Articles by Ruth Hamilton, Homes Editor

Ruth is TechRadar's Homes Editor specializing in air (vacuum cleaners, robovacs, fans and air purifiers), and hair (hair dryers, straighteners and stylers). She has been in consumer journalism since 2020, reviewing and writing about everything from outdoor kit to mattresses and wellness gadgets, with stints on Tom's Guide and T3 before joining TechRadar. Before that, she worked on various design titles, in print and online.

Articles by: Ruth Hamilton

What to do if your vacuum cleaner smells like burning

By Tom May published 18 December 24

A burning smell can be a sign of mechanical failure – so turn your vacuum off immediately, then read this for the next steps.

This robot lawn mower turns into a snow blower, and I've never wanted to wake up to a blocked drive more

By Ruth Hamilton published 16 December 24

The snow must blow on.

L'Oreal's new hair dryer blows with the force of a Category 4 hurricane

By Ruth Hamilton published 5 December 24

Those water droplets won't stand a chance against the AirLight Pro.

Dyson vacuum floorhead (left) and Shark floorhead (right)

Shark vs Dyson: which vacuum cleaner brand is better?

By Ruth Hamilton last updated 15 November 24

We run through the key differences between the two titans of the vacuum cleaner world.

A manual stick vacuum sucking up oats on hard floor (left) and a robot vacuum sucking up flour on a rug (right)

How we test vacuum cleaners

By Ruth Hamilton published 8 November 24

We review dozens of vacuums and robot vacs every year – here's how we put them through their paces.

Yeedi C12 Pro Plus robot vacuum sucking up breakfast cereal

3 questions to ask before buying a robot vacuum in the Black Friday sales

By Ruth Hamilton published 7 November 24

Thinking of investing in a robovac this sales season? Here's how to narrow down your options, so you end up with the right model for you.

Dyson Nural in a hand, with sign saying TechRadar Choice Awards 2024 Winner

A hair dryer for our Home Tech Device of the Year? Here's how the Dyson Supersonic Nural blew us away

By Ruth Hamilton published 29 October 24

Dyson continues to lead the way in the haircare market, with new products that introduce genuinely useful innovations that no one else has thought of.

How to choose a robot vacuum: here's what to look for

By Ruth Hamilton published 20 October 24

As TechRadar's resident robovac expert, follow my advice to find the right model for you.

Hair Screw tool on Dyson Gen5 Detect vacuum cleaner

Dyson vacuum cleaner tools guide: what each tool does, and which ones you need

By Ruth Hamilton published 4 October 24

Dyson makes a wide range of useful tools to go with its vacuums; here's a quick run-down of what each one does.

Tester using Shark Stratos cordless (left) and Detect Pro cordless (right)

Shark Detect Pro vs Stratos: which vacuum is better?

By Ruth Hamilton published 28 September 24

We run down the differences between the Shark Detect Pro vacuum line and the Shark Stratos line.

Dyson Airwrap styler (2022 version) in carry case

Dyson Airwrap (2022) review

By Josephine Watson last updated 27 September 24

Updated I tested out the 2022 version of the ultra-popular Dyson Airwrap styler – here's my updated review.

Various Shark vacuum cleaner technologies

Shark vacuum cleaner technologies: a handy jargon-buster

By Ruth Hamilton last updated 25 September 24

QuadClean? DuoFins? MultiFLEX? Here's exactly what Shark's vacuum cleaner jargon means, and which bits you should prioritize.

Dyson V8 review

By Sharmishta Sarkar last updated 25 September 24

Updated The Dyson V8 and V8 Absolute are versatile cordless vacuums that are still solid recommendations if you can't find a deal on a newer model.

Closeup of floorhead on Dyson WashG1 wet floor cleaner

Dyson WashG1 review

By Ruth Hamilton last updated 23 September 24

The Dyson WashG1 hopes to revolutionize the wet floor cleaner market, and it's almost there.

Midea WashBot combination robot vacuum / washing machine being demoed at IFA

This brand created a combo washing machine-robot vacuum and it's not as dumb as it sounds

By Ruth Hamilton published 11 September 24

The concept for Midea's new WashBot sounds mad, but is actually really clever.

Shark PowerDetect Cordless Vacuum being demoed at IFA

Shark's clever new vacuum feature is so obvious I'm amazed no one's thought of it before

By Ruth Hamilton published 10 September 24

Thought the days of groundbreaking vacuum cleaner innovation were over? Think again.

The new Shark FlexFusion is what you'd get if you melded all your hair gadgets together into one mammoth multi-styler

By Ruth Hamilton published 6 September 24

This shapeshifting styler can do pretty much anything, on wet or dry hair

6 cool new robovac features coming your way, from quad bike-style suspension to magnetic mops

By Ruth Hamilton published 6 September 24

I got to check out the new wave of robot vacuums at IFA – here are the most exciting new developments to look out for.

Dyson V15 Detect vs Dyson V11: Which cordless vacuum is best for you?

By Ruth Hamilton last updated 21 August 24

We run through the differences between the Dyson V15 Detect and V11, so you can see if the newer model is worth the investment.

Portrait of a cleaning icon, on the floor, in dirt

Samsung turns dirt into art with carpet portraits of famous faces, made using vacuum cleaners

By Ruth Hamilton published 8 August 24

A headline I never thought I'd write.

Fellas, the wait is over – the "first ever" hair dryer for men has arrived

By Ruth Hamilton published 4 August 24

Struggling to style your laddish locks? The Heist 3.0 is just for men.

Dyson V15 Detect Absolute vacuum cleaner

Dyson V15 Detect cordless vacuum review

By Sharmishta Sarkar last updated 2 August 24

Best in Class

Updated The Dyson V15 Detect cordless vacuum has a laser to help you hunt out hidden dirt. Here's our review.

Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra robot vacuum and mop

Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra robot vacuum review

By Ruth Hamilton published 30 July 24

The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra is a premium robot vacuum and mop that offers effective, precise cleaning.

Dyson Gen5detect review: a heavy-duty vacuum in more ways than one

By Sharmishta Sarkar last updated 30 July 24

Updated The feature-packed Dyson Gen5detect delivers impressive suction and superb battery life, but it's just a bit too heavy.

iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max robot vacuum and mop

iRobot's new Roomba robovac and mop will finally support Apple Home – and it'll clean its own dock, too

By Ruth Hamilton published 23 July 24

Roomba Combo 10 Max self-cleans, so even less effort is required from you.

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