THE QUIET REVOLUTION ROLLING THROUGH OUR HOMES

We’ve quietly slipped into the age of automation. The robots haven’t taken over; they’ve just moved in. They clean our floors, make our coffee and lock our doors. They don’t argue, they don’t forget and the best of them don’t even need us at all.

That quiet efficiency is what struck me when I began testing the Ecovacs Deebot T80 Omni. It wasn’t the novelty of a robot vacuum (we’ve all seen them scuttle around in circles) but the sheer intelligence of it.

It moved through rooms like it knew them, mapping and memorising every contour, the furniture and the rugs. It vacuumed, mopped, rinsed itself clean, then returned to base to recharge – telling me where it was off to.

The first time I used it, I couldn’t find it. Turns out, it had taken itself out to the back deck. That’s taking cleaning seriously. And speaking of serious cleaning, one of my favourite things about it is seeing it happily clean under my teenagers’ beds. Believe me, no human would want to go there.

The Deebot T80 Omni doesn’t need gimmicks or noise to prove its worth. Its genius lies in its calm and capable nature. It doesn’t bump into walls, fall down stairs or get snagged on cables; it glides with purpose.

The machine’s AIVI 3D navigation system “sees” its environment and adjusts in real time, a low-key kind of intelligence that makes everything feel considered.

Its mopping system uses what Ecovacs calls OZMO Roller technology, applying 16 times the pressure of traditional mops. It scrubs rather than wipes, rinsing itself clean as it works, while the suction power quietly pulls out whatever the broom missed.

And it’s clever enough to lift its mop when it moves over carpet; no soggy rugs, no streaky patches. And it even washes and dries its own mop.

The design is as elegant as the engineering. The docking station, which in most robotic cleaners is an afterthought, has a clean, white aesthetic.

What makes it feel truly modern, though, isn’t the technology itself; it’s what that technology represents. Help is no longer about people doing more for us; it’s about systems that think for themselves and quietly removing friction from daily life.

That’s luxury now, not extravagance, but absence. Absence of effort, of noise, of time wasted.

I set the Deebot off every morning while I work. It hums softly in the background, unobtrusive and assured, then returns to its base like a butler excusing itself after service. There’s something wonderfully civilised about that.

I love hearing that low, steady hum. It’s not the sound of housework; it’s the sound of progress: calm, precise, and, if I’m honest, a little bit satisfying as it’s one less job I know I have to do.

The author tested the Ecovacs Deebot T80 Omni in her home for a fortnight. The model is available exclusively at Harvey Norman, RRP $2,299.

Abercrombie & Kent says demand for Egypt is rising sharply across its key markets, with the destination now ranking among the company’s top performing regions for 2026.

The luxury travel group reports strong year-on-year growth across the UK, US and Australia, spanning private journeys, small group itineraries and high-end celebration travel.

Some Egypt itineraries in the US market have more than doubled compared with last year, while forward bookings already extend into 2027.

Industry observers point to a renewed confidence in Egypt as a destination, underpinned by significant cultural investment and a growing appetite for deeper, more personalised travel experiences.

One of the main catalysts has been the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, located beside the Giza Plateau.

The museum, the largest in the world dedicated to a single civilisation, brings together the full collection of Tutankhamun’s treasures for the first time and has reignited interest in Cairo as a standalone cultural destination rather than a gateway stop.

Abercrombie & Kent’s Senior Vice President, Egypt, Amr Badr, said: “The opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum has been transformative – we’ve seen a significant surge in enquiries since November, and the calibre of traveller is remarkable.

“These are culturally curious guests seeking genuine immersion rather than surface-level touring.

“They’re booking private after-hours access to the museum, arranging consultations with Egyptologists, and approaching Egypt with the same intentionality they’d bring to any major cultural pilgrimage.

“Egypt has always been extraordinary, but 2026 feels like a renaissance moment – the perfect convergence of world-class infrastructure and a new generation discovering why this civilisation has captivated humanity for millennia.”

According to Abercrombie & Kent, British travellers are increasingly pairing museum-led experiences in Cairo with classic Nile journeys, while demand is also rising for private dahabiya charters and bespoke river itineraries.

In Australia, repeat high-spend travellers are returning to Egypt for milestone celebrations, often opting for private touring and exclusive access experiences.

The company is responding with further long-term investment along the Nile. Later this year it will launch Nile Seray, a new luxury riverboat that will feature in a private journey debuting in 2026.

A second vessel has already been commissioned, signalling confidence in sustained demand for high-end river travel in the region.

Egypt occupies a central place in the company’s history. Founder Geoffrey Kent first introduced Nile cruising to the brand in the late 1970s with the SS Memnon, laying the foundations for what has since become one of its most enduring destinations.

Nile Seray is now accepting reservations for departures from October 2026, with four-night voyages priced from USD $3,125 per person.

THE QUIET REVOLUTION ROLLING THROUGH OUR HOMES

The future of cleaning has arrived, polite, precise and surprisingly elegant. Here, we review the Ecovacs Deebot T80 Omni robotic cleaner.

A resurgence in high-end travel to Egypt is being driven by museum openings, private river journeys and renewed long-term investment along the Nile.