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- 7,800Pa suction power
- LiDAR navigation
- app and voice control
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- Ensures 2-in-1 Vacuuming and Mopping
- 1400Pa suction power
- Compatible with Alexa and Google Assistance
- Slim design for easy reach to corners
- 100 minutes of cleaning per charge
- Efforts four distinct cleaning modes
- Model: BR151
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- ZeroTangle Anti-Tangle Technology
- 11,000Pa suction power
- auto-lift
- TrueDetect 3D 3.0
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- INCREDIBLE SUCTION: Powerful Shark suction picks up dirt and debris on all floor typestackling even the toughest of messes in your home.
- NO SPOTS MISSED: With Matrix Clean Navigation, the vacuum cleans in a precise matrix grid taking multiple passes over dirt and debris for whole home, deep cleaning coverage.
- IT EMPTIES ITSELF: The bagless, self-emptying base holds up to 60 days of dirt and debris while its true HEPA filtration captures and traps 99.97%* of dust and allergens (*down to .3 microns).
- PRECISION HOME MAPPING: 360 LiDAR vision quickly and accurately maps your home so your robot can methodically clean detecting and avoiding objects in its path, day or night, adapting to everyday changes in the home.
- PERFECT FOR HOMES WITH PETS: With powerful vacuum suction, Sharks self-cleaning brushroll, and HEPA filtration system the robot captures pet hair, dust, dander and allergens with ease.
- HANDS-FREE CONTROL: Set a cleaning schedule, initiate on-demand cleaning, or activate cleans all with sound of your voice using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.
- EXTENDED RUNTIME: Up to 120 minutes of runtime for whole-home cleaning. And with Recharge and Resume, the robot will return to the dock, recharge, and can pick up where it left off.
- BUILT, TESTED, AND PERFECTED: Shark puts their robots through rigorous testing to guarantee reliable, and high-quality performance.
- WHATS INCLUDED: 1 Shark AI Ultra Robot, 1 XL HEPA Self-Empty Base, and 2 Side Brushes.
- Model: RV2502AE
- UPC: 622356574501
- 2-in-1 Vacuum and Mop: Mop and vacuum your home at the same time for a complete clean. RoboVac G20 Hybrid leaves nothing behind except spotless floors.
- Efficient Cleaning: Using Dynamic Navigation, RoboVac G20 cleans in a z-shaped path for fewer missed areas and more efficiency than random-path robotic vacuums. *It divides the cleaning area into 13 ft x 13 ft (4 x 4 m) zones and cleans them one by one. Ideal for homes around 1000 sq. ft. (92 m) in size.
- 5 More Suction Power*: Choose between 4 suction modes and get up to 2500 Pa of suction power. Easily clean pet hair, daily messes, and more. *Compared with RoboVac 10.
- Powerfully Quiet: At 55 dB and no louder than the hum of a microwave, RoboVac quietly cleans while you go about your day.
- Ultra-Slim Design: Being only 2.85 inches tall, RoboVac easily glides under hard-to-reach areas like sofas, dressers, and beds.
- Note: Make sure you are using a 2.4GHz router or a dual-band router that is configured to support a 2.4GHz frequency band. RoboVac does not support 5GHz frequency band
- Model: T2258111
- UPC: 194644087395
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- Twin-Turbine Technology: Each turbine offers 2000 Pa of suction power, increasing overall airflow by 80% so your house can go back to looking fresh.
- Clean up to 57.6%* more pet hair with the immense power of the Twin Turbines.
- AI.Map 2.0 Technology: Guided by intelligently generated, multi-floor maps, RoboVac will know where it's cleaning, whether it's on the first floor, in the basement, or in the attic.
- Customize cleaning areas, no-go zones, and more via the app.
- UltraPack Dust-Compression: The sheer force at which the dust is sucked in will tightly pack the dust box, increasing volume utilization rate by 127% and decreasing the number of trips you need to take to empty it.
- Note: Make sure you are using a 2.4GHz router or a dual-band router that is configured to support a 2.4GHz frequency band. RoboVac does not support 5GHz frequency band
- Model: T2262111
- UPC: 194644181758
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- LEAVES NO SPOTS MISSED: With Matrix Clean, the robot vacuum cleans using a precision grid taking multiple passes over dirt and debris for deep cleaning coverage.
- INCREDIBLE SUCTION: Powerful suction captures dirt and debris on carpets and hardwood floors tackling even the toughest of messes in your home.
- SELF-CLEANING BRUSHROLL: Digs deep into carpets and directly engages hardwood floors with PowerFins to pull up debris, hair, and dirt from all surfaces in your home engineered to pick up more hair and is anti-hair wrap.
- PRECISION HOME MAPPING: 360 LiDAR vision quickly and accurately maps your home so your robot can methodically clean detecting and avoiding objects in its path, day, or night, adapting to everyday changes in the home.
- PERFECT FOR HOMES WITH PETS: Powerful vacuum suction and self-cleaning brushroll help capture pet hair, dust, and dander.
- ADVANCED TARGETED CLEANING: With a tap in the SharkClean app you can target rooms and spots with Matrix Clean for 30% better cleaning on carpets and hard floors (vs. RV2310 single pass tested on level loop sand).
- CLEANING CUSTOMIZATION: Creates a precise home map in the SharkClean app so you can select specific areas to clean on-demand, initiate Matrix Clean, and set cleaning schedules from anywhere.
- RECHARGE + RESUME: The robot can return to its base, recharge, and pickup cleaning where it left off.
- CONVENIENT HANDS-FREE CLEANING: Voice control easily activate cleaning the whole home, a room, or even a spot through a tap in the app or using voice control with Google Assistant or Alexa.
- WHAT'S INCLUDED: Shark Matrix Robot, Charging Dock, and 1 Side Brush.
- Model: RV2310
- UPC: 622356601788
How to Shop and Save on Robot Vacuums
Most people agree that vacuuming is a mundane task, so the idea of a robot taking over this chore is appealing. Because we all have less time for cleaning, and smart home products are on trend, it’s no surprise the robotic vacuum market is expected to grow 17.7% annually and reach 9.4 billion by 2027.
When you’re shopping for a robotic vacuum cleaner, there are a lot of models to choose from. The variety of features and price points can be overwhelming for first-time buyers. This guide narrows down the features and brands, and offers tips to find the best deal on a robot vacuum.
Robotic Vacuum Brands
These are some of the major brands of robotic vacuum cleaners:
When contemplating brands, check review sites like Consumer Reports , PCMag, and Business Insider for their top picks. This can help you home in on some brands to shop for, but keep in mind there are a lot of smaller brands out there; they may also be worth considering. You’ll want to take your research a little further by searching for reviews on specific models to get a better idea of how these machines perform.
Robotic Vacuum Features
At a basic level, robotic vacuum cleaners have a motor and sensors that allow them to move around the home independently picking up dirt and debris. How well they carry out this task depends on the specific features included. Here are the some of the main ones to consider:
Compatible Flooring
Your home may be mostly carpet, all hard floors, or a mix of both. Many robot vacs can handle hard and soft surfaces, but some are better than others at switching between them. Others may only be designed for one type of flooring.
Types of Cleaning
Cleaning robots are mostly associated with vacuuming, but some mop instead, and others can do both. Think about what the machine will be picking up in your home. If you have pets, for example, you may need a model specifically designed to handle shedding.
Suction and Brushes
When reviewing the specs for robot vacs, you may see a listing for suction power measured in Pa, or Pascal Pressure Unit. Higher numbers indicate a greater ability to lift and loosen dirt, hair, and debris. Vacs that feature side brushes, which can pick up things out of the main brush’s reach, may also provide a more thorough clean.
Dimensions and Shape
Robot cleaners have the advantage of fitting in tight spaces that are difficult to clean with a traditional upright vacuum. For instance, many can go under a couch or bed. However, the height and width of these units can vary. If you have tight spaces you need vacuumed, measure the space under your furniture and across any narrow pathways to ensure the robot you want to buy will work for these areas.
When it comes to shape, many robotic vacuums are round. Others are D-shaped, a design that makes the unit more effective at getting close to walls and into corners. Since debris can land or get pushed to these areas, these can be a good option for getting a more complete cleaning.
Sensors and Mapping
Robot vacuums have drop-off sensors that detect stairs or other steep drops to avoid falls. Sensors also help the unit avoid obstacles in its path, or detect walls to follow. More advanced sensors will identify areas that have concentrated dirt and need extra attention, or adjust suction power when transitioning between hard and soft surfaces. Others assist with navigation, tracking how far the bot has traveled and the turns it has made.
Rather than just relying on sensors for navigation — which tend to take the machine on random paths around the room — higher-end vacuum bots use mapping technology. Cameras or lasers collect measurements and data points to make a layout of the rooms the vacuum works in. This allows more precise, efficient cleaning. This means the vacuum can work in straight lines without missing any part of the room, or going over the same spot repeatedly. It can also pick up exactly where it left off if it needs to take a break to charge.
Mapping will allow for creating restricted areas you don’t want vacuumed, although some models without this feature include virtual barriers (a small device that prevents the bot from entering a certain area) or you can use magnetic strips or other physical barriers, like simply shutting a door to a room you don’t want entered.
WiFi Connectivity
A smart robot vacuum can be controlled through an app, which can allow for starting or stopping cleaning from anywhere, creating a cleaning schedule, setting preferences, and more features. This also typically allows for voice control through Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, or Samsung Bixby.
Battery Life and Self-Charging
Robot vacuums run on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. When comparing models, check for the battery size (larger sizes usually mean longer run times) or how long the model can clean on a single charge. Some bots will conveniently return to their base when getting low on power, then resume cleaning again after charging up.
Dust Bin Capacity and Self-Emptying
Emptying the dustbin is one of the main things about a robot vac that requires human intervention. The bins on these machines are known to be on the small side and need to be cleared regularly to prevent the vacuum from clogging up, or even worse spitting dirt and debris back out on the floor. A bigger bin can mean less time spent on this task.
Self-emptying models have a larger container at the charging base, where the bot can deposit several smaller loads, leading to you clearing things out less frequently.
Robot Vacuum Pro Tips
Robot vacuums are expected to work independently for the most part, but there are things you can do to improve the process.
Clear the path
Robot vacs can avoid obstacles, but they have been known to eat up things like cables, shoelaces, socks, or other small objects you don’t want sucked up — one robot even famously ran over dog poop and dragged it around the house. It makes sense to periodically scan the room and pick up any clutter (or things that’ll just make a mess) to avoid damage to your stuff or the machine.
Do some trial runs
If you have a new cleaning robot, you might feel compelled to immediately set it free to do its work independently. Before doing so, try it out a few times while monitoring to identify potential problem areas — where it stalls, gets stuck, or attempts to clean something unintended. A few adjustments may be needed to smooth out any kinks in the process.
Perform maintenance
Besides emptying the waste bin regularly, CNET recommends regular maintenance on the wheels, main brush, and side brushes to keep the unit in tip-top shape.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a cheap robot vacuum worth it?
We’ve seen deals on robot vacuums for as low as $80 to $100. When shopping at the lowest price points, you’ll often see lesser-known brands with fewer features. This makes it more likely that you’ll need to monitor the vacuum to correct common issues that come up, such as getting stuck or rapidly filling a small waste bin. Premium specs, like mapping and self-emptying, add greater functionality and a more hands-off approach, but also come with a much higher price tag of up to $1,000 or more.
When looking for the best cheap robot vacuum cleaner, check the specifications and any reviews you can find for the model (particularly if it’s a brand you aren’t familiar with) to find one that gives the most value for the money. If you haven’t used a robotic vacuum before, and you don’t want to spend a lot, it can be worth trying out an inexpensive model. You may find that it is sufficient for your needs, or discover the features that are more important to you if you replace it at some point.
How can I get the best deal on a robot vacuum?
We list the best robot vacuum cleaner deals we find, and the items featured on our site are verified to be the lowest current price available. If you don’t see a deal for the specific item you are interested in on DealNews, you can research where it is sold and compare prices between stores. In addition, search for coupons that can drop the price even further. As an example, Kohl’s has general coupon codes that can apply to many of the robot vacuums they sell.
You can also consider buying refurbished. Many of the lowest priced new models in our deals are from lesser-known brands with fewer features, but deals on refurbs can be from major brands — offering you better specs at a low price point. They also typically come with warranties in case there are any problems, but be sure to check for this!
Can a robotic vacuum replace an upright vacuum?
Robot cleaners have come a long way, but generally they are not considered a full replacement for a traditional vacuum cleaner. As Consumer Reports explains, robot vacs just aren’t as powerful as uprights. They have other limitations, too, such as not cleaning stairs. They are ideal for performing maintenance between deeper cleanings, and getting into smaller spaces that an upright has difficulty reaching.
Sarah Jones is the resident coupon expert at DealNews and oversees a team that covers deals, coupons, and Black Friday content. Her articles or quotes have been featured on sites such as Christian Science Monitor, Oprah.com, Fox Business, Kiplinger, and Lifehacker.