8 Best Budget Robot Vacuums (but not Cheap Cleaning) for WFH
If you want to keep your space clean and mess-free without lifting a finger but are on a tight budget, this list is for you.
Our Favorite Budget Robot Vacuums
These are affordable yet exceptional robot vacuums that can either do basic or deep cleaning. So, whatever your cleaning needs are, you get to choose from a smorgasbord of competitively priced options.
Roborock Q10 S5+
- 70 Days of Hands-Free Cleaning
- VibraRise 2.0 Mopping System
- Smart Carpet Care with Ultrasonic Detection
- PreciSense LiDAR Navigation
Even if you are tight on the budget, you do not have to settle for lingering fur or pet hair that sticks to your socks. This is a budget-friendly robot vacuum that can help homeowners keep their space free from pet debris, fur, and hair.
It has enough prowess to suck out smaller debris coming from the litter sand, too. The robot is equipped with a central roller and a smaller side attachment that can effortlessly sweep up dirt and hair. And if your cat or dog loves to lounge by the fireplace and on your carpets, you do not have to keep this area off limits to them. This robot has an Auto Boost feature that can improve the robot’s suction ability on carpets.
This is also a dual vacuum; you can use it to mop and wet clean your floors at the same time. It has vibration technology that enables the robot to clean all kinds and types of dirt from your floors. And if you are worried about the robot messing up your carpets while it is still mopping, it has a sensor that alerts it of the presence of rugs and carpets and can completely avoid them.
The caveats is, it can be a bit loud, so the wee hours of the morning when everyone is still curled up in bed might not be the best time to let it roam and clean your space.
Mova P10 Pro Ultra
- All-in-one Docking Station
- To Every Corner and Edge
- Combat Messes with Smart Dirt Detection
- Interactive Voice Call and App Control
If you want a robot vacuum that has the frills, the features, and more to offer but without shelving more than your anticipated budget, you’re in luck. This is an affordable robot vacuum that does not skimp on a lot of additional features. It might be hard to come across a robot vacuum of this type at this price.
This is a fully automated machine. It vacuums, mops, and cleans the floor, returns to its dock, and can even clean itself without you having to intervene. It can even refill water on its own. This is a smart, efficient yet affordable way to deep clean your homes.
It even has obstacle avoidance, so you do not have to pre-prep your space and get rid of the litter before running this bad boy around the house. It has an efficient and smart mapping system that can clean every nook and cranny of your room. It does not unnecessarily linger in a space that has already been cleaned.
It has one of the more efficient mapping systems we have seen in a friendly robot. Even if you have rearranged your furniture, bought new ones, and have a new layout, the robot dynamically updates its mapping system. So it will still know how to get around the room despite the presence of new furniture and a new room layout.
Xiaomi X20+
- All-in-one Base Station
- 4L Large Capacity Water Tank
- LDS Laser Navigation
- Remote control with Mi Home/Xiaomi Home App
This is priced incredibly low, but you can get more value from your purchase. It has impressive suction power that can sweep away embedded dirt in the crannies of your wooden floors. We loved how it offers more options despite being priced as an entry-level robot vacuum. It has four suction power level options- silent, standard, strong, and turbo. You can best choose the setting depending on your cleaning needs. Thus saving power or preventing an overkill if you just need a little sweep of the floor.
The navigation system is also very good. A lot of vacuum robots that fall within this price range will have a mediocre to substandard navigation system. It will eventually bump into the corners, hit the furniture, and linger mindlessly around your home. This has impressive obstacle avoidance and will be able to walk past all those toy cars and ping pong balls quite well.
Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus
- Vacuum and Mop in One Go
- Precise Mapping for a Thorough, Efficient Clean
- Months of Hands-free Cleaning
- Breathe Easy. Say Goodbye to the Odor of Pet Hair
This is an efficient buy if you just need a daily cleaning. This is a robot that can help keep your space clean with low to average dust accumulation. With that said, this might lack the prowess you might need to deep clean your space, or tidy up a room that has accumulated above average dirt and dust.
Despite the limitations, this is a hardworking and reliable robot. It has an excellent mapping system. With that, it will require less time to clean your space since it will not needlessly loiter or get stuck in areas that have already been cleaned. And oh, it also has a longer battery life, so it can also be quite useful for cleaning larger spaces, but just for simple everyday cleaning.
One thing to note though, the docking base is quite large. You will need ample space for it. So this might not work in small apartments and cramped spaces. The docking base will require a lot of clearance; otherwise, the robot might just get stuck when exiting.
Proscenic Floobot X1
- Cordless
- Anti-Collision
- Self-Emptying
- Anti Collision Self Emptying
This is a dual robot vacuum that can excel in hard floor cleaning. Though you will need to manually attach the mop heads when it’s time to wet clean your floors. Using this robot vacuum is not entirely hands -free, so that is one thing to consider before you buy; otherwise, you will appreciate how well it can sweep and mop your floors.
We love how it has smart automatic mapping ability. It can detect what type of floor it will encounter and adjust the necessary cleaning tool that is necessary for that specific area. So, despite requiring a bit of manual labor, it will surprise you in other ways.
And oh, the dust box is equipped with a UV light that can kill germs, so it’s an added bonus to a budget friendly robot vacuum.
Narwal Freo X Plus
If you are looking for a cheap robot vacuum that has voice assistant support, this will not bore a hole in your wallet. It is an affordable vacuum and mop in one that is very conducive in small spaces and cramped up rooms.
The docking station will not eat up much space. There isn’t any manual labor required, and you do not have to change the mop heads when it’s time to mop the floors. So this can be a game-changer, especially if you are on a budget. Not a lot of robot vacuums in this category will be this affordable.
The suction prowess and vacuuming performance are also very solid. It can pick up dirt and debris of almost any size and type. Though the mapping capacity is not that excellent, we have other robots that can do better. But in terms of the suction power for cleaning and mopping, you will not be able to complain much.
Dreame D9 Max Gen 2
This is shaped differently and may find more use in areas where there are many edges and corners. We chose this vacuum due to its impressive and reliable navigation system. It uses an LDS LiDAR for accuracy and intelligent mapping. You can create a more systemic way of cleaning, schedule sessions, and no-go zones without any issues. This also makes up for a speedier cleaning session.
But this is more of a best friend for dusting and might have a very basic mopping capability. So don’t get this if you need a robot that excels in wet cleaning the floors. It also will not be able to empty itself; this is more suitable in small to moderate-sized rooms. Manual dustbin emptying must be no major chore for you. Otherwise, you will see this as a hassle.
Eufy X8 Pro
This is a great choice for pet owners who need to get rid of the pet hair and dander, but on a very tight budget. This will lack a number of the conveniences other units have in this list, but in terms of getting rid of pet hair, this works well. So this must be your only priority when choosing this robot vacuum.
Mapping is quite accurate. You will be able to merge and section off rooms. It also allows for custom cleaning per room, such as picking the water level, adjusting suction power, and if the robot needs to run through a second session in a specific room.
Let us run through some of the cons. It is not good at obstacle avoidance and can run on cables. And though it can be a mop, you have to manually attach the mop heads yourself. So it is not fully automated. The caveats can be acceptable since this is an older model and has a very affordable price tag.
Buying Guide: What We Paid More Attention To
Here are the factors we deemed most important when we made this list.
Buying a budget friendly robot vacuum will have a handful of tradeoffs. At a lower price, some or a number of the modern upgrades and conveniences will be left out. But this does not mean that you have to settle for a shabby robot that does not even meet your cleaning needs. Otherwise, it will just be all money down the drain, right?
It may lack the high extras you are loving in the more sophisticated AI powered robot vacuums, but it will still prove itself worthy, especially for those who are on a budget.
Suction power
We chose robot vacuums that still have impressive suction power. They might not be on par with the more expensive, higher-end units. But it does not mean that it can not clean well.
We have units that can still be used for deep cleaning, so they have a rather impressive suction power for the price. Though we also have a handful of units that are best used for mundane daily cleaning in spaces with low to moderate dust and dirt accumulation. So whatever your cleaning needs are, you can find a suitable robot vacuum that is within your budget’s reach. We even have ones that are powerful enough to be used for pet hair and fur.
Mapping ability
While we love the excellent mapping ability of more high-powered advanced robot vacuums, budget will always be a strong contender. With a lower budget, these automated features are often sacrificed. But that does not mean that you have to settle for a robot that keeps on bumping against furniture and anything that is on the floor. We scouted for robot vacuums that have an impressive mapping ability.
These robots will not just bump into things, which can be quite irritating and can be a waste of time, especially if you need to clean a larger space.
Additional features
Who says you cannot enjoy extra features if you are buying a budget friendly vacuum robot? Surprisingly, if you do just enough research, you will be able to buy robot vacuums that will have several more surprises up their sleeves, even if they are priced competitively.
We were happy to be able to pick units that still have lots to offer, some with more than just the basic cleaning and mopping capacity. So these can be a real value for your purchase.
Budget but not Cheap Cleaning
Some of these robot vacuums still have a few extras despite the affordable price tag. So you are in for a lot of surprises. You can do hands-free cleaning at a lower cost, but they do not perform cheaply.
