Not all robot vacuums are created equal. Some are pretty bare-bones (can vacuum by itself, obviously), while others are a tad more advanced (superior navigation system, multi-floor mapping, built-in cameras). Below are three robot vacuums that vary in features, capabilities, and therefore, prices. Get the iRobot Roomba 675, Roomba E5, or Ecovacs Deebot 500 today for less than $300.
Ecovacs Deebot 500 – $139, was $280
The Ecovacs Deebot 500 only costs $139 (down from $280) at Amazon but it’s surprisingly outfitted with advanced features that are normally reserved for higher-end models. This robot vacuum boasts app control, cleaning schedule programming, smart-home compatibility, anti-drop detection, and plenty more. Most importantly, it does a bang-up job of making sure your floors remain virtually spotless. It’s not the best at avoiding wires though, but for the price, it’s very hard to complain.
Underneath the Deebot 500 is a single bristled roller brush and two rotating brushes that are extremely capable of removing dirt and debris from your floors. It has three cleaning modes: Auto, Spot, and Edge. These modes have varying degrees of suction intensity and are meant for certain types of floors and surfaces. Auto mode is optimized for carpets. Edge mode will make the Deebot travel the perimeter of a room and clean its edges and corners. Spot mode is meant for thorough cleaning of concentrated dirt, cleaning in a spiral pattern (the device usually travels in a straight line with the first two modes) on a specific area. Through the Ecovacs Home mobile app, you can set up cleaning schedules, remotely control the robot, check its battery life, and determine whether it’s time to do some light maintenance. This robot also has the ability to pair with Alexa and Google Assistant so you can order it to clean through voice command, a next-level convenience hard to find in a robot vacuum of this price. When the Deebot 500 is about to lose power, it will automatically return to its charging dock, recharge itself, and resume cleaning.
The Deebot 500 is equipped with anti-collision sensors that allow it to smartly navigate its surroundings without hitting anything. It also has anti-drop detection, so it won’t fall down the stairs. Unfortunately, the Deebot does have the tendency to get itself tangled with cords that are just lying about, so you’ll need to make sure that the floor area that it’s going to clean is clear. Other than that, there’s no real issue with how well it performs. The Deebot 500 is a superb robot that comes at a very reasonable price. Make this little gizmo do the cleaning unsupervised for just $139 at Amazon.
iRobot Roomba 675 – $270, was $300
We all know that Roombas tend to be really expensive, but if you’re hellbent on owning one without having to break the bank, we recommend the iRobot Roomba 675. This robot vacuum is virtually identical to the pricier Roomba E5 and even has the same set of features. It’s only missing the Virtual Barriers which you put in areas you want it to avoid, and not much else. Right now, you can get this budget Roomba for the very affordable price of $270 instead of $300 at Amazon.
The Roomba 675 uses dual multi-surface brushes to grab dust, dirt, and large debris from carpets and hardwood floors. Its edge-sweeping brush is specially designed at a 27-degree angle to loosen and lift debris away from edges and corners. During our test, this robot vacuum was able to remove approximately 99% of debris on hardwood floors. It also performed admirably on low pile carpets. However, it didn’t do that spectacularly on a high-pile carpet, removing 90% of particles, which is still a pretty good number for a budget robot vacuum.
Equipped with a full suite of intelligent sensors, the Roomba 675 is pretty good at navigating floors. It doesn’t have any advanced navigational smarts or an on-board camera, but it is quite adept in the “bump and continue” method, having a rubber bumper that prevents damage. Finally, this robot vacuum is compatible with Alexa for voice-activated assistance, as well as a mobile app to make it start or stop cleaning, see cleaning history, and schedule future cleanings on a weekly basis. The iRobot Roomba 675 is simply a great value with its advanced features and excellent cleaning prowess. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better robot vacuum at such a relatively low price. Get it for $270 at Amazon today.
iRobot Roomba E5 – $300, was $380
Roombas are virtually indistinguishable from one another in appearance, as they all have the same puck shape. The reason their prices vary is because of their features. The Roomba e5 isn’t the most advanced model in iRobot’s extensive lineup. It doesn’t have a built-in camera for more efficient navigation nor does it boast multi-floor mapping. Nevertheless, it more than delivers in the vacuuming department and won’t burn a hole through your bank account. Right now, you can get it at Amazon for $300 instead of $380 – a huge $80 off.
This robot vacuum comes with a battery-powered Virtual Wall Barrier, a device which creates, well, a virtual wall, so that you can keep the Roomba within a room. When used in Halo mode, the robot vacuum will avoid going near an object. This comes in handy when you don’t want it to knock over a tall table with a fishbowl on top. This robot vacuum also has a full suite of sensors to help it intelligently navigate its surroundings. As mentioned, it’s not equipped with a camera, unlike more expensive Roomba models, but it’s good enough at steering clear of obstacles.
When it comes to cleaning performance, the Roomba e5 is impressive. It can pick up dirt and debris of any size on any floor type. Pet hair, kitty litter, cereal, fine powder, whatever it is, it’s as good as gone. We marveled at how it was able to make a dirty carpet look spotless. Even the filth that’s stuck in between tiles and floorboards stands no chance. Setting up this robot vac is quite easy. Just plug it in, wait for it to fully charge, and it will be able to clean for 90 minutes at a time. When it’s about to lose power, it will automatically return to its charging base. You can manually press the Roomba for it to start cleaning or use the smartphone app or Alexa, whichever you prefer. Get your own iRobot Roomba e5 today for just $300 on Amazon.
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