright Carpet Cleaner, which feels quite comparable in overall size, though at over 14kg, it's still heavier than the Platinum SmartWash XL. It does have the edge when it comes to performance.

Verdict: Should you buy the VAX Platinum SmartWash XL Advanced Carpet Cleaner?

If you're looking for a carpet cleaner that can revive tired-looking carpets, the VAX Platinum SmartWash XL Advanced Carpet Cleaner is a solid choice. It delivered consistently good results through testing, lifting everyday dirt and leaving carpets looking noticeably cleaner and fresher. The large-capacity tanks also make it well-suited to bigger cleaning jobs, as you won't be constantly stopping to refill or empty water.

One of its biggest selling points is its versatility. The included hose and hand tools mean it can tackle upholstery, stairs and spot-cleaning jobs as well as whole-room carpet cleans. While I still prefer using a dedicated spot cleaner for stubborn stains, if you're looking to invest in a single appliance that handles a range of cleaning tasks, the Platinum SmartWash XL makes a strong case.

For homes with limited storage space or for anyone with mobility issues, a more compact, lightweight option might be better suited. It's a sizeable machine, and carrying it between floors can be a bit of a workout. There are also more effective carpet cleaners if you need something to tackle deeper stains.

Overall, its strengths lie in routine carpet maintenance and larger-scale refreshes, rather than intensive stain removal. If that's what you're looking for, the Platinum SmartWash XL offers plenty of useful features and delivers impressive results.

As Ideal Home’s House Manual Editor, it’s literally my job to test cleaning products. And as I test so many, it’s become pretty hard to impress me - let alone create a product that I’ll willingly use in my own home for months on end. But Philips did just that when they launched the Philips OneUp 5000 Series Electric Mop (£149.99 at Amazon) last year.

For years, the best mops have been fairly repetitive in terms of design and delivery. And while I wouldn’t use the word ‘old-fashioned,’ I do think the mop world needed to be shaken up. This happened when this battery-powered model thrust me into my electric mop era eight months ago.

I was impressed back then, but I’m not someone who continually recommends something without following up. So, as I’ve used this electric mop multiple times a week for the past eight months (I worked out that I’ve used it over 100 times, in fact), I thought I’d share what I love - and the things I don’t love - about this viral floorcare product.

1. The water tank drains quite quickly (but the cleaning solution lasts ages)

The main USP of the Philips OneUp Electric Mop is, unsurprisingly, the patented OneUp technology that continuously pumps clean water onto the floor while simultaneously sucking up the dirty water it leaves behind. And while the 281ml clean water tank is fairly large, I have found that it empties quite quickly.

Philips claims that one tank should be enough to cover 125 square meters, and I personally find it suitable for a quick once-over of my three-bedroom home. For deeper, weekly cleans in the winter, however, I often needed to top up the tank to clean all my hard flooring.

Despite this, a positive is that very little water is wasted during the mopping process, which is a nice change from traditional mops and buckets - especially as I’m on a water meter and extremely conscious of how much water I use.

And while I may have to fill up the tank a little more than I’d like, I love that the cleaning solution lasts ages. Philips says each cartridge offers up to 40 cleans, but I’ve found I can stretch that further by lowering the dosage for my lighter cleans. So, I’ve only just had to buy a replacement for the bottle that originally came with the electric mop.

2. The run time surprised me (in a very good way)

On paper, the Philips OneUp 5000 Electric Mop has a runtime of up to 70 minutes, depending on the setting you use (and there are two to choose from). But just like how a washing machine lies to you, I’ve found that the run time of the Philips OneUp also surprised me.

On one occasion, I managed to rack up 79 minutes of cleaning time on one charge. And while I don’t want to make false promises or suggest you’ll be able to do the same, I’ve personally thought I’d have to charge it way more than I have.

I also think the 4-hour charge time is pretty respectable, as I’ve never had an occasion when I needed to mop my floors within four hours of cleaning them the first time. I’ve also rarely had to use it for more than 15 minutes at a time, so I’ve found that I can go a couple of weeks without charging it.

The Philips OneUp 3000, which is slightly cheaper, does have a shorter battery life of 50 minutes - but even that would be enough if you’re willing to charge it more often. Just be warned that it also has one fewer power setting and takes twice as long to charge.

3. The mop head is quite sturdy (but not invincible)

I’ve tested so many mops over the years, and one thing I will tell you is that choosing a mop with the right mop head matters a lot. Some are incredibly flimsy during cleaning, which makes it harder to get into nooks, crannies and corners, and this also makes it harder to clean a mop head.

However, the mop pad of the Philips OneUp 5000 is sturdy and solid - though, I guess it has to be to encase the components required of the OneUp technology. And because the mop pads are reusable, I haven’t noticed any reduction in cleaning quality or mop functionality while I’ve been using them, as they’ve stayed solid throughout.

In fact, the only problem I’ve encountered over the past eight months is that these mop pads aren’t invincible. While they can be washed in the washing machine, there are limitations to this - and I haven’t found my experiences to match up with Philips’ claim that one mop pad can last up to six months.

I’ve found that it lasts around four months before it starts to disintegrate in the washing machine, most noticeably when the blue foam comes off in tiny pieces. This is a little annoying, but I love the mop so much that I’m willing to overlook it and buy the replacement pads when needed. This is something to consider if you don’t want to shell out £35 every few months, though.

4. It’s expensive (but I do think it’s worth it)

As part of my job, I test so many different floorcare tools - from regular mops and buckets to the best vacuum mops. And while there’s no denying that the Philips OneUp Electric Mop is on the premium end of the price spectrum, I do think it’s worth it. After all, I wouldn’t still be using it in my own house if I didn’t.

And while I’d always recommend those with a bigger budget to splurge on a proper vacuum mop for more efficient, multi-purpose cleaning, I do think the Philips OneUp offers a nice middle ground for those who find that regular mops just don’t offer the results they’re after.

The battery power and OneUp technology allow it to clean floors effectively (without leaving them too wet) while ensuring that all dirt is removed. This is a major step up from some non-electric mops that can simply spread dirty water around the floor without actually combating the issue.

I’ve also tested the similar Kärcher EWM 2 Electric Wipe Mop, which has a higher RRP than the Philips, and still found the Philips OneUp to be superior. It’s easy to use and easy to maintain, and it offers the clean you’d expect from a product at this price point.

Yep, I'm still firmly in my electric mop era...

Hoover is an iconic brand within the vacuum cleaner space, regularly dropping new models to tackle specific problems. And the Hoover HF3 Pet DynamicClean Vacuum Cleaner? Well, this new cordless vacuum is competing to become one of the best vacuum cleaners for pet hair.

This new model promises to tackle all the cleaning problems pet parents face on a daily basis, but at a price point that works for every household. So, Barney (my dog) and I decided to test these claims for ourselves. And this is everything we found out along the way.

In a nutshell

Retailing at just £199, the Hoover HF3 Pet DynamicClean Cordless Vacuum Cleaner is one of the cheapest pet vacuums on the market - but it doesn't scrimp on cleaning power. Like many other cordless vacuums, this model is ideal for grab-and-go cleaning, but it has the added bonus of being one of the lightest I've ever tested at just 2.5kg.

Offering 150AW of power, its suction power was more than enough for everyday cleaning in my pet hair and dander-filled home, and the 0.7L dust bin coupled with the 30-minute runtime in Standard mode (or 60 minutes in Eco mode) allowed me to vacuum my small three-bed Victorian terrace without running out of juice or having to empty it mid-clean.

Of course, this might not be enough for those who want more suction power or for larger homes that struggle with tougher messes. For the everyday UK household, though, I do think it ticks a lot of boxes. Plus, the additional attachments - including the pet tool that I used almost daily - allow for more targeted cleaning when needed.

The only real downside is that you are buying a cheaper model, so you can't expect it to be perfect. It's also on the louder side of the sound spectrum (92dB in Standard mode), which is something you should definitely consider if your pets are scared of louder appliances.

Specifications

• Weight: 2.5kg
• Suction power: 150AW
• Run time: 60 mins (Eco mode), 30 mins (Standard mode)
• Charge time: 4 hours
• Bin volume: 0.7L
• Modes: 3 (Eco, Standard and Turbo)
• Noise level (tested by us): 92dB in Standard mode
• In the box: Main unit, pet hair removal tool, crevice tool, dusting brush, wall mount and charger
• RRP: £199.99

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

I test a lot of vacuum cleaners in my role as Ideal Home’s Certified Expert in Vacuums, so I’m used to big, bulky boxes landing on my doorstep. As a result, I was pleasantly surprised by the lightweight box the Hoover HF3 Pet DynamicClean came in.

In fact, at just 2.5kg, it’s one of the lightest models I’ve ever received - and it’s on par with the extremely popular (and lightweight) Dyson V12 cordless vacuum cleaner, which is significantly more expensive than the Hoover.

Because of this, it was easy enough for me to carry over the threshold myself, and everything was encased in a solid cardboard scaffold to protect the smaller components from damage. My only niggle here was that they were also individually wrapped in LDPE 04 plastic, which is not widely recycled in kerbside collections. Instead, I had to take it all to the supermarket to dispose of it.

Despite this slight delay, I then got to work assembling the Hoover HF3 Pet DynamicClean, which took just a few seconds. I simply slotted all of the components together and kept the tools separate to test out later.

I then popped it onto charge before using it for the first time, and took a step back to assess both the design and the feel of the cordless vacuum - and I was impressed. It feels lightweight yet not cheap (despite its affordable price point), and I loved the sleek black-and-gold colourway.

One thing I also appreciated was that it stood up on its own without needing to be propped up against a wall. However, the dust bin did look a little small to me, so I was eager to see how it would fare during testing.

Using the Hoover HF3 Pet DynamicClean Cordless Vacuum Cleaner

As part of how we test vacuums at Ideal Home, our process is twofold. First, we conduct tailored tests to assess a vacuum cleaner’s ability to pick up debris. Then, we use it as naturally as possible in our homes as our everyday vacuum cleaner.

So, to start, I threw some rice, flour, porridge oats, and pet hair on the hard flooring in my three-bedroom Victorian terrace home. And as you can see from the video, it picked up every speck of debris within one forward and one backstroke of the vacuum. You can even see the pet hair being sucked into the floorhead before it even touches it.

I then repeated the process on carpet, and it was just as impressive. This is all thanks to the 150AW of suction power, which puts it on par with top-rated models such as the Dyson V8 Cyclone and the Shark PowerDetect Speed - the latter being the model that I choose to use in my home when I’m not testing another vacuum.

After it passed this test with flying colours, I took the Hoover HF3 Pet for a spin around my home, using it to vacuum both the downstairs (all hard flooring with some rugs) and the upstairs (fully carpeted). One thing I really loved was the white lights on the floorhead, which allowed me to see invisible dust and hair that couldn’t be seen to the naked eye.

As it’s so compact and lightweight, it was also incredibly easy to manoeuvre around corners and between rooms. The Double Edge Cleaning feature also meant that every edge received the same treatment as the rest, and I was able to clean right to the edges of the skirting and baseboards.

On carpet, I was genuinely impressed by the floorhead's ability to remove embedded pet hair from my woollen carpets - which typically hold a lot of hair between the fibres. I could see from the dust bin that it was not only filling up quickly with my dog’s hair, but also my own longer, blonde hair.

And while I was initially concerned about the 0.7L size of the dustbin, I thankfully managed to vacuum my entire house without needing to empty it halfway through. It was full by the time I’d finished, but I’m used to emptying it after every use anyway - so this suited me perfectly.

However, I will admit that the run time could be an issue for some. Although it has a maximum run time of 60 minutes in Eco mode, I tended to use Standard mode most, which only allows 30 minutes. This was enough to vacuum my small house, but those with larger family homes may struggle with that timeframe.

Another niggle I have is the noise level of this vacuum cleaner; at 92 dB, it’s significantly louder than other models I’ve tested.

This isn’t a dealbreaker for short cleaning bursts, and because Barney is used to me testing vacuums, but I did find that my dog was more scared of this model than he has been of other vacuums. So, you might want to be cautious if your pets are particularly sensitive to noise.

Using the attachments

It may seem like the Hoover HF3 only comes with two attachments, but the third - the dusting brush - is hidden within the vacuum itself. It’s revealed when you transform it into handheld mode, and I found this tool particularly handy for more delicate cleaning tasks like dusting my blinds and even my laptop keyboard.

As the crevice tool is fairly standard with every vacuum cleaner, there wasn’t anything too remarkable about this - but it’s still a great tool to have for those smaller nooks and crannies.

My favourite tool, however, was the pet hair removal tool. I love it when a pet vacuum cleaner comes with a separate motorised tool like this, as it allows for more targeted cleaning where pet hair is worse. In my house, that’s my carpeted stairs, a footstool and a sofa bed that my dog has claimed as his own.

The pet tool made light work of the footstool and the stairs, and while I’ve definitely had better results with other tools on my velvet sofa bed, it still removed almost all of the hair, dirt and pet dander. So, it’s a worthy inclusion.

Cleaning and maintenance

Like most cordless stick vacuums, the Hoover HF3 Pet relies on a one-touch emptying system to expel the debris from the dust chamber. And while this technically made things cleaner, it still resulted in a dust plume that hit me in the face as I emptied it into the bin. I also often found that some hair had got caught in the chamber, so I had to reach in to pull it out.

However, this is a common problem I often face with cordless vacuums as a pet parent, so I won't hold it against them too much. The bin filters are also removable and can be washed every month for easy maintenance.

This model also comes with a wall mount for easy storage and charging, and it even has space on the mount for the tools - which keeps them neat and tidy and stops them from going AWOL. The 4-hour charge time is also relatively average for this type of vacuum cleaner.

It’s worth noting that while it is also a freestanding model, Hoover only recommends parking it this way temporarily. If you are going to leave it unattended, the brand suggests storing it on the wall mount instead.

How does it rate online?

Despite being a relatively new addition to the Hoover lineup, the HF3 Pet DynamicClean already have many glowing reviews on the Hoover website. At the time of writing, there are 21 reviews, with an average star rating of 4.75 out of 5.

For the most part, customers love how lightweight and easy to use it is, and appreciate that it’s still powerful despite its affordable price point. Many pet owners have praised the floorhead and the pet tool for picking up more hair than they expected.

On the negative side, some have complained about the short runtime in Standard mode and noted that it’s much louder than models they have owned in the past.

Verdict: Should you buy the Hoover HF3 Pet DynamicClean Cordless Vacuum Cleaner?

For £199, I really do think the Hoover HF3 Pet DynamicClean is a worthwhile choice. It’s seriously affordable, but it’s not cheap. It still feels high-quality, offers impressive suction power for everyday cleaning, and is practical for storage and maintenance.

As it’s designed to be a pet vacuum, you’ll be happy to know that it’s also extremely effective at removing embedded pet hair from carpets and rugs, and the motorised pet tool helps you tackle smaller, more targeted cleaning jobs.

Just be warned that it’s not the most powerful model on the market, and it is incredibly loud, which may scare some pets if they’re used to quieter models.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll probably know that it’s Amazon Prime Day this week. But as a Floorcare Editor who has covered these sales events for the past five years, I can tell you that Amazon isn’t the be-all and end-all of discounts. In fact, if you were looking to buy a Shark robot vacuum this week, I’d recommend shopping at Argos instead.

And right now, Argos is having a huge sale across its appliances, including the robot vacuum I’ve been using in my own home for the past few months - the Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum & Mop (was £999.99, now £549.99 at Argos). Yes, that really is a £450 discount!

The beauty of the best robot vacuum cleaners (aside from their incredible ability to clean your house for you) is that they’re available at countless retailers across the UK - both online and in-store. And while Amazon and Shark are typically among the most obvious places to buy Shark robot vacuums, alternative retailers also slash prices year-round, including Argos and John Lewis.

While I don’t claim to know everything (if only), it is quite literally my job to review robot vacuum cleaners. So, I’d like to think I know my hands-free appliances. And Shark's PowerDetect UV Reveal Robot Vacuum impressed me so much during testing that I had to give it an almost-perfect 4.5-star review.

One of the things I didn’t like, however, was the price tag, so the fact that it’s now on sale at Argos for almost half price is a major win in my book. Especially as the black colourway I have at home isn’t on sale for the Amazon Prime event, and it’s not on sale at Shark, either, as it’s completely sold out due to high demand.

However, it’s worth noting that the white colourway is on sale at Amazon for £489.99 if you’re looking for an even bigger discount. But as someone who has tested white robot vacuum cleaners before, I would always willingly lean towards black to try and hide the inevitable scuffs and marks that appear during cleaning. Both colourways are identical in perks and features, though.

The Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal has a runtime of 180 minutes, will also mop your floors while vacuuming, and comes with an auto-empty dock that can hold up to 1.51L of debris - making maintenance as minimal as possible.

As with all the best Shark vacuum cleaners, it’s also ridiculously easy to use and perfect for beginners who are buying their first robot vacuum. The pièce de résistance of this model, though, has to be the UV reveal technology, which uncovered so many hidden stains on my hard flooring (and left me feeling rather embarrassed).

But I wouldn’t be telling you to ditch Amazon and Shark for Argos on the basis of one robot vacuum cleaner deal, though.

That’s because Argos has also slashed the prices of other Shark robot vacuum cleaners, including the bargain Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Cordless Robot Vacuum Cleaner & Mop (was £285.70, now £199.99 at Argos).

Alternatively, you could opt for the Shark ThermaCharged PowerDetect Robot Vacuum Cleaner (was £900, now £499.99 at Argos).

I haven’t tested either of them as there are simply too many robot vacuums and only one of me, so I would advise you to do your own research and read independent reviews.

Alternatively, you could snap up some Amazon Prime Day deals for other robot vacuum cleaners I have tested, which I’ve added below.

Will you be snapping up a robot vacuum this year? Now is the time to do it!

Eufy has built a solid reputation for making reliable robot vacuum cleaners at a range of price points - from budget-friendly entry-level cleaners to more high-tech, premium machines. And the brand's Omni E25 model is currently crowned Ideal Home's best robot vacuum. The eufy Robot Vacuum C10 with Self Empty Station sits at the opposite end of the range, promising a more compact and affordable alternative.

As a mum-of-three, I've come to rely on a robot vacuum cleaner to keep on top of everyday mess, so I was curious to see whether a more back-to-basics model would compromise on performance. After testing it in my busy family home for two weeks, I found it's a capable maintenance cleaner - providing your floors are relatively clutter-free.

In a nutshell

The most notable difference between the Eufy Robot Vacuum C10 with Self-Empty Station (which I'll refer to as the Eufy C10 throughout this review) and other robot vacuum models I've previously tested is that it's a compact vacuum-only robot that's designed with simplicity in mind. So while it wouldn't be fair to compare it to more premium models, there are a few areas where it does fall short.

Its 4,000Pa suction performance falls within the typical range for a robot vacuum, but I found it better suited to light maintenance rather than deep cleans. It generally picks up messes in its path, but its obstacle avoidance isn't particularly reliable, which becomes especially noticeable if you live in a busy household. During testing, it frequently bumped into objects and struggled to navigate around them, making it less effective in cluttered environments.

That said, it's incredibly straightforward to use, while still offering plenty of functionality through the detailed app - such as multi-floor mapping and scheduling cleaning sessions. Its compact size is, in my opinion, its biggest selling point, allowing it to reach under furniture that many other robot vacuum cleaners can't access. The small self-empty station doesn't take up much floor space, and it also helps to keep maintenance to a minimum.

The price is a sticking point for me. At its £399 RRP, there are robot vacuum cleaners that offer stronger cleaning performance and more advanced navigation features for a similar price. However, the Eufy C10 is frequently discounted, which makes it a much more competitive option.

Specifications

• Dimensions: 42.5L x 33.5W x 19.2H cm
• What's included: C10 robot with dustbin, auto-empty station, quick start guide, safety document
• Weight: 5.56kg
• Suction power: 4,000Pa
• Run time: 120 minutes
• Mop function: No 
• Multi-floor mapping? Yes, up to 5 maps
• Disposable Dust Bag Capacity: 2.5 litres
• RRP: £399.00

How I tested

Unboxing the product, setting up and first impressions

The first thing that struck me was how light and compact the packaging for the Eufy C10 was. It was clear even before opening that this model was much smaller than any other robot vacuum cleaner I'd previously tested.

Inside, I found an illustrated quick-start guide resting on top of the contents. I find this quite reassuring when I'm unboxing a product as it gives you an immediate sense of what to expect. I was pleased to see the set-up looked relatively straightforward, and while there was no printed manual, the quick-start guide featured a QR code linking to the full instructions, app download and support videos.

The actual box contents were minimal, consisting of the C10 robot, dustbin, auto-empty station, the quick-start guide and safety document. Everything was neatly packed and easy to identify, which made a refreshing change.

Each component was wrapped in plastic packaging, labelled LDPE 4. While this type of plastic can be recycled at specialist collection points (such as larger supermarkets), it can't generally be recycled through household collections, so would need to be disposed of with general waste.

There were also a couple of small foam inserts securing the robot vacuum in place, which weren't recyclable. While I'd have preferred to see more eco-friendly packaging used throughout, the compact size of the vacuum meant I wasn't left with a huge amount of packaging to dispose of once everything was unpacked.

Although the quick-start guide included a series of illustrations, I tend to find videos and written instructions easier, so I used the QR code to access the full user manual and set up videos. I appreciated having both options available.

The auto-empty station doesn't have a mop function, so there are no water tanks to accommodate, making it noticeably more compact than other robot vacuum cleaners I've tested. The dust bag needs to be inserted into the station, which slotted easily into place using the cardboard tag.

I then popped the lid on top of the station, before positioning it next to a plug socket in my kitchen. The instruction manual advises placing it against a wall and avoiding high-pile carpet, which wasn't an issue in my home - my biggest challenge was keeping it away from curious little hands!

The last step was to insert the dustbin, which sits underneath the robot. After turning it upside down, it clicked into place easily. Generally, I wouldn't describe the set up and assembly process for robot vacuums as particularly quick, but the Eufy C10 felt really straightforward. Before I'd even moved on to the app set-up, it already felt like a beginner-friendly model.

I then docked the robot onto the station, at which point a voice prompt confirmed it was charging. There's also a small indicator light at the top of the station which illuminates during charge, so there's not really any second-guessing.

With the robot docked, I could fully appreciate the overall look and feel of the Eufy C10. And I was pretty impressed. The white colourway gives it a clean, modern appearance (although it is also available in black), and its build and quality feel more premium than I'd expected at this price point. As someone who doesn't have bags of floor space, I also appreciated its compact size, although I did wonder whether such a small robot would be capable of tackling obstacles and everyday mess in my busy family home.

I then moved on to connecting the Eufy C10 to the app. As I've previously tested a Eufy robot vacuum, I had the app already downloaded and an account already set up. If you are new to the brand, however, you simply need to download the app from your App Store and follow the instructions.

Within the app, I tapped the '+' symbol in the top-right corner, selected the model from the 'Robot Vacuum-C Series', and then connected it to my WiFi. Once paired, the robot appeared on the app's homepage as 'online', allowing me to start cleaning, adjust settings, check progress and create maps of my home.

Ease of use

Although the Eufy C10 robot vacuum is very straightforward in design, it is controlled through the very detailed Eufy app. It's definitely worth taking some time to explore the options, but it means you can really customise the robot's cleaning routine.

While there aren't as many settings to tailor as the more advanced Eufy robot vacuums, you can still modify the suction strength by choosing between quiet, standard, turbo and max.

I especially appreciated the child-lock feature, which can be activated to prevent curious little hands from pressing anything, as well as the 'Do Not Disturb' mode, which keeps the robot silent and prevents it from performing auto-return cleaning during set hours. The app even has an 'Accessory Services' section, where you can easily check the remaining lifespan of components like the side brushes and sensors, as well as when you need to manually clean the filter or water tanks.

You create a floor plan from the base station, so the first thing I did was let the robot vacuum loose around my downstairs rooms, letting it map out the kitchen, conservatory and living room. It initially registered the entire area as one room, but the app lets you customise the floor plan by splitting, renaming and organising rooms. You can also set no-go zones, which I found useful. It took about 20 minutes to explore the floor and create a map of the space.

You can also set up a cleaning schedule, which I found really handy. I programmed it to run each morning once the kids were at school, and again in the evening once they were in bed. After each session, the app generates a cleaning report, complete with a map of the areas covered and the total cleaning time.

You can also create up to five different maps with the multi-mapping feature. Mapping my upstairs wasn't as thorough as the initial downstairs run. The robot missed one room entirely on its first pass, and the resulting map wasn't as detailed, although in fairness there were more obstacles to contend with. You can merge and edit rooms, though, once the mapping is complete.

Performance

The Eufy C10 has a 4,000Pa suction power - which is fairly typical for a robot vacuum - but if I'm honest, I was expecting to see more noticeable results. I usually rely on my Samsung Jet Bot Combo AI, which has a 6,000Pa suction but delivers visible carpet lines after cleaning.

One thing that became immediately obvious was that its obstacle avoidance wasn't great. I live in a busy household so there's often the odd toy left on my floors, but the robot didn't seem to recognise objects in its path most of the time. It either pushed them further along the room or tried to climb over them.

It also crashed into the chair legs at my kitchen table whenever it cleaned that area, and took at least 30 seconds to navigate away, which slowed down the cleaning session.

What impressed me about the Eufy C10, though, is its slim design. At only 2.85 inches tall, it's the only robot vacuum that has been able to fit under my sofas. In fact, every time it cleaned the living room, it completely disappeared underneath them, much to the amusement of my one-year-old!

It didn't always find its way back out from under the sofas, so I did need to pull it out and reposition it.

Despite its compact size, the C10 handled changes in flooring well. It glided effortlessly from the hard floor in my kitchen to the low-pile rug in my conservatory.

As part of how we test at Ideal Home, we put appliances through a series of controlled tests. As I'd already seen how it handled obstacles, I jumped to the vacuuming test. I scattered some chocolate crumbs on my carpet and placed the robot nearby to see how it would respond.

Rather than detecting the mess immediately, it rotated around in a circle and moved straight past, only picking up a small fraction of the crumbs before disappearing under my sofa. I did have to manually return it to the area, but this time the cleaning performance improved hugely. Within a couple of passes it had collected the majority of the mess.

One thing that became clear after the first few cleaning sessions was that I didn't feel confident enough to leave the Eufy C10 running when I wasn't around. It would often get stuck, and I'd regularly hear the voice prompts alerting me that the robot was no longer touching the ground. More often than not, this meant I had to track it down and manually reposition it before it could continue cleaning.

Cleaning and maintenance

While it doesn't have a full-sized docking station, the Eufy c10 does include a self-empty station, which is designed to reduce the level of hands-on maintenance. During my initial testing, I expected the station to empty after each run, so it's worth noting that the auto-empty frequency can be adjusted in the app.

By default, it's set to empty every 30 minutes, so I changed this to 20 minutes, but if you want it to empty after each run, you'll have to activate the 'Empty Dust' function each time in the app.

When the machine does empty the dust, it is loud - but most self-emptying docks are very obvious when they activate.

Overall maintenance is relatively straightforward. The filter and dustbin need to be removed and cleaned regularly, and the self-empty station reduces how often you'll need to empty the dust bag.

It's worth checking this on a regular basis - particularly if you're using the robot every day. It was less than half full when I checked after a week, but I noticed a build-up of debris around the opening where the bag connects to the station, which needs clearing by hand.

You can track the lifespan of various components within the app, with most of the maintenance intervals ranging between 30 and 180 hours of use. The dust bag has by far the longest lifespan - when I checked, it had 1438 hours remaining, making it incredibly low-maintenance.

The other parts to keep on top of are the roller brush and side brush. The roller brush is really easy to remove thanks to two release tabs that unlock the brush guard. When I took it apart, I found a stray cardboard tag that had got caught between the brush and the robot, which could have slowed down performance. I haven't needed to clean the side brush yet, but any clogged hair or debris can be removed by unscrewing it.

Thankfully, Eufy provides an online step-by-step video, and the process looks straightforward.

How does it rate online?

The Eufy C10 has a 4.5-star rating on the brand's website, out of a total of 56 reviews. Customers praise its overall compact design, ease of use, and in-app features including mapping abilities.

On Amazon, there are over 13,000 reviews, and it has a 4.4-star rating overall, where many customers describe it as a good-value option.

Interestingly, a recurring theme among reviewers was the importance of buying at a discount, with several users commenting it reflected a better deal when bought on sale. That largely mirrors my own experience - while I found it mostly capable of handling daily upkeep, its performance felt more in line with a lower price tag.

How does it compare to similar models and its predecessors?

The Eufy C10 launched in late 2025 and is positioned as a more affordable vacuum-only model within the brand's robot vacuum cleaner lineup.

I've previously tested the Omni 28, which sits further up Eufy's range. The Omni 28's 15,000 Pa suction power delivers noticeably stronger cleaning performance, and it also offers mop functionality. Both offer the same detailed app controls, including multi-floor mapping, but I found obstacle avoidance to be a weak point for both.

It's also worth mentioning another Eufy model, the Omni E25, which is currently crowned Ideal Home's best robot vacuum cleaner overall. Its 20,000Pa suction power makes it a clear step up from the C10, but it does come at a significantly higher price.

I've also previously tested the Samsung Bespoke Jet Bot Combo AI, which sits at the premium end of the scale - its obstacle avoidance is the best I've seen, but it takes up much more space and comes with a considerably higher price tag.

If you are considering similarly priced alternatives, the Hoover HG2 is another entry-level option worth looking at. It includes mop functionality for a similar price, but its navigation and obstacle avoidance are also inconsistent.

Verdict: Should you buy the eufy Robot Vacuum C10 with Self Empty Station?

The Eufy C10 is best suited for anyone looking for a straightforward robot vacuum cleaner that can take care of day-to-day maintenance with minimal fuss. Its slim design means it can reach under furniture that many robot vacuum cleaners can't access, while the compact self-empty station makes it a good option for small homes or households who are tight on storage space.

However, I think its appeal depends heavily on the price. It retails at £399 at full price, but at that price I would expect stronger performance and reliable obstacle avoidance. During testing, the robot regularly bumped into furniture and stray toys on the floor, which makes it less suited to households where it would need to navigate around clutter.

I've seen it discounted to £159, which, if I'm honest, feels a far more reflective price point. If you can pick it up on sale and use it primarily for light maintenance cleaning in a relatively tidy home, it's a solid choice. For busier households, I'd be inclined to invest in a model with more advanced navigation and obstacle avoidance.

As Ideal Home’s Certified Expert in Vacuums, my primary job is to test the many (many) vacuum cleaners on the market. But I also spend a huge part of my day looking for the best vacuum cleaner deals - like the Henry Quick Corded Vacuum Cleaner, which is just £99.99 at Argos right now.

Of course, the best Henry vacuum cleaners are generally the most affordable vacuum cleaners out there anyway, but the fact that you can buy any vacuum cleaner for under £100 still astounds me - especially when my other top-rated models will typically set you back anywhere from £250 to £800.

But the good news is that I’ve tested the Henry Quick Corded Vacuum Cleaner already, and can vouch for its effectiveness. And while I would have nothing against anyone paying the regular RRP of £159.99 for this model, the £60 discount Argos is offering right now is just the cherry on top of a very delicious cake.

In fact, I gave the Henry Quick Corded a very respectable 4-star review when I tested it at home and praised it for its extremely long 10m cord, which meant I could almost vacuum the entire downstairs without having to unplug and plug back in.

The fact that it’s corded also means that you can make the most of unlimited run-time and a power boost that you don’t often get with the best cordless vacuum cleaners.

And unlike the traditional Henry cylinder vacuum, this one offers a practical stick design that’s perfect for grab-and-go cleaning - and storing a vacuum cleaner if you’re looking for a vacuum for smaller spaces.

It still has the classic Henry dust pod, though, which means that you can empty it without getting a plume of dust in your face. Plus, Henry claims that the 1L self-sealing dust pod can hold up to a month’s worth of debris before it needs to be replaced - something I can confirm was the case during testing.

Of course, the elephant in the room is that this model is corded - which is a slightly divisive topic within the vacuum cleaner industry. And while some may see that as a negative, I predict that corded vacuums will be just as popular as cordless vacuum cleaners by the end of 2026 - so I see that as a positive.

That's because corded models offer more consistent power, which is something I appreciate in a home with pets - and if you want to make the most of the handy crevice tool and 2-in-1 combi tool without losing suction.

However, I won’t say that it’s the perfect vacuum cleaner. During testing, the floorhead struggled with larger debris, and the location of the wound cord makes storage a little fiddly. But, overall, I do think you’re getting a bargain for under £100.

There are so many other amazing vacuum cleaner deals available right now, too. So, if the Henry Quick Corded doesn't meet your needs, I’ve picked some of my other top options below.

But if these aren’t quite the right deals for you and you’ve decided to wait for the upcoming Amazon Prime Day sales to snap up a vacuum cleaner, make sure you sign up for Amazon Prime now so you don’t miss out.

As Ideal Home’s Certified Expert in Vacuums, my home doubles as the ultimate vacuum cleaner testing ground. And while there are some serious perks to this (a very clean home being one of them), there are also some downsides. The main issue? My home is tiny, and some vacuum brands just aren’t suited to smaller spaces with limited storage.

Yes, it’s fair to say that the best vacuum cleaners come in so many different shapes and sizes. And while bigger models typically offer larger dustbins and increased suction power, they make it much harder to hide a vacuum cleaner in smaller homes where cupboard space - and even floor space - isn’t a given. But that doesn’t mean you have to settle for a smaller, less effective vacuum.

After spending 400 hours testing vacuums in my tiny Victorian terrace, I’ve come to realise that some vacuum brands have nailed the small-space-friendly design better than others. And if you’re on the hunt for a new model that doesn’t take up valuable storage space, these are the vacuum brands I’d recommend.

A quick list

If you’re short on time and want to get to the nitty-gritty quickly, these are my winners. But you can read on for my more detailed assessment of vacuum cleaners for smaller homes - and the specific models I’d recommend.

• Winner: Shark
• 1st runner-up: Henry
• 2nd runner-up: Dyson
• Honourable mention: Miele

1. Shark

The best Shark vacuums are widely considered among the best on the market today, and I have to admit that my own testing experience has been very positive - especially in recent years. This vacuum brand seems to have really upped its game by creating practical-but-powerful vacuum cleaners that also suit smaller homes.

My top pick for small-home dwellers is the iconic Shark Stratos Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, which has been my top-rated model for the past few years. It’s not as high-tech as newer models, but it offers great suction for everyday cleaning, a Flexology wand to clean under furniture, and it folds down for easy storage. In fact, it’s tiny when it’s folded down.

For those who don’t have hidden storage space, another option is the Shark PowerDetect Speed Clean and Empty Pet Pro Cordless Vacuum, which comes with a compact auto-empty dock that is now my go-to vacuum in my small home. And if you don’t have cupboard space, you’ll be happy to know that it now comes in a variety of ‘luxe’ colourways so you’ll actually want to have it on show.

2. Henry

I know what you’re thinking: Henry cylinder vacuums are huge, aren’t they? Well, they can be - but that doesn’t mean that the whole brand is unsuitable for smaller homes. In fact, many of my small-home-dwelling friends swear by the best Henry vacuum cleaners when storage space is limited.

Cylinder models like the affordable Henry HVR160 Vacuum Cleaner are much more compact than larger models (I’m looking at you, Henry XL Plus) and come with onboard tool storage, so you don’t need to worry about storing any unexpected items. Plus, they have large dust bags and a super long corded reach - meaning you may be able to vacuum an entire flat without needing to unplug.

If you prefer the best cordless vacuum cleaners, there’s also the compact and lightweight Henry HVB160 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, which takes the typical cylinder design and makes it battery-powered. Or, you have the very popular Numatic Henry Quick - a stick vacuum that’s small in size and weighs just 3.2kg.

3. Dyson

Dyson is my second runner-up, and I’m a huge fan of its vacuum cleaners. And while I won’t lie and say they’re all small and lightweight (some are very hefty), there are a few models that are the perfect mix of cleaning power and small-space-friendly practicality.

The first is the Dyson V12 Detect Slim Absolute, which is undoubtedly one of the lightest cordless vacuum cleaners I’ve ever tested at just 2.2kg, making it ridiculously easy to move around smaller homes. As the name suggests, it’s also very slim and comes with a wall-mounted docking station, so it can be tucked away in a cupboard without encroaching on too much space.

Another option is the Dyson V15 Detect Absolute, which also weighs under 3kg. This model also comes in either the dry or wet+dry version, which means it could also double up as one of the best vacuum mops to vacuum and mop your floors at the same time. So, this’ll free up space too.

4. Honourable mention: Miele

While the three brands above are my top choices for vacuum brands that suit smaller homes, I wouldn’t be doing my job properly if I didn't at least acknowledge Miele too. So, this brand is my honourable mention, as I believe it also has a lot to offer small home dwellers.

In fact, the Miele Duoflex HX1 Cat & Dog is currently my top-rated vacuum in our best vacuum cleaners for pet hair guide, as I rate it so much. And considering Miele is typically known for its larger, cylinder vacuums, this cordless stick model is a welcome addition to a premium brand.

With onboard storage for the tools, everything can be kept neatly together, and the lightweight design is both easy to manoeuvre and to store out of the way. Or, if you’re feeling creative, you could build your own vacuum cleaner storage to hide it out of sight.

I hope this is proof that you don't need to sacrifice a good vacuum just because you live in a smaller home!

Beldray is a well-known name in the affordable spot cleaner space, and its new Spot Lift Pro Carpet Cleaner promises to scrub, spray and vacuum in one, so I was keen to put it through its paces in my busy family home.

I used it to tackle everything from fresh spills to older, stubborn stains on sofas and carpets for two weeks to see if it deserves a spot among the best carpet cleaners. Here's everything you need to know...

In a nutshell

The Beldray Spot Lift Pro Carpet Cleaner is a compact, lightweight spot cleaner that keeps things refreshingly simple. There are no complicated settings to figure out - within minutes of unboxing, I was tackling stains around my home. While it doesn't have the bells and whistles you'd find on a more expensive model, the straightforward design makes it a reliable choice for everyday cleaning.

Over two weeks of testing, I used it on everything from a dried tea stain hiding under my sofa to liquid spills on my kitchen floors. It was the latter that surprised me the most. With a toddler who seems determined to tip water on the floor at any given opportunity, I was impressed at how quickly the Spot Lift Pro sucked up liquid, often saving me from reaching for the mop.

Another standout feature is its long hose and cable. I've tested my share of carpet cleaners, and it's rare to find one that can clean an entire staircase in one go without needing to unplug and move it. The Spot Lift Pro managed it with ease, and the lightweight design meant carrying it around the house didn't feel like an effort.

That said, its simplicity does come at the expense of a few extras. There's only one cleaning mode, no steam function and no self-cleaning feature for the nozzle. But if you're looking for an affordable spot cleaner that's incredibly easy to use, easy to store, and capable of handling everyday spills and stains, the Beldray Spot Lift Pro is a worthwhile buy.

Meet the tester

Specifications

• Weight: 4kg
• Dimensions: 41.7 x 19.5 x 31.4cm
• Wattage: 450W
• Clean water tank capacity: 1 L
• Waste water tank capacity: 0.7 L
• Power cord length: 4m
• Hose length: 1.65 m
• What's included: spot cleaner hose, brush head, instruction manual
• Price: £69.99

Unboxing, assembly and first impressions

The Beldray Spot Lift Pro Carpet Cleaner arrived well-protected in an additional plain cardboard box, and it was light enough to carry by myself from room to room.

Inside, everything was neatly packaged beneath a cardboard insert and wrapped individually in plastic, including the manual. From an eco-conscious perspective, I would have preferred to see less plastic packaging. The plastic was labelled 'LDPE 04,' which I know from previous reviews is recyclable, though it typically needs to be taken to a specialist recycling point rather than disposed of with general household waste.

I've got to say, the overall unboxing experience was refreshingly straightforward. Inside the box was the main spot cleaner unit, the extendable host and brush head, a storage holder and an instruction manual.

The user manual included diagram instructions to assemble, but thankfully the setup was fairly self-explanatory. I connected the brush head to the end of the hose - which clicked into place easily - before securing it onto the main unit.

The first thing I noticed was how long the hose felt; a promising sign that there would be plenty of flexibility for cleaning awkward areas. There's also a small plastic clip, which slots onto the back of the spot cleaner and is used to wrap the hose firmly in place between use.

There are a few things that I think immediately make a model stand out - and this one ticked a lot of those boxes. It's lightweight, easy enough to carry around the house, and compact enough to store without taking up too much space. The midnight blue finish also adds a stylish, modern feel to it. Overall, it felt more premium than its price tag suggests.

Before getting started, I removed the clean water tank - which lifted out of the main unit without needing any force. With a one-litre capacity, it sits on the smaller end of the scale, but for quick spot-cleaning jobs it still felt more than sufficient, and I didn't expect to need to stop and refill it frequently.

The water tank opens via a screw cap at the bottom, and the manual instructs to fill it with warm water and diluted detergent. Annoyingly, it doesn't include any cleaning solution, and the guidance around what to use is quite vague. The manual instructs users to use a 'low-foaming' solution, which I can imagine may leave some users unsure which products are actually suitable.

I used a carpet cleaning solution I already had at home, filled the tank, then clicked it back into place easily on the machine.

Using the Beldray Spot Lift Pro Carpet Cleaner

One advantage of the Beldray Spot Lift Pro Carpet Cleaner is that it's incredibly straightforward to use. There's only one mode, and turning it on is as simple as pressing the main power button on top of the machine.

The manual recommends pre-treating the area first by spraying the surface and leaving the solution to sit for five minutes. While I was tempted to dive straight in, it made sense to give the detergent time to soak into the stain before cleaning.

It did take me by surprise slightly when I first sprayed the nozzle, as the water seemed to shoot out in both directions. It did take a little getting used to, but once I adjusted my technique, it was easy to control and apply evenly over the area.

To clean carpets

The first place I was keen to put the Beldray Spot Lift Pro to the test was on a dried tea stain on my carpet. I'd spotted the mark in an area that would have otherwise been really easy to miss. As I had no idea how long it had been there, I wasn't sure how easily the machine could remove it.

I pre-treated the area and left the solution to soak into the carpet for five minutes before tackling it. After a few passes with the cleaner, I was pleasantly surprised to see the stain beginning to lift. The flexible, long hose came in really handy here, as it gave me plenty of reach and meant I didn't need to worry about lifting the machine to tackle the stain.

Although it didn't completely disappear, the improvement was significant, and the area looked noticeably cleaner by the time I'd finished.

Having seen how well it handled the tea stain, I decided to put it through a tougher test using a fresh nail varnish stain on my carpet. It's worth noting that spot cleaners aren't specifically designed to tackle stains as tough as nail varnish, and as I'd tried various other methods beforehand, I wasn't expecting miracles. Still, I was keen to see if it could lift any of the stain at all.

After pre-treating the area, I switched on the machine and got to work moving the brush forwards and backwards over the stain. As expected, the stain didn't budge much, but it did make the surrounding carpet noticeably cleaner and fresher.

While the results weren't enough to completely remove the mark, I didn't feel this reflected a weakness of the machine so much as the challenging nature of the stain itself.

To clean sofas

As it's also designed to clean upholstery, I used it to give my sofas a refresh. The armchair of one sofa was covered with chocolate fingerprints, which provided the perfect testing ground.

As before, I pre-treated the area and left the solution to soak for a few minutes before going over it. Almost straight away, the stain lifted, and I didn't need to apply much pressure. I actually found the Spot Lift Pro really effective on upholstery, possibly because the fabric's texture made it easier for the brush to work the solution in.

The area was only lightly damp afterwards too, which was an added bonus.

To clean stairs

I'm yet to find a spot cleaner that has a cord long enough to tackle my entire stairs in one go. This is where the Spot Lift Pro really delivers. With a generous cable length of 4m and a flexible hose of 1.65m, I was able to plug it in at the bottom of the stairs, and it easily reached the top step without needing to change sockets.

One drawback I did notice was that the nozzle cover isn't clear, which makes it harder to see exactly how much water and dirt is being lifted as you clean. I also found that because there's only one mode, the results felt more gradual than dramatic on a light refresh clean.

To mop up spills

The Spot Lift Pro is also designed to mop up spills on hard floors. With a toddler whose new favourite game is to throw her water all over the floor, I'm not exaggerating when I say I feel like I'm constantly mopping.

I've used spot cleaners to clean liquid before, and I'll be honest, I've never been completely convinced of their convenience. Until now. Instead of reaching for a mop, I simply turned on the machine and ran the nozzle over the water. The spill lifted almost instantly, and within a couple of passes the floor was dry.

Across each of these tests, the dirty water tank didn't fill particularly quickly, even after tackling various spills and stains. However, given the spot-cleaning nature of the machine and relatively small treatment areas, it was hard to gauge exactly how much moisture was being extracted at any one time.

Combined with the dark nozzle cover, this made it harder to assess its performance in real time. That said, the results on carpet were impressive overall.

Cleaning, storage and maintenance

There's very little cleaning and maintenance involved for the Spot Lift Pro, and the guidance in the manual is quite top-line. There's also no self-cleaning function for the nozzle, a feature I've seen on similar models. Instead, maintenance relies on manually rinsing the hose and brush after each use, which thankfully is fairly straightforward.

The dirty water tank didn't fill up as quickly as I'd expected, but I still got into the habit of emptying it regularly. Inside the tank, there's an internal float mechanism, which detaches easily for cleaning. There's no reference to this in the manual, but it's worth removing and rinsing, especially as I found this is where debris tended to build up.

On the main unit, beneath the dirty water tank, there's also a small sponge filter. From testing similar spot cleaners, I know that this can be removed, gently rinsed under cold water and left to dry before refitting. However, without any mention of it in the manual, it would be easy to overlook this step if you weren't familiar with how spot cleaners are maintained.

I've already mentioned how lightweight and compact the Spot Lift Pro is, and as someone who struggles with storage space, I like that it doesn't take up much room. The hose wraps neatly around the unit, the cleaning head clips into its holder, and the power cable sits securely around the built-in hook. As it doesn't have any other attachments, it's easy to pop away without worrying about losing any parts.

How does the Beldray Spot Lift Pro Carpet Cleaner compare to similar models?

The Spot Lift Pro is the latest addition to Beldray's line-up of spot cleaners. It's probably most similar to the Spot Buster Pro, offering a similar spray, scrub and suction approach to tackling carpets and upholstery, but in a more compact, simplified design focused on ease of use.

I've also tested the Gtech Koala Spot Cleaner, and it holds a few similarities in terms of its compact, lightweight build and single operating mode. The Koala does have a self-cleaning feature, which makes maintenance noticeably easier, but the hose length and power cable aren't as generous.

If you are looking for a more capable, premium model, the Bissell Hydrosteam Spot Cleaner is currently rated Ideal Home's best spot cleaner. It offers steam cleaning and multiple attachments, but it comes at a much higher price point.

It's also worth comparing to a couple of VAX models. The VAX Spotwash Home Cordless has the clear advantage of being cordless for convenience, but it is pricier and bulkier overall. The VAX Spotwash Duo is also available, but it's not as lightweight, although it does offer two brush heads, giving it a slight edge when it comes to cleaning versatility.

How does it rate online?

There aren't many reviews online for the Beldray Spot Lift Pro Carpet Cleaner, besides two five-star ratings on the brand's own website. Those customers were impressed with its performance and highlighted its lightweight, compact design. It's worth noting that both reviews were incentivised.

Verdict: Should you buy the Beldray Spot Lift Pro Carpet Cleaner?

If you're looking for an affordable, easy-to-use spot cleaner for tackling everyday spills, stains and accidents, the Beldray Spot Lift Pro Carpet Cleaner is a strong contender. Its compact size and lightweight design make it particularly well suited to smaller homes, or anyone who wants a machine that's easy to carry, store and grab at a moment's notice.

The generous cord and hose length make reaching awkward areas, such as stairs, much easier, which is an advantage if you need something more manageable than a full-sized carpet cleaner.

The single cleaning mode and lack of multiple attachments mean it's one of the most straightforward models to use. That said, if you are looking for more advanced features such as steam cleaning, multiple settings or a self-cleaning function, a more premium model would be better suited.

While it performed well on everyday stains and spills during testing, it isn't designed for deep-cleaning large carpeted areas. If that's your priority, it's worth investing in a larger, more feature-packed model instead.

Let’s be honest; vacuum cleaners aren’t the prettiest. But while most of us simply shove our vacuums in a cupboard and hide them from view, Shark has just flipped the script and released the Shark PowerDetect Speed Luxe Collection Clean & Empty Cordless Vacuum (£499.99 at Shark) that’ll make you proud to have it on show.

The best Shark vacuum cleaners come in so many different shapes and forms, but this new Luxe Collection is designed to ‘live beautifully in your home’ as part of your interior design choices - offering a selection of four muted, luxurious, and admittedly rather sexy colourways. And it’s fair to say that it’s a far cry from the standard black and white options we’re used to.

These luxe colourways have been attached to the brand’s newest release, the Shark PowerDetect Speed Clean and Empty Pet Pro Cordless Vacuum, which I gave a glowing 5-star review and use almost daily in my house. So, I predict these new colourways will be a sellout...

I was lucky enough to see the new Luxe collection in person a few months ago at Shark’s HQ, and it really does combine the utility of a regular vacuum cleaner with a design aesthetic to be proud of.

With the choice of Walnut, Oatstone, Sagewood, and Harbour Slate - or the classic non-luxe Ultramarine, which I have at home - the Shark PowerDetect Speed Luxe Collection Clean & Empty Cordless Vacuum also comes with a compact auto-empty dock.

This dock can hold up to 45 days’ worth of debris before needing to be emptied (admittedly one of the most tedious aspects of vacuuming), and will automatically charge the cordless vacuum so it’s always ready for grab-and-go cleaning.

As if that wasn’t enough, the tools - combined duster-crevice tool and motorised hand tool, which is perfect for homes with pets - have their own storage spots on the dock, so everything is housed in one place. And in these luxe colourways, it really does make a statement.

The 60-minute run time, Flexology wand and anti-hair wrap technology are all perks, too, but it’s the four Detect technologies that really impressed me most. The vacuum automatically boosts cleaning power and direction based on the floor type and debris level, and detects edges for the ultimate clean.

In fact, I loved this vacuum so much that it’s now become my go-to to use at home - which, as Ideal Home’s Certified Expert in Vacuums, should prove that it’s a worthwhile addition to your cleaning routine.

But if you’re not quite sold on the new Luxe colourways but are still intrigued by the vacuum itself, I’m also happy to report that the classic Ultramarine I have has now been reduced from £499.99 to £299.99 at Shark, following these new releases.

If you are looking to add a luxe colour to your home, though, I’d suggest being quick. When Ninja (from the SharkNinja family) released two luxurious colourways of the bestselling Luxe Café Premier Espresso Machine, they sold out almost instantly.

So, I wouldn’t wait to get your hands on one!

Mopping flooring isn’t the most exciting of household cleaning jobs, but it is an essential chore for every home. However, not all mops are created equal, and I recently tried the Beldray Anti Bac Clip-to-grip All-surface mop, which blew my old mop out of the water.

Finding the best mop for you makes the job faster and more efficient, and this affordable cleaning tool cleaned my wooden flooring fast. Not to mention, it also features a clever design feature to make the whole process even easier.

At £12.99, I found the Beldray Anti-Bac Clip-to-grip All-surface mop to be an affordable and reliable cleaning solution. While I have a few little niggles, which I’ll get into below, it helped me complete my cleaning jobs quickly, so I could get on with enjoying my day.

I’d like to start off by saying that this Beldray mop was really easy to put together and set up. The best cleaning products are often great because they’re not complicated, and that’s how I’d describe this mop. It comes in a small box, in four parts which easily twist and click into place. I also received four multi-purpose cloths for both cleaning and dusting.

And perhaps the most fun part about using this mop (that’s right, fun!) is how you attach your cloth to the mop. All you have to do is place the cloth on the floor, the mop on top in its ‘open’ position, and push down. It’s ‘clip-to-grip technology’ that clips the cloth in place. When it comes to releasing the cloth, push down again - it means you don’t have to bend down or get your hands dirty.

The Beldray Anti-Bac Clip-to-grip All-surface mop is designed for light, everyday cleaning, and I agree this is what it should be used for. Alongside Method’s Squirt & Mop Lemon and Ginger Floor Cleaner (£3.15, Dunelm), I used the mop on my kitchen flooring.

I was a little concerned with how the cloth would stay attached to the mop - especially in areas where I needed to scrub - but I’m pleased to report that it stayed put the entire time, and the finished result was a shiny, clean floor.

The mop itself is smooth to use, with a 360° swivel head that’s 16x8 cm and a 70cm pole. It is easy to reach awkward corners and clean under furniture items such as cabinets. It was great for light cleaning, and it’s something I now reach for for everyday spills in my home.

However, there are a few drawbacks. Beldray recommends this mop for dusting as well as cleaning tiles and walls - making it ideal for cleaning a bathroom. However, when trying this for myself, the cloth flopped around and wouldn’t stay in place.

I found it tricky to use in that way, so going forward, I’d only use this mop for mopping and stick to my OXO Squeegee for cleaning my bathroom tiles.

What impressed me the most, however, was how this mop is a great choice for those of us with disabilities or mobility issues. The clip-to-grip technology means you don’t have to bend down at all to attach your cloth. Not to mention, you can clip-release the cloth straight into your laundry basket ( did I mention the clothes are reusable?). And despite my issues with dusting and cleaning tiles, this long pole does make cleaning easier.

All in all, this is an easy-to-use, lightweight mop that’s great for everyday cleaning. And for just £12.99, it’s a yes from me.

I may be Ideal Home’s resident Floorcare Expert, but I spend my days deliberately making my floors as dirty as possible. I consciously squirt tomato sauce on my new hard flooring, I scatter rice and oats over my carpets, and I tread pet (and human!) hair onto these surfaces. But this is all for a very good cause: to test the best robot vacuum cleaners.

Yes, while robot vacuum cleaners have been around for decades, they’ve become the must-have appliance over the past few years. That’s why my dedicated testing team and I have spent countless hours testing dozens of robot vacuum cleaners and robot mop combos to see if they’re worthy of your money. And we use our rigorous - and very ruthless - testing process to do just that.

All of the robot vacuums we review have been tested in our homes for at least two weeks at a time, vacuuming (and often mopping) our hard flooring, carpets and rugs. During this process, we assess everything from everyday cleaning to more targeted messes and obstacles we deliberately place in their path. And if you want to understand how we decide on our overall rating, these are the ins and outs of our robot vacuum testing process.

Our testing philosophy

At Ideal Home, we appreciate that most people have at least one of the best vacuum cleaners or the best cordless vacuum cleaners in their home. Because of this, robot vacuum cleaners aren’t a necessity - but these hands-free appliances are a handy addition to your cleaning routine. That's why we base our robot vacuum cleaner testing process on the notion that they have to offer something that these hands-on appliances don’t.

Robot vacuums aren’t exactly cheap, either, which is why we test them at least once a day throughout the two-week review period, using them in various cleaning scenarios and considering the practicalities of buying (and owning) a robot vacuum cleaner for the everyday user.

During our review process, each model is benchmarked against certain criteria. This includes:

• Performance: Does the robot vacuum cleaner successfully vacuum (and mop) both wet and dry debris? How does it cope with obstacles?
• Ease of use: Does it require much setup, and what is the app like to use?
• Care and maintenance: Does it come with an auto-empty dock, and how easy is it to store?
• Price: Is it a worthy investment, or would it be better to choose a cheaper model? Or a non-robotic vacuum cleaner?

Our testing criteria in detail

Below, you can take a detailed look at the real-time assessment we make of each robot vacuum cleaner that lands on our doorsteps.

Unboxing and setting up

When the robot vacuum cleaner box is delivered to its testing site (our house!), we immediately start questioning and assessing the following:

• How heavy is the box, and can one person carry it themselves without any help?
• Is the robot vacuum packaged securely and in recyclable materials?
• Are the instructions easy to follow, and do they aid (or hinder) the set-up process?

• How long does it take to assemble the bot and auto-empty dock (if applicable)?
• How large is the dock, and what are the positioning requirements?
• Does it come with any cleaning solution, or does that require a separate purchase?
• How long does it take to download and connect the app to the robot vacuum?
• Is the mapping process easy and fuss-free?

Everyday cleaning

When the robot vacuum is all set up and ready to go, we dive straight to testing. And we ensure every robot vacuum and robot vacuum mop combo is given a fair chance to tackle everyday debris on hard flooring, carpets and rugs before asking:

• How many cleaning modes does the robot vacuum cleaner offer (and are they effective?)
• Does the vacuumed or mopped area look visibly cleaner after testing?
• Are there any dry or wet messes left on the floor after testing?
• When mopping, how long does it take for the floors to dry?

• Does the navigation system clean in a way that makes sense in a home?
• Are there any other features to aid cleaning, such as side brushes or spot cleaning functions?
• Is the app easy to use and configure for everyday cleaning?
• Does the app offer any special features that make it stand out from the crowd?

Debris testing

As we test a lot of floorcare appliances, we appreciate that our floors might be cleaner than most. Because of this, we also put robot vacuum cleaners through a specific debris test.

To do this, we throw different-sized dry debris - like oats, rice, crushed cereal and pet hair etc. - on both hard floors and carpet. If it’s a robot vacuum mop, we also squirt liquid messes (like tomato sauce) on the floor before assessing the following:

• How many passes it takes for the robot vacuum/mop to remove the debris from the floor.
• Whether it smears or pushes the debris around.
• Whether the special functions (if any) aid or hinder larger messes.
• Whether any lingering odours remain after cleaning.

Obstacle testing

Robot vacuum cleaners are completely hands-off, relying on smart technology to (supposedly) detect and avoid obstacles. This is also something we test when reviewing robot vacuum cleaners, as you want to be confident that the appliance can do its job without human help.

So, we put obstacles in the path of the robot vacuum cleaners and assess how well they tackle them. We focus on:

• Whether the robot vacuum cleaner bumps into the obstacle or detects it in time to navigate around it.
• How close it gets to the obstacle before it adjusts its journey. Is it overly cautious? Or does it clean as close to the obstacle as possible?
• How close it cleans around the obstacle, to ensure a thorough clean.

Ease of use

Robot vacuum cleaners are hands-off appliances that are famous for being incredibly easy to use, but they still require an app to work their magic. Plus, the actual bot and dock require some hands-on attention every so often. Because of this, we question:

• The app: How many maps can it store? How customisable is it? What special features does it offer? Does it feel overwhelming or easy to use?
• Clean water tank: How large is it and does it require frequent refilling?
• Dirty water tank: How large is it and does it require frequent emptying?
• Run time: How long does the battery last?
• Charge time: How long before you can use it again?

Cleaning and maintenance

As most people will buy a robot vacuum cleaner for its hands-off nature, we generally want its cleaning and maintenance to be minimal. That’s why we also consider these things during testing:

• Whether it has an auto-empty dock and what special features this dock offers.
• How large the dust bin is, and how often this needs to be emptied (and how easy this is to do).
• How the mop is cleaned, and whether the dock washes and dries it after use.
• How long the emptying/washing/drying process takes.
• How much replacement parts/bags cost, and how often they’ll need to be replaced.
• The size and shape of the bot and dock, and where it should be stored.

Value for money

Robot vacuum cleaners come in at various price points, often ranging anywhere between £300 - £1,300. Because we want you to buy a robot vacuum you’re proud of, we also assess the value for money of the floorcare appliance. So, we consider:

• Does the build quality and performance of the robot vacuum match the RPP? Or does it feel cheap?
• How does it compare to alternative robot vacuums with similar features?
• Is it an appliance most people could use regularly in order to get their money’s worth?
• Does it offer something a regular vacuum cleaner can’t?

How we come to our star rating

After our ruthless and thorough testing process, every robot vacuum cleaner reviewed by Ideal Home will receive a star rating out of 5 and those that score 4 and above will be given one of our Ideal Home Approved badges. This is what they mean.

Our expert testing panel

Gtech's AirRAM range has built a solid reputation for reliable, easy-to-use vacuum cleaners. So I was keen to see how the newer Core model fits into the line-up, especially as one of the most affordable AirRAM models you can buy.

With so many of the best cordless vacuum cleaners leaning into advanced features, smart tech and multiple attachments, I tested the Gtech AirRAM 2 Core Cordless Vacuum in my busy family home to see whether a simpler approach could still hold its own for everyday cleaning.

In a nutshell

The Gtech AirRAM 2 Core Cordless Vacuum is a straightforward, no-fuss vacuum that may lack the bells and whistles of more premium models, but I found it cleaned floors quickly and efficiently. It's sturdy and practical, with a simple upright design that's easy to grab and use without much thought. Unlike most stick vacuums, it stands independently, which makes a noticeable difference day to day if you're short on storage or need to pause mid-clean.

It performs particularly well on hard floors, where it picks up fine dust and larger debris with ease. I also appreciated the low, floor-based design, which helped it feel easier to manoeuvre around awkward spaces. With just one cleaning mode and no complicated settings to navigate, it made the overall experience refreshingly straightforward.

The simplicity does come with its trade-off, though. The bulky floorhead is less practical in tighter spaces, and without any extra attachments, it's not really suited for jobs like stairs, edges and above-floor cleaning. It's also worth noting there's no digital display or indicator alert to say when the bin is full, so I had to rely on performance changes and doing manual checks to know when it needed emptying.

Still, once I got used to its quirks, the AirRAM 2 Core slotted neatly into my daily cleaning routine. While it's not the most versatile or high-tech vacuum I've tested, it feels like a very intentional trade-off - fewer features in exchange for a lower price, and a simpler, more accessible design. For everyday cleaning, it keeps things refreshingly uncomplicated.

Specifications

• Weight: 3.2 kg
• Dimensions: (H) 112cm x (W) 30cm x (D) 26cm
• Bin volume: 0.8L
• Run time: 30 minutes
• Charge time: 4 hours
• Modes: 1
• In the box: floor head, lower and upper handles, charger, hair removal tool, manual
• RRP: £179.99

How I tested

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

I was expecting the Gtech AirRAM 2 Core Cordless Vacuum to arrive in a large box, but to my surprise, it came compactly packaged. The packaging itself was fairly plain, with just the Gtech logo printed on the front.

It opened widthways, which I always appreciate as it makes removing the contents much easier. And the floorhead was wrapped in a plastic protective layer, labelled PE-LD 0 (low-density polyethene), which can be recycled, but it needs to be taken to a specialist collection point, which seems to be quite typical for many floor care appliances I've tested. It would be more convenient if I could just recycle it at home, but technically it's not completely wasteful, so overall it felt reasonably eco-friendly.

The contents consisted of the floorhead, a lower handle, an upper handle, a charger, a hair removal tool and the user manual. As there were no additional attachments, the unboxing process felt refreshingly simple and straightforward.

In terms of assembly, the AirRAM 2 Core was slightly more fiddly than I expected. Both the lower and upper handles arrived in two parts that needed to be slotted together, and, with the bottom handle in particular, I had to use a fair amount of force to push the pieces fully into place.

The floorhead also has a pivot poke, which needs to be pushed upright before attaching the handle, which again required more elbow grease than anticipated. There's a locking clip at the end, which needs to be pulled out so the lower handle can slot into position.

On the bottom of the handle is a small metal pin that aligns with the pivot hole. It took a few attempts (and some patience!) before I heard it click into place. Once assembled, I pushed the locking clip back in until it clicked, securing the vacuum fully.

Once it was fully assembled, the first thing that struck me was how sturdy and robust the Gtech AirRAM 2 felt. While it doesn't have the same sleek, high-tech aesthetic as some fancier cordless stick vacuums, its simplicity gives it a practical, no-fuss feel. Overall, the design seemed centred around functionality rather than flashy features.

One immediate advantage of its upright design is that it can stand independently without needing to be propped up against a wall or stored in a docking station. This made it feel more convenient for quick clean-ups, especially given that I'm short of storage space at home.

It also took me a moment to realise the dust bin is concealed within the floorhead - which isn't something I've come across before in a cordless vacuum. My first thought was that it would mean sacrificing bin capacity, but at 0.8L, it's actually pretty average in size. The only thing I questioned was how I'd be able to tell when the bin was full and needed emptying, since it doesn't have a digital indicator or alert system, as you get with many models.

Before use, the manual also states that the AirRAM 2 Core should be fully charged. The instructions explain how to remove and insert the battery, but as it was already fitted, there was little set-up required on that front.

The charging cable then plugs directly into a port on the back of the floorhead, so I left it connected for four hours until it was fully charged and ready to use.

Using the Gtech AirRAM 2 Core Cordless Vacuum

It's not an exaggeration to say I'm always vacuuming. With three (very messy) children and my husband all at home in our three-bedroom home, I reach for the vacuum several times a day. So I need something that's lightweight and easy to manoeuvre, but with genuinely powerful suction.

Thankfully, turning on the AirRAM 3 Core couldn't be easier. The power button is located on the front left side of the cleaning head, and while you can switch it on by hand, it's clearly designed to be pressed with your foot, which felt convenient.

I started on the laminate floor in my kitchen and conservatory, where it glided far more smoothly than I was expecting. It doesn't feel quite as lightweight or flexible as the Dreame V20 Pro Cordless I recently tested, but it does have a flexible, foldable wand for tighter reach, and the overall design is quite different.

The AirRAM 2 Core also has LED headlights. They're not as bright or sophisticated as Shark or Dyson models, but they did still help me spot stray crumbs and debris. It picked everything on my hard floors up with ease, and the flexible handle made it easy to navigate around the many obstacles in my kitchen.

While I was impressed with its overall performance, it struggled to reach stray crumbs around my skirting boards, suggesting edge cleaning isn't one of its standout strengths.

As part of how we test vacuum cleaners at Ideal Home, I then put it through its paces with a number of controlled tests. The 'debris test' involves throwing various sizes of debris on the floor and seeing how quickly and effectively the vacuum picks it up.

Starting in my kitchen, I scattered some porridge oats and flour on the hard floors before passing the floorhead over the mess. I won't lie, I expected it to take several passes to clear everything completely, but to my surprise, it picked up both the oats and flour in a single sweep.

Because the dust bin is clear, I could immediately see the flour that had collected inside, although it did make me wonder how easy the inner compartment would be to take apart and clean.

I then repeated the same test on the carpet. It did take a few passes to completely lift the flour, but it removed the oats straight away, which was still impressive overall.

I also noticed that I had to apply slightly more manual effort than on hard floors. Still, the suction power was effective enough to keep the carpets clean.

One thing I did notice, though, was that while the handle is flexible, I found it tricky to reach under my sofa due to the size of the floorhead, which made it clear that it's not quite as slim and compact as other models.

As the AirRAM 2 Core also doesn't convert to a handheld vacuum or come with any additional tools, I was curious to see how it would cope with stairs. Unfortunately, this was where its limitations became more obvious. I couldn't fit the floorhead on the step, making it awkward and impractical to use there.

One thing I did really like, though, is that the AirRAM 2 Core has a 30-minute run time, which is fairly average for a cordless vacuum. However, because there's only one setting, it means the battery drains at a consistent rate, rather than dropping quickly when using a higher suction mode, as is typical for many models.

Considering how often I used it during testing, it was several days before I needed to recharge the battery. One thing I did notice, though, is that there isn't actually a low-battery warning sign, so it can catch you slightly off guard when the charge is running low.

Cleaning and maintenance

Although there's no indicator light or warning to alert you when the dustbin needs emptying, in practice, I didn't find it an issue. Because the bin sits on the floorhead and the casing is clear, I could clearly see when it was getting full.

At 0.8L, it's a fairly average-sized bin, so I didn't feel like I was constantly emptying it. Removing the bin is straightforward, too. I just held the floorhead with one hand and pulled the handle to release it. To empty the contents, there's a latch marked with a green arrow, which slides open to release the dirt.

The filters are also easy to access. The manual recommends cleaning them once a month, but after only a week of testing, I was surprised at how much dust had already collected around the foam filter housing cover. You can rinse this and the filter itself under warm water, before being left to dry fully before reinserting.

One niggle I did have was that I could see debris - particularly flour residue - trapped inside the plastic casing of the dustbin, but I couldn't fully reach inside to clean it. As the manual doesn't advise dismantling the compartment further, it felt slightly trickier to clean thoroughly than some other cordless models.

The AirRAM 2 Core also comes with a hair removal tool, which is especially handy for households with pets or for anyone with long hair.

Taking the brush bar out is simple: there's a release button on the side of the floorhead. As predicted, there was a build-up of hair wrapped around the brush, but the tool made light work of it. I used the cutting groove to slice through the hair before switching to the comb end to remove it. I won't lie, I found the process weirdly satisfying.

How does it compare to its predecessors and similar models?

This isn't the first time Ideal Home team has tested a Gtech AirRAM vacuum, with the team previously reviewing the AirRAM 3 Dual-Edge Clean, and the more premium AirRAM Platinum. Compared to these options, the AirRAM 2 Core definitely feels like the more pared-back option, but it comes at a more affordable price point.

While it lacks some of the fancier features found on more advanced AirRAM models, like the AirRAM 3's dual-edge technology or the Platinum's long run time and more premium finish, it still delivers the same straightforward cleaning experience the brand is known for.

In a lot of ways, the AirRAM feels designed for people who just want a vacuum that's easy to grab and use. There's no digital display and only one mode, so it couldn't be more straightforward.

It's also worth comparing to Ideal Home's best-rated cordless vacuum - the Shark Stratos. The Shark offers a more premium experience overall, with a range of hand-held tools, anti-odour capsules, multiple cleaning modes and longer battery life. It is more expensive, though, and if you're looking for an easy-to-use vacuum, the simpler approach of the AirRAM 2 Core may be more appealing.

How does it rate online?

The Gtech AirRAM 2 Core Cordless Vacuum currently holds a 4.8-star rating on the Gtech website, based on 69 customer reviews. Many users praise its cleaning performance, suction power and lightweight design. The affordable price tag is also mentioned frequently.

Interestingly, many of the reviews appear to be from existing Gtech customers who have repurchased from the brand, suggesting strong customer loyalty and satisfaction with the AirRAM models.

Despite the overall high positive feedback, some reviewers expressed disappointment at the lack of tools or attachments, particularly compared with more versatile cordless stick vacuums on the market.

Beyond that, online reviews for the AirRAM 2 Core are limited, likely because it's a new addition to the brand's cordless vacuum range.

Verdict: Should you buy the Gtech AirRAM 2 Core Cordless Vacuum?

If you're after a simple, affordable, cordless vacuum that's designed purely for everyday floor cleaning, the Gtech AirRAM 2 Core Cordless Vacuum makes a strong case for itself. It's easy to use, quick to set up and performs well on hard floors, which will cover most of the day-to-day mess in many homes.

However, if you are looking for something more versatile, a more advanced model may be more suited. The lack of attachments, multiple cleaning modes, or digital features can feel limiting, particularly in busier households. Although it's lightweight and easy to manoeuvre, it's not really designed for stairs or more awkward areas, so it may work better as a secondary vacuum, or for smaller, low-maintenance homes.

Ultimately, if you value simplicity and affordability over flexibility and features, the Gtech AirRAM 2 Core Cordless Vacuum is a solid choice. It focuses on getting the basics right without overcomplicating things.