Best cheap robot vacuums: 3 affordable options that worked well in my apartment

There are several situations in which the 3i G10+ would excel, most of which are often too tricky for a low-end robot vacuum to handle with grace. It has the strongest suction power in the list by far, making it the best option for keeping up with pet hair. The 3i G10+ is the incredibly rare budget option with small obstacle avoidance that can steer clear of cords or socks, plus pet waste — a lifesaver if there’s a decent chance your floors are sporting random clutter at any given time.

3i packed so much advanced skill into this robot vacuum that it feels almost unfair to pit the other budget picks against it. This is the first robot vacuum I’ve ever tested from 3i, and I already know it’s going to be one of my most recommended robot vacuums of the year.

Like the Roomba 205 DustCompactor that I just tested, the 3i G10+ shrinks the dust clouds it collects instead of dumping them into a large dock. It can be stored under existing furniture like a TV stand while still relieving you of manual dustbin duty for more than two months. That part is cool, but the 3i G10+ is so much more than a space-saving hack.

Before cleaning even started, I was wowed by the level of accuracy and detail of the G10+’s initial map of my apartment. It recognized beds, credenzas, and toilets all on its own, plus made a note of where rugs were. The app’s perception of my home only got more impressive when the G10+ started deciphering between obstacles like socks and makeshift pet waste (brown sugar). But small obstacle avoidance isn’t the only high-end feature you’re getting for cheap here — there’s also a livestream pet camera. That was firmly a $1,000+ robot vacuum feature until now.

All of that brainpower isn’t just fluff, either. The G10+ is a beast at cleaning. Its 18,000 Pa of suction power is super high for this price range, and I appreciated watching the bot work more slowly when it sensed carpet. Yes, it mops too, and the small spinning corner mop is a nice touch that cheap robotic mops don’t typically think of.