ROBOT vacuum cleaners have come a long way in recent years, and many models are now more affordable than ever.
Electrolux introduced the first robotic vacuum in 1996, but it wasn’t until iRobot launched its Roomba devices in 2002 that the gadgets became a commercial success.
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Fast-forward 27 years and many of the devices now offer extended battery lives, clever navigation systems, and greatly improved suction.
You can set them on a schedule to keep your home dust-free while you get on with other things, and some are even wifi-enabled and can empty themselves into bins, so you don’t have to.
Plus, with more budget-friendly models coming in at the same price as regular vacuum cleaners, they’re becoming much more affordable, too.
But are they really worth the money and how do the cheapest models compare to the expensive brands?
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We’ve tested some of the cheapest models around and compared them to two £900 gadgets so you don’t have to.
Two devices beat iRobot and Samsung’s flagship device on both price and performance.
Okocase Robot Vacuum Cleaner
- £36.99 (Amazon)
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My expectations for the budget Okocase robot vacuum were really low, but it impressed me with its suction power.
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Despite being miniature compared to the other model, it did a pretty good job at sucking dust and dirt out of my carpet. That said, it was much more effective on my hard kitchen floor.
It does take a long time to get just one room done, but it diligently moves in little rotation to ensure not a spec of dirt or dust is missed.
My main gripe is there is no docking station and when plugged in to charge, it doesn’t light up or make any other indication that it’s battery is being topped up.
It’s certainly a good option for someone who lives in a smaller flat that is mainly hardwood floors.
- Price: 5/5
- Noise: 2/5
- Performance: 2/5
TOTAL SCORE: 9/15
Jallen Gabor Robot Vacuum Cleaner
- £39.99 (Amazon)
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Jallen Gabor has produced a very light vacuum, the second smallest of the bunch.
But like the Okocase, it doesn’t have a docking station like more expensive models.
Once switched on, it sounds like your car windscreen wipers which is incredibly annoying.
It moves very slowly and doesn’t pick up any of the pet fur my cats have deposited around my house.
To make matters even worse, it also starts to smell a bit like burnt toast after being on for half an hour.
This might be cheap, but it really isn’t worth the money you’d spend on Amazon for it.
- Price: 5/5
- Noise: 2/5
- Performance: 1/5
TOTAL SCORE: 8/15
Lefant Robot Vacuum Cleaner
- £99.99 (Amazon)
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I wasn’t expecting much from Lefant’s robot vacuum given its low price point, but I was pleasantly surprised.
It had very little issue pulling up cat hair from my carpet and was fairly good with getting mud up too.
Although it did have to go over it a few times.
It has two little propeller arms, which means it is more effective than the other vacuums at cleaning corners efficiently.
It doesn’t have as clear of a pattern when cleaning your floorspace as the more expensive robots, but it does get the job done.
Great for being on a tight budget.
- Price: 5/5
- Noise: 3/5
- Performance: 3/5
TOTAL SCORE: 11/15
Medion MD 19700 Robot Vacuum Cleaner
- £150 (Amazon and Currys)
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Medion’s device costs just £150 and can be bought from Amazon or picked up at your local Currys store.
Again I was dubious as this has a lower price point than other top end models – but the device really blew me away.
Designed and manufactured by Medion, a subsidiary of tech giant Lenovo, this robot vacuum is simple to use, and quiet but powerful.
It doesn’t have app connectivity, but you get a handy remote so can you can run the device from the comfort of your sofa without getting up.
It’ll return to the dock itself when it’s finished cleaning or needs to charge and comes with a big waste disposal box within the device for the dustiest of hard floors or carpets.
- Price: 5/5
- Noise: 3/5
- Performance: 3/5
TOTAL SCORE: 11/15
Beko Robot Vacuum Okocase VRR60314VW
- £257.59 (Amazon and Beko Store)
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Within seconds of coming out of its dock, Beko has got itself stuck on my furniture.
Thankfully, it wiggles itself free within a similar time frame and starts marching up and down my living room in a set pattern.
While it’s methodical, the suction power leaves something to be desired.
Instead of hoovering up cat fur, it squashes it into my carpet further.
A second rollover does pick up a bit but not a huge amount.
It’s quiet, which is nice, but it doesn’t seem effective to me. I can still see dust and general dirt on my carpet.
- Price: 4/5
- Noise: 3/5
- Performance: 2/5
TOTAL SCORE: 9/15
Eufy RoboVac G30
- £299.99 (Amazon and Eufy Store)
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The Eufy G30, made by Anker, was our favourite mid-range device, it was the quietest of all the models but didn’t disappoint with suction power.
Its slimline profile allows it to pick up dust under sofas and its app-connectivity generates a handy map of your home to show where it’s cleaned.
The only thing letting the side down here is the ability to use the app to specifically direct the device to clean certain zones or rooms.
But overall when price, noise and performance are taken into account we think this is the best device out their for most households.
- Price: 5/5
- Noise: 5/5
- Performance: 5/5
TOTAL SCORE: 15/15
Eufy RoboVac X8
- £349 (Currys)
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I’d heard good things about Eufy’s X8 robot vacuum, and it didn’t disappoint.
However, this model talks to you in a little robot voice to announce charging and cleaning when it starts, which is a bit creepy.
It comes with an app which allows you to map your house and set it off remotely.
While it’s a great idea, the robot announced several times that it had to start mapping again and kept getting a bit confused by the layout.
Once everything is working properly, it merrily moves about my living room, sucking up everything in its way – despite my cat attempting to smack it.
It does struggle a lot with pet fur, but it performs much better than some others.
If you’ve got a bit more cash to splash, this one is worth it.
- Price: 4/5
- Noise: 5/5
- Performance: 5/5
TOTAL SCORE: 14/15
iRobot Roomba i1 Wifi
- £379 (Amazon and iRobot Store)
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The Roomba i1 is iRobot’s basic model. However, it’s basic by name only.
This vacuum is powerful and will give both hard floors and carpets a deep clean.
It comes with a dual rubber brushbar which is sure to trap every bit of dirt and can be controlled via the firm’s handy app.
It was easy to set up but it lost out to both Eufy’s and Medion’s vacuums when it comes to price and noise.
- Price: 3/5
- Noise: 4/5
- Performance: 4/5
TOTAL SCORE: 11/15
iRobot Roomba J7+ Wifi
- £899 (iRobot Store)
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If price wasn’t an issue, this device beats all the others we tested on both performance and convenience.
The Roomba J7+ comes with a self-emptying bin and an app-based mapping system which allows you to control and schedule which rooms in your home are cleaned.
It’s also a lifesaver for those with pets thanks to its ability to avoid pet accidents.
But as with all self-emptying devices, the vacuum built in the docked bin is quite loud, even if it’s on for just a minute, so you probably wouldn’t want to schedule a clean while you sleep.
- Price: 2/5
- Noise: 5/5
- Performance: 5/5
TOTAL SCORE: 12/15
Samsung Jet Bo AI+
- £899.99 (Argos and John Lewis)
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Samsung’s flagship Jet Bot works wonders to clean every inch of your floor space and it does it extremely well.
Unlike the other robotic vacuums we tested this one has a more conventional shape which helps it clean right up to skirting boards on a single pass.
It uses advanced AI through the Smart Things app to intelligently map out your home so you can decide what rooms it cleans and when.
But like the Roomba J7+ the self-emptying bin is quite loud so you wouldn’t want to schedule a clean while you sleep unless you turn this setting off.
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- Price: 2/5
- Noise: 5/5
- Performance: 5/5
TOTAL SCORE: 12/15
