Botvac Connected D6

£649 FROM neatorobotics.com specS 0.7L capacity, 120-min battery

The base on Neato’s Botvac gives it a higher riding profile than the others here, which means it positively glides over tough rug edges that might confuse its rivals. Its D-shaped design (and wide roller) gives it another advantage when hitting corners, and while we didn’t find it quite as adept at tackling tricky cat hair as the Roomba 960, it works particularly well, and makes a massive noise when switched to the battery-draining turbo mode.

We loved its ability to create lasermapped floor plans with virtual no-go zones – that’s great if you don’t want it clonking into pet food bowls or throwing itself down stairs, but there are more traditional magnetic strip barriers included for a little more reassurance.