Articles by Derek Adams

Derek Adams has been in consumer tech journalism since joining London listings magazine Time Out in the early ‘80s. He’s an experienced reviewer of cordless vacs and robot vacs, indeed anything that runs on batteries or has a plug attached. Derek also writes extensively for TechRadar’s sister site T3.com between playing drums and guitar with his bandmates in Red Box.

Articles by: Derek Adams

Roomba's new dust-compressing robovac is great in theory but a crushing disappointment in real life

By Derek Adams published 15 July 25

The iRobot Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo's intriguing space-saving design is let down by poor execution.

Is my garden suitable for a robot lawn mower?

By Derek Adams published 28 June 25

Steep incline? Overgrown grass? Lumps and bumps? We look at the obstacles that could pose a problem for the wrong lawnbot.

Robot lawn mower with Smart Home Week graphic

How to prepare your lawn for a robot lawn mower

By Derek Adams published 25 June 25

Smart home week Lawnbots can be a major effort-saver when it comes to yardcare – here's how to get your lawn ready.

Roborock robot vacuum on carpet next to Smart Home Week graphic

6 settings you should be changing on your robovac (but probably aren't)

By Derek Adams published 23 June 25

Shifting away from the defaults can transform your robot vacuum from basic home helper to tailored cleaning assistant.

Eufy E15 robot lawn mower mowing tester's lawn in neat stripes

I tested the Eufy E15 robot lawn mower, and it's so easy to use even technophobes will love it

By Derek Adams published 14 June 25

Recommended

I've tested plenty of lawnbots, but Eufy's debut effort blew me away with its accurate full self-drive tech.

Samsung Jet 85 Pet vacuum cleaner in reviewer's living room

Samsung Jet 85 Pet vacuum cleaner review: high-powered cleaning for pet-owners

By Derek Adams last updated 5 June 25

How does the Samsung Jet 85 Pet match up to the opposition?

Roborock Saros 10R and Saros 10 robot vacuums side by side in reviewer's house

Roborock Saros 10 and Saros 10R: which should I buy?

By Derek Adams published 12 May 25

I tested Roborock's Saros 10 and 10R side by side – here's how they matched up.

Dreame R20 cordless vacuum in reviewer's home

Dreame R20 cordless vacuum review

By Derek Adams last updated 9 May 25

The Dreame R20 packs a slew of useful features, not to mention incredible cleaning power, for a wallet-friendly price.

Roborock Qrevo Master robot vacuum with side brush kicked out

Roborock Qrevo Master review: hassle-free cleaning from the king of robot vacuums

By Derek Adams published 11 April 25

It's not the very newest Roborock, but it's still a supremely capable bot and there are some strong deals to be had.

Roborock Q5 Pro+ robot vacuum review: an affordable bot with strong suction

By Derek Adams published 15 March 25

It might be one of the cheapest Roborocks around, but the excellent suction makes it worthy of consideration, even if the mop underwhelms.

Tineco Pure One A50S cordless stick vacuum with wand bent forwards

Tineco Pure One A50S cordless vacuum review: superb suction but a flawed design

By Derek Adams published 1 March 25

The Tineco Pure One A50S offers excellent cleaning power and long battery life, but a clunky design lets it down a little.

Roborock Saros 10R robot vacuum and mop with dog asleep in background

Roborock Saros 10R robot vacuum review: an ultra-capable robovac that can get right under your sofa

By Derek Adams published 10 February 25

Recommended

The Roborock Saros 10R has a cutting-edge navigation system that does away with the raised central puck – and it works a treat.

Close up of camera on iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max (left) and close up of LiDAR navigation puck on Roborock robot vacuum

LiDAR vs vSLAM: which robot vacuum navigation technology is better?

By Ruth Hamilton published 16 January 25

vSLAM and LiDAR will both help your robovac find its way around, but one is better than the other.

Dreame L40 Ultra (left) and D-shaped Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuums (right)

5 overdue robot vacuum innovations I want to see in 2025

By Derek Adams last updated 30 December 24

From D-shaped bots to better-looking docks, here's what's on my robovac wishlist for the new year.

Roborock Qrevo Curv robot vacuum in reviewer's home

How do robot vacuums navigate?

By Derek Adams published 10 December 24

Here's exactly how robovacs find their way around, without crashing down stairs, running slipshod over toys and cables, or bumping into furniture.

Close up of camera on iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max

iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max review

By Derek Adams published 7 December 24

iRobot's range-topping Roomba Combo 10 Max is well-built and looks good, but has a few too many design and usability issues.

Dreame L40 Ultra robot vacuum in a village hall

Dreame L40 Ultra robot vacuum review

By Derek Adams published 20 November 24

If you can handle the large and ugly dock, the Dreame L40 Ultra is an almost-perfect hybrid robot vacuum.

Roborock Qrevo Curv review: the crème de la crème of robot vacuums

By Derek Adams published 17 November 24

If you're looking for a truly hands-off cleaning experience, the Qrevo Curv will deliver.

Gtech Orca hard floor cleaner in reviewer's kitchen

Gtech Orca Hard Floor Cleaner review

By Derek Adams published 2 November 24

A handful or poor design decisions aside, the Gtech Orca is an efficient and easily maneuverable cordless wet-dry vacuum.

Gtech AirRam 3 vacuum cleaner in reviewer's home

Gtech AirRam 3 cordless upright vacuum cleaner review

By Derek Adams published 9 August 24

Recommended

A superbly designed cordless upright vac that cleans right to the edge.

Mammotion LUBA 2 AWD by a clump of lavender

Mammotion LUBA 2 AWD robot lawn mower review

By Derek Adams published 15 July 24

Recommended

A fully autonomous GPS-guided robotic lawn mower for pristine lawn maintenance.

Should I buy a robot lawn mower? We look at the pros and cons

By Derek Adams published 14 July 24

A robot lawn mower can be a great timesaver, but it's not right for everyone.

Miele Classic C1 Flex against a fireplace

Miele Classic C1 vacuum cleaner review

By Derek Adams published 13 July 24

A powerful but dated corded cylinder floor cleaner for those on a tighter budget.

How exactly do robot lawn mowers work?

By Derek Adams published 7 July 24

Do they need a navigation wire? How do they find their way around? And where exactly does the grass go? We answer all your robot lawn mower questions.

I've tested dozens of vacuum cleaners – here's why bagged models are best

By Derek Adams published 23 June 24

More efficient, cheaper to run in the long term, and certainly more reliable... bagged vacs are where it's at.

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