SwitchBot has upgraded its cute mini robot vacuum

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For a year or so now, I've had a little helper sat by my desk, ready to leap into action and vacuum my upstairs floors for me. It's the K10+ , and it was SwitchBot's take on the robot vacuum . SwitchBot likes to do things a bit differently, and the K10+ was said to be the world's smallest robot vacuum when it was launched.

You might think a smaller robot vacuum would be at a disadvantage against the countless competitors out there, but you'd be wrong. It's not only every bit as powerful as a top-spec Roomba , but its diminutive size allows it to tuck into nooks and crannies more easily. So it's another clever idea from SwitchBot , and it's served me very well.

But it's been usurped. SwitchBot recently launched the K10+ Pro. And I've been testing it.

On the face if it, there's little to tell the two versions apart. They're identical in shape and size, and they look pretty similar too . There are differences, but I'll come back to those in a moment.

Looking through the specs, there are some alarming similarities, too. The original K10+ has the same battery as its successor, so battery life is unchanged. They each have a vacuum and a wet-wipe mop system, the K10+ Pro has the same single side brush, and they have the same four-litre dust bag built in to the self-emptying base station.

There's a limited-time voucher deal on Amazon right now Buyers of the K10+ can save £100 , and K10+ Pro buyers can save £140 This brings the prices down to £299.99 and £419.99 respectively To unlock the deal, click here to click here and be sure to apply the voucher before checking out There is, however, a price premium for the K10+ Pro.

So how is this justified? Well, there's actually a few ways. Firstly, the Pro version has a more clever LiDAR system . The previous model was incredibly clever, it's never fallen down my stairs or failed to reach the corners, but the new detection system in the Pro is able to tuck in even closer to obstacles , chair legs and so on.

There are a few other subtle tweaks to the Pro version's software, but the app is the same, and the setup process is no different. The more important upgrades are noticeable the first time you set it to work, however. Firstly, the Pro version has a unique four-stage cleaning method which uses a different style of rotating brush to raise the dust and hair up from the floors and carpets, sucking it up while it's in the air, and then shooting it into the dust box.

This is coupled with a more powerful suction system, which raises the strength from 2,500pa in the K10+ to 3,000pa in the K10+ Pro. To put that into perspective, the iRobot Roomba J7+ vacuum , which retails at £899, has just 1,700pa of suction power. Truth be told, no robot vacuum is brilliant on carpet, which is what most of my upstairs floors are covered with, but the K10+ did a really good job, and the K10+ Pro is noticeably better.

Sure, it doesn't drag the pile up like my upright manual vacuum does, but it definitely drags up some dog hair and leaves the carpet feeling noticeably cleaner. I know what you're thinking. All this extra tech is going to make the K10+ Pro significantly more expensive than the K10+.

And in terms of standard pricing, it does. The RRP for the K10+ is £399.99 , while the K10+ Pro weighs in at £599.

99. However, Amazon has a voucher deal on at the moment, which means the K10+ is only £299.99 , and the K10+ Pro is £419.

99. Is the Pro version worth an extra £120? If you have carpets, absolutely, yes. The slightly clever LiDAR perhaps doesn't justify the price alone, but the improved cleaning method and the increased suction power absolutely does.

Even if you're going to use it on hard floors, it's hard not to be tempted by the newer version. If you're spending £300 already, £420 is less of a mental leap, and it genuinely is a better device. At the end of the day, they're both very impressive.

Shrinking a robot vacuum down in size does nothing to hamper the performance, but pays dividends in terms of convenience and practicality. If you can only afford the K10+ , you won't be disappointed by any means. But the K10+ Pro is just that little bit better.

I can't recommend it enough..