How to Find the Best Budget Robot Vacuum
A bargain-priced robot vacuum is a bargain. However, it can cost more than you expect in maintenance: detangling fur from brushes, clogged inlets and emptying small dust bins could quickly turn your automated cleaning dream to be a chore.
The iRobot J7 Combo is the best budget robot for a lot of people. It provides the exact hands-off experience for less than half the cost.
Suction Power
Some models in this range are able to handle basic vacuuming. Others might require the use of a handheld nozzle for deeper cleaning. A budget robot vacuum will likely do the job if you live in an apartment with primarily hard floors. However, if your floors are different surfaces and you also have carpets, or have pets that shed, a more capable model will provide the most effective results for your cost.
A few models that are budget-friendly include mopping and a water tank capability, further increasing their flexibility. The newer Dyson R7050C, for example, has excellent navigation scores in CR's tests and a large 770ml bin, but it's louder than a lot of the other robots we've tried and does not have mopping capabilities. Eufy Roborock Q5 Pro is smaller, but it is quieter and has an automated dock. It has a water reservoir and a suction power of 5,500-pascals and an enormous bin that you can fill with cleaning products to make it more efficient. The Q5 Pro can be controlled through the app's smart function, 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 choice for those looking for something that is affordable and simple to use. It's not as sophisticated as other models, with a basic app and no-frills mapping capabilities, but has excellent navigation and cleaning abilities. It's also one of a few robots that can discern between carpets and hard flooring. The 300ml dustbin only emptying once every 30 days.
If you're looking for a more sophisticated model that can mop, vacuum and even create an outline of your home for smarter obstacle avoidance look at some of the top models in this price range. The iRobot Roomba 650/750 has a powerful suction, clever combs to get rid of pet hair and dust, and it can be controlled through your smart home assistant. The Samsung Cleanbot SV8000 is another option that offers excellent cleaning performance for the money.
Navigation Efficiency
A budget robot vacuum cleaner can be just as effective as expensive models, as long as it is able to maneuver through your home and avoid obstacles. Our lab technicians utilized a tracking device in a multi-room test home to assess the robot's capability to navigate and locate the rooms that it needed to clean within a specified time period, while staying clear of obstacles such as power cords, furniture, and rugs. We also look at how fast a robot can navigate through different terrains within a home, such as stairways and floor transitions.
The most affordable robot vacuums are equipped with navigation systems that let them clean a room efficiently without having to waste time or crashing into obstacles. The majority of robot vacuums have maps that are essential to complete a thorough house clean. Even models that aren't mapping can cover a room efficiently. It's important to consider balancing the price of your machine against the features that you need.
We also consider the ease with which robots can overcome thresholds in the home, like the thresholds of a door sill or the heights of a sofa. A budget-friendly robot should be able to move over these obstacles, and some have settings that can alter suction power according to flooring types. In the end, we must take a look at whether a budget robot is compatible with your home's smart-home setup and is able to be controlled remotely via an app or via voice control.
The iLife V3s Pro is a fantastic example of a robot that is budget-friendly that offers basic mapping capabilities and other clever features. It's also very affordable. It is controlled by the iRobot app, and has an auto-return feature that will return it to its base when the battery runs out and then picks up where it left off.
The iLife V3s Pro doesn't have the advanced object avoidance features found on many of the top robots, but it has live cameras that send a grainy video feed to your phone so you can monitor it as it works. The cameras are able to detect stairs and other obstructions and alert the robot when it comes across them. However, the iLife uses random navigation rather than an approach designed to keep objects from getting stuck against furniture legs, so it may not be able around a leg on a chair or any other tight spot as a robot equipped with mapping capabilities.
Cleaning Performance
When you are looking for a robot vacuum, you must consider the price and performance. There are models that aren't as expensive and don't have advanced features like mapping however, you can find models that are very effective at cleaning your home. Pay attention to the dimensions and capacity of the dust bin. You'll need enough space to hold all the garbage the robot gathers, such as pet dander, dirt and hair.
You'll want a vacuum capable of removing dirt and stains from carpets as well. We test each model in the ZDNET chart to see whether it is able to remove hair and dirt from carpet. The most effective models have an exclusive brush that digs through the fibers to pull out dirt.
Budget models are effective in cleaning small spills from bare floors or low-pile floor carpets, but they struggle to get rid of bigger pet hairs and debris from higher-pile carpets. These models tend to have a less powerful suction however they can be effective at cleaning up debris from tight areas like corners and underneath furniture.
The iLife V3s Pro is the best budget model for vacuuming with top marks in our tests with its ability to remove dirt and hair from carpets. It's also one of our quieter models and is easy to use. It has a small suction opening which collects debris instead of pushing it through the bar, and it can adjust power to match the surface. It also comes with a side brush that has three bristles that push hair and debris into the path of the robot, but it doesn't do as good a job of picking up fine dust.
Look for a model with both vacuum and mop functions, like the Combo j9 Plus. It is able to simultaneously vacuum and mop, and set specific vac/mop settings for each room. It's more expensive than other robot vacuums we have in our chart, but it does have a camera on the front that allows for more precise mapping, and a better way to avoid obstacles things like power cords and cat urine.
Maintenance
Robot vacuums are useful, but they come at costs. They require regular maintenance that ranges from emptying their dust bin to replacing filters and cleaning the brush bar. They may also get caught in cords and drop off the stairs, which is why they should be monitored with care.
The best budget robot vacuum s reduce these hassles since they require only minimal administration by the user. The best models come with navigation systems that allow them to avoid obstacles and avoid hazards like electrical cords, food debris and even dropped food. They use sensors to map rooms, and create maps that tell them where they've cleaned.
Don't let the price of the more expensive models deter you. They can still do a great job if given a chance. Our top budget choices are from leading OEMs like iRobot Roborock Dreame. You can be certain that they've been designed with attention to detail and are built to last.
Consider a mopping robotic in the event that you're willing to spend more. These machines can scrub floors with a damp cloth and eliminate stubborn stains. They can also be used in conjunction with a mop pad to tackle tough jobs, such as dried coffee.
There are several mopping robots included in our roundup, but the best budget model is the TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus. It has the sleek, fussless appearance of a home hub, but the performance and features of a top-rated robovac, including LiDAR navigation. During our tests, the RV30 was capable of navigating without bumping mindlessly into furniture and create precise floorplan maps 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 configuration that walks you through the process step by step.
No matter if you opt for the top-rated robot or a less expensive option, always remember to keep your robovac in good condition. You should empty the trash bin and clean the filter after every cleaning session (refer to the owner's manual or the website of the manufacturer for more details). Replace the battery when needed and check its Wi-Fi connectivity.