How to Find the Best Budget Robot Vacuum

A bargain robot vacuum can be a great value. Beware of maintenance costs that could be more than you anticipated: tangles in brushes, air inlets that are blocked and emptying dust bins will quickly transform your dream of automated cleaning into a chore.

For a lot of people, the best budget robot is the iRobot j7 Combo. It delivers almost the same hands-off performance for less than half the cost.

Suction Power

Some models in this price range have strong enough suction for basic vacuuming, while others may need a little help from a handheld nozzle to reach the deepest crevices and cracks. If you live in a home with primarily hard flooring or carpet, a budget-friendly robot vacuum should work. If you have a variety of floors, carpets or pets that shed, you will have the best results using an advanced robot vacuum.

Certain models that are priced lower come with a mopping feature and a water tank, which increases their flexibility. The latest Dyson R7050C model, for example, has very good navigation scores in CR's tests and a generous bin capacity of 770ml, however it is louder than many of the other robots we've tested, and does not have mopping capabilities. Eufy Roborock Q5 Pro is a smaller robot that is quieter and has an automated dock. It also comes with water tank, powerful suction power of 5,500pascals and a large bin can be filled with cleaning solution to make it a more efficient mopping device. The Q5 Pro can be controlled through the app's smart function, that lets you mop or vacuum a room or sequence of rooms or an entire space. You can also establish no-go zones and set suction settings to your preferences for each room.

The budget Shark ION is a great option for those who want something basic, affordable and reliable. It's not as well-equipped as some of the other models we've tested, with a no-frills app and basic mapping capabilities, but it offers good navigation and cleaning capabilities. It is also one of the few robots we've tested which can tell the difference between hard flooring and carpets and has a 300ml trash bin that needs to be empty every 30 days.

Consider some of the premium models in this price range If you're looking for something more advanced that can vacuum, mop, and create maps for smarter obstacle-avoidance. The iRobot Roomba 650/750 has a powerful suction and combs to remove pet hair and fine dirt and voice control via your smart home assistant. Samsung Cleanbot SV8000 offers a great cleaning performance at a reasonable price.

Navigation Efficiency

A low-cost robot vacuum cleaner can be as effective as more expensive models, so long as it is able to maneuver through your home and avoid obstacles. Our lab technicians used a tracking device in a multi-room test home to assess the robot's capability to navigate and find the rooms it needed to clean within a certain time period, while staying clear of obstacles such as furniture, power cords, and rug. We also examine the speed at which a robot is able to move through different terrains of the home, like stairs and floor transitions.

The most affordable robot vacuums feature efficient navigation systems that help to clean up a room without wasting time, running through obstacles, or getting stuck. Most robot vacuums have the ability to map which is essential to complete a thorough house clean. Even models that aren't mapping can cover a room efficiently. It is crucial to weigh the cost of your machine against the features that you need.

We also consider how easy it is for a robot to pass over common household thresholds such as the size of a door's sill or the width of the sofa. A good budget robot will be able to pass through these obstacles and some have settings that adjust the suction power according to the type of floor. We also consider whether the robot is compatible with smart home technology and is able to be controlled remotely using an app or voice command.


The iLife V3s Pro is a fantastic example of a budget robot that provides basic mapping capabilities and other smart features. It's also quite affordable. It can be controlled using the iRobot App, and it has an automatic return feature that returns the robot back to its base when the battery is exhausted and continues where it started.

The iLife V3s Pro does not include the advanced object-avoidance technology found on many top robots. However it does have live cameras that transmit a grainy stream to your smartphone so that you can observe it working. The cameras are also able to detect stairs and other obstacles and alert you if the robot encounters them. The iLife is a different model, however, it uses random navigation instead of a method designed to avoid objects stuck to furniture legs. It may not be able to maneuver through a tight space or chair leg as well as a robotic system with the ability to map.

Cleaning Performance

When shopping for a robotic vacuum, you must consider the price and performance. Budget models may lack advanced features like mapping, but they can still be effective of cleaning your home. Pay attention to the size and capacity of the robot's dustbin. You'll need enough space to hold all the garbage that a robot accumulates, including dirt, pet dander and hair.

You'll also want a robot vacuum that removes the stains that carpets have. We test every model in the ZDNET robot vacuum chart for their ability to lift dirt and hair from carpet. The best models come with a brush that is designed to penetrate the fibers and pull out debris.

The budget models are great at cleaning up small messes from bare floors or low-pile floor coverings but they aren't able to get rid of larger pet hairs and debris from higher-pile carpets. These models usually have less suction power, but they can still be effective in removing debris from tight places such as corners and under furniture.

The iLife V3s Pro vacuum cleaner is the top vacuum in its price range. It has a good rating in our tests, and it is able to take hairs and dirt off carpets. It's also one of the quieter models we test and is simple to use. It has a suction opening which scoops up debris instead of pushing it through the bar. It also has the ability to adjust the power to match the surface. It comes with a sidebrush that has three bristles to push hair and other debris into the robot's path. However, it's not as effective at picking fine dust.

If you require mop and vacuum you should look for a product with both functions like the Combo j9 Plus. This robot can simultaneously vac and mop, and it is possible to define specific vac/mop setting for each room. It's more expensive compared to other budget robot vacs in our list however, it has the advantages of having a forward-facing camera that allows more precise mapping and better obstacles to avoid for things like power cords and cat piss.

Maintenance

Robot vacuums are useful however, they come at price. They require regular maintenance, from emptying their dustbin to replacing filters and cleaning the brush bar. They may also get caught in cords and drop off the stairs, so they should be monitored with care.

The best budget robot vacuums ease the burden since they require only minimal administration by the user. The best models have navigation systems that avoid objects and stay clear of dangers, including the tangled electrical cords or dropped food items. They use sensors to map rooms and create maps that tell them where they have already cleaned.

Don't let the price of the higher-end models deter you. They can still do an excellent job if given the chance. A majority of our top budget choices are made by top OEMs such as iRobot, Roborock and Dreame, so you'll be assured that they've been created with the utmost care and are built to last.

Consider a mopping robotic If you're willing to spend more. self vacuum can scrub floors using a wet cloth and remove the most stubborn stains. They can also be used in combination with a mop pad to tackle tough jobs such as dried coffee.

There are many mopping robots featured in our roundup but the most affordable model is the TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus. It has the clean, fussless appearance of a home hub, but the performance and features of a top-rated robot with LiDAR navigation. In our tests the RV30 was able to navigate without hitting furniture and create detailed maps of its floorplan that it can reference on future runs. It's the only budget robot we've tested that include this feature, however iRobot's Roomba has similar capabilities for mapping, and an in-app setting that guides you through the process step-by-step.

Remember to maintain your robot, whether you choose a costly robovac or one that is less expensive. It's a good idea to empty the dust bin after each cleaning task and to clean the filter if you have one (check the manual of your owner or the manufacturer's website for more details). Replace the battery when necessary and verify the Wi-Fi connectivity.