How to Find the Best Budget Robot Vacuum

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

For many people, the best budget robot is the iRobot J7 Combo. It offers the same hands-off experience at less than half the cost.

Suction Power

Certain models in this range have enough suction to do basic vacuuming. Others may need a handheld nozzle for deep cleaning. If you live in a house with mostly hard floors and a low-cost robot vacuum will likely work. However, if the floors are a mix of surfaces and you have some rugs, or if you have pets that shed, a higher-end model will provide the most effective results for your price.

Certain models that are priced lower come with mopping features and water tanks, which increase their versatility. The latest Dyson R7050C model for instance, has very good navigation scores in CR's tests and a huge 770ml bin, but it's louder than most of the other robots we've tried and does not have mopping capabilities. Eufy Roborock Q5 Pro is smaller, but it is quieter and comes with an automatic dock. It also has a water tank, a powerful suction power of 5,500pascals and a large container that can be filled with cleaning solution to make it a more efficient mopping device. The Q5 Pro can be controlled by the smart app which lets you vacuum or mop a room or a sequence of rooms or an entire area. You can also create no-go zones and customise suction settings for each room.

The Shark ION is a good choice for those seeking something affordable and simple to use. It's not as advanced as other models, with a basic app and minimal maps, but it has superior cleaning and navigation capabilities. It's also among one or two robots that can distinguish between carpets and hard flooring. The 300ml dustbin is only emptied once every 30 days.

If you want a more advanced model that can mop, vacuum and even create a map of your home to help you avoid obstacles take a look at the most expensive options 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 via your smart home assistant. The Samsung Cleanbot SV8000 is another option that offers excellent cleaning performance for the money.

Navigation Efficiency

A budget-friendly robot hoover robotic vacuum cleaners could be just as effective as the more expensive models, provided that it can navigate your home and avoid obstacles. To measure the effectiveness of navigation, our lab technicians installed a tracking device to watch a robot's movement through a multiroom test home and test its ability to find the rooms it needs to clean in a certain amount of time, avoiding pitfalls like rug cords, power cables, and furniture. We also examine how fast a robot can traverse different terrains in a home, such as stairs and floor transitions.

The most affordable robot vacuums come with navigation systems that enable them to effectively clean a room without having to waste time or crashing into obstacles. They're all equipped with mapping capabilities, which are vital for a complete house cleaning. However, even budget models with no mapping have ways to effectively cover a space and it's crucial to consider the cost and features you require for your home.

We also examine how easily a robot can cross over thresholds in the home, like the heights of a door's sill or sofas. A budget-friendly robot should be able to navigate these obstacles, and some have settings that can adjust the suction power depending on the type of floor. Finally, we consider whether a budget robot is compatible with your home's smart-home setup and can be controlled remotely via an app or voice control.

One example of a top budget robot is the iLife V3s Pro, which comes with basic mapping capabilities as well as other features that make it an affordable package. It is controlled by the iRobot app, and also has an auto-return feature that returns it back to its base once the battery is exhausted, then resumes where it was when it left.

The iLife V3s Pro doesn't have the advanced object avoidance features found on many of the top robots, but it has a live camera that transmits an unreliable video feed to your smartphone so that you can keep an eye on the robot as it performs. The cameras can also spot obstacles like stairs and other steps and alert you if the robot comes across them. However, the iLife employs random navigation rather than an approach designed to avoid objects stuck to furniture legs, so it might not be able around a leg of a chair or any other tight spot as a robot equipped with mapping capabilities.

Cleaning Performance

When you're searching for a robot vacuum, it's important to balance cost with performance. Budget models may not have advanced features like mapping however, you can find models that are very effective at cleaning your home. Also, be aware of the dimensions of the dustbins on robots and the amount of dirt it can hold prior to needing to empty it. You'll need enough room to accommodate all the waste that robots collect such as hair, dirt, and pet dander.

You'll need a machine that can remove dirt and stains from carpets as well. We test every model on the ZDNET chart to see if it can remove dirt and hair from carpet. The top models come with a special brush that digs into fibers to pull out debris.

Budget models are effective in getting rid of small messes on bare floors or low-pile floor carpets but they struggle to remove larger particles and pet hairs from higher-pile carpets. They tend to have less powerful suction than higher-end models however they can do a well at getting rid of debris from tight spaces such as corners and under furniture.

The iLife V3s Pro is the best budget model for vacuuming and has scored high marks in our tests with its ability to remove dirt and hair from carpets. It is also one of our quieter models and is easy to use. It has tiny suction openings that scoops debris rather than pushing it through the bar, and it has the ability to adjust the power to be in line with the surface. It comes with a sidebrush that has three bristles that push hair and debris into the path of the robot. However, it's not as effective at picking up fine dust.

If you need both mopping and vacuum you should look for a product that can do both such as the Combo j9 Plus. It can simultaneously vacuum and mop, and it is possible to make specific vac/mop settings to each room. It's more expensive than the other budget robot vacuums on our list however it comes with the advantages of having a forward-facing camera, which allows for more precise mapping and better obstacle avoidance for things like power cords and cat poop.

Maintenance

Robot vacuums are useful however they come with a cost. Regular maintenance is required, from emptying the dustbin to changing filters and cleaning their brush bar. They may also get caught in cords and fall off the stairs, which is why they need to be monitored attentively.

The best budget robot vacuums reduce these issues through requiring minimal oversight from the user. The best models come with navigation systems that enable them to avoid obstacles and avoid hazards such as electrical cords and food items that have been dropped. 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 are still able to do a fantastic job if given a chance. Our top picks for budget-friendly models are from top OEMs such as iRobot Roborock Dreame. You can be assured that they've been designed with attention to detail and are built to last.

If you're willing to spend more, think about investing in a mopping robot. These machines can clean floors using an aqueous cloth and get rid of staining that is difficult to remove. They can also be used conjunction with a mop pad to tackle tough jobs such as dried coffee.

The TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus is the best home vacuum cleaner budget mopping robot in our roundup. It has a sleek and uncluttered design, but it also has all the features and performance of a top rated robot vacuum. In our tests, the RV30 was capable of navigating without hitting furniture and create precise floorplan maps that it can use for future runs. It's the only budget robot we've tested to have this feature, though the iRobot Roomba has similar capabilities for mapping, and an in-app setup that walks you through the process step by step.

Remember to maintain your robot regardless of whether you pick an expensive robovac or one that is less expensive. It's a good idea to empty its dustbin after every cleaning task and to clean the filter if you have one (check the owner's manual or the website of the manufacturer for details). You should also replace the battery when needed and keep track of its Wi-Fi connectivity and app updates.