Robot vacuums offer you the ultimate convenience, letting you keep your floors spotless without having to lift a finger. The price tag a lot of robot vacuums can be a bit daunting, though, with some more advanced models costing hundreds of dollars. If you’re on a budget, finding the best robot vacuum under 300 dollars can let you take advantage of this technology.
While most people think of the Roomba from iRobot when they think of robot vacuums, they’re not your only option. Any of the models on the list below provide a powerful clean on a variety of floor types. Check out their full specs to help you decide which is the right one for you.
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QUICK COMPARISON TABLE
Robot Vacuum Reviews
Roomba 650
You might not expect to find a Roomba called the best robot vacuum under 300 dollars—primarily because Roombas have a reputation for being pricey.
The 600 line from Roomba, though, brings you the same powerful, hands-free clean you expect from iRobot but at a very affordable price. It uses a three-stage cleaning system that automatically adjusts to adapt to all floor types, from tile and hardwood to the thickest carpets.
Roomba 650 doesn’t come with the same full range of accessories as the pricier Roombas, but it includes everything you’ll need for a smaller house or apartment. The included Virtual Wall barrier lets you better dictate where you want the Roomba to clean. You can combine this with the scheduling capabilities and never have to think about your floors at all. It also comes with a home base charging station and will automatically return to it whenever it’s finished cleaning or its battery is low.
PROS
What we like:
- Powerful suction
- Cleans both hard floors and carpets
- Special brush on side for walls and edges
- Dirt detect technology identifies trouble spots
- Easily cleans under and around furniture
- Scheduled cleaning makes it truly hands-free
CONS
What we didn't like:
- Round shape makes it struggle in corners
- Motor slightly loud
- Slightly shorter charge than other robot vacuums
ECOVACS Deebot N79
While less well-known than the Roomba vacuums from iRobot, Ecovacs’ Deebot N79 is another strong contender that’s an excellent value at right around 200 dollars. It is controlled through the ECOVACS app, which can be downloaded onto any smart phone so you can control your vacuum from anywhere.
It also comes with several convenient modes for different cleaning situations, so you can tell the vacuum whether you want it to clean an entire room or just a particularly messy spot.
The Deebot is designed for deep cleaning of carpets. Its main brush has a V shape which allows it to penetrate the fibers on even thick carpets and lift more dirt out from between them. The suction is impressive on both carpets and hard floors. Since the motor is brushless it can reach higher speeds, which translates to more cleaning power.
PROS
What we like:
- Excellent on carpet
- High suction power
- Long battery life (1-2 hours per charge)
- Relatively quiet motor
- Compact design
CONS
What we didn't like:
- Trickier to schedule than other robot vacuums
- Sometimes gets stuck in tight spaces
- Less adept at detecting and avoiding impending collisions
Eufy RoboVac 11
If you’re a pet owner, the RoboVac 11 from Eufy just might be your best robot vacuum under 300 dollars. It has a HEPA-style filter to pick up and trap pet dander and other allergens, one of the few robot vacuums to include this kind of technology.
The triple filtration on the RoboVac means even microscopic particles are removed from the air the vacuum expels.
The RoboVac 11 has three specialized cleaning modes (Spot, Edge, and Max) to give you more customization over the level of clean. It comes with a rolling brush on the bottom and two side brushes, meaning it will clean room edges and baseboards as well as it does the floor. The motor is surprisingly quiet considering the amount of suction power it generates, up to 1000Pa, plenty to loosen even tough dirt.
PROS
What we like:
- Triple filtration, including HEPA-style filter
- Quietest operation on this list
- Extremely low profile (3.1 inches in height)
- Smart sensors adapt to uneven floors and prevent falls
- Included remote gives you hands-free operation
- Good battery life (90 minutes per charge)
CONS
What we didn't like:
- Not designed for thick floors
- Has trouble seeing dirt on dark-colored floors
- Can’t be controlled remotely through an app
ILIFE A4s
Rounding out our list of affordable robot vacuum options is the A4s from ILIFE. Its tangle-free brush means you won’t have to get your hands dirty clearing out the roller.
The suction power is just as high as with the models above, as well, for a thorough clean on hard floors and shallow carpets. It also gives you a programming option so you can have it work even while you’re not around.
What really sets the A4s apart is its impressive battery life. On the general cleaning setting, it can go for up to 140 minutes before needing to recharge. Even when you turn it up to max power, the battery will last for almost two full hours—twice as long as some other robot vacuums. The robot knows when it’s getting low on power, too, and will automatically return to the charging dock so it’s ready to go for your next cleaning session.
PROS
What we like:
- Extra-long battery life for extended cleaning sessions
- Automatically returns to charging station when necessary
- Tangle-free extractor means less maintenance
- Included remote control lets you easily direct the vacuum
- Easily programmable for scheduled cleaning
- Durable construction
CONS
What we didn't like:
- Not suitable for thick carpets
- Can have trouble figuring out complex home layouts
- Bin can be tricky and messy to empty
CONCLUSION
As you can see from the list above, you have a lot of options when it comes to finding the best robot vacuum under 300 dollars. The main things you’ll be giving up over pricier models are extra features, like the Virtual Wall Lighthouses that come with upper-series Roombas. You’ll get the same deep clean and hands-free operation from these vacuums, though, and at half the price or less compared to other options.
The main thing you should consider when you’re choosing between them is what kind of environment you’ll expect the vacuum to clean. Some of them function better on carpets than others, for example, and provide different levels of filtration and programmability. Use the pros and cons on the list above to choose the right vacuum option for your home.