How to Find the Best Budget Robot Vacuum
A bargain robotic vacuum is a great value. Beware of the maintenance costs that may be higher than you anticipated: tangles in brushes, air inlets that are blocked and emptied dust bins will quickly make your automatic cleaning dream into a burden.
For many people the most affordable robot is the iRobot Combo. It delivers almost the same hands-off performance for less than half the cost.
Suction Power
Some models that are priced at this level have strong enough suction for basic vacuuming, however others might require a bit of help with a handheld nozzle in order to reach into the smallest cracks and crevices. If you live in a home with primarily hard flooring and a low-cost robot vacuum should work. If you have a mixture of floors, have rugs or pets that shed, you will have the best results using a more capable robot vacuum.
A few budget models include mopping and a water tank capabilities, which adds to their flexibility. The latest Dyson R7050C model, for example, has excellent navigation scores in CR's tests and a huge bin of 770ml, but it's louder than most of the other robots we've tried and doesn't have mopping features. Eufy Roborock Q5 Pro is a smaller robot that is quieter and has an automatic dock. It also has a water tank, a powerful 5,500-pascal suction power and a large container that you can fill with cleaning solution to make it an efficient mopping machine. You can manage the Q5 Pro via the smart app to mop or vacuum in a room, a sequence of rooms, or an area and set no-go zones and customise mopping and suction settings for different rooms.
The Shark ION is a good choice for those looking for something affordable, simple and reliable. It's not as sophisticated as other models, and comes with a basic app and minimal mapping capabilities, but it does have excellent navigation and cleaning abilities. It's also one of the few robots we've tested which can tell the difference between carpets and hard flooring and also 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 vacuum, mop and even create an outline of your home to avoid obstacles more effectively look at some of the top models in this price range. The iRobot Roomba 650 and 750 offer a powerful suction force, clever combs for pet hair and other dirt, and in-app scheduling and voice control with your smart home assistant. Samsung Cleanbot SV8000 offers a excellent cleaning performance at a reasonable price.
Navigation Efficiency
A low-cost robot vacuum cleaner can be as effective as expensive models, so long as it can navigate through your home and avoid obstacles. To assess the effectiveness of navigation, our lab technicians set up a tracker to watch a robot's movement through a multiroom test home and assess its ability to identify the areas it has to clean in a given time, avoiding pitfalls such as rug power cords, power cords, and furniture. Additionally, we examine how fast the robot can move across different types of terrain for homes, including stairways and transitions between different types of floor.
The best budget robot vacuums are equipped with navigation systems that let them efficiently clean a space without wasting time or running into obstacles. Many robot vacuums come with the ability to map which is essential to complete a thorough house clean. However, even models that do not have mapping have ways to effectively clean a room, so it's important to balance cost with the features you want for your home.
We also look at the ease with which robots can overcome common thresholds for homes like the size of a door's sill or the width of a sofa. A good budget robot will be able to pass through these obstacles, and some have settings that can adjust the suction power according to the floor type. We also look at whether a budget-friendly robot is compatible with your home's smart-home configuration and can be controlled remotely through an app or voice control.
One excellent budget robot is the iLife V3s Pro, which includes basic mapping capabilities and other advanced features in an affordable price. 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 began.
The iLife V3s Pro doesn't have the advanced object avoidance features found on many premium robots, but it has live cameras that send a grainy video feed to your phone so you can keep an eye on it as it works. The cameras can spot stairs and other obstructions and alert the robot when it encounters them. The iLife, however, uses random navigation instead of a method specifically designed to avoid objects that are stuck to furniture legs. It might not be able get around a tight spot or a leg of a chair as a robot system that has mapping capabilities.
Cleaning Performance
When shopping for a robotic vacuum, you must consider the cost and performance. Budget models may not have advanced features like mapping, but you can find some that excel at cleaning your home. Pay attention to the size and capacity of the robot's dustbin. You'll need to have enough space to accommodate all the trash the robot gathers, such as pet dander, dirt and hair.
You'll also want a robot vacuum that removes the stains that carpets have. We test every model in the ZDNET chart to determine whether it is able to remove dirt and hair from carpet. The most effective models have a special brush that digs into fibers to pull out dirt.
The budget models are great at getting rid of small messes on plain floors or low-pile floor carpets but they struggle to remove larger debris and pet hairs from carpets with higher pile. They typically have less suction power than higher-end models, but can still do well at getting rid of debris from tight spaces such as corners and underneath furniture.
The iLife V3s Pro vacuum cleaner is the best vacuum for its price. It has a good score in our tests and it's able to remove dirt and hair from carpets. It's also among the quieter models we test and simple to use. It features a suction opening that collects debris instead of pushing it through the bar. It is also able to adjust the power to match the surface. It comes with a sidebrush that has three bristles that push hair and debris into the path of the robot. However, it is not as effective in picking dust particles.
Look for a model with mop and vacuum functions, such as the Combo j9 Plus. This robot can vacuum and mop simultaneously and you can also customize the settings for each room. It's more expensive than other robot vacuums on our chart but has an in-front camera that allows for more precise mapping, and better obstacle avoidance of things like power cords or cat poop.
Maintenance
The convenience that robot vacuums offer is fantastic, but the technology comes at the cost of. Regular maintenance is essential to empty the dustbin to changing filters and cleaning their brush bar. They can also become tangled in cords or fall off the steps.
The most affordable robot vacuums reduce these hassles because they require minimal administration by the user. The top models come with navigation systems that avoid objects and are free of dangers, including the tangled electrical cords or dropped food items. Sensors are used to map rooms, and create maps that inform them where they've cleaned.
Don't let the price of the more expensive models deter you from buying. They can still do an excellent job if given the chance. Our top picks for budget-friendly models are from leading OEMs like iRobot Roborock Dreame. You can be assured that they've been designed with care and built to last.
Think about a robotic mopping machine in the event that you're willing to spend more. These machines can scrub floors using a wet cloth and remove staining that is difficult to remove. They can also be used in conjunction with mop pads to tackle tough jobs like dried coffee.
The TP Link Tapo RV30 plus is the best value mopping robot that we have reviewed in our roundup. It has a neat, uncluttered appearance, but it also has all the features and capabilities of a top robot vacuum. During our tests it was able to navigate without a hitch. RV30 was capable of moving without hitting furniture and create detailed floor plans that it can use for future runs. It's the only budget robot we've tested to include this feature, although iRobot's Roomba also has similar capabilities in mapping and has an in-app setup that walks you through the process step-by-step.
No matter if you opt for a top-rated robot or a less expensive option, make sure you maintain your robovac regularly. It's a good idea to empty the dust bin after each cleaning task and to clean the filter, if it has one (check the owner's manual or the manufacturer's website for more information). You should also replace its battery as required, and check in on its Wi-Fi connectivity and app updates.