Introduction

We know you don’t need a robot vacuum – but the idea that you could as easily use a conventional vacuum to vacuum your home could do your floors a world of good. Buyers compare the effectiveness of models over a full vacuum cleaning cycle using Bosch comparison data and can find out which ones best suit multiple floor types, if not cleaning most of them. We’ve also conducted research into how best to get the best out of your budget vacuum cleaner. See our robovac reviews, which compare how much dust each model can suck up, with prices estimated based on the prices quoted for the models in our best buy guide. How much to spend depends largely on your needs. If you live in a smaller space, perhaps not as big as a main house, you sometimes find that having multiple different types of floor surfaces means you need to shop around. One recommendation in particular is to fill your room with non-moisture-bearing materials. These can help to optimize the ability of the robot vacuum to work with crevices and tiled floors. When buying an upright vacuum, vacuum cleaners tend to have a wider price range for entry-level models than cylinder models. The best prices will include batteries and memory cards for cleaning room carpets. An upright model is slightly cheaper than a cylinder vacuum. For starters, they offer a larger capacity, so you don’t need to worry about running out of room or trying to clean a small area of floor during a short visit to the store. In theory, you might want to keep an eye on that power level too, as the charge rate can’t be used as a rule. There’s a good chance that you can make the most of it, but how powerful is the hose? Alternatively, there might be more powerful versions to decide on.

The best cheap robot vacuums you can buy today

With ever-cheaper rental houses, though, offers are always going to outweigh the end result. That is particularly true in areas where carpet is carpeted or with hardwood floors. This means few low-cost robot vacuum cleaners offer extensive maintenance control or will give your bathroom a thorough cleaning. Some are so poor at picking up dirt that they fail to detect signs of human interaction, leaving the floor spotless. Other may be noticeably better at that than their $500+ counterparts, but they still fall short of creating an impressively deep clean. Read our expert verdict on the best Roborock S6 Max, Best Robovac Deebot D7 and Best Dyson V5 Absolute in our full review.

Upright vacuum cleaners

Robots are capable of picking up smaller debris like hair, fur, fluff, and other small debris, such as ketchup, dirt and cereal. These models will however be heavier and will struggle to pick up larger debris. If you have stairs to clear manually, you’ll need to consider a hand vacuum cleaner. When you are looking for a way to empty or empty your robot vacuum, shops offer up-to-date manual emptying tools to help customers carry it off stairs. Don’t expect to save up to £600 on a top-of-the-range upright, though, especially if you’re willing to fork out extra to get the added convenience of tools on-board the machine. However, there are buy-around models available that will still be better than the high-end model on test, no matter whether they are robot or stick vac. Remember, it’s probably worth putting a hold on this model if and when you’ve made your selection.

Are robot vacuum cleaners any good?

Some robot vacs measure up very well indeed and get plenty of reviews – this is often to say that the bots are good at their job and are easy to use. They may have a screen with other helpful features like settings for floor cleaning and problem tracking. But if you can’t tell there’s anything wrong with them, the tech is fairly basic. Some robots only pick up dust found in the floorpad though, so it’s crucial that you use a soft vacuum to get rid of any debris. The more careful you are in your cleaning, effectively controlling the noise level and the smoother the cleaning will be. Most of the newer models have some anti-tangle technology that can guide them in special directions. We’d recommend investing in one, particularly when you have small furniture, as there can be a time difference between doing things you’re not ready to tackle yet or you still need to do the little jobs. Some systems are so good they’re all able to clean sections of your home at different times. Robot vacuum cleaner reviews Usually our independent tests are where we’re talking about advanced features, such as advanced mapping, self-emptying dustbin and sensors. If you want to know more about the performance of this technology, see our robot vacunums in our review.

Pros of cordless vacuums

Cordless floorcare can be faster than a traditional vacuum cleaner and your vac can even reach deep into the carpets. However, if you still need to use your vacuum often, it can take up a lot more storage space, meaning you’re less likely to have a spare bag. As we’ve mentioned above, dust can also easily build up on your floor surfaces. If you live on a larger scale, you can save by switching to the more expensive robot vacuum as it may have larger cleaning capacities. Generally, the bigger the dust container (whether that’s a bag you use for storage or a floor-cleaning nozzle) the higher the suction power will be. That said, keep in mind this is a cheaper option, but we’d recommend keeping an eye out for any dirtier ones before making a purchase. You could also save a few pounds by opting for the cheaper version of the brand that comes with a swappable battery. In fact, if you’re very lucky, you might even find that the battery life you’ll get with the best robot vacuum is quite good. Cons If your carpets are particularly fiddly to clean, this could be a main reason to go for a corded model. These can be heavy and tend to look a bit like the older model you want to buy but don’t necessarily have that necessary power. If you have small areas that are easy to clean, watch out for models that can’t reach your car’s door lock and entryway, or that will struggle to access all of those key areas if they’re within reach, check out our in-depth guide how to avoid overzealous pets. As mentioned earlier, the biggest cost of a robot is keeping it on track - the less-powerful vacs can do a better job of cleaning for longer, which can help them keep their battery charge longer.