Robot vacuums are great tools for keeping your floors clean when you have a busy schedule. But you might be asking, are robot vacuums worth it?
A robot vacuum can be a significant investment. In fact, a lot of robot models cost more than quality traditional vacuum cleaners.
But, with these affordable options, you can enjoy the benefits of a robot vacuum without breaking the bank. So you don’t have to spend more than your budget to enjoy effortlessly clean floors every day of the week.
In this article, we’ll explore the best cheap robot vacuums on the market that are less than $350.
Our Top Picks
The HouseWire earns a commission through the following independently chosen links at no additional cost to you.| Best Best Cheap Robot Vacuums of 2023 | ||||
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 | Most Versatile Ecovacs Deebot N79S |
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 | Best Navigation Capabilities ILIFE A9 Robot Vacuum |
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 | Most Compact Design Eufy RoboVac 11s |
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 | Best Home Mapping Wyze Robot Vacuum |
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 | Quietest Eufy RoboVac 30C< |
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 | Best Mop Samsung Jet-bot Mop< |
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 | Easiet to use iLife A4s Pro< |
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What to Look for in a Cheap Robot Vacuum
Keep these features in mind when choosing the best cheap robot vacuum cleaner.
Navigation & Control
Cheap robot vacuum cleaners use infrared sensors to prevent them from colliding with obstacles or chair legs. And they’ll have a stair detection feature that senses when it reaches a ledge or step. So they won’t accidentally tumble down your stairs or fall off a ledge.
But, most affordable robot vacuums don’t come with smartphone app integration. Instead, you control them using a remote or buttons on the unit itself.
Cheaper robot vacuums are also likely to only clean your house in a random pattern. Whereas better models will vacuum in organized rows and straight lines.
Finally, they won’t have some of the most advanced options. For example, dirt sensors, mapping features, cleaning histories, or zone lines.
For instance, this iRobot Braava Jet 240 is one of the cheapest robot vacuum models on the market. It vacuums with single-pass cleaning in a systematic pattern.
However, this Shark AV911S robot vacuum is reasonably affordable. And it works with voice control such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
Cleaning Modes
The best cheap robot vacuums can sweep up dust, dirt, and debris from your hard floors thanks to their standard spinning fan brushes. However, they can’t dig into the carpet to lift embedded dirt and dust from the fibers.
For this, you’ll need a vacuum with a brush roller or variable suction control:
- As explained, a roller brush is helpful on carpeted areas. Especially for pet owners to clean up dog hair from the carpet fibers. For example, this Coredy R300 has an automatic lift feature for carpet cleaning, still at a reasonable price.
- But regarding variable suction power, only expensive models will have this feature to adapt to multiple floors and surfaces. They’ll also have specialized modes such as spot-cleaning mode or double-pass cleaning. So if you want these features, you’ll certainly have to add a few dollars.
Suction Power
Robot vacuums tend to have less suction than traditional vacuums because they have smaller motors. However, quality robot vacuums have the suction power to lift and capture debris or pet hair from any hard surface.
The power on a robot vacuum is usually measured in Pa (Pascal Pressure) units by the manufacturers. And this can range from 1000 to 4000 Pa.
For example, this affordable Eureka Groove NER300 has 2000 Pa of suction power. But it’s important to note that Pa is a unit of pressure and doesn’t reflect the suction power of the vacuum.
Instead, you should check CFM (cubic feet per minute). This refers to the amount of airflow that is used to suction up the dirt.
Battery
Make sure you find a robot vacuum that has a long run-time. This way it can clean your whole floor area before it returns to its charging dock.
For example, this Neato D3 Connected runs for up to 60 minutes before returning to the charging base.
Height
In general, most entry level models have a height of 3.5 to 4-inches. So they’ll be small enough to clean areas you can’t reach with a traditional vacuum. Such as under furniture or cabinets and other tight spaces.
But if your robot vacuum is too tall, it won’t be able to fit into these spaces to clean them. Or your vacuum may get stuck.
So make sure you measure the height of these spaces and compare it against the size of your vacuum. This way, you can know that it will be able to clean under your furniture or cabinets without any hassle.
Noise Level
But, some do produce a high-pitched whistle or a mechanical grinding sound while they’re cleaning. Especially the cheapest ones.
And this is something to consider if you plan to be home when your robot vacuum is cleaning. In this case, consider a budget friendly robot vacuum with a noise level of 55dB or below. This is the same noise level as most normal conversations.
For example, this Bobsweep Bobi Pet has a noise level of below 60 dB.
Otherwise, consider a model with variable power settings. This way, you can set it on a lower cleaning mode for a quieter clean when you need it.
The Best Affordable Robot Vacuums in 2023
We’ve spent hours researching the specs of the best cheap robot vacuums on the market. We also looked at honest reviews and expert advice to find the top models.
Here are our top 7 budget-friendly robot vacuum models.
1. Ecovacs Deebot N79S
Not only does it have a long run-time of up to 120 minutes, but it also has an automatic dock return feature. So it will return to the dock to recharge automatically when the battery is low.
It comes with a smartphone app, and you can also control it with your voice. This affordable vacuum has Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant capabilities as well as Wi-Fi connectivity.
It also has a max cleaning mode for deep cleaning. This is perfect for cleaning ground-in dirt or stubborn pet hair on your floor surfaces.
But, it also has three smart-clean modes to choose from. You can choose from guided auto clean, spot mode, and edge cleaning.
The spot cleaning mode provides automatic targeted cleaning for high-traffic areas. And the edge cleaning mode cleans hard-to-reach corners and edges using the two built-in side brushes.
It also features obstacle detection sensors and anti-drop technology to avoid accidental collisions. So you can leave it to clean without worrying about keeping an eye on it.
- Smartphone scheduling capabilities
- Comes with four side brushes
- High-efficiency air filters
- Small height for gliding under furniture
- Voice control
- Moves slowly over carpeting which can drain the battery
Technical Specs
| Mapping | Yes |
| Battery | 120 minutes |
| Remote Control | Yes |
| Phone Control | Yes |
| Scheduling | Yes |
| Surface Type | Multi-Surface |
2. ILIFE A9 Robot Vacuum
If you have a lot of obstacles on your floors, this iLife A9 robot vacuum is the tool for you. You won’t find a robot vacuum with navigation as precise as this iLife model at a more affordable price.
It features a smart pano view navigation scanner for enhanced movement and mapping around your entire home. This scanner allows the robot vac to efficiently navigate around obstacles and rooms in your home.
Using this scanner, it creates a systematic cleaning path to vacuum every inch of your floor. So no areas go uncleaned with this smart unit.
This iLife robot also comes with an electro-wall barrier that you can use to keep the vacuum out of certain rooms. This way, you can set it to clean only the areas that you want to clean.
Lastly, the I-Voice assistant on this budget robot vacuum tells you what the vacuum is doing. For example, it alerts you when you set a different mode so you always know what type of cleaning it’s doing.
- Cyclone suction cleaning system
- Wi-Fi scheduling app
- Multiple modes for cleaning
- Cellular dustbin for easy regular maintenance
- Virtual boundaries
- Wi-Fi only supports 2.4G Gets stuck on rugs[/item]
Technical Specs
| Mapping | Yes |
| Battery | 120 minutes |
| Remote Control | Yes |
| Phone Control | Yes |
| Scheduling | Yes |
| Surface Type | Bare floors, low pile carpet, medium pile carpets, and high pile carpet |
3. Eufy RoboVac 11s
The super slim design fits easily underneath low furniture and cabinets. So you can enjoy an efficient clean even in the hard-to-reach areas of your home.
The 1300Pa pure power puck provides efficient suction across any floor surface. This ensures a consistent clean across the entire surface of your home.
This budget robot vacuum also has large wheels for easy maneuvering over carpets and ledges for non-stop cleaning. Plus, the drop-sensing technology prevents it from toppling over.
Lastly, despite its compact design and affordability, this vacuum still offers a large dust box. It can hold 0.6 liters of dust during its clean.
- Quiet
- Consistent suction
- Anti-scratch tempered glass top cover
- Automatic charging
- Often cleans the same area twice
- The disposable filters need replacing every two months
Technical Specs
| Mapping | No |
| Battery | 100 minutes |
| Remote Control | Yes |
| Phone Control | No |
| Scheduling | Yes |
| Surface Type | Carpet, bare floors, hardwood floors |
4. Wyze Robot Vacuum
It has seven sets of advanced Lidar sensors to see in all directions and navigate around obstacles and corners. Unlike other cheap robot models, it uses systematic straight-line movements to ensure it doesn’t miss a speck of dirt.
You can also set up “no go zones” to tell this Wyze robot vacuum exactly what not to clean in certain areas. For example, you can stop it from getting too close to wires or cords on your floors.
Lastly, this Wyze robot vacuum offers powerful 2100Pa suction which is a lot higher than many other cheap robot models. And the added efficiency of the high-torque main brush roll means this vacuum can tackle tough dirt with ease.
So you’re getting your full money’s worth with this budget-friendly robot vacuum.
- Multi-surface cleaning
- Virtual barriers
- Smart app control
- Side brush edges as well as main brush roll
- Suitable for low pile carpet and high-pile carpet
- Difficult to set up and configure
Technical Specs
| Mapping | Yes |
| Battery | 110 minutes |
| Remote Control | No |
| Phone Control | Yes |
| Scheduling | Yes |
| Surface Type | Multi-surface including bare floors, low to high-pile carpets, thick carpet and rugs |
5. Eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 30C
Out of all the vacuums on our list, this Eufy RoboVac model offers the quietest operation for its price. But, it still offers excellent cleaning performance with 1500Pa suction power.
So you can enjoy up to 100 minutes of quiet as well as efficient cleaning with this vacuum.
The 3-point cleaning system can be set and scheduled from your smartphone with the Eufy RoboVac compatible app. This means you can schedule cleanings when you’re on the go.
It also features BoostIQ technology to deliver more power in high-traffic or dirty areas. Therefore you can enjoy a consistent clean across any floor surface with this Eufy RoboVac.
Plus, it comes with 13-inch boundary strips to block off certain areas in your home. So you can leave your Eufy RoboVac to clean without needing to keep an eye on it.
- Affordable quality
- 9 anti-collision infrared sensors
- Three brush cleaning cycle
- 75% quieter than traditional vacuums
- Cleans in random patterns
- Can only schedule one clean per day using the app
Technical Specs
| Mapping | No |
| Battery | 100 minutes |
| Remote Control | Yes |
| Phone Control | Yes |
| Scheduling | Yes |
| Surface Type | Multi-Surface |
6. Samsung Jet-bot Mop
This robot unit cleans your floors with dual spinning microfiber pads that turn and clean at the same time. So you get an efficient and powerful everyday clean with this unit.
It features a smart sensor system to clean around corners and avoid walls and furniture edges.
But what really stands out with this affordable robot mop are the 8 cleaning modes. It comes with a remote controller to let you choose between the different modes to suit any cleaning task.
Lastly, the automatic water dispenser allows for up to 50-minutes of run time before it needs a refill. And the high-capacity battery lasts for up to 100 minutes of cleaning on a single charge.
So this provides you with a lot of cleaning time compared to other cheap robot mops on the market.
- Affordable mopping solution
- Superior edge coverage
- Includes 2 types of pads for different cleaning tasks
- Suitable for all hard flooring including hardwood floors
- Double water tanks
- Suitable for small areas
- Doesn’t scrub tough marks
Technical Specs
| Mapping | No |
| Battery | 100 minutes |
| Remote Control | Yes |
| Phone Control | No |
| Scheduling | No |
| Surface Type | Hard flooring |
7. iLife A4s Pro Robot Vacuum
This iLife A4S Pro robot vacuum takes all the hassle out of cleaning your floors with a lower price tag. It’s easy to use, provides an efficient clean, and offers a lot of control over the cleaning.
This convenient unit is designed to be easy to set. It comes with a smart control remote that lets you easily schedule a cleaning session or adjust vacuuming modes.
You can also set a regular time for your vacuum to clean on a daily or weekly basis. Plus, it returns straight to the dock when the battery gets low so it can recharge and continue to clean.
With a 3+ CyclonePower cleaning system you can enjoy a consistent and powerful clean across your floors. But it also has an increased suction mode for spot cleaning tough areas or picking up pet hair.
Reviewers also love the 2-in-1 brush that lifts dirt, pet hair and larger debris from your hard floors or carpet fibers. And because it’s a tangle-free brush, it’s also easy to clean in between cleaning sessions.
- Long-lasting battery
- Rubber roller for picking up pet hair
- Boosts suction automatically on carpets
- 4 vacuuming modes
- Small dust container
- No smartphone app
Technical Specs
| Mapping | No |
| Battery | 100 minutes |
| Remote Control | Yes |
| Phone Control | No |
| Scheduling | Yes |
| Surface Type | Bare floors, carpet, and rugs |
Budget Robot Vacuums Comparison Chart
| Product | Mapping | Battery Life | Remote Control | Phone Control | Scheduling | Surface Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ecovacs Deebot N79S |  | 120 minutes | | | | Multi-Surface |
| ILIFE A9 Robot Vacuum | | 120 minutes | | | | Bare floors, low/medium/high pile carpet |
| Eufy RoboVac 11s Vacuum |  | 100 minutes | | | | Carpet, bare floors, hardwood floors |
| Wyze Robot Vacuum | | 110 minutes | | | | Multi-Surface |
| Eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 30C | | 100 minutes | | | | Multi-Surface |
| Samsung Jet-bot Mop | | 100 minutes | | | | Hard flooring |
| iLife A4s Pro | | 100 minutes | | | | Bare floors, carpet, and rugs |
Related Topics
When Is the Best Time to Get a Cheap Robot Vacuum?
The best time to get a budget robot vacuum cleaner is to wait for a discount or special sale.
For example, Amazon and Walmart frequently have special sales with marked-down prices. Amazon also has vouchers and promotions available.
Special events such as Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales are always a great time to get good prices.
Plus, some robot vacuum cleaner brands often offer promotions and deals directly through their website. For instance, you can subscribe to Sharks online newsletter and receive a 10% discount.
Shark also offers a $20 discount if you refer a friend.
So make sure you keep an eye out on special sale events to find the best priced affordable robot vacuum for your needs.
