Best Affordable Robot Vacuum

The basic robot vacuum is a great option for those who don't need advanced features such as mapping, no-go zones and a self-emptying dust bin. It's priced less than $300. It's great for cleaning low-pile carpet and hard floors. It also cleans up pet hair and other debris.

It utilizes random navigation and does not connect to your home Wi-Fi which is great if you are skittish about connected devices that are internet-connected and security.

AI Obstacle Avoidance

The best robot vacuums come with sensors that allow them to avoid obstacles and navigate through the home. Distance sensors emit laser beams which measure the time taken for the light to bounce off walls and furniture to create a map. This allows the robot to detect and avoid objects, ensuring a collision-free cleaning process.

Other robots utilize 3D Time of Flight imaging to scan and identify obstacles. This technology is also utilized in smart home cameras. It is based on sending out a sequence of light pulses which are analysed to determine the height, depth, and dimensions of objects. It may be less accurate than other mapping technologies, however, and it may be unable to distinguish reflective or transparent surfaces.

In addition to traditional sensors, some robotic cleaners use advanced AI to detect and avoid obstacles. ECOVACS robots, for instance include AIVI 3D that can accurately detect obstacles and ensure a smooth and safe cleaning process. This software is able to work in the dark and allow people to have a clean house at night or while they are watching TV.

Another way robotic cleaners can avoid obstacles is by using binocular or monocular vision. This allows them to take pictures and analyze them to determine what they are. This feature can help the robot avoid hitting objects, such as furniture legs or toys, and can save you a lot of trouble. This kind of obstacle detection is not as efficient as lasers or 3-D imaging. It can result in the robot getting stuck in furniture or even missing parts of the room.

Mapping is an essential feature of robot vacuums, which improve navigation and provide an efficient cleaning. It is important to clean your home prior to enabling the mapping feature, by taking away any loose items and furniture that isn't heavy and securing cables. It's also recommended to improve and optimize your home layout, as much as you can. This will help the robot better navigate and comprehend the space. Once the mapping is completed, it will be saved in the robot, so that it is available every time it runs.

App Control

If a robotic vacuum is on your to-buy list, you want it to work as efficiently and intelligently as you can. Robots are becoming more affordable and an entry-level model will aid in keeping your floors free of dust.

Most robo-vacs come with an app that lets you control the machine from a distance however, make sure to verify that the model you are considering is equipped with this feature prior to buying. Certain models that are less expensive may not include this feature and might not be compatible with the smart home ecosystem you have.

The elegant G30 is a great example of a budget-friendly robot that does its job admirably. It's typically sold for around $200, and is a fantastic cleaning machine due to its speedy LIDAR mapping sensors as well as an app that functions well and has a spot-cleaning button onboard. It also comes with a BoostIQ function that automatically increases the suction power of carpets as well as heavily dirty surfaces.

Another affordable option is the HOBOT LEGEE D8, which can be purchased for less than $400. It's not quite as impressive as the Q5 Max+ in terms of overall score, but it does have excellent carpet and hardwood floor pickup and an auto empty score of 100% and a path-planning feature that is among the best that we have tested.

Think about a model with a rechargeable base that can be used for storage instead of a battery. This will cut down on costs and make the robot long-lasting over time. A robot that has docking stations will return to the dock when it is unable to charge and continue cleaning from where it left off.

Make sure the robot you are looking at has Wi-Fi capabilities. Some older models do not, and they might not be compatible with your Wi-Fi network at home.

Most robots that are affordable can connect to your home Wi-Fi and can be used with a variety of smart home devices. Some also have mapping features that allow you to label and divide or merge rooms, define no-go zones, and alter the robot's behaviour on the in the moment. Some robots have smart speakers that allow you to control them using voice commands.

Suction Power

Suction power is measured in Pascals. It is the force which holds the bristles of the robot to the floor. This lets them grab dirt and redirect it into the dust bin. Before making a purchase it is essential to consider your cleaning needs and compare models in terms of their suction power.

For most homes, a minimum of 2500 Pa is sufficient to maintain floors with a mix of hard and soft flooring types. If you have carpets, you should consider a premium model that can provide up to 11000 Pa of power.

The majority of budget-friendly robotic vacuum cleaners have one or two rotors which create a vacuum-like suction to pick up dirt, hair and other debris on the floor. They then put it in their trash bin. These models are best suited to vacuuming hard floors and area rugs with low pile. The more expensive models include additional brushes that are tangle-free to get into crevices and corners.

If you have different types of floors in your home, you should choose a model that has multiple suction levels. These will automatically adapt to the type of floor. This lets you adjust the suction level to meet your individual needs and safeguard your floors from wear and damage.

Another method to reduce the amount of dust that accumulates in your robot vacuum is to choose an auto-emptying model that has large dust bins. They empty their internal dustbins after every cleaning cycle to avoid the buildup of tangled hair and other particles that affect the performance of the unit.

Be aware that although higher suction powers typically require a longer runtime for each cleaning session, they also eat up debris faster, and fill their trash bins more frequently. Therefore, it's important to weigh the tradeoffs between cleaning performance and the battery's runtime, noise and frequency of dust bin filling.

Floor Types

There are plenty of robot vacuums you can choose from for a bargain price, but you may be thinking about the flooring types you have in your home before you make a decision. The best robot vacuums that are low cost will work well on hard floors and carpets. They can also remove pet hair dirt, dust, and debris off other surfaces. The most important things to be looking for are the power of the suction system and its capability to deal with dirt and debris on all surface types. The majority of manufacturers will advertise the suction power of the robot in terms of pascals (Pa), so you can compare the machines. It is recommended to purchase models with 2000 Pa to ensure the highest performance, but you should check the robot's user manual or the manufacturer's website to find specific information.

You might also be able to find robot vacuums that are capable of mopping. They will come with tanks of water and are suitable for both low-pile and hard floors. These robots are suggested for homes that have pets. If you go with this option, keep in mind that it will require you to regularly wash the mop pads of the robot so that they don't smell or leave tracks of dirt and other debris around your home.

In our tests, the least expensive robotic vacuums that have mopping capabilities provide excellent cleaning performance. The Eufy RoboVac G30 is a great example, offering surprisingly strong vacuuming for its price range and smarter navigation than other budget models. The iRobot Roomba Combo j7+ is another great mop and robot vacuum combo however it comes with the cost of a little higher than the G30.

The more affordable eufy L60 is another good choice particularly when it's on sale. It comes with a speedy LIDAR mapping sensor as well as an app for companions, which lets you label rooms and establish zones that aren't allowed. It's the least "smart" of our choices, but it's still a powerful budget robot vacuum that can do many things.


There are plenty of great robot vacuum deals during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Keep checking back for the latest bargains. Don't forget to clean it frequently by emptying the trash bin every time you use it, and wipe its exterior to prolong its lifespan.