New Delhi, Sept. 16 -- There's a strange kind of satisfaction to coming home and finding the floors already clean. No sweat, no fight with hair tumbleweeds, no last-minute panic before guests arrive. The Dreame F10, launched in India only recently, promises to give families the one thing money usually cannot buy: free time. After testing this robot vacuum in a flat with a pet, it's clear this little gadget is a workhorse with a handful of clever tricks.

The F10 is an understated disc - shiny on top, with a matte edge that hides smudges better than most. At about 34cm wide and less than 10cm high, it slips under most beds and sofas. The dustbin is a roomy 570ml, so you're not always emptying it, and the mop tank holds 235ml which is enoug...