Looking for a Robotic Floor Cleaner? Here are the Best Budget Robot Vacuums in 2023!
Looking for the best cheap robotic vacuums? Once upon a time, you needed to shell out four figures when purchasing a robotic vacuum cleaner. However, due to technological advances in the last few years, there are decent budget robot vacuums that won’t bust your budget.
An affordable vacuum cleaner might not have all the bells and whistles a higher-end model has. However, you can find ones that can do a good job for under $300. Here are some features to look for when trying to find the best value for your budget in 2023!
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What to Look for In an Affordable Robot Vacuum
Battery Life
You don’t necessarily need to skimp on battery life when buying an affordable robot vacuum. In fact, most of them can run for 60 minutes or more on a single charge. For example, the Yeedi Vac X is under $300 and runs up to 90 minutes before needing to head back to home base for a recharge.
Compact Size
If you have furniture in your home with little space between it and the floor, you’ll want a model with a low profile. Otherwise, your trusty bot might not be able to maneuver into tight spaces. Or if it can, it might have a difficult time backing out. The good news is that some of the most inexpensive robovacs are also the most compact.
For instance, the Eufy RoboVAc 30C is a budget-priced model under three inches in height. The DEEBOT N79S is another affordable robotic vacuum that can easily suck up dirt underneath low-hanging furniture and other hard-to-reach places. However, before plunking down your cash for a robotic vacuum, you probably should measure how far it is from the floor to the base of your furniture to see if a model you’re contemplating purchasing can fit underneath it.
Ample Suction Power
Interestingly, many cheap robovacs have more powerful suction than their more expensive counterparts. That’s because manufacturers of these lower-end units concentrate on their ability to suck up dirt and debris instead of higher-end features like advanced navigation and obstacle avoidance.
If you want your robotic vacuum to adequately suck up floor crud, get a unit with at least 1,000Pa of suction power. Pa stands for Pascal, which is used in physics to indicate a pressure difference. Vacuum cleaners create a negative pressure to suck in dust and dirt. The more negative pressure a unit generates, the more robust the suction power.
One of the best budget robovacs with decent suction is the Yeedi Vac X. It’s not only priced under $300—it’s rated at 3,000Pa, ensuring that your home will be blessedly free from dirt and debris at all times—including pet hair (check out our article if you want to find out what are the best robot vacuums for pets).
Some budget-priced robovacs even offer turbo boost, which means you can increase suction power up to two times whenever you need to by using an app or remote control. One affordable robotic vacuum with this feature is the ECOVACS DEEBOT N79S.
Other inexpensive robovacs have sensors that can distinguish carpets from hard floors. That way, they’re able to increase power to get all the embedded filth out of your rugs. The Yeedi Vac X is a bargain robovac with this capability.
Consummate Multitasker
To make your housework load lighter, consider buying a mop vacuum robot. For example, the ILIFE V8s is an inexpensive hybrid model that can mop hard floors as well as sucking up all the dirt and debris from your carpets. Another way to make vacuuming even easier is by upgrading to a self-emptying robot vacuum.
Best Cheap Robot Vacuums in 2023
The GoodNobody wants to do more house cleaning than they need to. When you buy this affordable yet highly effective robotic cleaner, you’ll enjoy the exquisite freedom of doing things a little more meaningful than housework.
Pet owners will particularly love the yeedi Vac X. That’s because with 300 Pa of suction, your home will no longer be so plagued with so much pet hair that it looks like a huge doggie stuffed animal exploded.
The Not-So-Goodyeedi’s voice is a bit too loud, even when you have it on the lowest setting. If this is potentially a deal breaker for you, you’ll be ecstatic to find out that there’s a way to switch it off. The dustbin could probably be a tad bigger. If it was, you wouldn’t have to empty it so much.
What Customers SayParents of infants love how effectively the yeedi Vac X sucks up all the snack crumbs their babies invariably drop all over the place. Because parenting is a thankless job that’s a lot of work, these individuals are beyond grateful that there’s a way to cut down their workload—even if it’s only a little bit.
Other users like how the unit can be upgraded by adding a mopping module or a self-emptying dock. These two features make an already superb unit even better.
The GoodThe Coredy R750 Robotic Cleaner is engineered to intelligently clean both carpet and hard surface areas. The R750’s included smartphone app is excellent, allowing you to create a schedule as well as set the current cleaning mode. With an impressive 2600mAh Li-ion battery, the Coredy robotic vacuum can clean your home or office for up to 120 minutes per charge.
This model has been upgraded with cutting-edge anti-collision technology that helps the R750 to evade obstacles. It is also equipped with a drop-sensing technology that allows it to avoid falls.
The Not-So-GoodThe Coredy R750 doesn’t perform well when vacuuming thick carpeting, and may become stuck. Though its 1600 Pa of suction power is impressive for a vacuum of this size, it may have issues loosening up dirt and grime within dense surfaces.
It is also important to note that this is a model of robotic vacuum that may encounter issues navigating darker surfaces. Additionally, because of its size, the dustbin fills up quickly compared to larger vacuums.
What Customers SayMany customers love the impressive multi-functionality of the Coredy R750 Vacuum cleaner, with the ability to vacuum and mop as needed. Other customers appreciate the included remote and voice-enabled app that provide total control over your cleaning experience.
Some people reported issues working on black carpets, due to a malfunction with the sensor. However, most customers love the Coredy R750’s virtual boundary system, which stops it colliding into walls, appliances, or dropping from elevated platforms.
The GoodA great thing about this vacuum is the versatility it provides, both in cleaning capability and user experience. You can control it with a manual remote control, through the mobile app, or even by using Alexa voice commands. There are multiple cleaning modes available, such as spot cleaning, edge cleaning, and single room cleaning options. Anti-collision and drop sensors keep it from damaging furniture or falling down the stairs. This robot is also quiet enough to run overnight.
The Not-So-GoodWith a rather plain plastic design it’s not exactly an eye-catcher, so it may not be the best choice if aesthetics are a main concern. It may get stuck in more cluttered areas, and connectivity with your mobile device can be buggy at times. With all the cleaning modes available, it may take a while to find the one that works best for various situations. It’s also taller and could get stuck under some low-clearance furniture. Additionally, the only smart home system it supports is Alexa.
What Customers SayMany praise this robot as a great everyday cleaner, with some noting it is quiet enough to potentially run throughout the night. People enjoy its cleaning capability, readily tackling most crumbs, debris, and dust spilled. People also enjoy how it effortlessly navigates between surfaces without becoming confused or stuck.
One common complaint was the small dustbin and having to empty it so often, along with cleaning out the brush roller. A few customers said it tripped the cliff sensors on dark floors and rugs.
The GoodThis is quite a powerful robotic vacuum, delivering an impressive 2000 Pa of suction power. It also features BoostIQ technology, which automatically increases suction power when needed for those stubborn cleanup jobs. It comes with boundary strips included so you can section off areas of your home, ensuring you’re only cleaning where you need to. This machine is also surprisingly quiet thanks to it’s brushless motor.
The Not-So-GoodIt’s triple-brush design easily collects debris, but can be hard to clean. The robot may have occasional issues with navigation, and may get stuck unexpectedly or sporadically hit an obstacle. In addition to that, this is a model that does not automatically map your home. The dock is fairly light, so it’s best to have it set against a wall to prevent sliding when docking.
What Customers SayPeople tend to be really impressed with the solid feature set offered at this price point. Many are surprised by how quiet the machine is when running, with some users forgetting it’s even there — until they see the results. Users also enjoy modern conveniences such as Alexa and Google Assistant integration, as well as it’s self-docking feature when the battery is low and how it picks up where it left off when charged.
There are a number of people unsatisfied with the navigation at times, especially with its tendency to get stuck on cords and other smaller objects. There are also users who complain that these problems may be exacerbated when trying to use the robot in a larger home.
The GoodThe simplicity of this machine makes it very user-friendly. Those new to robots and the less tech-savvy among us will appreciate not needing to rely on a smartphone app to use it. One notable perk is its scheduling feature, allowing you to set cleaning times based on your time. It runs up to 100 minutes on a single charge, and automatically re-docks when the battery is low.
There’s a generous 750 ML dustbin, six unique cleaning modes, and a remote control to operate it manually. To mop, simply pop out the dustbin and replace with the water tank, the machine will intelligently control water flow to prevent spillage.
The Not-So-GoodWhile the scheduling feature is nice, setting it up is akin to texting on a flip-phone with repetitive button pushing. It’s not very intuitive either, so you’ll likely need the user manual to help guide you through the process. It’s not the best at discerning hard floors from low-pile rugs and carpeting, so it may get those wet.
Mopping performance is also generally light-duty, as it doesn’t have enough friction to handle stuck-on dirt or scuff marks.
What Customers SayOlder customers and those with back problems found this to be a great alternative to using their upright vacuums so often. Many users appreciated its solid obstacle avoidance and noticed it didn’t get stuck as often as other models.
Some customers with pets that tend to shed heavily found that the suction nozzle easily clogged with hair which ultimately inhibited performance. Some also wished it had less of a random pattern and better cleaning coverage.
ILIFE V5s ProPrice: LowThe V5s Pro is a budget-friendly but feature-rich offering from iLife. It offers a battery runtime of up to 120 minutes, and is smaller and lighter than the V8s at 3” high and only weighing 4.5 pounds. It comes with an impressive list of features given it’s inexpensive price. However, scheduling vacuuming isn’t quite as advanced as the V8s as you can only schedule time of day, where the V8s allows you to schedule specific cleaning days and times.
You can find out more about the iLife V5s Pro in our detailed review here>
Other Features to Look For in Cheap Robotic Vacuums
Editable Home Maps
Sweeper vacuums that let you create editable home maps make cleaning more efficient. Choose which areas on the map you want your bot to clean, or declare a room off-limits by setting up a virtual barrier. That way, your budget robot vacuum only cleans where it needs to. The Yeedi Vac X can do this.
Big Enough Dustbin
If a cheap robot vacuum cleaner has a too-tiny dustbin, you’ll be emptying it every two seconds, which can be annoying. That’s why you’ll probably want a model with a larger dustbin size.
The ILIFE V8s is priced under $300 and has a generously sized 750ml dustbin. That way, it’s able to clean larger spaces without frequent emptying.
Quiet Operation
Even the cheapest robot vacuums typically operate at lower decibel levels than old-fashioned ones, allowing you and your family to do activities or relax in peace. The DEEBOT N79S is an affordable model that doesn’t make much noise, so it won’t wake the baby or scare away pets.
Seamlessly Connects to Wi-Fi
Why Buy a Robotic Vacuum Cleaner in the First Place
By ditching your old-fashioned vacuum cleaner and investing in a robotic one, you’ll save oodles of time because your tireless mechanical servant will be hard at work keeping your floors clean instead of you needing to do it. If you or a family member has mobility issues, a robovac can be a godsend.
That’s because even lightweight conventional models can be incredibly challenging to operate for people recovering from an injury or living with a disability. On the other hand, robotic vacuum cleaners get your floors spic and span without you needing to lift a finger. They’re also a terrific option for older people who aren’t able to get around as easily as they did in their younger years.
Your little robotic buddy can even clean while you’re away from home. Preprogram it to do your bidding while you’re at work or running errands, and you’ll return to spotless floors.
Automatic floor cleaners return to their docking stations for recharging at the end of each cleaning cycle or when the onboard electricity runs out. This means that as long as the charging dock is plugged in, you never have to worry about the battery running out of juice.
Some models are intelligent enough to automatically adjust suction power depending on what type of floor surface they’re traveling over. This means that, unlike old-fashioned vacs where you have to manually change settings when you switch from vacuuming your hard tile floors to carpet, your cleaning droid might be smart enough to do it all by itself.
Cool, huh?
Other units allow you to set “no-go zones” or places you don’t want your robovac to travel to. That way, they won’t smash your expensive vase to smithereens or take a nasty tumble down the stairs.
Regular vacuum cleaners have difficulty squeezing under beds, corners, tight spots, and underneath cabinet edges. On the other hand, many compact robotic vacuum cleaners can easily get into places conventional vacuums can’t. Lastly, robotic vacuums don’t have cords, so they don’t pose a tripping hazard.
Robot Tips & Tricks
