How to Find the Best Budget Robot Vacuum
A bargain robot vacuum is a great deal. However, be aware that it could cost more than you expect in maintenance: detangling fur from brushes, clogged inlets, and emptying tiny dust bins can quickly turn your dream of automating cleaning an exercise.
For many, the best budget robot is the iRobot J7 Combo. It offers the same hands-free experience, but at a fraction of its price.
Suction Power
Some models within this price range offer sufficient suction to perform basic vacuuming, but others might require a bit of help from a handheld nozzle to get deep into crevices and cracks. A budget robot vacuum is likely to complete the job well if you live in a home that has primarily hard floors. However, if the floors are different surfaces and you have some rugs, or if you have pets who shed, a more capable model will provide the best results for the money.
Some budget models come with mopping capabilities and a water tank, which increases their versatility. The Dyson R7050C features an enormous 770ml bin as well as excellent navigation scores, however it 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 has water tank, powerful suction power of 5,500pascals and a large bin that you can fill with cleaning solution to make it an efficient mopping device. You can operate the Q5 Pro via the smart app to mop or vac in a room, a sequence of rooms, or an area, and you can define no-go zones as well as customize mopping and suction settings for different rooms.
The budget Shark ION is a great pick for those looking for something simple, affordable and reliable. It is not as sophisticated as other models, having a basic app and minimal mapping capabilities, but it does have excellent navigation and cleaning abilities. It is also one of the few robots we've tested which can tell the difference between carpets and hard flooring and has a 300ml trash bin that needs to be empty every 30 days.
If you want a more sophisticated model that can vacuum, mop and even create an outline of your home to help you avoid obstacles take a look at the most expensive options within this price range. The iRobot Roomba 650/750 has a powerful suction, a clever comb to remove pet hair and fine dirt and voice control through your smart home assistant. The Samsung Cleanbot SV8000 is another option that offers superior cleaning performance for the money.
Navigation Efficiency
A robot vacuum cleaner that is budget-friendly can be just as effective as expensive models, as long as it is able to navigate through your home and avoid obstacles. Our lab technicians employed an instrument for tracking in a multi-room test home to evaluate the robot's ability to navigate and find the rooms it needed to clean within a certain time period, while keeping away from obstacles like power cords, furniture, and rug. We also examine the speed at which robots can move through different terrains of the home, like stairs and floor transitions.
The best budget robot vacuums have navigation systems that let them clean a room efficiently without having to waste time or crashing into obstacles. Most feature mapping capabilities, which are essential for a complete house cleaning. Even budget models without mapping can effectively cover a room. It is important to balance the cost of your device with the features that you need.
We also look at how easily a robot can traverse thresholds within the home, for example the heights of a door's sill and the heights of a sofa. A good budget robot will be able to navigate these obstacles, and some have settings that can adjust the suction power based on the type of floor. In the end, we must take a look at whether a budget robot is compatible with your home's smart-home configuration and can be controlled remotely using an app or voice command.
One excellent budget robot is the iLife V3s Pro, which includes basic mapping capabilities as well as other features that make it a very affordable price. It is controlled via the iRobot App and comes with an automatic return feature that returns the robot to its home base when the battery is low and continues where it left off.
The iLife V3s Pro doesn't have the advanced object avoidance found on many of the top robots, but it does have live cameras that send an unreliable video feed to your smartphone so that you can keep an eye on it as it works. The cameras can spot obstacles like stairs and other steps and alert the robot when it encounters them. The iLife is a different model, however, it uses random navigation instead of a method designed to prevent objects from being stuck to furniture legs. It might not be able to maneuver through a tight space or chair leg as well as a robotic system with mapping capabilities.
Cleaning Performance
When shopping for a robotic vacuum, you should balance the price 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 dust bin. vacuum deals 'll need to have enough space to accommodate all the trash a robot collects including pet dander, dirt and hair.
You'll want a robot that can remove dirt and stains from carpets, too. We test every model in the ZDNET chart to determine if it can remove dirt and hair from carpet. The top models come with a special brush that digs into fibers to eliminate dirt.
Budget models are effective in getting rid of small messes on flooring that is not covered with carpets however, they struggle to remove larger debris and pet hairs from carpets with higher pile. These models typically have less suction power however, they can be effective in removing particles from tight spaces like corners and underneath furniture.
The iLife V3s Pro is the best budget model for vacuuming, scoring high marks in our testing because of its ability to remove dirt and hair from carpets. It is also among our quieter models and is easy to use. It has tiny suction openings that collects debris instead of pushing it through the bar, and it has the ability to adjust power to be in line with the surface. It also comes with a side-brush that has three bristles that push hair and debris into the robot's path, but it's not doing as good in removing fine dust.
If you need both a vacuum and a mop you should look for a product that offers both functions like the Combo j9 Plus. This robot can simultaneously vac and mop, and make specific vac/mop settings to each room. It's more expensive than other budget robot vacuums on our chart however, it has the advantages of having a forward-facing camera which enables more precise mapping and better protection against obstacles such as power cords and cat poop.
Maintenance
The convenience robot vacuums offer is wonderful, however the technology comes at a price. They require regular maintenance that ranges from emptying their dust bin to changing filters and cleaning the brush bar. They can also get tangled in cords and drop off the stairs, which is why they must be watched carefully.
The best budget robot vacuums ease these problems by requiring only minimal supervision from the user. The top picks have navigation systems that stay clear of objects and are free of dangers, including strangling electrical cords and dropping food items. They use sensors to map rooms and create maps that tell them where they've cleaned.
Even the most basic robotic vacuums will give a decent clean if you give them a chance, so don't be discouraged by the high cost of better models. Our top picks for budget-friendly models are from leading OEMs like 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 a mopping robot. They can use a moist cloth over floors to scrub them clean and remove stubborn stains and they can be utilized with a specially designed mop pad for tough jobs like dried coffee.
The TP Link Tapo RV30 plus is the best budget mopping robot we've reviewed in our roundup. It has the clean and uncluttered appearance of a home hub, but the features and performance of a top-rated robot with LiDAR navigation. In our tests, the RV30 was capable of navigating without hitting furniture, and building detailed maps of its floors that it can refer to on future runs. This is the only budget robot that we tested with this feature. iRobot Roomba also has mapping capabilities, however the app's setup guides you through the entire process.
Whether you choose the top-rated robot or a less expensive alternative, you should always keep your robovac in good condition. It is a good idea to empty its trash bin after every cleaning job and to clean the filter if one is present (check the manual of your owner or the manufacturer's website for more information). You should also replace its battery as required and keep track of its Wi-Fi connectivity as well as app updates.