Top Black Friday and Cyber Monday Robot Vacuum Deals
Now is your chance to own a robotic vacuum. CNET's top models are on sale this Black Friday and Cyber Monday and can save you up to 57%.
The Roborock Q7 Max offers strong pressure and smart mapping using app-based no-go zones, and its 180-minute runtime is impressive. It also automatically refills and self-empties its water tank.
1. Roomba j7+ from iRobot
The Roomba J7+, iRobot's most intelligent robot to date, is the Roomba j7+. Its biggest innovation, however, is its camera-based obstacle-detection technology. It makes use of AI to identify objects such as charging cables and shoes. It's the first robot to send you pictures of the objects that it encounters, so you can tell the robot to avoid it.
The Combo J7+ is the most efficient robot mop we have ever tested. It removes dirt and spills effortlessly, leaving no trace that it was there. It's easy to control using the iRobot Home app that lets you schedule cleaning and set up Keep Out Zones to ensure it doesn't clean areas you do not want it to. It's compatible with Alexa or Google Assistant so you can start it and stop it with a voice.
The design is also better than the other models. It features a sleek, top piece that resembles toys rather than a loud and obnoxious robot. Clean Base's Automatic Dirt Disposal It also self-empties which can cut down on cleaning time.
In our tests, we discovered that the j7+ quickly took away dirt, dust, and pet hair. The rubber brushes that counter-rotate kept the debris in place rather than scattering it around the floor. It was able capture sand, small gravel and even a bit of grit. The majority of robots cannot achieve this feat. It did all without getting caught up in our pet's hair.
The j7+, while not as smart as the Roomba S9, which costs $1,217+ Self-Emptying Vacuum Robot from iRobot and cannot clean the stairs, it's an excellent choice for those who need both a vacuum and a mop. It's not too expensive, and the iRobot app makes it very user-friendly.
The iRobot Home App is easy to use but we found it less reliable as other robotic cleaner apps. It can take a long time to download updates, and at times it's difficult to tell whether the update is working until you've seen it in action.
2. Roborock Q5+
If you want a robot vacuum cleaner that does more than just clean your floors then a hybrid is the best choice. These machines are equipped with a tank of water so they can vacuum and mop simultaneously. These bots also come with various additional features such as smart mapping and small object avoidance and the possibility of washing and re-drying mopping pads. They are expensive at full retail but often are reduced on Black Friday or Cyber Monday.
Roborock is the manufacturer of several of our top robotic vacuums and the Q5+ is no exception. disappoint. This is the least expensive model of their auto-empty line. While it may not come with some of the expensive features (like no-go zones and multi-story memories) but it's an excellent choice if you are willing to make a few compromises to save a few dollars.
The Q5+ is notably gentle around obstacles like wall legs and table legs which makes it a great choice for homes with lots of furniture. It's also very thorough in cleaning dust bunnies, which is a problem which many robot vacuums fail. The Q5+'s navigation is superb, with only a few mishaps along walls and in corners.
The Q5+, like other Roborock products can be controlled via a few buttons on the device or via the Roborock App. Through the app, you can start and stop cleaning or schedules, establish virtual barriers and no-go zones, and adjust your home map, or change the labeling of rooms.
If you decide to go with the Q5+, it comes with a brand new auto-empty dock, which was specifically designed to make the robot easy to maintain. Installing it requires a screwdriver however, once it's in place emptying the bin can be accomplished without difficulty. It also features an impressive LCD display which is great to have when creating schedules or changing settings. This isn't a necessary feature for the majority of people but it can assist you in keeping track of the maintenance intervals for your robot effortlessly.
3. Narwal Freo X Ultra
The Freo X Ultra is a well-rounded robot mop and vacuum that's incredibly clever in its vacuuming and mopping capabilities. Its design is one of the most innovative in the market however it's quite expensive.
The base station looks nice and hides it when not in use, and its size is relatively compact. But the station's biggest selling point is how it automates many tasks and functions that most other robots leave up to you. It stores clean and dirty water, electrolyzes and heats the water (which the majority of other robots require you to do) also emptying the dustbin after vacuuming, and helps keep your robot charged and clean.
And its vacuuming is impressive and efficient, too. It's the only robot vacuum I've tested that does well at picking up debris from bare floors. It's also not as loud as the costly Roomba 900 series or iRobot 980.
The Freo X Ultra is not without flaws, especially when it comes to navigation. Its laser sensors and LiDAR sensors aren’t as reliable as other robotvacs. This means that it could get stuck or confused in certain corners or rooms in the house. It can't climb stairs as well as competitors, either and it doesn't have a dock that lets you to set up an exclusive cleaning zone for carpets that are soft.
Although it doesn't provide as many in terms of cleaning-related options in its app, or as many shortcuts within the app as some other robovacs, the Freo X Ultra is still an excellent choice for those looking for a comprehensive mop and robot vacuum that's worth the higher price cost.
However, if you're looking to save some cash, or just don't care about the limitations of this robot there are many other options available, including a lot of eufy models priced considerably less. The Eufy Qrevo curv, for instance is a bit more expensive however it comes with more features, including stairs and a fully-function Dock, with an improved overall experience when vacuuming on floors that are unfinished carpets with low pile, and even high-pile carpets.
4. Eufy RoboVac G30
Eufy is an Anker company that has a long history of creating robot vacuums that have the right balance of performance, features, and price. The G30 Hybrid offers a powerful cleaning of hard and carpet flooring, and a mopping function for a low cost. It's easy to set up simply by snapping one of the side brushes on, turn on and plug in the charging dock. The app guides you through the steps needed to connect to your Wi-Fi and then the G30 is ready to go. The dock must be located near an outlet and have enough space to move.
The G30 is small, 2.85 inches tall to be precise and can be tucked away under couches and other low-clearance furniture. Its design is less ostentatious when compared to rival models. It features a sleek black finish and three buttons that are physical for Auto Cleaning start/pause (which scrubs the area in a spiral pattern over two minutes) Recharge and Spot Cleaner. It is also possible to connect the G30 with Amazon Alexa or Google Home for voice commands to perform routine cleaning tasks that are not scheduled.
The way that the G30 cleans is what separates it from other models. It makes use of a built-in map to create an image of non-movable objects that are in its path, remembering what it's already cleaned and what it isn't able to access. When it's time to recharge, it automatically returns to its base and resumes cleaning where it left off.
The sleek G30 has some flaws. The iRobot Roomba 675 is more built, incurs lower recurring expenses, charges more quickly and has the same battery life. It also offers superior performance on floors that are unfinished and low-pile carpet. It has a bigger dust bin that does not require more emptying. It also comes with boundary strips that keep it from certain areas. The G30 is more affordable and simpler to maintain. Its smaller dust container doesn't need emptying as often and is less prone to suffocating heavy materials like cereal.