We’ve compiled the best deals on robot vacuums ahead of Black Friday from brands like iRobot, Shark, and Ecovacs. Here are the ones to grab as of Nov. 3:

The eufy RoboVac 11S is super slim and well-suited for hardwood floors — $137.98 ~~$229.99~~ (save $92)
The iRobot Roomba 694, complete with app and voice control compatibility, has previously dipped below $200 this season — $249 ~~$274~~ (save $25)
The Shark IQ with Self-Empty Base offers reliable suction and automatic dirt disposal for under $500 — $426.99 ~~$599.99~~ (save $173)
The self-emptying iRobot Roomba j7+ just came out in Sept. 2020 and doesn’t eat cords — $699 ~~$849.99~~ (save $150.99)

Make room, pastel appliances and 4K TVs: Robot vacuums are a hot Black Friday item, too. And features like specific room targeting and automatic emptying aren’t reserved for the Roomba budget anymore.

In 2021, we saw a particularly high number of new launches from brands like Ecovacs and Roborock (as well as iRobot, of course). Whether these new models go on sale themselves or prompt serious discounts for previous releases, we expect Black Friday 2021 to be great time to buy a robot vacuum.

You don’t even have to wait until Nov. 26. Prices from brands like iRobot, Shark, and Eufy have been dipping more and more since the beginning of October, with retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Target touting pre-holiday deals.

Pop back to this list each week to see what’s on sale ahead of Black Friday.

Robot vacuums under $200:

Credit: eufy

Our pick: eufy RoboVac 11s

$137.98 at Amazon (save $92)

Why we like it:

Previously listed at $159, Amazon has recently dropped the 11s down to $137.98, which is the lowest price we’ve see for Black Friday thus far. (It should be mentioned though that the all-time low price for this robot vacuum was $129.99, which we saw during Prime Day back in June.) Since it can’t be connected to WiFi and thus lacks an app, this robot vacuum is a great pick for anyone who wants to play in this arena but who may not be the most tech savvy. Instead, a remote control lets you set schedules and cleaning patterns. As a bonus, the built-in BoostIQ technology automatically uses extra power on especially dirty areas without you having to tell it to.

More robot vacuums under $200:

~~Yeedi K600 Robot Vacuum~~ — ~~$89.99~~ ~~$129.99 (save $40)~~
Ecovacs Deebot 500 Robot Vacuum — $158.99 ~~$279.99~~ (save $121)
Eufy Robovac 15C Max Robot Vacuum — $175.99 ~~$279.99~~ (save $104)
Tzumi ionVac SmartClean V4–Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum — $199 ~~$399.99~~ (save $200.99)

Robot vacuums under $500

Credit: Shark

Our pick: Shark IQ Self-Empty Base Robot Vacuum

$449.99 at Amazon (save $150)

Why we like it:

Shark’s most spacious self-emptying vacuum has about half the dirt capacity of the priciest Roomba, but with this deal, you could get three Shark RV1001AE vacs for the price of one Roomba s9+. Plus, powerful suction, reliable navigation with specific room targeting, and a self-cleaning brushroll aren’t features you can typically get near the $300 price point.

More robot vacuums under $500:

Yeedi Vac Robot Vacuum — $209.99 ~~$299.99~~ (save $90)
iRobot Roomba 694 — $249 ~~$274~~ (save $25)
Roborock E4 Robot Vacuum — $269.99 ~~$299.99~~ (save $30)
Shark AV993 IQ Robot Vacuum — $339.99 ~~$379.99~~ (save $40)
iRobot Roomba i3 Robot Vacuum — $348.30 ~~$399.99~~ (save $51.69)
Neato Robotics D8 Robot Vacuum — $399 ~~$599.99~~ (save $200.99)
iRobot Roomba j7 Robot Vacuum — $492.99 ~~$649.99~~ (save $157)

Robot vacuums under $800

Credit: iRobot

Our pick: iRobot Roomba j7+ with Automatic Dirt Disposal

$699 at Amazon (save $150.99)

Why we like it:

The new face in town is the Roomba j7+. Just released in Sept. 2021, the j7+ is 18% off (baby’s first discount) weeks ahead of Black Friday. The glow-up consists of Genius Technology and PrecisionVision Navigation to avoid obstacles that were previously problem-causers, like pet waste and cords. The j7+ also self-empties.

Robot vacuums under $1,000 (and really nice)

Credit: iRobot

Our pick: iRobot Roomba s9+ with Automatic Dirt Disposal

$949 at Amazon (save $350.99)

Why we like it

The s9+ is the currently the only Roomba with a flat edge. This means that it adds meticulous wall-follow behavior to the route it has customized for each room of your home. The noise it makes is hard to ignore, but is simultaneously evidence of how hard it’s working to loosen that stepped-on grime in your carpets. Its self-emptying station holds at least two months of debris.

Robot vacuum and mop hybrids and dedicated robot mops

Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo N8 Pro+ robot vacuum

Credit: ecovacs

Our pick: Ecovacs Deebot N8 Pro+ Robot Vacuum and Mop with Self-Empty Station

$699.99 at Amazon (save $150.99)

Why we like it:

A price drop and sizable extra coupon bring this self-emptying hybrid to $499.99, just $10 above its lowest price in Amazon history. The Deebot N8 Pro+ includes fundamental smart upgrades like LiDAR mapping and virtual boundaries for more precise navigation. It also has sensors that avoid carpets while mopping and can recognize small objects that cheaper vacs usually trip over.

More hybrids and robot mops on sale:

~~Roborock E4 Robot Vacuum and Mop~~ — ~~$249.99~~ ~~$379.99 (save $130)~~
Bissell SpinWave Hard Floor Expert 2-in-1 Vacuum and Mop — $299.99 ~~$399.99~~ (save $100)
~~Yeedi Vac Station Robot Mop with Self Empty~~ — ~~$399.99~~ ~~$499.99 (save $100)~~
Roborock S6 Pure Robot Vacuum and Mop — $459.99 ~~$599.99~~ (save $140 with coupon)

Are robot vacuums worth it?

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 off of 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 robovac that doesn’t do the job right — scattering dust, bumping into walls, getting stuck on area rugs — is completely missing the point and will actually create more work for you.

What to consider when buying a robot vacuum

Suction power: A vacuum is the one purchase that you hope sucks a lot. Suction power is typically measured in Pascals (Pa), ranging between 600 Pa to 2,500 Pa. Stronger sucking will be needed to pick up heavier pieces of debris (be sure to set up a barrier around Legos) and to pull matted-down pet hair from rugs.
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.
Home 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.
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.
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 150 minutes, which translate to about 500 and 2,600 square feet covered on one charge.
App control: WiFi-enabled robot vacuums can be synced with a smartphone app to control scheduling, manual start, 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.