How to Find the Best Budget Robot Vacuum

A bargain robot vacuum is a steal. But beware that it may cost more than you expect in terms of maintenance: removing the fur from brushes, blocking inlets, and emptying small dust bins could quickly turn your automated cleaning dream to be a chore.

For a lot of people the most affordable robot is the iRobot Combo. It offers the same hands-off experience for only a fraction of the cost.

Suction Power

Some models in this price range have strong enough suction for basic vacuuming, while others might require a bit of assistance with a handheld nozzle in order to reach into the smallest crevices and cracks. If you live in a home that has mostly hard flooring or carpet, a budget-friendly robot vacuum is likely to work. But if your floors have different surfaces and there are carpets, or have pets who shed, a more capable model will give you the best results for your cost.


Some budget models come with a water tank and mopping capability, further increasing their versatility. The Dyson R7050C features a large 770ml bin and excellent navigation scores, but is more loud and does not include mopping capabilities. Eufy Roborock Q5 Pro is a smaller robot that is quieter and comes with an automatic dock. It also comes with a water tank, a powerful suction capacity of 5,500pascal and a large bin can be filled with cleaning solution to make it a more effective mopping machine. The Q5 Pro can be controlled via the smart app, which allows you to vacuum or mop a room or a sequence of rooms or an entire area. 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 an affordable, basic device that is reliable. It's not as advanced as other models, with a basic app and minimal maps, but it has superior cleaning and navigation capabilities. It is also one of the few robots we've tested which can tell the difference between carpets and hard flooring and comes with a 300ml dust bin that has to be empty every 30 days.

If you're looking for a more advanced model that can mop, vacuum and even create an outline of your home to avoid obstacles more effectively look at some of the top models within this price range. The iRobot Roomba 650/750 has a powerful suction, clever combs to remove pet hair as well as fine dirt, and can be controlled through your smart home assistant. Samsung Cleanbot SV8000 offers a outstanding cleaning capabilities for a reasonable price.

Navigation Efficiency

A robot vacuum cleaner that is budget-friendly can be as effective as more expensive models, so long as it can navigate through your home and avoid obstacles. Our lab technicians used an instrument for tracking in a multi-room test home to evaluate the robot's ability to navigate and locate rooms it needed to clean within a specific time period, while staying clear of obstacles such as furniture, power cords, and carpets. We also look at how quickly a robot can travel over different types of terrain for homes, including stairways and transitions between different floor types.

The most affordable robot vacuums have navigation systems that enable them to effectively clean a room without getting lost or running into obstacles. Many robot vacuums come with the ability to map which is essential for a complete house cleaning. Even low-cost models with no mapping can efficiently cover a room. It is important to weigh the cost of your machine with the features you require.

We also consider how easy it is for a robot to get over common thresholds in the home like the threshold of a door's sill or the height of the sofa. A good budget robot will be able to pass through these obstacles, and some have settings that can adjust the suction power depending on the floor type. Finally, we take a look at whether a budget robot is compatible with your smart home setup and is able to be controlled remotely via an app or voice command.

One example of an excellent budget robot is the iLife V3s Pro, which comes with basic mapping capabilities and other smart features in a very affordable package. It is controlled via the iRobot App and comes with an auto return feature that allows you to return the robot back to its base when the battery is exhausted, then continues where it started.

The iLife V3s Pro doesn't have the advanced object avoidance found on many premium robots, but it does have a live camera that transmits an unreliable video feed to your phone so you can watch it while it is working. The cameras can detect stairs and other obstructions and alert the robot if it comes across them. However, the iLife employs random navigation instead of a method that is designed to avoid objects stuck to furniture legs, so it may not be able to get around a leg of a chair or any other tight spot as a robot equipped with mapping capabilities.

Cleaning Performance

When choosing a robotic vacuum, it is important to consider the cost and performance. There are models that aren't as expensive and don't have advanced features like mapping however, you can find many that perform very well at cleaning your home. Be aware of the dimensions and capacity of the robot's dust bin. It should be able to accommodate all the waste that a robot collects including hair dirt, pet dander.

You'll need a machine capable of removing stains and dirt from carpets as well. We test all models on the ZDNET robot vacuum chart for their ability to remove dirt and hair off carpet, and the best models come with a brush that is designed to penetrate the carpet fibers and remove debris.

The majority of budget models are successful in cleaning up spills on bare floors and carpets with low piles However, they struggle to get rid of larger pieces of pet hair and debris from higher-pile carpets. These models usually have less suction, but they can still be effective at cleaning up debris from tight places such as corners and under furniture.

The iLife V3s Pro vacuum cleaner is the best vacuum for its price range. It has a good rating in our tests, and it is able to remove hairs and dirt from carpets. It is also one of our quieter models and easy to use. It has a suction opening which scoops up debris instead of pushing it through the brush bar. It is also able to adjust the power to match any surface. It has a sidebrush with three bristles that push hair and debris into the path of the robot. However, it is not as effective in sweeping fine dust.

If you need both mop and vacuum you should look for a product that can do both, such as the Combo j9 Plus. It is able to simultaneously vacuum and mop, and it is possible to define specific vac/mop setting for each room. It's pricier than other robot vacuums we have in our chart, but it does have a camera on the front that allows for a more precise mapping and a better way to avoid obstacles things like power cords and cat poop.

Maintenance

The convenience that robot vacuums offer is fantastic, but the technology comes with a price. Regular maintenance is required, from emptying the dustbin to changing filters and cleaning the brush bar. They can also get caught in cords or fall off the stairs.

The most affordable robot vacuums reduce these hassles because they require minimal management by the user. Top picks are equipped with navigation systems that enable them to avoid obstacles and stay clear of dangers like electrical cords and food items that have been dropped. Sensors are used to map rooms and create maps that tell them where they have already cleaned.

Even the tiniest robotic vacuums can deliver a good clean If you give them a chance, so don't be discouraged by the price of higher-end models. Our top budget choices are from top OEMs such as iRobot Roborock Dreame. You can be assured that they have been designed with attention to detail and are built to last.

If you're willing to spend more, think about investing in mopping machines. robotic vacuum cleaner can scrub floors with a wet cloth and remove the most stubborn stains. They can also be used in combination with mop pads to tackle tough jobs, such as dried coffee.

The TP Link Tapo RV30 plus is the most affordable mopping robot that we have reviewed in our roundup. It has a clean, uncluttered appearance, but it also comes with all the features and capabilities of a top robovac. In our tests it was able to navigate without a hitch. RV30 was able to navigate without bumping mindlessly into furniture and create precise floorplan maps that it can use for future runs. It's the only budget robot we've tested that have this feature, though iRobot's Roomba offers similar capabilities for mapping, and an in-app setup that walks you through the process step by step.

Make sure to keep your robot in good condition regardless of whether you pick a costly robovac or one that is less expensive. It is important to empty the dustbin and clean the filter after every cleaning session (refer to the owner's manual or the manufacturer's site for more information). You should also replace the battery as required and keep track of its Wi-Fi connectivity and app updates.