vacuums

Today’s robot vacuums are becoming a bit like cars: with all the features, upgrades, and fancy trimmings available these days, it’s easy to forget that they can just be simple machines that get us from point A to point B. Yes, some bots blow hot air on their bums (mop pads), deftly navigate dog poop, and have arms to pick up your socks, but there are plenty of basic budget robot vacuums that just do a decent job of cleaning your floor autonomously — as long as you tidy up first.

Fancier models have obstacle recognition, and some even use AI-powered cameras to tell popcorn from poop and avoid the latter. If you want one of those, check out my best robot vacuum buying guide. But if you think you can manage the task of picking up after yourself (and your puppy), a budget bot will save you a lot of money and still do a good job cleaning your floor.

$230

Tap’s RV30 Max Plus is a robot vacuum / mop hybrid with room-specific cleaning, carpet boost, smart navigation, and an optional auto-empty dock.

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$400

Roborock’s S8 robot vacuum / mop features 6,000Pa of suction, sonic mopping, and dual rubber roller brushes that perform well on carpet.

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What I’m looking for

How I test robot vacuums

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To judge its vacuuming power, I run every robot vacuum through a series of tests on hardwood and carpet, including flour, kitty litter, oatmeal, and pet and human hair. I test obstacle avoidance using cables, shoes, socks, and bed skirts. I test mopping effectiveness on hardwood and tile floors using dried and moist messes. If the robot has an auto-empty dock, I test to see how well it empties the onboard bin as well as any other features of the dock. I run the robot vacs around three different levels in my home to see how they handle different surfaces, room transitions, and edge sensing. I evaluate how long they run before needing to recharge and test each app, focusing on its mapping functions to see how simple they are to use and how reliable they are. I also examine each robot’s build quality and parts availability, and I totally judge them based on how much my cat Boone likes to play with them.

Price

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Yes, there are sub-$200 robots out there. No, I do not recommend you buy them. With so many new models coming out almost daily, it’s better to look for a sale on an older model from a well-known company than buy a no-name budget bot. You can pick up a brand new, two-year-old Roomba or Roborock with mapping and advanced navigation for half its original price. These gadgets should last for years, so it’s not like buying last season’s Prada slip-ons.That said, sales are hard to keep track of, so some of the prices listed here may seem high for a budget bot. If you see one that fits your needs, keep an eye on The Verge’s deals page for when they go on an even better sale.

Cleaning prowess

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The cheaper the bot, the more important suction power is, as they tend to have fewer features that improve cleaning. Higher-end robots have things like better brushes, carpet boost mode, and dirt detection. At a minimum, look for 2,500Pa (if the manufacturer lists suction power; some don’t). I also much prefer rubber roller brushes or a rubber/bristle hybrid over just bristle brushes. Rubber rollers get up more dirt and get tangled less than bristles.

A mop (or not)

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Bear in mind that most budget mopping bots don’t really mop — it’s more just using a damp cloth to pick up the fine dust the robot’s vacuum left behind, which is useful but not essential. Mop attachments with water reservoirs also take up space on a robot and mean a smaller bin.

A big bin

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A big bin means you don’t need to empty it as often. Eight hundred milliliters is the largest I’ve seen, but anything over 450 ml is decent on a budget bot. With many bots now pulling double duty as mopping robots and the prevalence of auto-empty docks, it’s hard to find robots with big bins. But if you’re on a budget and don’t want to spend extra for the dock, a big bin will mean less hands-on time with your vacuum.

Or an auto-empty option

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If you can swing it, I strongly recommend an auto-empty dock, and there are finally some cheaper versions out there. While it’s a nice-to-have rather than a must-have, delegating the chore of emptying the bin to the robot does mean your floors will be cleaner since a vacuum with a full bin won’t suck up dirt. Many standalone robots now have an auto-empty dock option you can add later if you want to wait and see, but buying them together is generally cheaper.

Navigation / mapping

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We are starting to see true budget bots use the vSLAM (visual simultaneous localization and mapping) or lidar-powered navigation or mapping found on higher-end robots, albeit lower-level versions. Some, use the bump and roll technique, with more now adding a gyroscope function that at least makes them go in a straight line.Choosing an older version of a high-end robot will get you the better navigation, but I’ve also included a few bump-and-roll bots with basic mapping capability, which makes the experience better all around. Non-mapping bots may miss entire sections of your home and, when they start again after charging, may go over the area they last cleaned. However, mapping is less important if you want a bot for a single room or small apartment.

Good battery life / long runtime

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While most bots can recharge and resume (go back to their charging base and refuel before going back out again), a bot that can go for at least two hours on one charge will get the job done more quickly and be less annoying. I look for at least 120 minutes of runtime (180 is the best).

A decent app

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A lot of budget bots have barely usable apps; this is another reason why buying a lower-cost option from a company with higher-end models gets you a better experience, as the app is usually more polished.A good basic app, though, should have the ability to set multiple schedules to send the robot out, an option for a do-not-disturb period (so it doesn’t start up again at 2AM because it finally recharged), and a way to link to voice assistants and smart home platforms like Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple’s Siri.

Repairability

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Even at the budget end, you’ll be spending $200 to $300 on a robot vacuum, so repairability and the availability of replacement parts are a big bonus.

$230

The Good

• Cheap, even with the auto-empty dock
• A dual mop and dustbin means no swapping
• Room-specific cleaning
• Carpet boost

The Bad

• Short battery life
• Slow to recharge
• Docking can be spotty
• Basic obstacle detection

Suction power: 5,300Pa / Dustbin capacity: 300ml / Self-empty dock option: Yes / Mopping option: Yes / Mapping: Yes, lidar / Keep-out zones: Yes, virtual / Runtime: 100 mins, 2,600mAh battery/ Brush style: Single rubber bristle hybrid / Works with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Siri Shortcuts

For around $300, the Tapo RV30 Max Plus is a very capable robot vacuum and mop with some key features usually only found on vacuums that are more than twice its price. These include room-specific cleaning, multiple suction and water levels, smart lidar-based navigation, and an auto-empty dock. With brands like Roomba and Roborock, you’re often paying double for the privilege of not having to empty the bot’s bin.

The Tapo RV30 Max Plus includes a compact auto-empty charging dock.

Thanks to lidar navigation, the RV30 did an excellent job of navigating my house, cleaning the perimeters of the rooms, and then using a mesh grid to clean inside the rooms. I did have to tidy up before it ran, though, as there’s no camera on board or AI-powered obstacle detection — so cables and socks will trip it up.

Its 5,200Pa suction power is impressive on a bot at this price, and ably sucked up Cheerios and dry oatmeal on hard flooring. It left some of the finer dust and debris, as its single bristle / rubber brush isn’t super effective. It fared less well on carpet. However, in the app, I could set it to clean a room three times for each job, after which it generally picked up all visible debris.

Mopping was better than average for a mop with no pressure or oscillation. It has a wide mop pad, and the bot has a big 300ml tank (which also incorporates a 300ml dustbin), so it applies enough water for a good surface clean.

Another unique feature for a budget robot is the ability to set customized cleaning for each room, choosing from five suction levels and three water levels as well as three rotations.

5,200Pa suction power is impressive on a bot at this price

The Tapo app is very simple to use, with an easy-to-edit map that lets you add virtual walls and no-go zones, add furniture, and designate carpet areas. There’s no carpet sensing, so you need to tell it where carpets are if you don’t want it to mop them. You can also set the cleaning direction and build up to four maps — again, features usually only found on higher-end robots.

It’s also easy to start a clean from the app, and I really like that you can tap on the map to send the robot to that spot.

The biggest downside of the Tapo is its tiny battery, which is just 2,600mAh. That is half the size of most vacs, and it couldn’t clean my entire 800-square-foot downstairs without needing to go back and recharge. It also takes a while to charge and occasionally has trouble repositioning itself on its dock.

You can get the RV30 without the auto-empty dock for around $80 less if you prefer an even simpler robot vacuum setup. This way, it will fit under a couch or bed, but you’ll have to manually empty its bin.

Best budget robot vacuum and mop

$400

The Good

• Sonic-mopping
• Auto-mop lift
• AI-powered obstacle avoidance
• Dual-rubber roller brushes
• Carpet detection

The Bad

• Very large and wide
• Have to wash the mop manually
• Have to refill the water tank manually
• No heated drying
• Limited mop lift

Suction power: 6,000Pa / Dustbin capacity: 400ml / Runtime: 180 mins, 5,200mAh battery / Brush style: dual rubber / Auto-empty dock option: yes / Mapping: yes, lidar navigation / Keep-out zones: yes, virtual / Works with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Siri Shortcuts

The Roborock S8 is a great vacuum that mops well and has AI-powered obstacle detection—a rarity at this price point. Its dual rubber roller brushes and 6,000Pa of suction do an excellent job on hard floors and carpets, and its flat mop that vibrates is effective at scrubbing your floors.

There’s the option of pairing the S8 with a fairly sleek auto-empty dock, but unlike Roborock’s QRevo line (which starts at around $600), the dock won’t automatically fill the water tank or wash the mop; you’ll have to do that work manually.

Formerly a flagship robot vacuum for Roborock, this once $750 bot can now be found for well under $500, even with its auto-empty dock. Its flat mop pad vibrates 3,000 times a second to simulate some good old-fashioned scrubbing, and the bot comes with an extra-large on-board water tank, which means it actually gets wet enough to be effective.

The Roborock S8 is an excellent vacuum and great mop. It also has AI-powered obstacle avoidance thanks to an on-board camera

The S8 can be set to mop only — something few budget bots offer, and its mop-only mode does an excellent job, moving in a tighter “Z” pattern and going over the floors twice. It also has a slow option for a more thorough cleaning. I liked to send it out to vacuum everywhere first, then recharge and go out again to mop, which resulted in sparklingly clean floors. It does take a long time, though.

Another great feature at this price is that the S8 has carpet sensing and can raise its mops a few millimeters to avoid dampening your carpets. Most other budget mopping bots require you to remove the mop pads when vacuuming carpet or set keep-out zones around your rugs. This bot can also raise its wheels when it cleans messes like ketchup to prevent its brushes from getting sticky.

However, the mop-raising feature can only clear low-pile rugs, so I had to set no-mopping zones around my plush floor coverings. The S8 requires a fair amount of hands-on time since you have to refill its reservoir manually and wash the mopping pads (you can throw them in the washing machine). If you want to avoid those chores, you’ll need to bump up to about $600 and get whichever Roborock QRevo vac and mop is on sale. This adds spinning mopping pads and an auto wash/dry/refill dock.

Best budget robot vacuum for pet hair

$480

The Good

• Huge, 770ml bin
• Dual rubber roller brushes
• Lidar mapping
• Digital keep-out zones

The Bad

• No carpet avoidance when mopping
• Basic obstacle avoidance
• Mopping is lackluster

Suction Power: 5,000Pa / Dustbin capacity: 770ml / Self-empty dock option: Yes / Mopping option: Yes / Mapping: Yes, lidar / Suction power: 5,500Pa / Keep-out zones: Yes, virtual / Runtime: 240 mins, 5,200mAh battery / Brush style: dual, rubber / Works with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Siri Shortcuts

My recommendation for families with pets who don’t want to spend a small fortune on an auto-empty robot vacuum is to buy a good bot with a big bin. These are getting harder to find now that every bot wants to be a multitasker and also mop (the water reservoir takes up valuable dustbin room). So, I’m very pleased with Roborock’s Q5 Pro with its 770ml dustbin.

This huge bin pairs with dual rubber roller brushes that are better at getting pet hair out of rugs than single brushes. The rubber is also less prone than bristles to getting tangled with hair, and combined with 5,500Pa suction power, this vacuum does a good job on very dirty floors. It does have a removable mopping pad with a small water tank built into it, too, which is useful for cleaning up the fine dust left behind by the vacuum, but it isn’t going to scrub your floors. It will, however, keep the pet hair at bay.

Don’t confuse this with the cheaper Roborock Q5, however. That bot has a smaller bin, lower suction, shorter runtime, and only one roller brush. It’s worth spending the extra for the Pro.

1/3I like big bins and I cannot lie. The Q5’s 770ml bin is the biggest I’ve tested since self-empty docks became a thing.

The Q5 Pro Plus pairs the bot with the redesigned Roborock auto-empty dock if you really don’t like emptying the robot’s onboard bin, normally a hefty price bump, it’s on sale for $360 at Amazon. The dock is relatively compact and lightweight compared to previous versions. However, considering the size of the Q5 Pro’s bin, you’d only have to empty it three times before the dock’s 2.5-liter bag is also full.

The Q5 Pro doesn’t have AI-powered obstacle avoidance, although it will dodge shoes and larger objects. It does have a huge 5,200mAh battery that will run for about four hours. It uses the excellent Roborock app and has all the same software features of the higher-end Roborock’s family, including lidar mapping and navigation, digital keep-out zones, room-specific cleaning, zone cleaning, and voice control.

Best basic bump-and-roll bot

$250

The Good

• Big bin
• Easy to operate
• Easy to repair
• Big wheels means it can get over most transitions

The Bad

• Loud and rattly
• No mapping
• No keep-out zones

Suction power: unknown / Dustbin capacity: 425ml / Runtime: 120 mins / Brush style: single bristle / rubber hybrid / Auto-empty dock option: no / Mapping: no / Keep-out zones: no / Works with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home

The Shark Ion’s big bin, simple app experience, decent battery life, repairability, and bullish nature make this an excellent bump-and-roll bot. It doesn’t map or have any special navigation features other than colliding with things and changing direction. It’s not fancy, but it gets the job done.

It’s a good one to stick under a bed or desk and set to run when you’re not home, as it’s loud and rattly and will bang into everything in its path. But its big wheels and 120-minute runtime mean it’s less prone to getting stuck or running out of juice than simpler $200 bots.

Unlike many budget bots, it uses a hybrid roller brush that’s both bristle and plastic and doesn’t get as tangled as standard bristle brushes. Its short, squat side brushes are surprisingly effective at getting debris into the robot’s path, and because they’re short, they’re less prone to getting tangled in stray cords.

The Shark has big wheels and a hybrid brush that isn’t prone to tangles. Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge

But the best thing ‘bout this bot is its tank-like wheels that will roll right over anything in its path, including high transitions between rooms, obstacles like lounger chair legs, and other furniture traps that regularly stump other bots. That’s a good thing, as there’s no mapping, obstacle detection, or any way to set keep-out zones here. This bot just goes.

Another bonus: replacement parts are easily available, making it simple to repair and just keep going.

Shark doesn’t share suction power specs, but it ably handled all my tests, including the toughest: raw oatmeal. Those little flakes are hard to pick up; side brushes will spin them all over the floor. It did a good job on pet hair, too, although, like most robots I tested, it required at least two runs to get everything up effectively.

The app is super basic: just on / off, scheduling, and a choice of three power levels (all loud). Disappointingly, you can only schedule it once a day. Most robots can be programmed to do two to three passes, but in place of that, I like the option to schedule it to go out twice to make sure it gets the job done. I couldn’t do that with the Shark. Still, you can press its button or use the app to send it out again if needed.

Best budget Roomba robot vacuum

$200

The Good

• Great vacuuming
• Room mapping
• Reliable app

The Bad

• No virtual keep-out zones
• Can be aggressive
• Have to roll up your carpets to mop

Suction power: unknown / Dustbin capacity: 419ml / Runtime: 90 minutes / Brush style: dual rubber / Auto-empty dock option: yes / Mopping option: yes / Mapping: yes / Keep-out zones: physical only / Works with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Siri Shortcuts

The Roomba i5 is the follow-up to my previous top pick for a budget robot, the Roomba i3. It’s not the cheapest bot on the block, but its cleaning chops, attractive design, good software, and robust, easily-repairable hardware make it a good choice for spending a smaller budget.

The i5 brings mopping capability to the lower end of iRobot’s line via a swappable mopping bin that adds a flat mopping pad and a sizable 210ml reservoir. There’s no carpet avoidance, though, so I had to roll up the ends of my carpets to block it from going on them.

But this bot is best as a vacuum, and it cleans almost as well as iRobot’s higher-end j7 but for a lot less money. It has slightly lower suction power, but it boasts Roomba’s signature dual roller rubber brushes, which do an excellent job of removing pet hair from hardwood floors and sucking up oatmeal from plush carpets. These are slightly different from the Roborock dual brushes, and I find the nubs make them more effective at digging out the dirt, especially from carpet.

The i5 can be purchased with an auto-empty dock, but like most budget bots, it just deals with the dust.

The i5 has mapping and room-specific cleaning, so you can send it to clean the kitchen if you want. However, unlike my top pick, the Tapo RV30, there’s no option to set virtual keep-out zones. If you have somewhere you don’t want the bot to roam, you’ll need to buy iRobot’s virtual wall towers. It also has a relatively small bin, but you can pair it with an auto-empty base (although that doubles the cost).

The i5 is a solid vacuum with big wheels and a big bumper that can easily tackle any floor surface you throw at it. It can manage most transitions and is one of the only vacs I’ve tested that doesn’t get stuck on the uneven wooden floors in my screened-in porch. It does tend to bump into things, but it gets almost everywhere you want it to and won’t be put off by a bed skirt. But if you have delicate items on rickety tables, watch out.

The i5 Combo comes with swappable bins, one for mopping and vacuuming and one for just vacuuming. The robot knows which bin you have attached and cleans it accordingly.

As with all Roombas, the i5 is easy to self-repair, and you can buy (not inexpensive) replacements for all its parts. I’ve actually rebuilt an i3 (the previous model) after it rolled over some dog poop. There’s no obstacle avoidance here; you have to bump up to the Roomba j7 for that (which, if you can get it on sale anywhere, is a great robot vacuum.)

iRobot also offers the Combo j5 for $529.99 (currently on sale for $249.99 at Amazon), adding more advanced mapping, including virtual keep-out zones and better obstacle and carpet detection. It also has a shinier finish, whereas the i5 retains the fabric-covered body of the i3. If you can find the j5 on sale for close to or less than the i3 (it’s $379 with the auto-empty dock on Amazon at the time of writing), go for it. Otherwise, the i3 is your best bet for a budget Roomba.

Best budget robot vacuum without Wi-Fi

$140

The Good

• Big bin
• Slim profile
• Avoids obstacles
• Quiet
• Easily repairable

The Bad

• No mapping
• No keep-out zones
• Small battery

Suction power: 2,000Pa / Dustbin capacity: 600ml / Runtime: 100 mins / Brush style: single bristle / rubber hybrid / Auto-empty dock option: no / Mapping: no / Keep-out zones: no / Works with: n/a

The Eufy 11S Max is a rarity — a robot vacuum that doesn’t use Wi-Fi at all. There’s not even an app. Instead, you just press the button, and off it trundles. It also comes with a remote if you’d rather not get up off the couch, and you can use that to program it to clean at a specific time.

The 11S is super slim, 72.5 mm high, with no lidar tower, so it will get under most couches and very quiet. It has a big 600ml bin, and I was very impressed with how much it got up off my hardwood floors, even with its relatively small 2,000Pa of suction. There are three cleaning levels, and at the lowest, it registers around 55db, quiet enough to run in a home office.

It does have a smallish battery — only 100 minutes of runtime — but it will go back and recharge. For $200, this is the perfect budget bot for those wary of or who don’t want to deal with an app and Wi-Fi. It’s a bump-and-roll bot, meaning there are no real navigation skills. But it has plenty of replaceable parts, including the battery and wheels, so you can keep it going for a long time.

Best self-cleaning, self-emptying robot vacuum / mop under $500

$247

The Good

• Effective vibration mopping
• Multifunctional dock
• Carrying handle
• Big water tank

The Bad

• Navigation can be spotty
• Obstacle avoidance isn’t great
• The app is a bit fiddly

Suction Power: 5,100Pa / Dustbin capacity: 360ml / Self-empty dock option: Yes / Mopping option: Yes / Mapping: Yes, lidar / Suction power: 5,100Pa / Keep-out zones: Yes, virtual / Runtime/Battery: 180 mins, 5,400mAh / Brush style: Single rubber bristle hybrid / Works with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home

The Yeedi Cube is the least expensive robot vacuum with the same kind of multifunction dock and high-end features as robots over $1,000. This means it can automatically fill its onboard water tank, clean and dry its mop, and empty the bin. It also has more advanced obstacle avoidance tech than most budget bots, although, unlike the pricier bots, it uses lasers to see objects, not an AI-powered camera, which is less effective. While it originally retailed for $699.99, it’s now an older model and is regularly on sale for less than $500.

The Yeedi resembles the Shark and Roomba in its full-speed-ahead nature. It will just run into things, and if it can clean them, great! It also only goes around larger objects. So, while it ably sucked up Cheerios and picked up all the oatmeal flakes, it got stuck on cords and socks. Definitely keep it away from pet waste.

The Yeedi has a big onboard bin and a large 1-litre water tank that it carries with it.

The Yeedi’s mopping prowess is impressive. It scrubs the floor using a thin microfiber cloth that vibrates 2,500 times a minute to get up grime. The dock cleans the mopping pad, drains the dirty water, and auto empties the bin, but the robot carries its one-liter water tank around on its back, so it doesn’t need to go back and refill during a run.

One downside is that it uses a single hybrid rubber / bristle brush, which gets tangled with hair. However, combined with 5,100Pa of suction power, it did a good job of picking up dirt from the floors.

I really liked the handle; it makes it easy to pick up the vacuum and put it where you want to clean. An onboard spot clean button means you don’t need to fuss with the app to get it to clean up a dedicated area. The map offers room-specific cleaning and keep-out zones for vacuuming and mopping but can be a bit fiddly to use.

• iRobot’s new Roomba lineup includes several budget-friendly options — including the $319.99 Roomba 105 Combo and the $469.99 Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo, neither of which we’ve tested. Both entry-level models can vacuum and mop, offer lidar navigation and mapping, and tout 7,000Pa of suction power. They also both offer virtual keep-out zones and automatic carpet detection and avoidance; however, the 205 features a new onboard debris and dust compactor, which iRobot says allows you to go eight weeks without emptying the vacuum.

Update, June 10th: Adjusted pricing / availability and added several new links.

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Finding the best budget robot vacuum has never been easier, especially now that features once reserved for pricey models are trickling down into more affordable machines. You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a robot vacuum with strong suction, advanced navigation and even auto-empty capabilities — there are plenty of great choices out there that make cleaning your floors a lot less of a chore.

In our top picks, you’ll find user-friendly models that can handle everything from pet hair to fine dust, with thoughtful designs that include things like tangle-free bristle brushes and the option for a self-empty station to make maintenance even easier. Some vacuums can even work with a voice assistant like Alexa or Google Assistant, letting you start a cleaning session without lifting a finger, just like you would with a high-end robot.

Whether you’re looking for something simple to keep daily dirt in check or a smarter model that maps your home for more efficient cleaning, there’s a budget-friendly robot vacuum that can fit right into your life (and your living room).

Table of contents

Best budget robot vacuums for 2025

iRobot

Max mode: No | Wi-Fi capabilities: Yes | Object detection: Yes | Charging dock: Yes | Self-emptying dock: No | Mopping capabilities: No | Weight: 5.84lbs

Our previous top pick was the Roomba 694, which you can still find (sparingly) at retailers like Amazon. This model has essentially been replaced with a newer, more “essential” version: the $250 Roomba Vac robot vacuum. Not much has changed here, aside from slight design tweaks that make for a more polished silhouette and a larger battery. Otherwise, this new model does everything our previous top pick did and will be the best cheap robot vacuum cleaner for most people thanks to its good cleaning performance and easy-to-use mobile app.

Setting up this powerful robot vacuum is straightforward: Open the companion app and follow the instructions. Once it’s connected to your home Wi-Fi network, you’re able to use the app to control the vacuum whenever you don’t feel like using the physical buttons. iRobot’s app is one of the biggest selling points for any Roomba. It’s so easy to use that even someone with no prior experience will be able to quickly master the robot’s basic functions. iRobot’s app puts most pertinent controls on the homepage, so you rarely (if ever) need to navigate through its menu to do things like set a cleaning schedule.

We recommend setting cleaning schedules to really get the most out of the device. After all, these are semi-autonomous bots, so why not make it so you rarely have to interact with them? Doing so will ensure the Roomba runs through your home on a regular basis, so you’re always left with clean floors. The only thing I try to do before a cleaning job is get charging cables off of the floor – the Roomba will stop if it sucks something like that up and it’s relatively easy to extract a cable from the machine’s side brushes, but I’d rather not have to do so if I can avoid it. When it comes to battery life, the Roomba Vac will run for up to 120 minutes before it will automatically return to its charging base to power up again.

It’s worth noting that the essential family of Roombas includes a combo vac-and-mop machine that you can get for an extra $25. It’s a bit more manual of a machine because you have to refill its water reservoir and attach its washable mopping pad when you want to clean hard floors — but it’ll do so for you, just like it’ll autonomously vacuum all kinds of floors. Just keep in mind that neither of these machines, the standard or the combo, come with a self-emptying base. You’ll have to spend $400 on the Vacuum 2 Essential to get that.

iRobot has made a name for itself in the autonomous vacuum market for good reason. Its machines are polished, dead simple to use and the accompanying app is excellent. That ease of use (and the reputation of the iRobot name) comes with a slightly higher asking price, which many will be willing to pay. But there are plenty of solid, more affordable options now that didn’t exist even just five years ago.

Pros

• Simple yet attractive design
• Good suction power for its size
• Easy to use mobile app

Cons

• Cannot fit under low furniture

$200 at Amazon

Shark

Max mode: Yes | Wi-Fi capabilities: Yes | Object detection: Yes | Cliff sensors: Yes | Charging dock: Yes | Self-emptying dock: No | Mopping capabilities: No | Weight: 6.6lbs

The Shark RV765 is the updated version of the RV761 that we previously recommended. Like the Roomba 694, the Shark RV765 has a slightly different design and a longer run time than the RV761, but otherwise they’re the same vacuum. You can still find the RV761, but it’s a little difficult to do so now that the latest model is available. Although we haven’t tested the RV765, we feel comfortable recommending it since we found the previous version to be a great affordable robot vacuum.

One thing that the RV765 fixes about the previous version is the latter’s ugly bowling-shirt design. The new model nixes that and opts for a sleeker, all-black look with three buttons for docking, cleaning and max mode. You could rely just on the buttons, but it also connects to Wi-Fi so you can use the Shark Clean app. As for the longer run time, that’s just a bonus. The RV761 ran for about 90 minutes before needing to recharge, which was plenty of time for it to clean my two-bedroom apartment. The additional 30 minutes of battery life on the RV765 should allow it to clean larger spaces more efficiently, improving its cleaning performance and dirt detection capabilities.

Some other things we liked about the RV761 include its spot-clean feature; adjustable wheels, which raise and lower automatically depending on the “terrain” and the obstacles in its path; and its intuitive companion app that allows you to start and stop cleaning jobs, schedule cleaning sessions, assign no-go zones and more.

Pros

• Sleek design
• Improved battery life
• Handy “spot clean” feature
• Easy to use mobile app

Cons

• Can be difficult to find across many retailers

$260 at Target

eufy

Max mode: Yes | Wi-Fi capabilities: No | Object detection: Yes | Charging dock: Yes | Self-emptying dock: No | Mopping capabilities: No | Weight: 6.34lbs

Anker’s $250 Eufy RoboVac 11S was one of the cheapest vacuums I tested but it also proved to be one of the most versatile. First thing to note: This robot vacuum doesn’t have Wi-Fi, but it does come with a remote that gives you most of the functions and smart features you’d find in an app (including a schedule cleaning feature). Eufy also includes additional brushes and filters in the box.

The “S” in this robot’s name stands for slim, and it’s roughly half an inch thinner than all of the other vacuums I tested. Not only does this make the 11S Max lighter, but it was the only one that could clean under my entryway table. This model has a physical on-off toggle on its underside plus one button on its top that you can press to start a cleaning. It always begins in auto mode, which optimizes the cleaning process as it putters around your home, but you can use the remote to select a specific cleaning mode like spot and edge clean.

The 11S Max has three power modes — Standard, BoostIQ and Max — and I kept mine on BoostIQ most of the time. It provided enough suction to adequately clean my carpeted floors, missing only a few crumbs or pieces of debris in corners or tight spaces around furniture. The cleaning session lasted for roughly one hour and 15 minutes when in BoostIQ mode and it has remarkable obstacle avoidance. Sure, it bumped into walls and some large pieces of furniture, but it was the only budget vac I tried that consistently avoided my cat’s play tunnel that lives in the middle of our living room floor.

As far as noise levels go, you can definitely hear the difference between BoostIQ and Max, but none of the three settings is offensively loud. In fact, I could barely hear the 11S Max when it was on the opposite end of my apartment running in BoostIQ mode. Thankfully, error alert beeps were loud enough to let me know when something went awry, like the machine accidentally getting tripped up by a rogue charging cable (which only happened a couple of times and neither robot nor cable were harmed in the process).

Overall, the Eufy RoboVac 11S Max impressed me with its smarts, despite its lack of Wi-Fi. The lack of wireless connectivity is arguably the worst thing about the robot and that’s saying a lot. At this point, though, the 11S Max is a few years old, so you could grab the RoboVac G20 if you want something comparable but a bit newer. We recommend getting the $280 G20 Hybrid if you’re just looking for a Eufy machine with some of the latest technology, but don’t want to spend a ton. It has 2500Pa of suction power, dynamic navigation and Wi-Fi connectivity with support for Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands.

Pros

• Slim design lets it get under low furniture
• Good suction power for its size
• Long battery life
• Super affordable

$140 at Amazon

roborock

Max mode: Yes | Wi-Fi capabilities: Yes | Object detection: Yes | Charging dock: Yes | Self-emptying dock: No | Mopping capabilities: No | Weight: 6.6lbs

Roborock has made many improvements to its fleet of robot vacuums in recent years and the Roborock Q5 is a good, basic option that you can often find it on sale for between $200 and $300. There aren’t a ton of bells and whistles on this particular model, but it gets the basics right. It supports 2700Pa suction power, precision robot mapping with LiDAR and app and voice control, plus its dustbin is fairly large at 470ml. 

During my testing, I found the Roborock Q5 to be a capable cleaning machine, even on carpet that’s excellent at hiding a ton of cat and pet hair. Its self-emptying robot vacuum and mapping capabilities are solid as well, and after each cleaning job, the Roborock mobile app shows you exactly where the machine went with small squiggly lines that follow its path. That’s handy because, if for some reason the vacuum doesn’t hit every single spot in a room that you want it to, you can send it back out to target using the “pin and go” feature.

Roborock’s app experience has improved as well: it’s no longer as confusing and nonsensical as it was in previous years. It’s still not the most polished app, but it’s much easier to find the controls for basic actions like starting a cleaning, choosing specific rooms or zones to clean and the like. I only wish the scheduling tool was more front-and-center — it’s buried in a menu, but also tucked away in that menu is a personal favorite feature that isn’t super common on robot vacuums: remote control. Roborock’s gives you the choice of on-screen buttons or a joystick to manually control the machine’s movements. While totally unnecessary, it’s a convenient feature to have if you’re very particular about where you want your robot vacuum to clean — or if you just miss the experience of driving an RC car.

Pros

• Good suction power
• Good home mapping capabilities
• Decently large dustbin
• Improved companion app experience

Cons

• Not a ton of extra features

$228 at Amazon

Are robot vacuums worth it?

Since I’ve tested dozens of robot vacuums, I’m often asked if these gadgets are “worth it” and I’d say the answer is yes. The biggest thing they offer is convenience: just turn on a robot vacuum and walk away. The machine will take care of the rest. If vacuuming is one of your least favorite chores, or you just want to spend less time keeping your home tidy, semi-autonomous robotic vacuum is a great investment. Many models, albeit more expensive ones, even come with features like a self-empty station to further reduce maintenance.

There are plenty of other good things about them, but before we dive in let’s consider the biggest trade-offs: less power, less capacity and less flexibility. Those first two go hand in hand; robot vacuum cleaners are much smaller than upright vacuums, which leads to less powerful suction. They also hold less dirt because their built-in bins are a fraction of the size of a standard vacuum canister or bag. Fortunately, some models include features like an auto-empty station, which helps with dirt capacity, especially in homes with pet hair.

When it comes to flexibility, robot vacuums do things differently than standard ones. You can control some with your smartphone, set cleaning schedules and more, but robo-vacs are primarily tasked with cleaning floors. On the flip side, their upright counterparts can come with various attachments that let you clean couches, stairs, light fixtures and other hard-to-reach places.

What to look for in a budget robot vacuum

When looking for the best cheap robot vacuum, one of the first things you should consider is the types of floors you have in your home. Do you have mostly carpet, tile, laminate, hardwood? Carpets demand vacuums with strong suction power that can pick up debris pushed down into nooks and crannies. Unfortunately, there isn’t a universal metric by which suction is measured. Some companies provide Pascal (Pa) levels and generally the higher the Pa, the stronger. But other companies don’t rely on Pa levels and simply say their bots have X-times more suction power than other robot vacuums.

So how can you ensure you’re getting the best cheap robot vacuum to clean your floor type? Read the product description. Look for details about its ability to clean hard floors and carpets, and see if it has a “max” mode you can use to increase suction. If you are given a Pa measurement, look for around 2000Pa if you have mostly carpeted floors. Pay attention to the brush roll mechanism as well, especially if you’re dealing with dog hair or other stubborn debris that can cause tangles. Many budget models use bristle brushes, while others offer tangle-free designs to minimize maintenance.

You may find some budget robot vacuums also offer vacuum/mop combo capabilities. These bots feature a water tank, which means they can offer mopping functionality, enhancing debris pickup, and resulting in shiny floors. However, these are less common when you’re shopping in the lower price range.

Size is also important for two reasons: clearance and dirt storage. Check the specs for the robot’s height to see if it can get underneath the furniture you have in your home. Most robo-vacs won’t be able to clean under a couch (unless it’s a very tall, very strange couch), but some can get under entryway tables, nightstands and the like. As for dirt storage, look out for the milliliter capacity of the robot’s dustbin — the bigger the capacity, the more dirt the vacuum cleaner can collect before you have to empty it.

You should also double check the Wi-Fi capabilities of the robo-vac you’re eyeing. While you may think that’s a given on all smart home devices, it’s not. Some of the most affordable models don’t have the option to connect to your home Wi-Fi network. If you choose a robot vac like this, you won’t be able to direct it with a smartphone app or with voice controls. Another feature that’s typically reserved for Wi-Fi-connected robots is scheduling because most of them use a mobile app to set cleaning schedules.

But Wi-Fi-incapable vacuums usually come with remote controls that have all the basic functions that companion mobile apps do, including start, stop and return to dock. And if you’re concerned about the possibility of hacking, a robot vac with no access to your Wi-Fi network is the best option.

Obstacle detection and cliff sensors are other key features to look out for. The former helps the robot vacuum navigate around furniture while it cleans, rather than mindlessly pushing its way into it. Many also offer no-go zones, letting you block off areas you don’t want the robot to enter. Meanwhile, cliff sensors prevent robot vacuums from tumbling down the stairs, making them the best vacuum for multi-level homes.

How we test robot vacuums

When we consider which robot vacuums to test, we look at each machine’s specs and feature list, as well as online reviews to get a general idea of its capabilities. With each robot vacuum we review, we set it up as per the instructions and use it for as long as possible — at minimum, we’ll use each for one week, running cleaning cycles daily. We make sure to try out any physical buttons the machine has on it, and any app-power features like scheduling, robot mapping and more.

Since we test robot vacuums in our own homes, there are obstacles already in the machine’s way like tables, chairs and other furniture — this helps us understand how capable the machine is at avoiding obstacles, and we’ll intentionally throw smaller items in their way like shoes, pet toys and more. With robot vacuums that include self-emptying bases, we assess how loud the machine is while emptying contents into the base and roughly how long it takes for us to fill up the bag (or bagless) base with debris.

Robot vacuum maintenance tips

First and foremost, always empty your robot vacuum’s dustbin after every cleaning job, or use a self-empty station if the model supports it. Simply detach and empty the dustbin as soon as the robot is done cleaning, and then reattach it so it’s ready to go for the next time. It’s also a good idea to take a dry cloth to the inside of the dustbin every once in a while to remove any small dust and dirt particles clinging to its insides.

In addition, you’ll want to regularly examine the machine’s brushes to see if any human or pet hair has wrapped around them, or if any large debris is preventing them from working properly. Some brushes are better than others at not succumbing to tangled hair, but it’s a good idea to check your robot’s brushes regardless — both their main brush and any smaller, side brushes or corner brushes they have. These parts are often easy to pop off of the machine (because they do require replacements eventually) so we recommend removing each brush entirely, getting rid of any tangles or other debris attached to them and reinstalling them afterwards. If you have a robot vacuum with mopping capabilities, you’ll need to wash the bots’ mop pads too, to avoid any unpleasant smells or tracking mess around your home. Similarly, if your robot vacuum has a water tank, it’s worth washing this out regularly to keep it clean.

Robot vacuums also have filters that need replacing every couple of months. Check your machine’s user manual or the manufacturer’s website to see how long they recommend going in between filter replacements. Most of the time, these filters cannot be washed, so you will need to buy new ones either directly from the manufacturer or from other retailers like Amazon or Walmart.

Check out more from our spring cleaning guide.

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