5 days agoNew York StateComments Off on People are just realising they’ve been pronouncing ‘Chupa Chups’ sweets all wrong – here’s how you really say it
CHUPA Chups lollipops are a common sight in corner shops all over the country.
But despite their popularity, it turns out that many people have been mispronouncing the name all along.
Times Newspapers LtdChupa Chup lollipops are sold in 150 countries around the globe – but do you know how to pronounce them?[/caption]
When reading the name, most people instinctively say “Chuh-pa Chups”, but according to linguists, this is incorrect.
Thankfully, the experts at online Spanish classes provider Preply have stepped in to clear things up once and for all.
It turns out that the correct pronunciation is “Choo-pa Choops”.
It may feel unnatural at first, but once you break it down, it makes perfect sense.
Chupa Chups is a Spanish brand, which means its pronunciation follows Spanish phonetics rather than English ones.
The name derives from the Spanish verb “chupar”, which means “to suck”, in reference to how the sweet is eaten.
In Spanish, “chupar” is pronounced “choo-par”, and the brand name stemmed from its shortened form, “chupa”.
As for “Chups”, while it doesn’t directly translate to anything, it follows the same phonetic pattern as “chupa,” meaning it’s also pronounced with the “choo” sound, hence, “Choo-pa Choops”.
And it’s not the only Spanish food name that people have been mispronouncing
When it comes to paella, many people say “Pae-ell-ah”, but the correct pronunciation is “Pae-ay-ah”, with the “ll” sounding like a soft “y” rather than an English “l.”
And for Churros, the proper pronunciation includes a rolled “r”, making it “Chur-rros” rather than the flat English version “choo-ros.”
Spain’s famous cured ham Jamón should be pronounced “Ha-mon”, with a soft “h” sound rather than a hard “J.”
So, next time you reach for a Chupa Chups lollypop, impress your friends by saying it the right way.
AmazonIt turns out that the correct pronunciation is ‘Choo-pa Choops’[/caption]
The Spanish lollipop brand was founded in 1958 by Catalonian businessman Enric Bernat, but is now owned by the Italian-Dutch multinational company Perfetti Van Melle.
He created the product after envisioning a new type of treat – one that would prevent sticky hands by putting a sweet on a stick.
Inspired by this idea, he created a round, hard candy on a wooden stick, which later evolved into the modern plastic stick.
Stewart Williams - The SunThe bright and colourful Chupa Chups logo was designed by Salvador Dali[/caption]
The Catalan artist had found worldwide fame as a leading figure in the artistic movement and is best known for his melting clocks in The Persistence of Memory.
In 1969 though he came up with the new design which quickly became recognisable for the brand.
BBC’s programme Modern Masters: Dali said: “The result became as instantly recognisable as his melting clocks.
“Dali incorporated the Chupa Chups name into a brightly coloured daisy shape.
“Always keenly aware of branding, Dali suggested that the logo be placed on top of the lolly instead of the side so that it could always be seen intact.”
Currently, Chupa Chups sells its lollipops in more than 150 countries and offers over 100 flavours.
Facts about Chupa Chups
Spanish Origins – Chupa Chups was created in 1958 by Spanish entrepreneur Enric Bernat.
The Name Means “Suck” – “Chupa” comes from the Spanish verb chupar, meaning “to suck.”
First Lollipop in Space – Astronauts took Chupa Chups on a mission to the International Space Station in 1995.
Over 100 Flavours – Chupa Chups comes in a huge variety of flavours, including cola, strawberry, and even exotic options like mango and lychee.
The late jockey – remembered as a “beautiful person” by iconic former rider and close family friend Barry Geraghty – was airlifted to the Cork University Hospital after the incident, which involved five horses.
Hundreds gathered for his funeral at St John the Baptist Church in Cork, including legendary jockey Ruby Walsh.
Townend choked up in his post-race interview after being asked about O’Sullivan.
Kopek Des Bordes owner Charlie McCarthy was also overcome with emotion after undergoing surgery for kidney cancer two weeks ago.
He said following the win: “I won’t cry, but I’ll tell you one thing, I’m on cloud nine and is there a bigger cloud to be on?
“I just can’t get over it, I’m here with my sons, to win at Cheltenham, the Novices’ Supreme Hurdle with everything I’ve been through, it’s a dream come true and the dream is not finished yet…
“I’m trying to promote National Hunt racing, that the small man can have a say in it.
“And I’m no small man, but I am a small man, and to be fair about it, National Hunt is what I love and I’m trying to promote that.”
5 days agoNew York StateComments Off on Kelvin Fletcher returns to his soap roots on Emmerdale with a brand new podcast job
KELVIN Fletcher is returning to his soap roots – and he’s bringing his wife Liz with him.
The actor – who is best known for playing Andy Sugden in ITV soap Emmerdale – will be delving into his former workplace and sister soap Coronation Street.
GettyKelvin and wife Liz will host the new podcast for ITV[/caption]
ITVThe actor is best known for playing Andy Sugden[/caption]
The couple have been picked to host a brand new ITV vodcast – video podcast – where they will be interviewing the biggest names from soapland.
Running weekly, Off Script: Coronation Street and Emmerdale, will be released each Friday with a special guest.
Kelvin announced the news today on his Instagram account.
“Big Soap News!” he wrote.
“A brand new Vodcast, ‘Off Script’ is coming this Friday!
“Get ready to dive into all things Corrie and Emmerdale as [Kelvin and Liz] are joined by big star soap fans each week!”
In the video message, Liz explained: “Hey guys, we’ve got some exciting news.
“We are the new hosts of the brand new Vodcast – which is a video podcast, in case you didn’t know, of Off Script: Coronation Street and Emmerdale.
“Where we’re gonna be talking all about soaps and to all of the actors.”
Soap stars leaving this year
Soap has - or will lose some iconic characters this year - here we've rounded up the latest departures...
EASTENDERS
Navin Chowdhry
CORONATION STREET
Calum Lill
Bill Fellows
Launa Santos
Helen Worth
Lucy Fallon
HOLLYOAKS
Matthew James Bailey
Gregory Finnegan
Stephanie Warring
Annie Wallace
NEIGHBOURS
Ryan Maloney
Lucinda Cowden
The first special guest has been revealed with Coronation Street’s Claire Sweeney sitting down with the couple to chat.
It will be released on Friday with episodes following weekly.
5 days agoNew York StateComments Off on How Premier League could have SEVEN teams in Champions League with up to 11 clubs playing European football
ENGLAND could have SEVEN teams in next season’s Champions League.
And there is a chance that European competitions in 2025/26 will feature an incredible 11 English clubs.
ReutersAs many as seven English clubs could compete in the Champions League next season[/caption]
ReutersWhile inclusions in the Europa League and Conference League could bring England’s overall participation in European competition to 11[/caption]
The quirks of how Premier League sides qualify for Uefa competitions has opened up the possibility of an unprecedented English presence.
And the onus is Aston Villa, and either Tottenham or Manchester United, to set up a spectacular reverse Brexit.
England is already on course to earn a fifth spot in next season’s Champions League because of the performance of its teams in Europe so far in this campaign.
The top two nations in Uefa’s coefficient rankings at the end of the season will each get an extra spot.
England are currently top of the table, ahead of Spain and Italy, and still have six teams left in Europe to keep earning points.
If England holds on to a top-two place, the top five finishers in the Premier League would all go into the Champions League.
But if a club finished outside the top five, yet won the Champions League, they would qualify for next season’s competition as winners.
Liverpool and Arsenal, two of the three English teams left in the CL, seem all but certain to come in the top five in the PL and so winning the CL would not make any difference.
Yet if Villa were to repeat their European Cup triumph of 1982, while finishing outside the top five, they would also go into the CL, taking England’s total number of clubs to six.
Meanwhile Manchester United and Tottenham have next to no chance of finishing in European qualification places in the Premier League and are out of both domestic cups.
Yet if either club wins the Europa League, they would go straight into the league phase of next season’s Champions League – taking England’s representatives to seven.
So that’s the seventh heaven scenario.
But how could four more English clubs also find themselves in Europe?
England starts every season with three allocated European places on top of however many clubs qualify for the Champions League.
The highest finisher in the PL who does not earn a CL place automatically goes into the Europa League group stage. So do the FA Cup winners.
But if either of the winners of the domestic cups finish in the Champions League qualifying spots then the European places normally allocated to those competitions can be passed down to the next highest finishers in the PL.
Looking at the clubs left in the FA Cup, there is a decent chance that the FA Cup winners will also finish in the top five.
Nottingham Forest, Manchester City, Brighton, Bournemouth and Villa could all do it (although if Villa finished in the top five, that would put an end to the hopes of having seven teams in the Champions League).
Similarly, Carabao Cup finalists Liverpool and Newcastle are both in the top five right now and so in line to pass down their winners’ place in the Europa Conference League to the highest finisher in the Premier League.
You can draw up a number of versions of a final league table that would see 10 clubs qualify for Europe.
But how would you reach 11?
Well, it relies on Chelsea winning the Europa Conference League and so gaining an extra English place in the Europa League – while also not qualifying for Europe by any other route.
That seems unlikely, but it remains possible.
A collapse in the Blues’ league form could see them finish outside a place which would earn a European place – 10th for example.
As explained above, the three teams in seventh, eighth and ninth places could all gain European places by virtue of their league finish – depending on which sides fill the Champions League spots and win the domestic cups.
A Chelsea triumph in the ECL, plus either United or Spurs winning the Europa League, would see more than half of the Premier League competing in Europe next season.
There are even scenarios where finishing 11th in the PL would be enough to qualify for Europe by right.
If Spurs or United won the Europa League and also somehow finished in the top 10, along with Europa Conference League-winning Chelsea, then the Carabao Cup winners’ place in next season’s ECL would be passed down by Newcastle/Liverpool to the 11th-placed club.
So even though Liverpool seem to have sewn up the title race, there is still plenty to play for – and lots of clubs to play for it!
How 11 English teams could qualify
A final Premier League table and cup-winning scenario where 11 English teams qualify for Europe
Liverpool
Arsenal
Man City
Nottingham Forest
Newcastle
Aston Villa
Brighton
Bournemouth
Fulham
Chelsea
…..
Manchester United/Tottenham
———————————————————————————————-
Top five all qualify for the Champions League – 5CL
United or Spurs win the Europa League – 6CL
Villa win the Champions League – 7CL
Brighton are the highest PL finishers outside CL qualifiers – 1EL
Forest or City win the FA Cup, but they are already in the CL through being in the top five so their EL place goes to next highest PL finishers, Bournemouth – 2EL
Liverpool/Newcastle win the EFL Cup, but they qualify for the CL so their Europa Conference League place goes to next highest PL finishers, Fulham – 1ECL
Chelsea win the Europa Conference League but their PL finish is not enough to earn a place in Europe – 3EL
5 days agoNew York StateComments Off on Replace your Aston Villa and Crystal Palace players before they BLANK in Gameweek 28
ALL but two of the 20 Premier League clubs have one fixture to fulfil in Gameweek 28.
This weekend will host eight top flight fixtures as well as the Carabao Cup final between Liverpool and Newcastle at Wembley.
As a result, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace are set to start the international break early.
Dream TeamEze and Rogers are among the players on the way out in Dream Team this week[/caption]
Consequently, popular Dream Team assets such as Morgan Rogers (£3.9m), Ollie Watkins (£5.2m) and Marc Guehi (£4m) will BLANK this coming Gameweek.
Gaffers must find replacements for these players or make their peace with zero-pointers.
MOST POPULAR ASTON VILLA AND CRYSTAL PALACE PLAYERS (% OWNERSHIP)
26.5% – Morgan Rogers
20.8% – Ollie Watkins
20.6% – Emi Martinez
11.2% – Lucas Digne
9.4% – Marc Guehi
8.3% – Eberechi Eze
8.1% – Marcus Rashford
7.9% – Youri Tielemans
5.9% – Marco Asensio
5.4% – Dean Henderson
There’s no doubt about it, these blanks are inconvenient to say the least.
Asensio and Watkins were both among the five most recruited players ahead of Gameweek 27 as many Dream Team bosses intended to target the Villains’ double header against Brentford and Club Brugge – a perfectly logical strategy.
But gaffers who opted for such a ploy will have to ditch those very same players before Saturday’s 1:30pm deadline.
PAAsensio has been a popular man of late but a blank Gameweek is a significant hurdle[/caption]
And it may be a case of the hokey-cokey as Villa assets will probably be popular again during the international break as Unai Emery’s side are one of just seven teams with two fixtures to fulfil in Gameweek 29: Preston (a) and Brighton (a).
In, out, in, out…
Crystal Palace are also among the septet with two games scheduled for Gameweek 29: Fulham (a) and Southampton (a).
There’s no easier opponent than Saints in the Premier League this season and so the likes of Daniel Munoz (£5.3m) and Jean Philippe-Mateta (£4.5m) should be considered among the best options once the Eagles’ blank Gameweek is out of the way.
PAMunoz is Dream Team’s second-best defender right now[/caption]
Some gaffers may be in the unfortunate position of having more Villa and Palace players than transfers available for Gameweek 28.
In such cases, it might be wise to ditch those most vulnerable to price drops.
For example, Watkins banked ten points against the Bees at the weekend while Rashford settled for just two points.
The outlook may change after Wednesday night’s game at Villa Park but at the stage the former is almost certainly set for a price increase whereas the latter will probably decrease in value.
For some, Gameweek 28 might be about damage limitation.
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Plus, robot vacs are way easier to use than you think as they start and end each clean by returning to the docking station to recharge, replacing the need to store traditional vacuums away.
A well-chosen robot vacuum might not necessarily replace your old-school vacuum altogether – but it’s sure to reduce its usage.
Not sure which to pick or how much to spend? We’ve put several leading robot vacuums and mops to the test.
The Sun’s Shopping team has tested these handy vacs on hard floors and carpets, and in busy homes with a variety of challenges (think dogs and children) to contend with.
Read on for our tried-and-tested pick of the best robot vacuum cleaners.
Pros: Robot vacuum offers powerful vacuuming and mopping functions, easy set-up, self-emptying, pet function
Cons: Loud when emptying bin, expensive price
Rating: 4/5
You’d be silly not to include industry-leading iRobot in a list of the best robot cleaners, and its Roomba Combo j5+ is exceptional.
Perhaps one of the most advanced robot vacuum cleaners available now, you’ll find the best thing about it is that it vacuums and mops a variety of surfaces so it really works for all spaces.
I tested this on three different floors, two types of carpets and one (awful) vinyl flooring, and if you want a robot vacuum that can do all that, then this is one for you.
All of iRobot’s devices are easy to set up and this one mapped my entire home in only 40 minutes fairly accurately.
It is one of the fanciest robot vacuums at over £800, but its design is excellent quality and is much slimmer than others on the robot vacuums market.
While it did miss some small stops, it managed to nab most of them and has a pet function specifically designed for furry homes (I dog-sit and the robot always picked up dog hair) – it even avoids dog waste with its tracking, which you certainly don’t get with every robot vacuum!
With a robot mop function included that removes hard stains as well, this is definitely the best investment you can buy for your home.
Pros: Perfect for daily cleaning, vacuums and mops, maps house, easy to use and set up,
Cons: Doesn’t vacuum all dirt, can’t reach some spots, pricy
Rating: 4/5
I live in a house of four and as we all cook independently, it can get quite messy in our kitchen.
The iRobot Roomba i5+ is perfect for a house like mine, and it’s a self-emptying robot vacuum, which saves us even more time.
Setting up the smart home appliance was much easier than I anticipated, and before it does the first clean, it maps your home, so that it works to a plan rather than just aimlessly cleaning random spots.
This is one of the best robot vacs we’ve tested because of this feature and it’s fairly accurate, although you will need to move a few chairs and items around for this.
It’s surprisingly stylish and is a lot lighter than other robot vacuums, which is useful if you live in a house with stairs and need to transport it across different floors (sadly, robot vacuums won’t climb stairs!).
The vacuum function was decent as it cleaned areas like under the kitchen table and hard-to-reach corners.
The mop function also makes the robot a great addition to your home as it cleans spills and stains without any hard effort.
While I’d recommend that you go over carpets and hard floors with a regular vacuum cleaner and mop to make sure you get it extra clean, it is a great, advanced robot to help with everyday cleaning.
Pros: Easily cleans pet hair and hardwood floors, powerful suction ability,
Cons: Large base station requires space, long first charge, doesn’t fit under low furniture
Rating: 4/5
Eufy is known for its home security cameras, so it’s not surprising that its Robovac X8 is another great device for your home.
The ground floor of my home is 419 square feet and I have a 2-year-old labrador dog that constantly sheds hair all over the floors.
However, I’ve found that this robot works better than any traditional vacuum cleaner I’ve owned thanks to its ability to immediately navigate around your home with no effort and suck up 90% of my dog’s hair from the ground.
I was a bit surprised that the first initial charge took six hours, so do keep this in mind when setting it up, but other than that everything else is quite easy as its app is very user-friendly.
You still need to tidy the home a bit before using the vacuum cleaner as I discovered it chewed one of my shoelaces, but this happens with almost every robot.
It is heavier and larger than other models but it’s one of the best robot vacuums for pet hair.
It cleans almost every room in your home, including rugs and door thresholds and is great if you live in a home with a furry pet.
Pros: Affordable robot, strong suction power, quiet, long battery life
Cons: Not great map function, can get stuck under furniture, can’t clean corners well
Rating: 4/5
If you’re looking for a robot, but don’t want to fork out a fortune, then the Eufy G30 is the best value vacuum cleaners you can buy.
In comparison to Dyson and iRobot, it’s quite a cheap robot vacuum price-wise at under £300, while other high-end robots can retail for £700 and more.
But despite it being a bit cheaper, it’s far from typical basic robot vacuums and the best feature about it is that you can schedule it to automatically clean, which I did on the days when I was working from home.
It does a good job at sucking up almost every single bit of dirt (I tested it with some rice and found it got every grain), and it allows you to set your vacuum to Turbo suction mode to deep clean carpets.
The battery life is decent and the advantage of a robot is that it returns to its dock to self-charge, but do keep an eye on it as it can possibly increase energy bills.
Although this vacuum cleans your home, its map function needs more personalisation and sometimes gets stuck under tables.
However, it’s saved me lots of time from cleaning, and I’d argue that in itself is pretty priceless.
Pros: Easy to use, great cleaning, easy set up, picks up cat and dog hair
Cons: Bulky docking station, heavy to carry, still need another vacuum
Rating: 4/5
I’m a total newbie when it comes to the world of robot vacuums, but with a broken Dyson and a busy household of four (plus two pets), I could certainly do with something to simplify my cleaning routine.
The docking station is notably larger than other models like the iRobot Roomba j7+, accommodating two water bins for mopping, as well as a dustbin.
The app is user-friendly, allowing for easy mapping and room-specific cleaning.
The vacuum performs well on wooden floors, effectively picking up pet hair and debris, although I did find that it struggles with rugs and lacks precise manual control.
Despite a few other limitations, such as noise during self-cleaning and its inability to clean certain areas like picture rails or use specialized cleaning solutions, I found the X10 to be a really effective time-saver.
It significantly eased the demands of household cleaning for me – particularly after a messy sleepover for my teenage son’s birthday, when it really came into its own.
Admittedly it won’t fully replace a traditional vacuum for more detailed cleaning tasks, but overall I’m impressed by the robot’s capabilities and convenience: it’s a worthy addition to my cleaning routine.
Most robot vacuums come with a mapping feature and the Proscenic M9 is no exception. The set-up is quite easy and took about 35 mins including pairing it with the app, while the first charge took about two hours.
It did take quite a long time to map out each room, taking 75 minutes, and while it mapped most of my rooms correctly, it recognised my built-in wardrobe and chest of drawers as separate rooms.
However, I managed to fix that easily on the app.
It’s a powerful vacuum with at least three different suction powers and even at level two, it managed to remove larger items.
The highest power made a huge difference on my carpet, which not all robot vacuums can be used on.
It’s not the quickest and took about 32 minutes to clean my kitchen and living room, but it is effortless and allows you to multitask.
The mopping function was very good at removing stains from my hardwood floors.
However, it didn’t quite reach all the corners and had a small tank – I had to fill it up twice to clean my flat.
This robot vacuum is a great addition to any home, plus is the best for hard floors as it’s so easy to use and will provide a thorough clean that’s better than most robots.
Pros: Impressive design, easy smart home control, quiet, automatic disposal
Cons: Not effective on thick rugs, need to replace parts to keep it in good condition, can’t reach certain spots
Rating: 3.5/5
The iRobot Roomba j7+ is one of many robot vacuum cleaners available to buy and is a convenient pick for busy households.
All of iRobot’s designs have a mapping feature in which the robot maps out the layout of your home before its first clean so it can memorise it.
I didn’t move all my furniture out of the way so the device didn’t fully map my home and I had to restart the mapping process.
But once that was done, it was fairly simple and there are some useful features like it teaches the robot to avoid obstacles.
The robot vacuum cleans very easily, picking up most dirt from the ground although it did miss some corners and coffee grounds too, so I had to use a cordless vacuum for a deep clean.
While it did help keep the house tidy, a lot of maintenance is needed to keep it in top condition.
For example, the filter needs to be replaced every 2 months and the wheels need to be replaced every 12 months.
You also need to clean the filters and front wheels weekly, and the sensors and brushes monthly, which is more upkeep than a regular vacuum.
Plus, this robot vacuum doesn’t come with a mop, so I’d suggest looking into the iRobot Roomba Combo j7 if you want both in one.
Pros: Super easy set up, charging station takes up less space than many in this price range, self-emptying and returns to the station automatically after cleaning
Cons: Mopping function is not as straightforward as the vacuum function, struggles with heavy debris, mapping could get complicated for split-level homes
Rating: 4/5
The Ultenic T10 Pro is an affordable and effective smart vacuum cleaner – ideal if you’re after a reliable entry-level model but with advanced features.
I tested it over four weeks in my single-level flat which has both carpeted and hard floors, and was impressed by its strong performance: it effectively picked up dust and smaller debris.
However, I did find that it struggles with larger debris and hair, and the mopping function is less effective as it requires frequent refills and lacks the power to remove dried stains.
Saying that, it’s easy to set up, with a user-friendly app that allows for customisable cleaning options – this includes setting no-go zones and scheduling cleans.
The vacuum’s collision sensors work well and its battery life is substantial, allowing for multiple cleanings on a single charge.
Overall I’d say that while the mopping function is a drawback, the vacuum’s sleek design, compact charging station and overall functionality make it great value – especially when compared to higher-end models.
Pros: Super strong 20,000 Pa suction power, mops floors brilliantly, leaving them spotless, self-emptying base keeps maintenance low, handy app with scheduling and customisation
Cons: High price tag, definitely an investment, struggles with anything over a 6cm step, base station is loud when emptying
Rating: 4/5
The Dreame X50 Ultra Complete is the first robot vac that I’ve got my hands on, and the high-end appeal was clear as soon as I took it out of the box.
It’s not all about looks (though its sleek white and silver design looks the part). This thing is seriously smart.
Set-up took a bit of trial and error, but once it was up and running, it mapped my kitchen with impressive accuracy.
The 20,000 Pa suction is up there with the best, and it handled my messy kitchen floor with no problem.
One of the biggest surprises was how well it recognised my kitchen mats without me needing to tweak the settings.
The app itself is packed with features, which can feel overwhelming at first, but it gives you loads of control, especially with scheduling, so you can set it to clean while you’re out.
Speed-wise, it vacuumed and mopped my tiled kitchen in nine minutes, while my larger living-dining space took 39 minutes.
Over time, it gets quicker as it learns your home and the cleaning history logged in the app.
It’s not without its downsides; it struggled with my 12cm kitchen step (unsurprising, given its 6cm climbing limit).
The base station is loud when it empties, but that’s a small trade-off for the convenience of a self-cleaning system.
Battery life is solid, lasting up to 220 minutes. If it can’t reach its base, it returns to where it started, ideal for multi-level homes.
But the biggest stumbling block is the price. It’s a serious investment, but if you’re after a high-performance robot vacuum that takes the hassle out of cleaning, this one’s hard to beat.
Pros: Budget-friendly but packed with premium features, strong suction for deep cleaning, smart grid pattern for full coverage, compact, space-saving base station, user-friendly app with scheduling
Cons: Mop pad moves rather than scrubs, small water tank means frequent refills, no cleaning solution support, just water
Rating: 3.5/5
The Tapo RV30 Max Plus is a great entry point into hands-free cleaning, offering premium features at a budget-friendly price.
One of its biggest selling points is the compact auto-empty base, which takes up far less space than many other self-emptying models, ideal for smaller homes or tighter spaces.
It doesn’t just look good on paper; the vacuum is powerful, making light work of dust, debris, and even larger messes.
The grid cleaning pattern is a favourite of mine, ensuring every spot is covered by first going side to side, then again in the opposite direction so nothing is missed.
I put it to the test on max suction, and it didn’t disappoint, even leaving those satisfying vacuum lines in the carpet.
Just keep in mind, higher suction drains the battery faster, but it automatically returns to its base station to recharge when needed.
The mopping feature is a nice bonus, though not without its limitations.
The pad glides rather than scrubs, so it won’t tackle stuck-on stains as well as models with rotating mop heads.
Plus, the small water tank, found on the robot itself, needs refilling more often, and you’re limited to just water, as no cleaning solution is recommended.
That said, the easy-to-use app makes scheduling simple, so you can set it and forget it.
The base station can also hold up to two months’ worth of dust, meaning you won’t be constantly emptying it.
It won’t replace your standard vac, and the mopping system could be improved, but it’s great for daily maintenance.
Review by Tom Tyers.
Dimensions: 33 x 33 x 10 cm, Weight: 6.9 kg
How we tested the best robot vacuum cleaners
A team of six individuals tested different robot vacuum cleaners in each of their homes.
The homes tested included households of five, and flats of two, and surfaces included hard floors, vinyl flooring, carpets, rugs, and tiled flooring.
Each of the tests took place over a few weeks with each tester testing out the vacuuming, mopping, battery life, set-up, mapping and overall effectiveness.
This and the price of each robot were considered to see whether it was good value for money or not.
Where can I buy a robot vacuum cleaner in the UK?
Well, a robot vacuum cleaner is a lot easier to shop for now that so many brands have launched their iterations.
You can find robot vacuum cleaners in the cleaning departments of home retailers like Amazon and Argos, or you can shop directly from the brand itself.
Here are some shops where we found the best robot vacs of 2025:
As one of the most innovative cleaning technologies available, robot vacuum cleaners are a considerable cost and are priced on the higher end of home products.
Expect to spend anywhere from £200 – £900 on a robot vacuum cleaner from brands like Eudy, iRobot and more.
Of all the robot vacuums we tested, the cheapest was the Eufy G30 at £299.88, while the most expensive was the iRobot Roomba Combo j5+ at £849.
A new robot vacuum cleaner will set you back more as the technology is more developed and the Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum is currently £1,249.99 – a serious investment.
Luckily, there are several discounts available that can save you money off the pricy item and be sure to check out Black Friday sales for the best deals.
How do robot vacuum cleaners work?
Robot vacuums work to navigate through spaces with built-in obstacle and cliff sensors.
They automatically use a combination of sensors, motors and algorithms to move around your home and clean the floors.
Whether the robot has vacuuming or mopping features, most will begin by creating a map of your home by moving around and using the sensors to detect furniture and areas to avoid.
The robot also has brushes and agitators to lift off dirt and a motor which creates the suction power.
Robot vacuums get powered by a charging dock, and most return to it after each clean to self-charge.
Do robot vacuums work on carpet?
Yes! Robot vacs absolutely work on carpets.
Their brushes and suction are designed to lift dirt and debris, and many models can adjust to different floor types for effective cleaning.
Some models use AI to automatically detect carpets, hard floors, or tiles and adjust the cleaning method appropriately.
5 days agoNew York StateComments Off on Mystery as body found by walker on popular UK beach leaving cops baffled in probe over ‘unexplained death’
DETECTIVES are baffled after a dead body washed up on a British beach.
The mysterious male remains were found by a member of the public around midday on December 28 last year on Lilstock Beach in Somerset.
The body is estimated to have been in the water for between one and five days.
But the death remains unexplained and cops are appealing for help in solving the case.
Det Insp George Pettingell said: “We have been carrying out extensive enquiries, including forensic and DNA assessment, to try and identify the man, however as yet we have been unable to do so.
“He is white, of large build, estimated to be aged in his 40s or 50s and believed to be of either Croatian or Bosnian heritage.
“He had a shaved head and was wearing a black jacket, black jumper, red trousers and black Nike trainers.
“We have also been working closely with neighbouring forces and the coroner as we continue to try and find out who he was and update any family members.
“If you have any information you think might help us identify him, please get in touch.”
