A few years ago, robot vacuums were pretty much a novelty at that point. Only a select few people were able to even afford something that could automatically clean up the house and keep things looking clean. Fast forward to 2019, and there are plenty of options for any budget.
While robot vacuums can be very convenient, the wrong one can actually cause more harm than good. Having to constantly clean up after a vacuum is pretty counterproductive, so finding the right option is the best way to shop.
The market overall is pretty crowded these days, so below is a look at some of the best options for people who are shopping on a certain budget. Some robot vacuums also have other key features, such as working well for people with allergies and the type of power that they rely on.
Best Budget Robot Vacuum Under $100– Howsmile Robotic Vacuum
Price: $64.00 on Amazon
Biggest positives
- Versatility
Without question, this is one of the most versatile options for people to invest in that falls under $100. It can do a number of things, from sucking up all the pet hair to handling hardwood floors. It is even able to climb over certain types of rugs, not needing extra assistance in that regard.
Versatility is always going to be important with any type of robotic vacuum, because a person wants to be as hands-free as possible. Instead of having to constantly babysit it, it just goes about its business right away. That’s something that is just not all that consistent with a lot of cheaper options.
- Long Battery Life
The battery life on the Howsmile 1000Pa robot vacuum cleaner is something that is very impressive. To start with, a person needs to let the vacuum charge for about three hours. After that, it can be used a few times for different areas of the home before needing re-charged again.
A small room is usually going to take about 30 minutes for a robot vacuum to go over, while 60 minutes is needed for bigger rooms. A few rooms can be used before the battery is actually in need of charging again.
- Very Quiet
It can be pretty frustrating to try to get other things done around the home with a vacuum that is very loud. The advanced motor on the vacuum keep things quiet around the house, and this is done without even sacrificing a bit of performance. In fact, compared it to order models, this is the most powered motor to date.
- Anti-Drop Function
There is a small light sensor on the bottom of the machine that detects a lot of things, including steps. When steps are detected, the machine will go into reverse. This is so you can clean up around the stairs and not risk the chance of falling and flipping over. This is just another feature that really helps make it self-sufficient.
- Low Profile
It can be difficult to vacuum underneath certain areas of the home, but a slim robot vacuum is going to be able to get to a lot of different places. It sits at 3.15 inches tall, which allows it to fit under a lot of different furniture options around the home. This means less cleaning up and filling in the gap’s afterwards.
Why is this the best budget robot vacuum overall on the market today?
A vacuum is something that a lot of people don’t really enjoy investing in, so finding a budget option might be the best way to go. Maybe a person is not completely sold on robot vacuums, or they have a lot of tricky areas that just can’t be reached by a device like this. For having to invest well under $100, the Howsmile robot cleaner is more of a complementary piece for cleaning around the home instead of the main device.
Any negatives?
Since the vacuum is very inexpensive, most view it as a throwaway item. That means, if something is to go wrong, it is simply thrown away and another option is purchased.
The company does offer a warranty, which is great for those people who might be worried about durability. Once it is out of warranty though, there have been some durability issues according to reviews online.
In our own experience, it has not had any issues with performance so far. As long as the person takes care of it, issues will be few and far between for the most part.
Best Budget Robot Vacuum for People with Allergies – Pure Clean PUCRC 25 Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Price: $89.99 on Amazon
Biggest positives
- Improved Battery
The battery has been updated in 2019, which is huge for those people who were complaining about not being able to get much done on a full charge. The battery now lasts about 50 to 60 minutes, which is still below many options out there, but a bit better. Since this vacuum does operate a little bit more quickly than some of the competition, they can get things done in that amount of time that might take an additional 10 or 20 minutes for other vacuums out there.
- Easy to Operate
All it takes to start up the Pure Clean PUCRC 25 is to touch the button on the top. Everything else is handled by the robot vacuum in a very impressive way. It has a bunch of different sensors on it so that it can detect direction and the possibility of falling. Even around tricky stairs, it performs extremely well.
- Under 3 Inches Tall
Keeping any robot vacuum short is important in order for it to go just about anywhere in the home. Under 3 inches, it is able to freely go under certain pieces of furniture around the home. Quite a few things are 3 inches off the ground, so being just under that measurement opens up a lot of new opportunities for people.
Why is this the best robot vacuum for people with allergies on a budget?
Affordability is a major reason why the Pure Clean PUCRC 25 is great for those with allergies. Another reason why is simply because the filter works well, and it lasts for a long time. There is some minor maintenance that always needs to be done for any vacuum, but it really cuts down on things being kicked up in the air.
Any Negatives?
Despite all the sensors, it does get stuck a decent amount of time on certain surfaces. If a person has a lot of different surfaces throughout their home, there might be some guiding that needs to be done. Handling floor mats and rugs can be difficult at times, but usually with a little bit of assistance people can figure things out.
Most Efficient Robot Vacuum For Small Spaces – ECOVACS Deepot N79S
Price: $189.99 on Amazon
Biggest positives
- Smart Phone Ready
If having a robot to handle vacuuming is not futuristic enough, having a smart phone app to operate it just might do the trick. Not only can a smart phone be used, but voice controls with Alexa or Google Home is also available.
With the app, a person can customize different cleaning sessions throughout the week. There is also a very easy way to check the status of the vacuum and see if anything is in need of maintenance. It’s just a very useful tool for people to understand their vacuum and use it a little bit more wisely.
- Auto Cleaning
This is a true robotic vacuum that is simply turn on, and let it do the rest. In auto clean mode, the smart motion system will be able to cover every single corner of the home. It is pretty interesting to watch for the first time, as it just performs better than the more budget options. It really seems like a premium product for just about $100 more.
The most common auto clean feature is nice, but people can also program the ECOVACS Deepot N79S to handle more targeted cleaning sessions as well. This is great for a certain area of the home possibly needing assistance.
- Long Battery Life
Having about two hours of battery life is pretty impressive for a vacuum like this. Not only will this easily cover most homes, but it should be able to handle multiple sessions before really needing a charging. Designed for smaller spaces, the ECOVACS Deepot N79S can actually be used all around the home on a single charge.
- One-Year Warranty
Since this is a bit more of an investment, it is huge for it to offer a one year warranty for all people who make the purchase. This warranty covers not only the vacuum itself, but all the accessories as well. With customer service just one call away, it is very easy to get answers when troubleshooting as well.
Why is this the best robot vacuum for small spaces over the competition?
Considering all the features that come with this vacuum cleaner, it is pretty hard to argue with the price. It is very efficient, and it performs well without much effort needed. It is one of the most inexpensive options out there that works with a smart phone app and voice control.
Any Negatives?
There have been a few complaints online that finding home is a little bit difficult for this robot vacuum. It is not the biggest issue in the world if someone is operating it when they are at home, but it could be a bit of an issue if it is set to a certain time during the day.
The best thing to do is to monitor everything in the beginning and see where it goes from there. If the vacuum is going to the right areas of the home, there’s really nothing else to worry about.
The Most Affordable, Quietest Robot Vacuum – Eufy RoboVac 11S
Price: $224.00 on Amazon
Sitting at right around $200, it also performs very well on top of being one of the quietest options out there. Not only that, but it certainly looks like a premium model despite still being very affordable.
Biggest Positives
This is the slimmest Eufy RoboVac ever available, and it sits at about 2.85 inches tall. This allows it to get under a bunch of different areas around the home without really worrying too much about getting stuck.
- Operation Time
Increasing the suction to 1300 PA, many people believed that it would reduce the amount of suction on each charge. On the contrary, it actually improved the overall performance of the battery, allowing for 100 minutes of playing time on every single charge.
- Premium Materials
From the anti-scratch tempered glass on the top to a number of features to make sure that it is not bumping around a bunch of different things, this is a vacuum that has a lot of different parts that will last a long time. The Eufy RoboVac 11S is built to be rugged, but after several uses this is still going to look pretty much brand new. A durable vacuum is also going to be able to last a pretty long time.
- BoostIQ Technology
Perhaps the most premium feature on this robot vacuum is that suction power can increase automatically when it senses the need for added strength. This is to get some hard-to-reach places, or to really clean a certain area. This BoostIQ technology is something that usually is reserved for vacuums that are much more expensive.
Why is this the quietest robot vacuum cleaner that a person can buy?
At its core, this is a very powerful machine that can cover a bunch of different surfaces in the home. It’s versatility and durability is great on its own, but keeping it quiet in the home is something entirely different. Most people live with vacuums being relatively loud, but they do not need to be loud in order to be productive. There is still going to be ways to hear the vacuum when it is operating, but it is a much more pleasant sound than other options out there. For once, the ears of pets will not be bleeding during the cleaning process.
Any Negatives
There are not a lot of complaints with this robot vacuum, except for maybe the fact that storage is a little bit at a premium. That is to be expected, especially for a vacuum that is so small. Expect to empty out the vacuum after every single charge. Getting in the habit is just going to be beneficial in the end anyway.
Born and raised in Chicago. Former high school teacher who became sick of getting summers off so I took on a 12-month a year job.