Roomba Alternatives – Best and Cheapest Options

Are you in the market for a new robot vacuum? Surely you have heard of the famous iRobot Roomba brand, and chances are you have looked into their robots to see if you could find one that suits your home and your budget.

Rombas are great robots, but their prices may not be so great. There are many automatic robots out there that are comparable to Roombas but cheaper, and today we are going to review the five best Roomba alternatives.

Best Roomba Alternatives

The Shark IQ Robot™ Vacuum R101AEW is a self-emptying, WiFi capable robot vacuum that is much lower than the price of comparable Roomba models.

The shark IQ Robot vacuum is quite similar to Roomba models, such as the i7 plus and the S9 Plus. The shark IQ robot is compatible with a self empty base that allows the robots to empty itself for up to 30 days.

This Robot vacuum also features Shark's dirt-engaging technology that enables the robot to clean carpet and hard floors intensively, so much so that it can pick up pet hair.

Quite a few of the Roomba robots on the higher end of the scale are capable of mapping your home, and so is the shark IQ Roberts vacuum.

The robot can map your home so it can identify areas where it's been, areas where it needs to go, and areas where it needs to resume after it is fully charged.

This Eufy RoboVac 30C Max robot has quite a lot to offer for the price it's being sold at. This robot has features comparable to budget option Roomba devices like the Roomba 675 or 690. Like all Roomba robots, it also has WiFi capabilities.

Like Roomba models that are compatible with the virtual wall barrier, the Eufy RoboVac 30C Max robots are compatible with boundary strips that can be used to restrict areas that the robots should not access.

The Roborock S6 is similar to Roombas that have mapping features like the Roomba i7+ and the Roomba s9+. The Roborock S6 Robot Vacuum is able to recognize different levels of your home using LiDAR.

It goes a step further to recognize and understand floorplans without you even having to open the Roborock app.
The order in which the robot cleans is entirely up to you as you can customize the sequence in which the rooms are cleaned.

Like the keep-out zones of the i7+ and the s9+, you can create invisible walls for the Roborock s6 robot to prevent it from entering certain areas in your home.

The Roomba i7+ and s9+ both have Imprint Link Technology that allows them to tag the Braava Jet m6 robot in after they are finished with vacuuming, and the m6 will start to mop.

The Roborock s6 is compatible with a mop unit that can be attached to the robot, transforming it into a mop as well.

The Roborock is not exactly cheap, but it is still around 100 bucks cheaper than comparable Roombas.

The Ecovacs DEEBOT OZMO 920 is a revolutionary device with some features that are quite similar to the higher-end Roomba devices and some that are not found in Roombas like its pressure retention system. This high-pressure retention system ensures high vacuum pressure by optimizes energy efficiency.

Similarly to the s9 and the i7, the Ecovac DEEBOT has smart-mapping and navigational technology. The OZMO 920 uses lasers to map your home for an efficient clean.

It is capable of Multi-floor mapping so it will clean each level differently, and you can customize where the robot should clean similarly to the Keep Out Zones on the i7 and s9 models.

This feature is called custom mode on the Ecovac DEEBOT OZMO 920. The i7 and s9 models from Roomba can tag in the Braava m6 jet robots to mop after they are finished vacuuming, but the DEEBOT OZMO 920 takes it a step further. The robot is able to mop and vacuum at the same time because it has a water reservoir.

The Ecovac DEEBOT OZMO 920 is comparable to the Roomba s9, with the exception of the ability to empty itself but is around $200 cheaper.

The DEEBOT N79 is the best budget option on our list today. It is cheaper than the budget options from Roomba, like the e5 and the 675 models.

These Roomba models are comparable in some ways, but they are a bit better in others, such as their compatibility with the dual-mode virtual wall barrier and their capability to handle pet hair.

The DEEBOT N79 is able to adjust its cleaning power based on the surface it has to clean. Similarly to the Roomba budget options, the DEEBOT N79 utilizes a 3-stage cleaning system that sweeps, lifts, and vacuums in a single pass.
It is also capable of cleaning edges and corners and focuses on hard to clean areas like the dirt detect feature of Roombas.

It has a high-efficiency filter and sensors that keep it away from objects and stairs. As a budget option device, it is around 50 bucks cheaper than the budget option Roomba devices. It is also WiFi compatible

What does a Roomba cost and why do people love them

Great for pet hair

Most Roomba devices have flexible rubber brushes that clean pet hair without getting them tangled. Some models are also equipped with a high-efficiency filter that filters out 99% of pet allergens.

WiFi compatible and can be scheduled and controlled remotely

All the Roomba devices are compatible with the iRobot home app. You can schedule your Roombas cleaning runs from the iRobot application.

Long history

iRobot is an industry leader in this niche because they are the first company to produce automatic robot vacuums. iRobot has been around for many decades, and they have developed an excellent reputation with its customers. The quality of Roomba's devices is world-renowned, so many people trust them.

Most innovative features

They have made enormous strides in robot vacuuming innovation. Roomba was the first company to introduce self-cleaning robots to the market.

Wide price range

The Roomba product price range is quite broad, and many product options are available. You can choose from budget options to high-end luxury models.

Functional design

The small form factor of Roomba vacuums allows for them to be both aesthetically appealing and functional. The low profile robots can clean under objects in hard to reach places.

How to choose a Roomba alternative

Price

One of the biggest reasons why you would want a Roomba alternative is the cost. Try to find alternatives with the features you need but in the price range you want.

Brand

Even though you are looking for cheaper alternatives, you do not want to waste your money buying a product that will not perform or last. Try to stick to the following market-proven brands: Shark, eufy, Roborock, ECOVACS, ILIFE, GOOVI, Pure Clean, neato

Mapping technology

Roomba devices that are more costly have Mapping Technology, but you can find this useful feature in cheaper alternatives

WiFi Connectivity

Try to ensure that you choose an alternative that is WiFi compatible so that you can control the device remotely.

Runtime

A long runtime is essential, you do not want a robot that can only operate for a few minutes. If you can find a robot vacuum with the recharge and resume feature, that is even better.

Recharge and Resume Cleaning

This feature may not be available in most alternatives, especially budget options, but it is best to find one with this feature. This feature will ensure that all of your home is cleaned regardless of the size.

Self-emptying bin capacity

The larger the self-cleaning bin capacity, the longer you can wait before you need to take out the trash. Keep that in mind, when making your purchase.

Virtual wall barriers/ barrier strips

These strips and barriers keep the robots out of unwanted places and make it easier to control your robot. Make sure your choice has something like this if it does not have something similar to Roombas keep out zones.

Cheaper Roomba Alternatives

The best Roomba budget options are the Roomba e5 and the Roomba 675 models. These devices are WiFi compatible and are compatible with the dual-mode virtual barrier. These devices range from $250 to $280. The GOOVI by ONSON 1600Pa WiFi Robotic Vacuum Cleaner comes in cheaper under $190 with comparable features.

Roomba alternatives with virtual wall barrier capabilities

Here are two Goovi budget options with this feature in the form of barrier strips:

• GOOVI by ONSON 1600Pa WiFi Robotic Vacuum Cleaner
• GOOVI by ONSON Robot Vacuum, 2000Pa Robotic Vacuum Cleaner

Roomba alternatives with multiple room mapping

Multiple room mapping allows the vacuum to develop the most efficient path to clean each room, so it gets the job done me more efficiently. The Neato Robotics Botvac D7, Neato Botvac D4, and Roborock S6 are all Roomba alternatives that have this capability.

Mopping Capabilities

The Roomba i7 and s9 robots have link technology that allows them to trigger your m6 jet to start mopping after they are finished with vacuuming. There are a few Roomba alternatives that double as a mop such as the Roborock S6 and the ILIFE V5s Pro

Do you want a vacuum that has the self-emptying bin feature?

The Roomba i7 and s9 models are compatible with their Clean Base Dirt Disposal unit so they can automatically empty themselves. iRobot was one of the first companies to come up with this feature. Currently, the Shark IQ Robot Vacuum R101AEW has this feature as well.