Best Low-Cost Robotic Vacuum Cleaner

Forced by circumstances, I found myself searching for a robotic vacuum cleaner. I look for something without frills, less than CN$300, which automatically excludes all the Roomba nonsense.

I started with Consumer Reports, where Samsung models rule the roost, but only Eufy is both EC and in my price range.

Here’s how they describe it in their Buying Guide:

Pros: Robotic vacuums do the grunge work while you relax. In uncluttered rooms, a robotic can touch up between regular, manual vacuuming sessions. The better models can find their way out of tight spots and around extension cords. A few of the newest models can even be controlled by an app on your smartphone.

Cons: No robotic vacuum can match the deep cleaning you'll get from the best uprights and canisters. Not the ideal choice if you have shag carpeting or area rugs.

Nothing I didn’t know. To flesh out my ideal robotic vacuum cleaner, it has to be:

• cheap (less than $300) – CR Video
  
• simple – I don’t need bluetooth, Wi-Fi, remote controls or other pointless gadgetry (and it’s unlikely to be found in this price range)
  
• good at hard floors, don’t care much about carpets
  
• good at navigation and covering an entire area
  
• don’t need mopping, that’s the easy part of cleaning and I can probably do it myself (though it would be nice to have)
  
• don’t care much about charging station and returning to the station (though I’ll take it if available)

Interestingly, CR actually have an article on the best Robotic Vacuums for $300 or less and a buying guide.

The top recommended robot as of early 2020 with an 88 score is Eufy 11S. The only other ones less than $300, were way lower on the list: iRobot Roomba 618 (Walmart), with an 81 score, listed at $270 and Ecovacs Deebot 500, with an 80 score, at $190, and a few other similarly priced but lower scoring Eufy models.

Sources / More info: cr-all,

ConsumedConsumer, shopping, comparison shopping, cleaning, vacuum cleaner, sweeping (Tags)