Guides & advice
All guides and advice
How-tos, explainers, fixes and comparisons, newest first.
- Shark vs Roomba robot vacuumsShark vs Roomba compared on bagless and bagged self-empty bases, brush rolls for hair, mapping and the spares you keep buying, using four current UK listings.Comparison
- Shark robot vacuum error codes and fixesShark robot vacuum error codes explained by type: brush and wheel jams, cliff sensors, bumper, dustbin, battery and charging, with fixes in order.Fix
- Roomba not working or will not run: fixesWhy an iRobot Roomba will not run or keeps stopping, from brush jams and dirty sensors to error numbers, battery and Home Base faults, with fixes.Fix
- Robot vacuum won't dock or keeps returning to the dockFixes for a robot vacuum that cannot find its dock, misses the contacts or keeps going back mid-clean, from dock clearance to sensors, battery and maps.Fix
- Robot vacuums with an arm: what do they do?Robot vacuums with an arm explained: extending side brushes and mops for corners, such as Roborock FlexiArm and Ecovacs TruEdge, plus pick-up arms.Guide
- Robot vacuum won't connect to Wi-Fi: fixesRobot vacuum won't join your Wi-Fi? Use a 2.4 GHz network, check phone permissions and router settings, then reset the robot's Wi-Fi. Works for most brands.Fix
- Robot vacuums and door thresholds: how high can they climb?How high robot vacuums can climb, in mm: typical limits, robots with lifting legs, how to measure UK door bars and sills, and when a ramp helps.Guide
- When to replace robot vacuum brushes, filters and mopsA part by part replacement schedule for robot vacuum brushes, filters, mop pads and dock bags, with typical maker intervals and signs a part is worn.Guide
- Robot vacuum not charging: causes and fixesWhy a robot vacuum stops charging, from dirty contacts and dock position to the power switch and a worn battery, with checks in order from simplest.Fix
- Robot vacuum making a loud noise: causes and fixesIs your robot vacuum's noise normal? Tell the short self-empty roar apart from grinding brushes, clicking wheels, a whining fan or rattles, and fix each one.Fix
- Robot vacuum height: will it fit under your sofa?How tall robot vacuums are, how to measure the gap under your sofa or bed in cm, why the lidar turret matters and why you want about 1 cm of margin.Guide
- Robot vacuum dock bags: sizes, fit and how often to change themDock bag sizes in litres for Dreame, Eufy, Xiaomi, Tapo and Lefant robots, genuine versus compatible bags, and which bases are bagless.Guide
- How to replace a robot vacuum batterySigns your robot vacuum battery is worn, how to match voltage and connector, how to swap it step by step, and how to recycle the old lithium-ion pack.How-to
- Using a robot vacuum with Alexa or Google HomeHow to link a robot vacuum to Alexa or Google Home, the kinds of voice commands Eufy, Shark, Roborock and other robots support, and fixes for common problems.How-to
- Robot mop vs a traditional mopRobot mop vs traditional mop: what a robot handles well, what still needs a hand mop, and the general water in litres and energy in kWh involved.Comparison
- Can you use a robot mop on hardwood floors?Robot mops on hardwood: why sealed wood usually copes, why oiled or waxed wood needs care, and how water flow, mop lifting and maker guidance protect floors.Guide
- Robot mop not dispensing water: fixesRobot mop leaving the floor dry? Check the water flow setting, tank seating, carpet mode and blocked outlet holes, then deal with limescale in hard water areas.Fix
- What cleaning solution can you use in a robot mop?Robot mop cleaning solution explained: maker solutions, why most say no bleach or foaming floor cleaner, and how auto-dosing dock tanks work.Guide
- Roborock vs Shark robot vacuumsRoborock vs Shark robot vacuums compared: mop-washing docks against bagless bases, suction figures, lidar mapping, obstacle sensing and the apps.Comparison
- Roborock vs iRobot RoombaRoborock vs iRobot Roomba compared on lidar and camera navigation, mops, docks and spares in the UK, using the Q7 BF, Qrevo 5AE, Roomba j7 and Combo 10 Max.Comparison
- Roborock vs Eufy robot vacuumsRoborock vs Eufy compared tier by tier: navigation, mop types, all-in-one docks, suction in Pa and robot heights in cm, with a clear verdict.Comparison
- Roborock vs Ecovacs DeebotRoborock vs Ecovacs Deebot compared on navigation, mop systems, dock jobs and app control, using the Saros 10R, Qrevo 5AE, T90 Pro Omni and T50 Max Pro Omni.Comparison
- Roborock vs Dreame robot vacuumsRoborock vs Dreame compared on mop lifting, threshold climbing, robot height and dock jobs, using the Saros 10, Qrevo Curv, L50 Ultra and L40s Ultra listings.Comparison
- Lidar vs camera navigation in robot vacuumsLidar vs camera robot vacuums: how each maps rooms, copes in the dark and avoids socks and cables, plus the privacy settings to check on camera models.Comparison
- How to set up a robot vacuum: first map to first scheduleSet up a robot vacuum step by step: where to put the dock, the first mapping run, splitting rooms, no-go zones and building a cleaning schedule.How-to
- How to reset a robot vacuumHow to soft reset, Wi-Fi reset and factory reset a robot vacuum, with the general pattern for Shark, Ecovacs, Eufy, Roborock and iRobot models.How-to
- How to clean a robot vacuum and its dockClean your robot vacuum's brushes, filter, sensors, lidar window, mop tray and dirty-water tank with this simple weekly and monthly routine.How-to
- How do robot vacuums map your home?How robot vacuum mapping works: lidar, cameras and gyro navigation explained, plus room splitting, no-go zones and multi-floor maps for UK homes.Guide
- How long do robot vacuums last?How long a robot vacuum lasts depends on the battery, brushes and how you look after it. See which parts wear first and which you can replace yourself.Guide
- Eufy RoboVac troubleshooting and error codesFix a Eufy RoboVac that stops, beeps or shows an error: the main fault types, from wheels and brushes to the suction fan and charging, in simple order.Fix
- Dreame vs Ecovacs robot vacuumsDreame vs Ecovacs compared on mops, docks, corner reach, robot height and apps, using four listings from the X60, X12, L40 and T80 ranges.Comparison
- Do robot vacuums need Wi-Fi?Do robot vacuums need Wi-Fi? What works from the button alone, what needs the app, and why most robots want a 2.4 GHz network during setup.Guide
- Can robot vacuums clean stairs or multiple floors?No mainstream robot vacuum cleans stairs. How cliff sensors stop falls, how multi-floor maps work when you carry the robot, and what stair-climbing designs mean.Guide
- Are robot vacuum mops worth it?Are robot vacuum mops worth it? What they replace day to day, what they cannot do (stairs, deep stains), and the upkeep an all-in-one dock adds.Guide