Best robot vacuum deals: Roborock models still at Black Friday prices

This week's best robot vacuum deals include multiple Roborock models still at Black Friday pricing

Gift yourself a shorter to-do list.

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UPDATE: Dec. 6, 2023, 12:15 p.m. EST This story has been updated to include the best deals on robot vacuums from iRobot, Roborock, Shark, and more live in the last weeks before the holiday.

Best robot vacuum deals this week:

Best budget deal

Shark Matrix RV2300

$199 at Walmart (save $100.99)

Gray Shark robot vacuum and smartphone with map of home on screen

Best self-emptying deal

Shark AI Ultra AV2501S

$279.99 at Amazon (save $270)

Best vacuum-mop combo deal

iRobot Roomba Combo j5+

$498.99 at Amazon (save $301)

Roomba on self-emptying dock, water tank, and smartphone with green iRobot screen

Only three things are certain in life: Death, taxes, and a few days each month when you need to vacuum but just don't have time. Whether you detest the chore or hope to make your home upkeep a bit breezier, a robot vacuum is a lifesaver.

Robot vacuums under $200

Credit: Shark

Our pick: Shark Matrix

$199 at Walmart (save $100.99)

Why we like it

For a solid cheap Shark option, skip the outdated $129 Shark ION and opt for the Matrix instead. For less than $200, you're securing LiDAR-powered smart home mapping and virtual boundaries, plus Matrix technology, which attacks debris from multiple angles in a crosshatch pattern to grab anything that was missed on the original pass.

On top of the thorough cleaning pattern, Shark itself claims that the Matrix dishes out 50% more sheer suction power than the Roomba i3 — and when the Roomba i3 is still more expensive even when it's discounted as well, we'd understand if that's an experiment you're willing to test.

Spot cleans in a thorough grid pattern
120-minute battery life
Schedule cleanings in the app

More robot vacuums on sale for under $200

iHome AutoVac Juno — $85 ~~$199~~ (save $114.99)
iHome AutoVac Nova — $179 ~~$249.99~~ (save $70.99)
Eufy RoboVac LR20 — $149 ~~$399~~ (save $250)

Robot vacuums under $500

Black Shark robot vacuum with dock and smartphone with home map on screen

Credit: Shark

Our pick: Shark AI Ultra AV2501S

$279.99 at Amazon (save $270)

Why we like it

Shark released several iterations of its flagship robot vacuum in 2023. This matte black model is on sale at Amazon for less than $280 — a 49% price cut that makes it the cheapest self-emptying Shark with Matrix cleaning that we've seen this holiday season (compared to the $299.99 sale price on a similar model during Cyber Week.)

Home mapping and virtual boundaries guided by 360-degree LiDAR are present here, plus Shark's newest claim to fame that we just mentioned: its Matrix cleaning technique that vacuums in a crosshatch pattern to grab any debris missed from the first angle.

HEPA filter
120-minute battery life
XL self-emptying dock holds at least 30 days' worth of debris

More robot vacuums on sale for under $500

Roborock Q5 — $259.98 ~~$429.99~~ (save $170.01)
Shark AI Ultra self-empty station — $298 ~~$599~~ (save $301)
Roborock Q5+ — $399.98 ~~$699.99~~ (save $300.01)
Shark Detect Pro AV2820S with self-empty station — $449.99 ~~$549.99~~ (save $100)
Eufy X8 with self-empty station — $449.99 ~~$649.99~~ (save $200)

Robot vacuums under $800

Credit: iRobot

Our pick: iRobot Roomba j9+

$699 at Amazon (save $200)

Why we like it

One of five new Roombas just launched in September, the j9+ is literally just the Roomba Combo j9+ without mopping capabilities. That means that it still cleans with iRobot's most powerful suction yet, beating out the previous winner in that category, the s9+, which is on sale for the same exact price. The j9+ is also just one of a handful of Roombas with the ability to detect and avoid small problem-causing obstacles like phone chargers and other cords, pet waste, socks, and more.

Maps your home seven times faster than iRobot's previous mapping technology
120-minute battery life
Self-emptying dock holds at least two months' worth of debris

Robot vacuum and mop hybrids

Credit: iRobot

Our pick: iRobot Roomba Combo j5+

$498.99 at Amazon (save $301)

Why we like it

You can bring home the triple threat that is automatic emptying, mopping, and small obstacle avoidance for less than $500 with this deal that's still around from the first day of Amazon's official Black Friday sale.

Compared to the Roomba j7+, the j5+'s obstacle detection cameras aren't quite as precise, and still may require you to pick up things like towels or socks, or put a virtual barrier around pet bowls. But to be able to skip skimming the floor for rogue cords and enjoy automatic emptying for less than $400, you can probably deal with ensuring laundry gets into the basket. As for the mopping, this is one of iRobot's new Swap and Mop models, which does require you to be home to physically click on the water tank when you want to mop.

No-go and no-mop zones can be designated in the app
110-minute battery life
Self-emptying dock holds at least seven weeks' worth of debris

More hybrids and robot mops on sale

Yeedi Vac 2 — $99.99 ~~$199.99~~ (save $100)
Dreametech D9 Max — $209.99 ~~$249.99~~ (save $40 with on-page coupon)
iRobot Roomba Combo i5 — $279 ~~$349.99~~ (save $70)
Shark Matrix 2-in-1 — $299.99 ~~$449.40~~ (save $149.41)
Yeedi Vac Station — $299.99 ~~$499.99~~ (save $200 with on-page coupon)
Ecovacs N10+ — $399.98 ~~$649.99~~ (save $250.01)
Shark Matrix 2-in-1 with self-empty XL — $399.99 ~~$699.60~~ (save $299.61)
Yeedi Cube — $499.99 ~~$699.99~~ (save $200 with on-page coupon)
Roborock Q5 Pro+ — $479.97 ~~$699.99~~ (save $220.02)
Roborock S8 — $599.99 ~~$749.99~~ (save $150 with on-page coupon)
iRobot Roomba Combo j7+ — $699 ~~$979.99~~ (save $280.99)
Roborock S8+ — $799.99 ~~$999.99~~ (save $200)
Ecovacs Deebot T20 Omni — $699.99 ~~$1,099.99~~ (save $400)
Roborock S7 Max Ultra — $949.99 ~~$1,299.99~~ (save $350)
iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ — $999 ~~$1,399~~ (save $400)
Roborock S8 Pro Ultra — $1,199.99 ~~$1,599.99~~ (save $400)

Topics Robot Vacuums

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Frequently Asked Questions

The control of an upright vacuum comes with its own type of satisfaction. But if you're not one to classify cleaning as cathartic, a robot vacuum could erase that huge, agonizing task from your chore list. (And did we mention the joy of having "first-day clean" floors all the time?)

But whether robot vacuums are worth it or not comes with a caveat: It can't be just any robot vacuum. A cheap robot vac that doesn't do the job right — scattering dust, bumping into walls, getting stuck on area rugs — might actually create more work for you.

Suction power is key: A vacuum is the one purchase that you hope sucks a lot. Suction power is typically measured in Pascals (Pa), with most current vacs ranging between 1,500 Pa and 3,000 Pa. Stronger sucking will be needed to pick up heavier pieces of debris (be sure to set a no-go zone around Legos) and to pull matted-down pet hair from rugs.

Know your floor type: Carpeting and high pile rugs will probably require stronger suction than hard floors, as well as special features like an extra-wide or self-cleaning brush roll to prevent hair from wrapping and clogging. Folks in homes with multiple floor types might consider a bigger, sturdier robot vacuum that can hurl itself and its wheels over mats, rugs, and transitions from carpet to hard floors.

Consider automatic emptying: Because robot vacuums are typically under four inches tall, their onboard dust bins are also small — which means they frequently require emptying. (Dustbins fill up particularly quickly in homes with pets.) A self-emptying vacuum takes that job out of your hands, emptying itself into a larger dustbin in its charging dock. These larger bins can typically hold weeks of dirt without needing to be cleaned or dumped out.

Think about your home's layout: Every robot vacuum is equipped with sensors and drop detection. But if your home has lots of rooms, lots of turns, or lots of close-together furniture, you'll have fewer navigation issues with an advanced model that uses intelligent mapping to remember exactly how your home is laid out, including labeling of specific rooms, mental notes of staircases, and ability to deploy zone cleaning.

Pay attention to low-profile furniture: No one should have to be scared about what's accumulated under their couch over the past year. A robot vacuum measuring three inches or less in height should be able to scoot under most low-hanging couches and beds.

Assess battery life and square footage: One of the main complaints people have about their robot vacuum is that it craps out in the middle of the floor. Larger spaces require more time to clean, and it all depends on how annoyed you'll be if it only finishes a few rooms at a time. Average run times for the list below range between 90 and 200 minutes, which translates to about 500 and 2,800 square feet covered on one charge.

Look for app control: WiFi-enabled robot vacuums can be synced with a smartphone app to control scheduling, manual start, and cleaning settings, as well as telling your vac to make its rounds when you're not home. Low-end models that don't connect to WiFi will usually come with a separate remote. If you're used to asking Alexa or Google to turn off the lights or tell you the weather, a model with voice integration will blend in nicely.