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Title: The best robot vacuums on a budget for 2024

Date: Thu, 21 Nov 2024 08:01:26 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/best...

If vacuuming is your least favorite chore, employing a robot vacuum can save
you time and stress while also making sure your home stays clean. While once
most robo-vacs landed on the higher end of the price spectrum, thatΓÇÖs not
the case anymore. Sure, you could pick up a $1,000 cleaning behemoth with
mopping features, but it would be incorrect to assume that you need to spend
that much money to get a good machine. Now, you can get an autonomous dirt-
sucker with serious cleaning chops for $500 ΓÇö sometimes even $300 or less.
But you get what you pay for in this space; donΓÇÖt expect affordable robot
vacuum cleaners to have all of the bells and whistles that premium machines
do, like self-emptying capabilities or advanced dirt detection. After testing
dozens of robot vacuums at various price points, IΓÇÖve narrowed down our top
picks for the best budget robot vacuums you can buy right now.

Table of contents

Best budget robot vacuums in 2024

Are robot vacuums worth it?

What to look for in a budget robot vacuum

How we test robot vacuums

Robot vacuum maintenance tips

Best budget robot vacuums in 2024

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 self-emptying bases to further reduce maintenance.

There are plenty of other good things about them, but before we dive in
letΓÇÖs 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 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 more
suction power that can pick up debris pushed down into nooks and crannies.
Unfortunately, there isnΓÇÖt 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 donΓÇÖt rely on Pa levels and simply say
their bots have X-times more suction power than other robot vacuums.

So how can you ensure youΓÇÖre 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 ΓÇ£maxΓÇ¥ 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 of these machines also feature
side brushes to help clean edges and corners.

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 youΓÇÖre shopping in the lower
price range.

Size is also important for two reasons: clearance and dirt storage. Check the
specs for the robotΓÇÖs height to see if it can get underneath the furniture
you have in your home. Most robo-vacs wonΓÇÖt be able to clean under a couch
(unless itΓÇÖs 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 robotΓÇÖs dustbin ΓÇö 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 youΓÇÖre
eyeing. While you may think thatΓÇÖs a given on all smart home devices,
itΓÇÖs not. Some of the most affordable models donΓÇÖt have the option to
connect to your home Wi-Fi network. If you choose a robot vac like this, you
wonΓÇÖt be able to direct it with a smartphone app or with voice controls.
Another feature thatΓÇÖs 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 youΓÇÖre 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 donΓÇÖt 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 machineΓÇÖs
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 ΓÇö at minimum, weΓÇÖll 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 machineΓÇÖs way like tables, chairs and other furniture ΓÇö this helps us
understand how capable the machine is at avoiding obstacles, and weΓÇÖll
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 vacuumΓÇÖs dustbin after every
cleaning job, or use a self-emptying base 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. ItΓÇÖs 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, youΓÇÖll want to regularly examine the machineΓÇÖs 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 itΓÇÖs a good idea to check your
robotΓÇÖs brushes regardless ΓÇö 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, youΓÇÖll need to wash the botsΓÇÖ mop pads too, to
avoid any unpleasant smells or tracking mess around your home. Similarly, if
your robot vacuum has a water tank, itΓÇÖs worth washing this out regularly
to keep it clean.

Robot vacuums also have filters that need replacing every couple of months.
Check your machineΓÇÖs user manual or the manufacturerΓÇÖs 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.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/best...
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