20 Misconceptions About Robot Vacuum Deals: Busted

Top Black Friday and Cyber Monday Robot Vacuum Deals

Now is your chance to own a robot vacuum. CNET's top-rated models will be available for Black Friday and Cyber Monday with discounts as high as 57%.

The Roborock Q7 Max is a powerful robot with smart mapping and app-based no-go zones. Its run time of 180 minutes is impressive. It also automatically refills and self-empties its water tank.

1. Roomba j7+ iRobot from iRobot.

The Roomba J7+ is iRobot's most intelligent robot vacuum to date. Its biggest breakthrough is its camera-based obstacle detection system that makes use of built-in AI to detect objects such as charging cords, shoes and the dreaded pet waste that the majority of other robots cannot avoid (and often plough right through). It's the first robot to send you a picture of an object that it encounters, so you can instruct the robot to stay clear of it.

The Combo j7+ is also the most efficient mop robot we've ever tested, picking up spills and dirt with ease and leaving no trace that it was there. The iRobot app makes it easy to control. It can schedule cleanings, and also create Keep Out Zones to ensure that it doesn't sweep in areas that you don't want. It's compatible with Alexa or Google Assistant so you can start it and stop it with a voice.

Its design is a step above the competition and features a sleek, top piece that appears more like a toy robotic than a loud, obnoxious one. Clean Base Automatic Dirt disposal It also self-empties which will cut down your cleaning time.

In our tests, we observed that the j7+ quickly removed dust, dirt, and pet hair. Its counter-rotating rubber brush rolls kept the debris in one place rather than sending it scattering all over the floor. It was able capture small gravel, sand and even a little grit. Most robots could not do this. And it did all this without getting caught in our pet's hair shed.

The j7+, though not as smart as the Roomba S9, which costs $1,217+ Self-Emptying Vacuum Robot from iRobot, and can't clean the stairs, it's an option for those who need both mopping and vacuum. It's not expensive, and the iRobot application makes it user-friendly to use.

Although the iRobot Home app is very user-friendly, we've found it to be less reliable than other applications that work with robotic cleaners. It can take some time to download updates, and often it's difficult to tell if the update is actually functioning until you've seen it in action.

2. Roborock Q5+

When you're looking for a robot vacuum that does more than just clean floors, your most effective option is likely to be a hybrid. This type of robot typically has a built-in water tank that allows them to vacuum and mop your house simultaneously. These bots also come with various additional features such as smart mapping, small object avoidance, and the possibility of washing and re-drying mopping pads. The negative is that they can be pricey at full retail, but on Black Friday and Cyber Monday they often drop in price.

Roborock produces some of our most loved robotic vacuums, and the Q5+ doesn't perform to the standards. This is the cheapest model of their auto-empty line. Although it doesn't come with some of the premium features (like no-go zones and multi-story memories) however, it's a great choice when you're willing to make a few compromises to save a few bucks.

The Q5+ is remarkably soft when it comes to obstacles like table legs and walls. This makes it an excellent choice for homes that have many furniture pieces. It's also extremely thorough when it comes to getting rid of dust bunnies which is an area where many cheaper robot vacuum cleaner vacuums can really fall short. The navigation technology in the Q5+ is superb too, with very little missed corners and along walls.

Like other Roborock devices as well, the Q5+ can be controlled using a few buttons on the device or via the Roborock app. The app lets you start and stop cleanings, set schedules, create virtual barriers and no-go zones and alter your home map, or change the labeling of rooms.

If you select the Q5+ it includes a new auto-emptying dock, designed to make this robot easier to maintain. Installing it requires a screwdriver, however, once it's in place emptying the bin can be accomplished without difficulty. It features a large LCD screen, which is useful for setting up schedules or altering settings. This feature isn't required for most people but it can help easily keep track of the robot's maintenance schedules.

3. Narwal Freo X Ultra

The Freo X Ultra robot vacuum and mop is a sophisticated well-rounded vacuum and mop. It's capable of vacuuming and mopping. Its design and function are some of the best robot cleaner on the market - but it's also pricey.

It's a small base station that looks great and can be hidden when not in use. The primary selling point of the station is that it automates many tasks, chores and functions that other robots would leave to you. It can keep clean and dirty water and also electrolyze and warm the water. Many other robots require you to do this.

Its vacuuming performance is quite impressive, too. It's one of the few robot vacuums I've tried that does an excellent job of collecting debris from plain floors, and is not nearly as loud as the more expensive Roomba 980 or iRobot 900 series.

But the Freo X Ultra has its faults, especially in terms of navigation. The laser and LiDAR sensors aren't as reliable as other robovacs, which means it sometimes gets stuck or confused in certain rooms or corners of the house cleaning robot. It's not able climb stairs as well as competitors, for instance and doesn't come with a dock that allows you to create an area for cleaning that is specifically designed for carpets that are soft.

The Freo X Ultra robot vacuum and mop is an excellent choice for those who want a vacuum robot that can do it all.

If you're looking for a way to save money or aren't concerned about the limitations of the robot, there are plenty of other options on the market. Many of the eufy models cost significantly less. The eufy Qrevo Curv, for example is less expensive and provides an identical experience on the app with more features like the ability to climb stairs, a full-function dock, and superior overall performance when vacuuming floors and low and high-pile carpets.

4. Eufy RoboVac G30

Eufy, a Anker company, has a track record of making robot vacuums that strike the right balance between features, performance and price. The G30 Hybrid is no different it offers a high-quality cleaning on hard floors and mopping functions as well as carpets at a reasonable price. It's easy to set up by snapping one of the side brushes on, turn it on and plug in the charging dock. The app takes you through a few steps to connect to your Wi-Fi and then the G30 is ready to go. You'll need to leave the dock close to an electrical outlet and plenty of room to allow it to move around but.

The G30 is a compact device that measures 2.85 inches in height, so it can fit under most couches and pieces of low-clearance furniture. Its design is less ostentatious than some rival models, sporting a sleek black finish and three buttons that are physical such as Auto Cleaning start/pause, Recharge and Spot Clean (which cleans the area in an arc for two minutes). It is also possible to connect the G30 to Amazon Alexa or Google Home for voice commands to perform unscheduled cleaning.

The most important aspect that sets the G30 apart from most competitors is the method it cleans. It uses a built-in mapping to create an image of the non-movable objects that are in its path while retaining what it's cleaned and where it can't access. If it requires a recharge, it automatically returns to its base, and then resumes cleaning where it started.

The elegant G30 has its flaws, though. The iRobot Roomba is more durable and has lower recurring costs. It is faster to charge, has similar battery life and is more effective on bare carpet or floors with low pile. It also has a larger dust bin that doesn't have to be empty as often and comes with a set of boundaries to keep it away from certain areas. The G30 is cheaper and easier to maintain. Its smaller size means that it doesn't need to be emptied as frequently, and it has less trouble with bulky materials such as cereal.