Cleaning

I expected the mid-tier $540 Dreame D30 Ultra to feel like a budget robovac after testing a $1,400 flagship unit. I wasn't entirely wrong ... just mostly wrong.

Washing a car is an extra chore, and if you live in a condo, you might not even be allowed to do it. Currently on Kickstarter, the Diisea C7 promises quick car washes without getting you into an argument with the condo board.

I can't say I've ever seen auto care equipment quite like this before. The Linyo H1 is a huge step up from a traditional pressure washer to wash your car, with everything you need for a full clean in one portable box.

Keeping shoes clean is neither easy nor particularly fun: hand scrubbing is ineffective, while regular washing machines are way too harsh. The Midishi M1 aims to make the process fully automated and quick, and it’s currently available on Kickstarter.

Dyson is following up its impossibly compact PencilVac vacuum cleaner from 2025 with the PencilWash, a wet cleaner that promises to make light work of mopping floors in small homes with a slim handle that'll have you wondering where the water goes.

The Robotin R2 is billed as the world’s first fully autonomous carpet-cleaning robot, combining vacuuming, washing and smart drying in one compact, low-maintenance system. You can get the unit for just US$799 – nearly half its expected retail price.

Roborock is best known for its futuristic and forward-thinking robovacs – but it's out to prove it can be just as innovative in the world of hand-held stick vacuums. The H60 Hub Ultra brings robovac tech to the stick world, to excellent effect.

Let's be honest: vacuuming is not the bulk of the work. Vacuuming is a victory lap that can only be performed after somebody's gone around picking up all the junk off the floor – a task that Roborock's flagship Saros Z70 is starting to take over.

Literally shining a new light on aircraft maintenance, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is using a new laser tool to remove paint, grime, and corrosion from vintage airplanes in days instead of months and with much less hazard to health.

Long hair can be a giant pain when it comes to robot vacuums, winding around the main and side brushes until things grind to a halt. Narwal's affordable Freo Pro robovac and mop comprehensively solves this problem with a pair of smart innovations.

What's one of the hardest things about using a hydration pack? Keeping its bladder clean, dry and mold-free between uses! That's where the DRYE device comes in, as it's a battery-powered fan designed specifically to dry hydration pack bladders.

We review Roborock's new wet and dry stick vacuum, the F25 ACE, which delivers a lot of bang for a reasonable amount of bucks. From powerful suction and anti-tangle tech to auto-dispensing detergent and self-cleaning, it ticks many boxes.