It was founded by roboticists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and later branched out into the robo vac market in 2002 – so you can safely assume they know what they’re doing with this stuff.

Nearly three decades on, and we have the Roomba Mini: a dust-beating droid designed for smaller floor spaces. As the name would suggest, it's designed with diminutive dimensions (24.5 x 24.5 x 9.2cm) but mighty suction power.

Tackling the chore no one wants to do, it’s undoubtedly the best roboc vacuum cleaner for flats and small homes. Better yet, it’s currently on sale for less than £300, which is a real bargain when it comes to these appliances.

As an appliance expert, I’ve spent weeks testing the best robot vacuums in my home – including iRobot roomba mini. My home features a range of flooring types, from hardwood and tile to acrylic and carpet – all seem to attract ludicrous amounts of dust and hair, making my house the perfect testing ground.

For the mini iRobot vac, I noted Pascals – the standard unit of measurement for suction pressure – ease of use and set-up (from base stations to apps), the guidance system, mopping performance, and price.

Read more: Best robot vacuums, tried and tested on the floors in my home

What we love: Small footprint, impressive suction for size, fast mapping, and uses AllergenLock bag

Take note:

Small but mighty, the roomba mini produces 7000Pa of suction, making it ideal for hard floors, but it’s not so great for low-pile carpet.

Surprisingly quick to map its way around, the Mini can cover 130m² for up to 75 minutes (a trade-off with its smaller body). Naturally, it gets further into the nooks and crannies than a standard-size robo vac, leading to a better clean in corners and edges.

It cleans and charges without your involvement – and for self-emptying, it uses bags. Yep, while all other base stations will eventually need you to open up and empty their dustbins, the iRobot Mini base station packs all that former floor filth into AllergenLock bags so that contact with dust and associated dirt is kept to the absolute bare minimum.

Operable over app, hard buttons or Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant or Apple Siri for complete control, the Mini offers many advantages for those living in petite pads. One downside is the initially smart-looking bodywork, which is susceptible to picking up scuffs and scrapes at an alarming rate (you’ll want to keep it away from sharp edges).

Read more: Best robot lawn mowers, tried and tested for effortless garden maintenance