How to Find the Best Budget Robot Vacuum
A bargain robot vacuum can be a great value. Beware of the maintenance costs that could be more than anticipated: tangles inside brushes, blocked air inlets and empty dust bins can quickly turn your automated cleaning dream into a burden.
For many people, the best budget robot is the iRobot J7 Combo. It delivers almost the same hands-off experience at a fraction of the price.
Suction Power
Certain models in this range offer enough suction for basic vacuuming. Others might require the use of a handheld nozzle for deeper cleaning. If you live in a house that has mostly hard flooring and a low-cost robot vacuum will likely work. If you have a mixture of floors, rugs or pets who shed, you'll be able to get the best results with an advanced robot vacuum.
A few models that are budget-friendly include a water tank and mopping capability, further increasing their flexibility. The Dyson R7050C comes with an oversized 770ml bin and excellent navigation scores, but is louder and doesn't have mopping capabilities. Eufy Roborock Q5 Pro is smaller, but it is quieter and has an automatic dock. It comes with a water reservoir and a suction power of 5,500-pascals as well as a large bin you can fill with cleaning products to boost its effectiveness. The Q5 Pro can be controlled via the smart app, which lets you mop or vacuum a space or a sequence of rooms or an entire space. You can also create no-go zones and set suction settings to your preferences for each room.
The Shark ION is a good choice for those who are looking for something that is affordable easy to use and reliable. It's not as advanced as other models, having an uncomplicated app and basic mapping capabilities, but it does have excellent navigation and cleaning abilities. It's also among the few robots we've tested that can tell the difference between hard flooring and carpets, and it has a 300ml trash bin that only needs to be emptied every 30 days.
Take a look at some of the top models within this price range If you're looking for something more sophisticated, able to vacuum mop, sweep, and create a map for more effective obstacle-avoiding. The iRobot Roomba 650 and 750 have very strong suction power as well as a comb that is cleverly designed for pet hair and other dirt, as well as in-app scheduling and voice control with your smart home assistant. The Samsung Cleanbot SV8000 is another option that has outstanding cleaning performance for the money.
Navigation Efficiency
A budget robot vacuum can be just as effective as an expensive model in the event that it is able to navigate your home and avoid obstacles. To assess the effectiveness of navigation, our lab technicians set up a tracking device to monitor a robot's movements through a multi-room test house and assess its ability to find the areas it has to clean in a given time, avoiding pitfalls such as rug power cords, power cords and furniture. We also look at the speed at which robots can navigate through different terrains within the home, like the floor and stairways.
The best budget robot vacuums come with efficient navigation systems that aid in helping them clean a room without having to waste time, crashing into obstacles or getting stuck. Most feature mapping capabilities, which are vital to complete house cleaning. However, even budget models with no mapping can effectively clean a room and it's crucial to balance cost with the features you require for your home.
We also look at how easily a robot can traverse thresholds within the home, such as the heights of a door sill or the heights of a sofa. A budget-friendly robot should be able to pass over these obstacles, and some offer settings that alter suction power according to flooring types. We also look at whether the robot is compatible with smart home technology and is able to be controlled remotely using an app or voice command.
One example of a top budget robot is the iLife V3s Pro, which includes basic mapping capabilities as well as other features that make it an extremely affordable price. It can be controlled via the iRobot app, and has an auto-return feature that will return it back to its base once the battery has run out and resumes where it was when it left.
The iLife V3s Pro doesn't have the advanced object avoidance found on many premium robots, but it has a live camera that transmits a grainy video feed to your phone so you can monitor it as it works. The cameras can spot obstacles like stairs and other steps and alert the robot if it comes across them. However the iLife employs random navigation instead of an approach designed to keep objects from getting stuck to furniture legs, so it might not be able to maneuver around a leg of a chair or another tight spot as easily as a robot equipped with mapping capabilities.
Cleaning Performance
When you are looking for a robot vacuum, you must consider the price and performance. Some budget models don't have features such as mapping, but they'll still do an excellent job of cleaning your home. Be aware of the size and capacity of the dust bin. You'll need enough room to accommodate all the trash that robots collect including hair dirt, pet dander.
You'll also need a robot vacuum that can remove stains from carpets. We test all models in the ZDNET robot vacuum chart for their ability to lift hair and dirt from carpet, and the best models have a specific brush that can dig into the carpet's fibers and pull out debris.
The majority of budget models are effective in removing messes from bare floors and carpets with low piles however, they struggle to remove larger chunks of debris and pet hair from higher-pile carpets. These models usually have less suction, but they can still be effective in removing particles from tight spaces like corners and under furniture.
The iLife V3s Pro is the most affordable vacuuming model and has scored top marks in our tests due to its ability to remove hair and dirt from carpets. It is also among our quieter models and easy to use. It has tiny suction openings that collects debris instead of pushing it through the brush bar, and it is able to adjust power to match the surface. It has a sidebrush with three bristles that push hair and other debris into the robot's path. However, it's not as effective in picking fine dust.
Look for a model with both vacuum and mop functions, like the Combo j9 Plus. This robot can vacuum and mop simultaneously and you can alter the settings for each room. It's more expensive than the other budget robot vacuums on our list however, it has the advantages of having a forward-facing camera, which allows for more precise mapping and better protection against obstacles such as power cords and cat piss.
Maintenance
The convenience robot vacuums offer is fantastic, but the technology comes at the cost of. Regular maintenance is required for everything from emptying the dust bin to changing filters and cleaning their brush bar. They may also get caught up in cords or fall off the stairs.
The best budget robot vacuums minimize these hassles by requiring only minimal supervision from the user. Top picks are equipped with navigation systems that allow them to avoid obstacles and avoid hazards such as electrical cords and dropped foods. Sensors are used to map rooms, and create maps that inform them where they've 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 budget choices are from leading OEMs like iRobot Roborock Dreame. You can be assured that they've been designed with attention to detail and are built to last.
You might consider a mopping robot If you're willing to pay more. These machines can scrub floors using a wet cloth and remove the most stubborn stains. They can also be used in conjunction with a mop pad to tackle difficult jobs, such as dried coffee.
The TP-Link Tapo RV30 plus is the best budget mopping robot that we have reviewed in our roundup. It has the sleek and uncluttered appearance of a home hub but the performance and features of a top-rated robot, including LiDAR navigation. During our tests the RV30 was able to navigate without bumping into furniture and building detailed maps of its floors that it could use when it runs. This is the only budget robot that we have tested with this feature. iRobot Roomba also has mapping capabilities, but the app setup guide you through the entire procedure.
If you decide to go with an expensive robovac or a more affordable option, always remember to keep your robovac in good condition. It is a good idea to empty the dust bin after each cleaning job and to clean the filter if one is present (check your owner's manual or the manufacturer's website for more details). Replace the battery when needed and check the Wi-Fi connectivity.