How to Find the Best Budget Robot Vacuum
A bargain robotic vacuum is a great deal. Beware of maintenance costs that may be higher than you anticipated: tangles in brushes, air inlets that are blocked and emptied dust bins will quickly turn your automated cleaning dream into a burden.
For many people, the best budget robot is the iRobot j7 Combo. It delivers almost the same hands-off performance for only a fraction of the cost.
Suction Power
Certain models in this range have enough suction to do basic vacuuming. Others may require an nozzle that can be held in a handheld for more thorough cleaning. If you live in a home with primarily hard flooring and a low-cost robot vacuum should work. However, if your floors are a mix of surfaces and you have some rugs, or if you have pets who shed, a higher-end model will give you the most effective results for your cost.
A few models that are budget-friendly include a water tank and mopping capabilities, which adds to their versatility. The latest Dyson R7050C model is a good example. It has very good scores in CR's tests of navigation and a generous 770ml bin, but it's louder than most of the other robots we've tested, and doesn't offer mopping features. The smaller Eufy Roborock Q5 Pro, in contrast, is quite quiet and has an auto-empty dock. It also comes with an water tank, powerful suction capacity of 5,500pascal and a large container that you can fill with cleaning solution to make it an efficient mopping machine. The Q5 Pro can be controlled via the smart app, which lets you mop or vacuum a room, sequence of rooms, or an entire space. You can also set up no-go zones, and set suction settings to your preferences for each room.
The Shark ION is a good option for those seeking something affordable and simple to use. It is not as sophisticated as other models, with a basic app and no-frills mapping capabilities, but it does have superior cleaning and navigation capabilities. It's also one of only one or two robots that can discern between hard flooring and carpets. The 300ml dustbin is only emptying once every 30 days.
Consider some of the premium models that are priced at this level if you want something more sophisticated that can vacuum mop, sweep, and create a map for more effective obstacle-avoiding. The iRobot Roomba 650 and 750 are extremely powerful suction power and combs that are clever for pet hair and other fine dirt, and in-app scheduling and voice control using your smart home assistant. Samsung Cleanbot SV8000 offers a excellent cleaning performance at a reasonable cost.
Navigation Efficiency
A budget robot vacuum can be just as effective a higher-priced model as long as it is able to navigate your home and avoid obstacles. Our lab technicians utilized a tracking device in a multi-room test home to evaluate the robot's ability to navigate and find the rooms it needed to clean within a specific time frame, while avoiding obstacles like furniture, power cords and carpets. We also analyze how fast a robot can travel over different types of terrain for homes, including stairways and transitions between different types of floor.
The best budget robot vacuums have efficient navigation systems that aid in helping to clean up a room without having to waste time, running through obstacles, or getting stuck. Most feature mapping capabilities, which are crucial for full-house cleaning. But even budget models without mapping can be used to effectively cover a space, so it's important to consider the cost and features you want for your home.
We also consider the ease with which robots can cross over thresholds in the home, such as the thresholds of a door sill or sofas. A good budget-friendly robot must be able to transition over these obstacles, and a few offer settings that alter suction power to suit different kinds of floors. We also consider whether a budget robot is compatible with your home's smart-home setup and can be controlled remotely through an app or voice control.
One example of an excellent budget robot is the iLife V3s Pro, which includes basic mapping capabilities and other smart features in a very affordable package. It can be controlled via the iRobot app, and also has an auto-return feature that will return it to its base when the battery is exhausted, then resumes where it left off.
The iLife V3s Pro does not come with the advanced object-avoidance technology found on a lot of top robots. However it does come with a live camera which transmits an unreliable feed to your smartphone so that you can observe it working. The cameras are able to detect obstacles and stairs and alert the robot when it encounters them. However the iLife utilizes random navigation rather than a method designed to avoid objects that are stuck against furniture legs, therefore it may not be able around a chair leg or another tight spot as easily as a robot with mapping capabilities.
Cleaning Performance
When choosing a robotic vacuum, you should balance the cost and performance. Budget models may not have advanced features like mapping but there are models that are very effective at cleaning your home. Pay attention to the dimensions and capacity of the dust bin. It is essential to have enough space to hold all the garbage a robot collects including pet dander, dirt and hair.
You'll want a robot capable of removing dirt and stains from carpets, too. We test all models in the ZDNET robot vacuum chart for their ability to lift dirt and hair off carpet, and the best models come with a brush that is designed to penetrate the carpet fibers and remove debris.
Budget models are good at cleaning small spills from bare floors or low-pile floor coverings but they struggle to get rid of bigger debris and pet hairs from carpets with higher pile. These models typically have less suction power however, they can be effective in removing debris from tight areas like corners and underneath furniture.
The iLife V3s Pro is the most affordable model for vacuuming, scoring high marks in our tests due to its ability to remove dirt and hair off carpets. It is also among our quieter models and easy to use. It has a suction opening which collects debris instead of pushing it through the brush bar. It can also adjust the power to match the surface. It has a sidebrush that comes with three bristles to push hair and other debris into the robot's path. However, it's not as effective at picking up fine dust.
Choose a model that includes mop and vacuum functions, such as the Combo j9 Plus. It can simultaneously vacuum and mop, and you can define specific vac/mop setting for each room. It's more expensive than the other budget robot vacs in our list however it comes with the advantages of having a forward-facing camera, which allows for more precise mapping and better protection against obstacles such as power cords and cat Poop.
Maintenance
The convenience that robot vacuums offer is fantastic, but the technology comes with cost. Regular maintenance is required to empty the dustbin to changing filters and cleaning their brush bar. They can also get caught in cords, or fall off the stairs.
The most affordable robot vacuums reduce these issues by requiring only minimal supervision from the user. The top models come with navigation systems that avoid objects and keep themselves clear of hazards, such as the tangled electrical cords or dropped food items. They also use a combination of sensors to map rooms, and then create maps that show which areas they've cleaned previously to ensure they don't re-clean the same spots repeatedly.
Don't let the price of the more expensive models deter you from buying. They are still able to do a fantastic job if given the chance. A majority of our top budget picks are made by top OEMs such as iRobot, Roborock and Dreame and you can be sure that they've been developed with care and built to last.
If you're willing to spend more, think about investing in mopping machines. They can use a moist cloth across floors to scrub them clean and remove stubborn stains and they can be used with a specially designed mop pad to tackle tough jobs such as dried coffee.
There are several mopping robots featured in our list however the most affordable model is the TP Link Tapo RV30 Plus. It has the clean elegant, minimalist design of a home hub but the features and performance of a top robovac that includes LiDAR navigation. During our tests it proved that the RV30 was capable of navigating without hitting furniture, and constructing detailed maps of its flooring that can be used to reference on future runs. It's the only budget robot we've tested to include this feature, although the iRobot Roomba offers similar capabilities for mapping, and an in-app configuration that walks you through the process step-by-step.
If you decide to go with a top-rated robot or a less expensive alternative, you should always maintain your robot regularly. It is important to empty the dustbin and clean the filter after every cleaning session (refer to your owner's guide or the site of the manufacturer for more information). You should also replace its battery as required, and check in on its Wi-Fi connectivity and app updates.