Robot or cordless — which should you buy first?

Decide from three questions

1. What are your floors? Hard flooring and tile → robot wins · Thick carpet or full-room rugs → cordless wins
2. How many floors, and are there stairs? Multiple floors → a robot must be carried · Cordless is far more agile
3. Do you have pets? Heavy hair → cordless picks up more thoroughly · But a robot still removes most of the daily work

Side by side

Robot vacuums — what to check

• Navigation — LiDAR is more accurate than gyroscope or camera-only; you want a map in the app
• Height — it must fit under your sofa and bed; measure first
• Dust bin — bigger means emptying less often · a self-emptying base is more convenient but costs more
• Mopping — a damp cloth, a vibrating pad and a rotating roller are very different in performance
• Spare parts — brushes, filters and wheels must be replaceable

Cordless vacuums — what to check

• Actual suction (AW or kPa) — beware of motor wattage figures, which are not suction
• Runtime per charge — at normal mode, not eco mode
• Weight — above 3 kg your arm will tire on long sessions
• Replaceable battery — this matters most for long-term lifespan
• Bin size — larger means emptying less often

Why many homes end up with both

The combination that works is a robot for daily upkeep plus a cordless for detail work. The robot removes the work you would otherwise do every day; the cordless handles corners, carpet and specific spills.