If you’re looking for a vacuum cleaner that can tidy the house without you having to steer it around, you’ll no doubt be tempted by a robot vacuum cleaner. The best robot vacuum cleaners will last hours on a single charge and dock themselves automatically once they’ve done a lap of the living room.
These handy cleaning buddies can tidy up your home at the press of a button – we’ve rounded up the best robot vacuum cleaners available to buy right away on Amazon.
Before you reach for your wallet, consult our guide on the best robot vacuum cleaners under £300. Our cheapest pick comes in at just £79 – keep scrolling to see what it has to offer.
See also: The Best Cheap Cordless Vacuum Cleaners under £200
What is a robot vacuum cleaner?
The clue is in the name. A robot vacuum cleaner can be assigned a job without you having to manually drive it around the house. You press a button (or use voice commands) to switch it on and then leave it to drive along pre-determined routes through your home.
Robot vacuum cleaners are small, wireless, disc-shaped vacuum cleaners that use pressure-sensitive edges to change direction if they bump into the furniture. The best robot vacuum cleaners we’ve seen will automatically make changes to suction power based on where they’re operating.
Arguably the most well-known name in robot vacuum cleaners is iRobot’s Roomba. Many of its products soar beyond the £300 mark. The iRobot Roomba 671 is one of its cheapest vacuum cleaners.
Robot vacuum cleaner vs normal: what’s the difference?
As they’re far smaller, it’s no surprise that robot vacuum cleaners are generally less powerful compared to wired vacs. They also run on rechargeable batteries, which means after a number of hours they’ll need to dock into a power station before running around again.
If you’re buying a robot vacuum cleaner, you probably aren’t buying it for unrivalled suction power – you’re buying it because it’s delightfully convenient. While you may get a more thorough clean by manually steering a wired vacuum cleaner around the house, a robotic alternative can get to work unsupervised.
Another key difference is connectivity. Robot vacuum cleaners will often use Wi-fi to help you control them from a distance. Wi-fi also gives you access to handy extras like voice command support through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
Buying a robot vacuum cleaner: important features to look out for
When it comes to shopping for a robot vacuum cleaner, make sure you’re familiar with the key features that sort the duds from the delights. Remember to consider:
- Battery life – robot vacuum cleaners won’t be zooming around the house for a full day, but most will last up to two or three hours on a single charge.
- Cleaning modes – the best robot vacuum cleaners can adapt based on the surface they’re cleaning up. The Eufy Robot Vacuum Cleaner, for example, uses BoostIQ to increase suction power when it goes from a hardwood floor to a bumpy carpet.
- Height – depending on where you’re planning on using your robot vacuum cleaner, height could be important. You might be shopping for a vacuum that can squeeze underneath your sofa. If so, make sure you have measurements in your mind when you’re browsing our picks of the best robot vacuum cleaners.
Interested in learning more about the best robotic vacuum cleaners? Our top picks under £300 are here.
The best robot vacuum cleaners under £300
1. Eufy Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Price: £269.99
This robot vacuum cleaner from Eufy is one of the most popular models on Amazon. It’s a brainy vac, arriving with built-in Wi-fi that makes it compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. You’ll be able to give the Eufy orders without getting up off the sofa.
If you want to stop this robot vacuum cleaner from cleaning certain areas, you can lay down the bundled boundary strips to keep the vac on-course. It’s only 2.85-inches high, making it able to reach those cramped spots in the house.
This brilliant robot vacuum cleaner is intelligent enough to use extra power when needed. For example, if the robot goes from a smooth wood floor to a bumpy carpet, BoostIQ technology increases suction automatically. You’re guaranteed a great clean every time.
So how long will this vacuum last on a single charge? According to the manufacturer, this nimble cleaning assistant can run for “up to 100 minutes” before returning to its dock. It’s quiet, too, running at a volume no louder than a whirring microwave.
[amazon_link asins=’B07DDDB34D’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’techt06-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’68098b8f-de2d-11e7-aa1c-07b24572e6d2′]
2. iRobot Roomba 671
Price: £292.52
This Roomba vacuum is one of the brand’s cheaper models. It comes with an auto-adjusting head that changes its height depending on the surface it’s sucking up dirt and grime from. That makes it good for both large debris and pet hair nestled in gaps.
When setting the Roomba up for the first time, you’ll need to connect it to your home Wi-fi network. Wireless connectivity allows for voice command support through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. From a smartphone or tablet, you’ll also be able to schedule a clean up to a week in advance.
The manufacturer is keen to show off the brain inside this Roomba robot vacuum cleaner. Apparently, it can make more than 60 decisions per second to adapt to the layout of your home and the heights of your rugs and furniture. Built-in cliff sensors also help direct the robot away from areas where it could fall over and get stuck or damaged.
The iRobot Roomba 671 uses a specially-designed Edge-sweeping brush to suck up grime from the borders of your rooms. That partners up with dual multi-surface brushes and vacuum suction. The head of the vacuum will change height depending on the floor surfaces it has its attention focused on.
[amazon_link asins=’B07D89P2D6′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’techt06-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’68098b8f-de2d-11e7-aa1c-07b24572e6d2′]
3. Coredy Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Price: £179.99
This sleek-looking robot vacuum cleaner has a tempered glass top and targets hard-to-reach corners of the house. It uses dual-edge brushes to rid your home of dirt and dust, leaving you to get on with your day. This popular Coredy model works its magic on hard floors and carpets and is worth considering if you have pets that shed.
The Coredy robot vacuum cleaner is managed with a remote control. With the bundled remote in your hand, you can set the vac to work and pick between high suction and max suction. The remote also lets you flick between different cleaning modes. There’s a dual-layer filter on the underside of the vacuum that deals with allergens.
To keep it on the right path, the Coredy robot vacuum cleaner uses pressure-sensitive bumpers. When the vac detects a knock, it’ll adjust its path to weave around obstacles in your home. These same bumpers also prevent the robot vacuum from getting trapped in a corner with no way out. The robot is around 2.8-inches tall.
Based on Coredy’s claims, this robot vacuum cleaner supports “up to 120 minutes of constant cleaning”, with the self-charging cleaning gadget automatically seeking its charging base when juice is running low. That saves you from having to bend down and carry it across the room to its temporary home.
Pick up the Coredy robot vacuum cleaner today and you’ll have 5 different cleaning modes to play around with – Spot Cleaning, Edge Cleaning, Max Vacuuming Cleaning, Single Room Cleaning and Manual Cleaning.
It’s worth noting that Coredy sells a Coredy Replacement Mop Cloths (£9.99) separately. You can attach the mop brushes to the robot vacuum cleaner and set it on its way. They’re made from environmentally-friendly microfiber material and are washable and reusable.
[amazon_link asins=’B07Q2VYS24′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’techt06-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’68098b8f-de2d-11e7-aa1c-07b24572e6d2′]
4. Ecovacs N79S Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Price: £209.98
You don’t need to lift a finger to get this robot vacuum cleaner moving. This popular pick from Ecovacs is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant smart hubs and speakers. If you already own a smart hub running one of these voice assistants, you can simply say: “Alexa / Google, Ask Deebot to start cleaning.”
From the accompanying Ecovacs Home smartphone app, you can customise, schedule and monitor cleaning progress. If you’re out of the room and the robot vacuum cleaner gets stuck on a piece of furniture, you’ll receive a smartphone notification telling you to fix the problem.
Ecovacs is confident in its three-stage cleaning system, which consists of a high-efficiency vacuum, deep-reach brush and dual wide-reach side brushes. The V-shaped main brush is especially effective on carpets. In other words, dirt has no place to hide with the Ecovacs N79S roaming around.
In terms of battery life, Ecovacs promises 100 minutes of use from a single charge. Like most of the robot vacuum cleaners we’ve featured, this one will return to its charging dock when it senses that power is running low. Other handy features include durable protective bumpers, an air filter and a protective, anti-scratch finish.
This robot vacuum cleaner is backed by over 150 positive customer reviews on Amazon. Try it yourself with our buying link below.
[amazon_link asins=’B07F3Q25LJ’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’techt06-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’68098b8f-de2d-11e7-aa1c-07b24572e6d2′]
5. ANNEW Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Price: £79
Shop around and you may just find a robot vacuum cleaner for under £100. This is one of them, running on three different cleaning modes. Focus mode concentrates the vacuum’s power on a specific spot, while Auto mode has the ANNEW travel in an “L” shape. Finally, Random mode uses an irregular route.
This is a slim and nimble robot vacuum cleaner that can slide underneath beds and sofas. It’s just under three inches tall, so you might find it suitable for cleaning under your furniture in those hard-to-reach spots. The ANNEW’s built-in filtration system removes dust particles from your home.
You needn’t worry about this robot vacuum cleaner taking a tumble at the top of the stairs – it uses infrared sensors and anti-fall technology to keep itself protected. It’s also very effective at adjusting its movement and suction power based on what it’s placed upon. You can use the ANNEW robot vacuum cleaner to tidy up wood floors, carpets, ceramic tiles and marble.
It’ll take up to 6 hours to charge this little robot to full power from an empty battery. Once that’s taken care of, it’ll run for up to an hour, dodging obstacles automatically when it detects a bump.
[amazon_link asins=’B07NRBSBGC’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’techt06-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’68098b8f-de2d-11e7-aa1c-07b24572e6d2′]
6. Proscenic 800T Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Price: £239
This is another robot vacuum cleaner that supports voice commands. The Proscenic 800T works with Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant, so as long as it’s configured with your Wi-fi network you can tell it to start cleaning without pressing any buttons.
Download the ProscenicHome smartphone app for iOS or Android and you can schedule cleaning routines and control the speed at which water seeps from the Proscenic 800T. Proscenic says the water is evenly filtered and the cloth is always kept at the proper humidity, preventing the floor from getting wet.
Onto the specs. This stylish robot vacuum cleaner has a 2,500mAh battery, a 5-hour charging time and a 400ml water tank. It measures 2.9-inches tall and is able to clean your house for up to 130 minutes.
When the Proscenic has left your living room looking spick and span, it’ll automatically park itself in the charging dock. This is really handy because it means you can give the robot vacuum cleaner its orders before leaving the house and return to a cleaner home.
Proscenic sells Boundary Magnetic Marker Tape as an optional accessory. Lay this tape down in your home and it’ll stop the robot vacuum cleaner from wheeling itself into rooms you don’t want it to.
[amazon_link asins=’B07L49YR9W template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’techt06-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’68098b8f-de2d-11e7-aa1c-07b24572e6d2′]
Read next: Best Cheap Garment Steamers
