Most cheap robot vacuums suck, but these 4 don't — take it from a professional vacuum tester

Read my initial review of the Eufy C28.

The new Eufy C28 is the cheapest roller mop robot vacuum out there in 2026, expanding the highly absorbent mopping technique to households that don't want to spend $1,000. The Eufy C28's heavy-duty scrubbing would be ideal for spill-prone households, perhaps from young kids or multiple pets. The fluffy damp roller is particularly good for pet hair on hardwood or tile floors.

Roller mops are the most effective type of robot mopping pad for large liquid spills, but they were strictly a high-end purchase until Eufy threw the C28 into the ring in February 2026. This roller mop gets rinsed nine times per second as it's mopping as a buffer against smearing a spill or dirty water across the floor.

The Eufy C28 thoroughly sopped up a variety of liquids and chunkier splatters in my apartment, including wine and chunky salsa on hardwood and conditioner that exploded on the tile bathroom floor. Any residue left after the first mopping pass was cleaned up when I sent the C28 for a second pass (a setting I always toggle on for spot cleaning with any robot vacuum).

The roller mop is just as helpful for the pickup of fine pet hair on hard floors, as well as dry debris with a powdery texture like dust, protein powder, and cat litter tracked out of the litter box. I used my Dyson PencilVac's laser to test the Eufy C28's dusting skills, and very few specks were left behind. The C28's unique square shape actually does help it scoot closer to walls for better edge cleaning — a smart backup plan since the C28's roller mop doesn't extend into corners like the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow's does. When vacuuming rugs, the Eufy C28 picked up around 98 percent of crushed potato chips on a tufted rug and balls of lint and cat hair from a high-pile furry rug.

Read my full review of the 3i G10+ robot vacuum.

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 — whether that's specifically as the best cheap robot vacuum, or for a robot vacuum at any price.

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.

Roborock's 2025 entry-level robot vacuum offers more thorough pressurized mopping than similar hybrid robot vacuum and mop combos under $500. You should take this route if your home has more hard floors than not, especially if paw prints or shoe prints seem to be a constant. That, in tandem with strong suction power, make it a great robot vacuum and mop for pet hair as well.

Given how quiet it was while cleaning and self-emptying in my apartment, the Roborock Q10 S5+ would be a good robot vacuum for apartments or homes with thin walls that need peace and quiet.

Roborock has amassed serious clout from its ultra-premium flagship models like the Saros series and Qrevo Curv 2 Flow that I've tested. But Roborock actually puts a good amount of thought into its affordable robot vacuums — most recently, I was my time with the Roborock Q10 S5+. It's been such a reliable, subtle little addition to my apartment, and is the quietest self-emptying vacuum I've tested in a while. It's plugged in under my couch, and the roar is quite bearable even for the person who's sitting on the couch right beside it.

The Q10 S5+ has been confirmed by Roborock as the upgraded version of the Roborock Q8 Max+, nearly doubling the suction power while costing half as much as its predecessor. Dishing out 10,000 Pa of suction power, the Q10 S5+ even matches the strength of the high-end Roborock Qrevo Master that I loved in 2024. In terms of mopping, the downward vibrating force deployed by the Q10 S5+'s sonic mop mostly makes up for the fact that it's a singular mopping pad (instead of the spinning design that I prefer). It sopped up a large variety of spills for a cheap robot vacuum, though I wouldn't put it through that too often — its mopping pad needs to be tossed in the laundry almost every time.

Roborock's color-coded home map is consistently the most streamlined of all the robot vacuum apps I've tried, and the user experience with the Q10 S5+ is no different. The initial smart mapping run itself is highly accurate, though the Q10 S5+ can adjust its cleaning path on a whim if an obstacle like a charging cord or pet waste pops up. Unlike the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 (that was previously in this spot in my list), this Roborock has automatic carpet detection that tells the botvac to lift the mops to keep carpets and rugs dry.

Not everyone wants a $1,000 robot vacuum that can mop. Not only do those expensive bots come with an oversized dock, but they're overkill for lots of users, both in terms of price and feature set. For folks who live in apartments and smaller homes, the self-emptying Eufy C10 is sized (and priced) just right.

Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth tested this vacuum.

Compared to the flagship robot vacuums we're used to testing, the Eufy C10 suffers in comparison. But for its price, it offers everything you need to keep floors clean without regular elbow grease, including self-emptying. This bot reminds us of older ultra-thin Eufy models, and we like its compact self-emptying station, which can hold 60 days of dust and debris. Plus, its ultra-thin 2.85-inch size helps it navigate in tight spaces.

Unfortunately, this bot's 4,000 Pa suction power is pretty meager (especially compared to the 3i G10+), and its edge cleaning needs improvement. Still, Eufy robot vacuums have always had strong mapping capabilities, as well as a user-friendly app.

UPDATE: iRobot filed for bankruptcy on Dec. 15, and has been acquired by Roomba manufacturer Picea. While Roombas are still available to buy like usual, I would recommend deprioritizing a Roomba in your robot vacuum search. There are robot vacuums with better features at better prices out there, and with iRobot's rocky future now layered in, even the best Roomba vacuums aren't worth it.

If you're someone who would simply prefer true Roomba street cred, the Roomba 105 series has a variety of models that would be solid for a small space with relatively light foot traffic.

There are four versions total to customize your purchase based on your home's needs: a standalone mopping and non-mopping version, and a self-emptying mopping and non-mopping version. They all have huge discounts quite often, dropping both standalone models below $200 and both self-emptying models below $300.

There's no reason to still consider the outdated Roomba 694 or Roomba i5 when the new Roomba 105 exists. iRobot finally made some value-packed updates to the affordable end of the Roomba spectrum after years of charging way too much for cheap Roombas that couldn't compete with budget-friendly vacuum cleaners from other brands.

The biggest difference between the i5 to the 105 in suction power: The Roomba 105 has 60 times the suction of older 600 series Roombas (think Roomba 694 or Roomba 675) while the Roomba i5 has just 10 times the power of the 600 series. This translates to 7,000 Pa in suction power for the 105, a metric that iRobot never used before 2025. That suction power boost was evident in practice: On my apartment's hard floors, the Roomba 105 nearly perfectly cleared kitty litter, protein powder, and spilled seasoning like garlic salt. All but one or two heavier pieces of dry cat food were sucked up, which the 694 just pushed around. On rugs, most loose crumbs and surface fuzzies were grabbed, though embedded cat fur still needed the oomph of a stick vacuum.

The other big update involves the circular laser tower atop this Roomba. iRobot finally made the switch to LiDAR-based smart mapping with its 2025 Roombas. That ultimately means faster, more precise room mapping, despite the new Roomba Home app somehow feeling older and clunkier than the original one. Either way, the Roomba 105 successfully made it to my selected rooms and zones almost every time.