Best Cheap Vacuums for 2025: Our Best Lab-Tested Performers for Less Than $300

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Life is expensive enough and recent tariffs on home appliances aren't helping. It seems every new cordless and robot vacuum costs upward of $500, with some of the most expensive Dyson models costing as much as $1,000. That's why I spent hundreds of hours reviewing, testing, analyzing data and checking prices on more than 100 cordless and robot vacuums. My goal is to find you a list of the best vacuums at the best cost-to-value. Here's my list of the six best cheap and affordable vacuums for less than $300.

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What's the new best cheap vacuum?

After testing 34 vacuum cleaners, our CNET experts have crowned the Levoit LVAC-200 as the best cheap cordless vacuum cleaner overall, replacing the largely unavailable Tineco A11 Hero. It offers impressive suction power to tackle those stubborn bits that cling to your floors. It worked great on hard flooring and carpeting alike. The budget cordless vacuum has a lightweight design and can even double as a handheld vacuum for spot cleaning or tackling furniture, making it perfect for shoppers looking for high performance without the premium price tag.

For those who prefer a more hands-off cleaning solution, we recommend the Eufy RoboVac 25C. It's our top budget robot vacuum, with prices dropping as low as $115 during sales. Its consistent performance across different floor types has earned it a place on our best vacuum list.

Check out our complete list of budget-friendly vacuums and robot vacuums below. As new models become available, we'll continue updating this list with fresh tested picks.

Best 6 cheap vacuum cleaners for 2025

Pros

  • Usually costs less than $200
  • Excellent performance across flooring types including hardwood and carpet
  • Five-stage filter and replaceable battery

Cons

  • 25 minute runtime is on the shorter side
  • Included attachments are limited

Best for:

The Levoit LVAC-200 is the best cheap vacuum. At just $200 at full price and $150 on sale, it offers excellent bang for the buck and easily earned a spot on our list thanks to its strong overall performance.

Why we recommend it:

The LVAC-200 is an extremely capable vacuum on hard flooring, sucking up 98.7% of sand, a score that put it at a narrow second only to the Dust Devil BD5700V. It also handled low-pile carpet with ease, suctioning 80.2% of sand. Mid-pile was a bit more of a challenge, with 74% of sand removed, but this is still very impressive (we consider anything above 50% to be good).

A feature typically found on more expensive cordless vacs is LED lights on the front of the vacuum head to help ensure you don’t miss a speck of dust. The Levoit LVAC-200 also comes with a two-in-one crevice tool and a two-in-one pet tool to help clean up any mess, although it would have been nice to have some additional attachments for cleaning upholstery or digging deeper into carpet for pet hair.

This unit doesn't have a HEPA filter but it does use a five-stage filtration system, capturing 99.9% of particles as small as 0.3 microns. The battery is also user-replaceable and additional packs can be purchased from Levoit for $70.

Who shouldn't buy it:

If you need a long-lasting battery life, the LVAC-200 may not be the best option. It lasted only 25 minutes during our testing, despite the claim of up to 50 minutes. We ran it continuously on medium settings and averaged the results of three scores. If you need a longer battery life, we like the Tineco Pure One S11, though it'll cost you nearly double the price.

Pros

  • Budget-friendly
  • Good on most flooring types
  • Performs as well as much pricier models

Cons

  • Extremely slow
  • No real navigation system

Best for:

While "you get what you pay for" is frequently true, with the Anker Eufy RoboVac 25C, the low price doesn’t tell the entire story. In our testing of this device, we found it performs very well, putting up scores that aren’t too far off from more expensive models. What is the current asking price? Just $115 at Walmart

Why we recommend it:

You might not expect sufficient cleaning power from a budget-priced robot vacuum, but that's precisely what the Anker Eufy RoboVac 25C delivers. For instance, its ability to scour sand from hardwood floors (78.9%) wasn't too far below some of our midrange robot vacuums. On low- and mid-pile carpets as well, the RoboVac 25C managed to suck up averages of 54% and 52% of sand from them, respectively.
To keep costs down, it uses a simple bump-and-change direction navigation method, which extends cleaning time to about 91 minutes in testing to clean a single room. Despite the longer time, the cleaning performance makes it a great value.

Who shouldn't buy it:

Those who require a fast and efficient cleaning process. Due to its basic navigation, it bounces around rather than mapping the area, which leads to significantly longer cleaning times. If speed is a priority, this model may not be suitable.

Pros

  • Usually cheaper than competitors
  • Excellent hardwood performance at 99% pickup
  • Removed pet hair from hard flooring easily

Cons

  • Small dustbin at 0.48 liters
  • Battery runtime on the shorter side at 23.5 minutes tested
  • Battery not replaceable

Best for:

For households primarily featuring hardwood floors, the Dirt Devil BD5700V stands out, having achieved one of the highest removal rates observed during testing. It successfully cleared almost all of the sand from hardwood surfaces and is offered at a full retail price of only $150. The only point keeping it from claiming the top budget spot is its somewhat average performance on carpeting compared with the Levoit LVAC-200.

Why we recommend it:

The Dirt Devil BD5700V is easily recognizable by its classic bright red highlights and remarkably lightweight construction. Weighing a mere 7 pounds, it's easy to move throughout the home while still providing strong suction power. Its efficiency was most evident in the test measuring a cordless vacuum's ability to extract sand from hard floors, where it eliminated an impressive 99%. Pet hair removal on hardwood was also successful, leaving no traces. Performance on carpet was good, falling short of the Levoit LVAC-200. The BD5700V was able to remove 69% of sand from low-pile and 70% from mid-pile carpets. Pet hair performance isn't as strong with pet fur remaining embedded in the carpet after several passes.

This Dirt Devil vacuum can stand upright and has LED lights on the main cleaning head, a feature not always included with more budget-friendly cordless models. While it lacks a HEPA filter, its filter is washable.

A significant advantage is its price. At $150 without any discounts, the Dirt Devil is $50 less expensive than the LVAC-200 when both are at their regular price.
Who shouldn't buy it:
If your residence has a lot of carpeting, the BD5700V may not be the ideal choice. Although it performed reasonably well on carpet, managing 69% sand removal on low-pile and 70.1% on mid-pile carpets, there are better options in its price range. Spending an extra $50 at full price for the Levoit LVAC-200 delivers better results in both carpet categories, 80% and 74%, respectively, while still performing remarkably well on hardwood at 98.7%. The dustbin size is relatively small at 0.48 liters, necessitating more frequent emptying during cleaning. Also, the battery isn't designed for easy user replacement.

Pros

  • Powerful and compact
  • Very affordable

Cons

  • Noisy
  • Short battery life
  • Can't use for cleaning floors

Best for:

Dirt Devil’s Grab & Go Plus is compact and has a comfortable design that makes it easy to hold while cleaning up small messes around the house, car, office or wherever else you need to make a quick clean-up. However, don’t let this handheld vacuum’s diminutive size and low price fool you. It is far more capable than either of those factors might lead you to believe.

Why we recommend it:

We put all 75 watts of cleaning power to work in our tests, with an overall average score of 68.3% picking up sand from our test surfaces (95.6% on hardwood, 53.6% on the low-pile carpet and 55.8% on the mid-pile carpet). The Dirt Devil Grab & Go Plus includes a two-in-one dusting brush and crevice tool to help you get into smaller spaces, as well as a charging stand to keep your vacuum charged and ready to go. The biggest drawback to the Grab & Go Plus is that it can be a bit on the noisy side. So keep that in mind when cleaning up a mess while others may be sleeping or watching a movie.

Who shouldn't buy it:

If you need a cordless vacuum to clean your floors, the Grab & Go Plus isn't for you. It's designed for handheld use and for cleaning your car and upholstery.

Pros

  • Strong performance on hardwood and carpet (averaging 90% sand removal)
  • 40-minute battery life
  • Includes four-stage HEPA filter
  • Has a smart sensor for dirt detection

Cons

  • Expensive at $300
  • No self-emptying

Best for:

The Tineco Pure One S11 is the most expensive cheap cordless vacuum we recommend, but for good reason. Priced at $300, it's right at the edge of the line between cheap and midrange. It offers excellent performance on hardwood floors and carpet alike, and comes with some smart features that put it a step above many competitors.

Why we recommend it:

The Pure One S11 has performance that puts it on par with some of the best vacuums we've tested. It scores nearly 99% on sand removal from hardwood floors, similar to the Dirt Devil BD5700V. It did great on low-pile carpet, scoring 93.4% sand removal. More plush, mid-pile carpet proved to be more of a challenge, but it still did quite well, scoring 78.4% removal. For reference, we consider anything above 50% to be good.

Battery life is also quite good. We tested it to 42.5 minutes of cleaning time, which isn't as long as you get on high-end vacuum models like the Dyson Gen 5 Detect (70 minutes) or Shark Stratos (60 minutes), but it's still a longer battery life than both the Levoit LVAC-200 (25 minutes) and Dirt Devil BD5700V (23.5 minutes).

It comes with a four-stage HEPA filter that removes 99.97% of allergens to 0.3 microns, and is unique for cordless vacuums in this price range; it has a dust-detecting smart sensor that automatically adjusts suction power to bust dirt better. The dustbin is 0.6 liters, giving you some breathing room before needing to empty. It also comes with a variety of attachments, including an LED power brush, mini power brush, two-in-one dusting brush, crevice tool, pre-filter cleaning tool and hair cleaning tool. There's also a wall-mounted dock.

Who shouldn't get it:

At $300, the Pure One S11 is twice as expensive as the Dirt Devil BD5700V, which offers similar performance on hardwood. It's also $100 more expensive than our best overall, the Levoit LVAC-200, which tested well on all surface types. Unless you're keen on the smart features or Tineco has a sale, you'll get similar performance from competitors.

Pros

  • Very affordable, usually less than $100 on sale
  • Excellent hardwood performance with 99% sand pickup
  • Large 1.3 liter dustbin
  • Lightweight, weighs just 3.3 pounds
  • Includes washable HEPA filter

Cons

  • Subpar carpet performance (41% low pile, 52% midpile)
  • Five hour charging time
  • Limited cleaning attachments

Best for:

If you're on a very tight budget, the Moosoo XL-618A gives you solid performance for the price. At $170 full price and currently $79 on sale at Walmart, it's one of the few good cordless vacuums you can get for less than $100. It offers excellent hardwood performance and decent carpet performance, making it more than sufficient to keep your place clean.

Why we recommend it:

The Moosoo XL-618A is one of our best performers on hardwood flooring, picking up 99% of sand during our lab testing. This matches the Dust Devil BD5700V for hardwood pickup, although carpet performance isn't as strong. It struggles with low-pile carpet, picking up just 41% of the sand, but does quite a bit better with midpile, getting 52%. For reference, with carpet we consider anything above 50% to be good.

It has other features we like, including an LED headlight that makes spotting dust easier. The 1.3 liter dustbin is particularly impressive. It's one of the biggest capacities we've seen on a cordless vacuum, meaning you should be able to go a couple sessions before needing to empty. It's especially impressive considering the vacuum is just 3.3 pounds, making it the same weight as the LVAC-200. It also comes with a washable HEPA filter which is rare for this price range.

The battery runtime is middle of the pack at 30 to 35 minutes, depending on how much suction you're using. That's about average for cordless vacuums (higher end models can last an hour), but very good for one this affordable. Lastly, it stands upright on its own, which is a nice touch as you can leave it unattended if you need to take care of something else around your home.

Who shouldn't get it:
If you have a lot of carpeting at home, you'll want to pick something with higher carpet pickup, like our best overall, the Levoit LVAC-200. It has two cleaning attachments counting the main brush head, but it lacks a crevice cleaning tool which seems like a big oversight. The one-year warranty is standard for cheaper vacuums, but if you want more peace of mind you'll need to spend more on a Shark that comes with a five-year warranty. Last, it takes five hours to charge to full, making the omission of a charging dock a bit harder to stomach.

April 2025: We eliminated our testing that evaluated the ability of a cordless vacuum to pick up black rice from hardwood and carpet because almost every vacuum was scoring near 100%. We removed the Tineco A11 Hero and Lubluelu 009 because they are out of stock from most retailers. We removed the IonVac SmartClean 2000 because it underperformed in testing compared with the Eufy Robovac 25C. We added the Levoit LVAC-200 as our new best overall pick and Editors' Choice, replacing the Tineco A11. We added the Dirt Devil BD5700V as the best cheap vacuum for hardwood and the Tineco Pure One S11 as the best priced at $300.

May 2025: We added the Moosoo XL-618A cordless vacuum as the best lightweight, cheap vacuum. We fleshed out pros and cons for some entries and updated some of the product cards with additional information. We also added two charts showing the test results of cordless vacuums and robot vacuums.

ManufacturerMakeModelRetail PriceWeight (lbs)Wattage (W)Suction Power (air watts)Dustbin Capacity (L)Battery Capacity (mAH)TX - Battery DurationCleaning Time (minutes)Replaceable BatteryBattery Replacement CostFilter TypeCharging DockDock TypeAdditional Brushes and AccessoriesWarranty (years)Percentage of sand removed from hardwood floorPercentage of sand removed from low-pile carpetPercentage of sand removed from mid-pile carpetOverall Sand AverageTineco Shark Moosoo Miele Tineco Dyson Dyson Greenworks Tineco Dyson Black+Decker LG Lubluelu Samsung Samsung Samsung Bissell Eureka Aposen Prosenic Cuckoo Shark Shark Dirt Devil LG Levoit Shark Ninja Shark Ninja Shark Ninja Shark Ninja Dyson Dyson Shark
Pure OneS15 Pet5006.85001200.47250040Yes90HEPAYesFree-standingAnti-Tangle Brush, Mini Power Brush, 2-in-1 Dusting Brush, Crevice Tool210088.3381.4389.92
RocketPet Pro3007.218140Yes89HEPANon/a510067.5972.4180
TC1M Cordless VacuumXL-618A109NoNon/a199.0741.352.2264.19666667
TriflexHX2749NoNon/a98.8981.3367.5682.59333333
Pure OneS114005.84501300.6250040Yes90HEPAYesWall-mountedMulti-Tasker Power Brush, Mini Power Brush, 2-in-1 Dusting Brush, Crevice Tool298.7793.3878.4390.19333333
V8Absolute412NoNon/a97.9468.352.1272.78666667
V11Torque Drive700NoNon/a99.5978.4371.5783.19666667
24V Deluxe Cordless Stick Vacuum‎SVW24L410306NoNon/a98.7285.9481.7788.81
A11Hero2605.34501200.6250040Yes80HEPAYesWall-mountedPower Brush, Mini Power Brush, 2-in-1 Dusting Brush, Crevice Tool298.4782.572.4584.47333333
V15Detect7506.82300.76285060Yes150ClothYesWall-mounted296.9395.2888.4393.54666667
PowerSeriesExtreme Max229NoNon/a98.9281.8266.2382.32333333
CordZeroThinQNoNon/a97.1280.8867.9781.99
23Kpa Cordless Vacuum CleanerKB-H00999.992250.845HEPANon/a95.6566.6759.273.84
Jet756006.25502000.8285060Yes150HEPAYesWall-mountedTurbo Brush, Long-Reach Crevice Tool, Combination Tool, Flex Tool198.6190.5678.8989.35333333
Jet906506.25502000.8285060Yes150HEPAYesFree-standingTurbo Brush, Combo Brush, Soft Action Brush, Mini Powered Brush, Long-Reach Crevice Tool, Flex Tool193.0585.7197.7392.16333333
BespokeJet8995.77002100.5285060Yes150HEPAYesWall-mounted294.8781.2577.0884.4
IconPet Turbo31781366NoNon/a89.7466.1654.0469.98
RapidClean ProNEC186155NoNon/a94.4464.8160.3773.20666667
Cordless 4-in-1 Stick VacuumH22S124NoNon/a67.0927.9537.6744.23666667
P11 Lite139.994.71800.55220036YesHEPAYesFree-standingWall mount, 2 in 1 brush, crevice brush292.7545.9848.2862.33666667
A1410NW349.996.84001400.6200033Yes70.93HEPAYesFree-standingBedding Brush, 2 in 1 Brush, Crevice Tool, Dusting Brush, Flex extension pipe, Accessory holder189.7479.880.3183.28333333
Pet IX141H259.997.631810.7840HEPANoFree-standingpet multi tool, wide upholstery tool, duster crevice tool588.8983.8284.3185.67333333
Power Direct Clean & Empty 499.9918.484500.74375026Yes54.99HEPAYesFree-standingDuster Crevice tool, Pet Multi tool 596.1590.188.0291.42333333
DB57000V199.9971500.48250023.5NoOtherNoFree-standing2-in-1 Crevice Tool & Dusting Brush,Upholstery Tool298.7769.1270.179.33
CordZero A9 Kompressor749.997.054002651384010.5Yes113.95ClothYesFree-standingPower mop Pro nozzle, 2 quick release batteries, Combination tool, Crevice tool, extra filter, Power mini nozzle 195.0687.7586.7689.85666667
LVAC-200199.993.2180700.75220025Yes69.99OtherNon/a2 in 1 crevice tool, 2 in 1 Pet tool 298.7280.2173.9684.29666667
Pet Pro (red) UZ351H2997.921810.7840HEPANoFree-standingcrevice tool and dusting brush91.3681.4780.3984.40666667
VERTEXIZ492H379.9928160HEPANon/aflex wand, duster crevice tool, upholstery tool597.5378.4380.3985.45
Pet Plus (blue)IZ361H329.997.941810.32HEPANoFree-standingmulti-angle dusting brush, pet multi tool, wide upholstery tool593.8389.7184.3189.28333333
Stratos AI499.998.93090.6860YesHEPAYesFree-standingduster crevice tool and anti-allergen dusting brush597.2293.8994.4495.18333333
Gen5 Detect949.997.723500.7570HEPANoFree-standingCombination tool, Built-in dusting and crevice tool, Hair screw tool, Digital Motorbar cleaner head, Fluffy Optic cleaner head295.465.366.6775.79
Detect SubmarineV15s799.998.312000.7560HEPAYesWall-mountedSubmarine wet roller cleaner head, Combination tool, Digital Motorbar cleaner head, Hair Screw tool, Fluffy Optic cleaner head, Crevice tool291.3684.874.0283.39333333
Clean and Empty 2025 IP3251499.997.963800.7HEPAYesFree-standing565.3888.5485.9479.95333333

Dyson

Dyson V8 Absolute: The V8 Absolute is one of the more affordable Dyson vacuums you can buy. Normally $520 at full price, it's currently on sale for $350. That still makes it more expensive than most of the vacuums on this list. In testing, it did great on hardwood, removing nearly 98% of sand, but it didn't do as hot on carpet. The Absolute was able to remove 68.3% of sand from low-pile and 52% from midpile, falling short of many competitors, including the Levoit LVAC-200 and Shark Stratos.

Shark

Shark Rocket Pet Pro: Typically retailing for less than $350, the Shark Rocket Pet Pro remains a solid budget option, provided you can find it in stock. It offers excellent cleaning performance with crumbs and other small bits of debris on hardwood floors and satisfactory pickup power on carpets and with dust. It features HEPA filtration and a self-cleaning, anti-tangle brush head (helpful for preventing pet hair clogs) and converts to a convenient handheld cleaner when needed.

Tineco

Tineco A11 Hero (Update: Out of stock): The Tineco A11 Hero is no longer available, but it was a solid and reasonably affordable cordless vacuum when we tested it, earning a spot as best overall on our list. It scores 98.5% removing sand from hardwood, 82.5% from low-pile and 72.5% from midpile. It's traded shots with the Tineco Pure One S11 and S15 Pet in terms of performance and value. When cleaning up pet hair, barely a trace of the material remained after the machine vacuumed mid-pile carpeting and hardwood floors. Some strands were left visible when traveling across our low-pile test carpet. Mid-pile carpeting usually causes more problems for vacuums, but the Tineco A11’s solid battery life delivers up to 35 minutes of uninterrupted run time.The A11 series design looks nice and is functional, with a dustbin that's easy to completely empty. There's also a handy trigger lock lever to keep the vacuum running without constant finger pressure. The Tineco A11 ships with some helpful accessories, including a power brush, a mini power brush, a two-in-one dusting brush and a crevice tool for versatile cleaning.

Other brands

Moosoo XL-618: It wasn't a strong performer in our toughest tests, but the Mooso XL-618 proved perfectly capable of basic cleaning, particularly with crumbs and on hardwood floors. It also converts to a handheld vacuum that you can use to clean your car or furniture. Frequently on sale for under $80, the XL-618 is about as inexpensive as cordless vacuums get. If you're willing to sacrifice some cleaning power to save some cash, it's worth a look.

Bissell IconPet Turbo: Designed for tackling pet hair, the Bissel IconPet Turbo offers solid overall performance for a reasonable $199. It did reasonably well in testing, scoring 89.7% in sand removal from hardwoood, 66% from low-pile carpet and 54% from midpile. However, despite the reasonable price and decent performance, it was outperformed by our value picks, the Levoit LVAC-200 and Dirt Devil BD5700V.

Eureka RapidClean Pro: The RapidClean Pro from Eureka is another affordable cordless stick vacuum that you can get for under $200. It offers generally solid performance, removing 94% sand from hardwood, 64.8% from low-pile and 60% from midpile. However, like many vacuums in this price range, it's edged out in performance by other picks that earn a spot on our best list.

Aposen Cordless 4-in-1 H22SL:(Update: Out of Stock) This is another affordable cordless vacuum that's no longer in stock. It's also not one we recommended due to its subpar performance in most categories. It only scored 67% sand removal from hardwood and did even worse on carpet, with 28% from low-pile and 37.6% from midpile. You can do much better for the price.

Lubluelu 009 (Update: Currently Out of Stock): At a very budget-friendly $85, the Lubluelu 009 is an easy recommendation for those looking to save some cash and still get some cleaning done without dragging around a cord. The stick vac did a commendable job by picking up 96% (on average) of our test sand from hardwood. On low-pile carpets, that figure dropped to a very respectable 66.7%. The Lubluelu 009 even fared well cleaning up the thicker mid-pile carpet, earning a higher sand pickup average of 59.2%. For pet owners or those who share a home with a long-haired human, the V-shaped brush design does a good job of avoiding tangles. But the Lubluelu 009 did have some issues getting all the pet dander from the carpets.

Prosenic P11 Lite: The Prosenic P11 Lite was a cordless vacuum that would have earned a spot on our list if its performance for carpeted floors was as good as hardwood. In testing, it successfully removed 92.75% of sand from hardwood, but fell significantly short on carpeting, managing just 46% on low-pile carpet and 48% on mid-pile carpet. For reference, anything below 50% we don't consider very good. Despite being an affordable $160 at full price, we can't recommend the Prosenic when you can get better performance from the Levoit LVAC-200 and Dirt Devil BD5700V.

ManufacturerMakeModelRetail PriceWeight (lbs.)Width (in.)Height (in.)Depth (in.)Dimensions Include Dock?Mode of NavigationWireless ConnectivityApp ControlsPlatform CompatibilityMopping FunctionalitySelf-Emptying BinAverage Runtime (single room)Percentage of Sand Removed from Hardwood FloorPercentage of Sand Removed from Low-Pile CarpetPercentage of Sand Removed from Mid-Pile CarpetNeato Robotics iRobot Neato Robotics Anker Neato Robotics DreameTech DreameTech Roborock iRobot Roborock iRobot IonVac iRobot Samsung AirRobo DreameTech iRobot Electrolux Neato Robotics Neato Robotics Roborock Ecovacs Neato Robotics Shark iRobot Anker Ecovacs Ecovacs Greenworks Lynkbey RoboRock Ecovacs Eureka Ultenic Lubluelu Dreame Yeedi Yeedi Ecovacs Narwall Shark Dreame Eureka Anker iRobot EcoVacs Roborock Noesis Eureka Yeedi Eureka DreameTech EcoVacs Yeedi EcoVacs Eufy Roborock Roborock EcoVacs EcoVacs Monsga Narwhal Narwhal 3i 3i Eufy Roborock Roomba Yeedi 3i
NeatoD95008LiDARWi-FiYesAlexa, Google HomeNoNo1892.7157.4162.55
Roomba ComboJ7 Plus11007.513.43.413.4PrecisionVisionWi-FiYesAlexa, Google Assistant, IFTTT, Siri ShortcutsYesYes1510061.959.86
NeatoD8400812.7413.2NoLiDARWi-Fi, BluetoothYesAlexa, Google HomeNoNo90.6947.8455.69
EufyRobovac 25C2505.2132.913NoCollision sensorWi-FiYesAlexa, Google HomeNoNo78.8953.5152.22
NeatoD1060012.7413.2NoLiDARWi-Fi, BluetoothYesAlexa, Google HomeNoNo1791.3559.6755.56
DreameBotD10S Plus5007.214414NoLaserWiFiYesAlexa, Siri, Google Assistant YesYes17.68557.8249.66
DreameBotD10 Plus50022.314.818.317.2YesLiDARWi-FiYesAlexaYesYes2396.4954.6150.35
S7MAXV Ultra140028161916YesRGB camera, 3D sensor, LiDARWi-FiYesAlexa, Google Home, Siri ShortcutsYesYes1876.4958.8756.03
Roomba6942746.813.43.513.4NoCollision sensorWi-FiYesAlexa, Google HomeNoNo79.8255.3245.39
S7B08VHXZZ226508.213.83.813.9NoLiDARWi-FiYesAlexa, Google HomeYesNo92.8164.1850.35
Roombai3 Plus5501513.33.613.3NoCollision sensorWi-FiYesAlexa, Google HomeNoYes91.6758.553.06
Smart Clean20001508.812.82.912.8NoCollision sensorWi-FiYesAlexa, Google HomeNoNo78.8925.4432.89
RoombaJ7 Plus8007.513.33.413.3NoRGB camera, 3D sensorWi-FiYesAlexa, Google Home, IFTTT, Siri ShortcutsNoYes91.6758.517.01
JetBotAI Plus130029.913.83.913.8NoRGB camera, 3D sensor, LiDARWi-FiYesAlexa, Bixby, Google Home, Samsung SmartThingsNoYes85.826.9626.47
Robot Vacuum CleanerP201208.417.84.513.8NoCollision sensorWi-FiYesAlexaNoNo3747.7821.9318.42
DreameBotL10S Ultra13004019.525.516YesRGB camera, 3D sensorWi-FiYesAlexaYesYes1987.5425.1820.92
RoombaS9 Plus999.998.1512.253.512.25vSLAMYesVera, Siri, Alexa, NoYes932871
Purei9833954
Neato BotvacD7 Connected599.997.513.213.9212.56NoLIDARYesAlexa, Google Home, EchoNoNo120953647
Neato BotvacD4 Connected399.997.3713.23.912.6NoLIDARAlexa, Google, AppleNoNo923945
S5Max7.716.935.9120.08YesLiDARYesAlexaYes852841
DeebotOzmo 950130Smart Navi 3.0YesGoogle, Vera, and AlexaYes888838
Neato BotvacD6 Connected299.9913.23.912.6NoYesYesAmazon and GoogleNoNo803837
IQ1001AE599.995.8726.349.638.9YesIQYesYesAmazon and GoogleNoYes863034
Roombai7 Plus430.997.4413.33.63vSLAMWi-FiNoGoogle, Alexa, SiriYesYes75872031
Eufy Robovac11S Max2502.85NoNo712127
Deebot600349.997.6913.9413.9YesYesAlexa and Google homeNo711825
Deebot5004.412.93.07RandomYesYesAlexa and Google No110641922
GRV5011749.9924.815.53.315.5NoLaserWiFiYesYesYes1892.9844.6834.04
M20Pro1149.9941.620.4720.0819.75YesLaserWiFiYesSmart Phones YesYes2192.1646.5147.29
S8MaxV Ultra1799.9931.513.753.2513.89NoLiDARWiFiNoGoogle Home, Alexa, Siri YesYes1784.2159.5757.45
DeebotT30S Combo Family1049.9943.4321.7520.517.25YesLDS LaserWiFiYesAlexa, Google Assistant YesYes1585.1964.4466.67
NERE10S599.9923.613.83.913.8NoLiDARWiFiYesAlexa, Google Home YesYes23.564.8145.1940.74
UltenicMC1799.9930.913.943.8813.94NoLiDARWiFiYesAlexa Voice, Google HomeYesYes14.7584.2153.1933.33
SL60D125.999.712.63.612.6NoLidarWiFiYesAlexa, Google AssistantNoNo1577.7855.2636.84
X40 Ultra 1899.9928.713.2523.2516.6YesLidarWIFIYesAmazon echo, Google Home YesYes1695.2490.286.27
M12 Pro+899.9939.716.118.919.3YesLDS LaserWiFiYesYesYes1696.4954.6163.83
Cube 325.7137.815.7417.7214.76YesSLAM, Laser WiFiYesAmazon EchoYesYes2586.6734.6937.41
DeebotX2 Omni109943.212.53.713.8NoLiDARWIFIYesGoogle Assistant, Amazon EchoYesYes15.588.4154.655.17
FreoX Ultra1399.9928.2214.5717.116.34YesLiDAR 4.0WiFiYesAlexa, Google Assistant, Siri Short cuts YesYes15.575.9341.4836.3
Power Detect Never Touch Pro999.992514.1317.5618.8YesLiDARWIFIYesAlexa, Hey Google YesYes2195.8354.4752.85
L40 Ultra 1199.9929.813.3823.2417.98Yes3Dstructured light built-in camera and LED lights WiFiYesAlexa, Siri, Google Home YesYes239562.5961.9
J201099.9943.6516.617.818.1YesLiDAR, DuoDetect AIWiFiYesYesYes2466.6724.4431.85
EufyS1 Pro1499.9910.5312.83.818.39NoLiDAR, 3D SlamWiFiYesYesYes1681.4837.7838.52
Roomba10 Max Combo1399.991113.33.413.3NoRoom by roomYesYesAlexa, Siri, GoogleYesYes1796.4767.558.67
DeebotN30 Omni799.9925.619.0921.2YesAdvancedYesYesAmazon EchoYesYes23.358.8246.5150.39
QrevoCurv1599.998.613.913.74.1NoLiDARYesYesAmazon Alexa, Apple Siri, and Google HomeYesYes1886.1647.6542.16
FlorioF10 Pro1599311318.515.4YesDual NeuralVision Obstacle DetectionYesYesAmazonYesYes16.37.843.111.19
J15Pro Ultra999.9932.816.118.418.3LDSYesAlexa, Google, and SiriYesYes2422.2250.3748.89
C12Plus499.9919.1356380451YesLDSYesYesYes17.678.6545.1857.16
NERE10S599.9923.613.83.913.8NoLiDARWiFiYesAlexa, Google Home YesYes23.564.8145.1940.74
DreameBotX50 Ultra1699.999.9813.3823.2217.9YesVersaLift DToFYesYesYesYes23.661.9634.8844.34
X9 Pro OmniDeebot1599.99YesdToFYesYesYes
S14Plus1199.9936.918.82113.8Yes Smartphones, Amazon Echo, Google HomeYesYes18.4182.3558.1459.69
T80 OmniDeebot1199.99dToFYesYesYes
E203 in 1549.9915.29.8515.227.36YesLaserYesYesNoYes21.3972.0840.6540.65
Saros101599.9916.118.517.32YesLiDARYesYesYesYes23.5785.9634.7548.94
Saros10R1599.9925.49LiDARYesYesAlexa, Apple, GoogleYesYes20.6489.4763.8358.16
DeebotT50 Max999.9937.511.5720.9813.78YesdToFYesYesAlexa, Google Assistant, Matter-enabled devicesYesYes17.1276.4756.5950.39
Deebot X8 Pro Omni1299.9938.620.9815.9413.78YesdToFYesSmartphones, Amazon Echo, Google HomeYesYes18.386.2769.7769.77
MS1Max359.997.712.63.812.6NoLiDarYesYesSmartphones, Amazon Echo, Tablets, Google HomeNoYes18.6546.6711.423.68
FreoPro699.99LiDARYesYesYes
FreoZ10YesYes68.6324.0318.6
P10Ultra799.9938.112.2125.2418.43YesLiDARYesYesYes2074.5148.8451.94
S10Ultra1399.9979.814.454.4114.17NodToF LIDARYesYesYes8553.5949.67
E28999.9944.5719.7221.2916.25YesYesYesYes2064.7145.7444.96
Z70259923.9382.4651.0651.77
205Dust Compactor469.99YesNo81.6759.4854.9
M14Plus
G10+NodToF LIDARYesYesYes
  • Eufy 11S Max: The Eufy 11S Max is a robot vacuum that might have earned our budget pick, if the performance held up. Unfortunately, while this slim robovac does well at sucking up sand from hardwood (71%) it struggled with both low-pile (21%) and midpile (27%) carpet. It's $279 at full price, but currently has a $80 coupon, bringing it down to $200.
  • iRobot Roomba i3 Plus: At $350 or less, this is an entry-level option among self-emptying Roombas, so if you just want something from iRobot that empties its own bin for as little cash as possible, give it a look. It was a middle-of-the-pack performer in all of our cleaning tests, never disappointing us but never really wowing us, either.
  • IonVac Smart Clean 2000: The IonVac struggled to get sand out of the carpets, with only 25% getting sucked out of the low-pile and almost 33% from the mid-pile. Nothing about it stands out enough for us to recommend it. Ionvac’s SmartClean 2000 uses the same navigation style as the Eufy Robovac 25C by simply driving until it runs into an object and then redirecting itself to the next open area. Along with app control, the SmartClean 2000 also ships with a physical remote to control the device and choose from the different cleaning modes. Walmart is selling the Ionvac SmartClean 2000 for only $99, but we like the Eufy Robovac 25C for its superior performance at just $15 more.

At CNET's vacuum testing lab in Louisville, we've tested over 34 cordless vacuums and 67 robot vacuums and counting with the help of Jared Hannah, senior technical project manager and Schylar Breitenstein, associate lab technician. Below, you can read about the testing procedures our lab engineers use to evaluate the best cheap vacuums for your needs.

Vacuum type: Robot vs. cordless stick

A selection of cordless stick vacuums on a hardwood floor

We've tested dozens of stick vacs to find the best cheap models available.

Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Long gone are the days when there were only big, heavy corded vacuums to choose from when it came time to clean up the floors in your home. Now, there is a wide range of options with just as wide of a price range. Choosing which vacuum cleaner type is best for you can be narrowed down to two key points: How much physical effort do you want to put into cleaning? What kind of flooring does your home have?

If you want to take as much of the manual labor as possible out of the equation, you'd opt for a robot vacuum. However, if your home has stairs or narrow spaces, picking up an excellent cordless vacuum could be better for you. Sure, you'll be required to maneuver it around your home -- but these options are lightweight and provide the flexibility to reach those areas that a robot vacuum can't. Plus, you won't have to worry about it getting stuck or dealing with an app.

Depending on the type of flooring you have in your home, a device that can adapt to both hard flooring and carpets, like a robot vacuum, may offer a more complete cleaning experience. Regarding the type of carpet, there are times when using my cordless vacuum on one of my rugs that it will sort of skip across the carpet and not really suck up much of the debris due to the lightweight cleaning head.

Cost and value

shark robot vacuum under couch

Robot vacs have become far more affordable in 2024.

Shark

Considering you're looking at a list of the best cheap vacuum cleaners, this factor is likely very important to you. (And it's something that is or should be considered, regardless of what you're purchasing.) Nobody likes to waste their money, and getting the best bang for your buck is essential when you're on a tight budget. What a good vacuum cleaner can do is save you time. By picking the correct tool for the job and getting one great at its purpose, you'll spend less time cleaning and more time doing what you enjoy.

Generally speaking, a robot vacuum will typically cost you more money than a stick vac. This is largely due to the additional sensors and technologies within the robot in order for it to operate properly. However, if your home is set up to handle a great robot vacuum just as well as a stick vac and the price is similar, then the question turns to: Which will save you more time?

Here is where value comes into play. Something might cost you more, but providing the intangible things offsets the additional cost. So, at the same (or similar) prices, a robot vacuum can relieve you of the duty of physically sweeping your floors.

Floor type

The Shark AV753 Ion Wi-Fi robot vacuum sucks crumbs and debris off of a carpet and hardwood floor.

Some vacs do better on hardwood while others clean rugs and carpets with more proficiency.

Shark

You probably read many mentions of different floor types when you are considering either a robot or stick vacuum. Not all flooring is the same, and neither is the cleaning ability for each vacuum. If you have primarily hard surfaces throughout your home, you'll likely be good to go with a stick or robot vacuum. The question you need to answer then is whether you want an automated cleaner or if you want to be hands-on with it.

Should your home have more carpets and rugs than hard floors, you'll want to consider which kind of dirt your home may encounter more — finer debris or larger. Then also consider whether the soft surfaces are low-pile, mid-pile, or high-pile, as these come into play when it comes to vacuum style effectiveness. We include in our testing results all of these considerations when recommending vacuums.

before-vs-after.png

We test all vacuums on both hardwood flooring and carpet.

Gianmarco Chumbe/CNET

How we test robot vacuums

Our method for evaluating robot vacuums is straightforward, yet grueling. There are two types of tests we run. The first trial is to figure out how well a robot covers the floor while it's cleaning. We built an industry-standard testing room as specified by the International Electrotechnical Commission just for this purpose. The IEC is an international standards body responsible for managing robot vacuum testing procedures, among other things, for vacuum manufacturers.

Navigation testing

robot-vac-lab-pics-1

Say hello to our robot vacuum test room. Inside it are objects that might look a little odd. They're design to simulate furniture and obstacles a robot will encounter in the real world.

Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Inside this room are objects designed to simulate typical obstacles a robot vac encounters for navigation as it cleans. These obstacles include wall edges, table and chair legs, couches and other furniture, and so on, plus bare tile and hardwood floors, as well as carpet. We mount LED lights to the top of each vacuum cleaner. The dimensions of the lights correspond to the measured nozzle width of each particular robot vacuum we test.

As robots move through the room while cleaning, an overhead camera captures a long-exposure image of the entire room in low light. That photo will then have a light trail, created by the LEDs, that shows the exact areas where the robot traveled (and its nozzle position) during its runtime. We can also see areas of the floor where the vacuum may have missed or gotten stuck. You can see the navigation results of all the robot vacuums in our test group in the gallery below.

Cleaning performance testing

The second type of test reveals exactly how much physical debris a vacuum is able to pick up off of the floor. To mimic dirt of small particle size, we use a mixture of play sand and landscaping sand. Robots then run in straight line mode across three types of flooring (low-pile carpet, medium-pile carpet and hardwood bare floors).

robot-vac-testing-photos-1

More of our robot vacuum testing setup.

Tyler Lizenby/CNET

We control for the specific nozzle width of each vacuum, too. We constructed an adjustable tool to soil our test floors. It lets us lay down a strip of a precise area of soil to match the nozzle dimensions for every robot. The mass of soil isn't chosen at random either. We measure a proportional amount that's related to the flooring material, type of debris, plus each vacuum's nozzle width.

We conduct three cleaning runs (at minimum) on each floor type. We also perform cleaning tests with sand on different floor types including hardwood flooring, low-pile carpet and midpile carpet. That comes to at least 18 tests per robot vac. We weigh the robot's dust bin both before and after each run. From there we can calculate the percentage of debris pickup for every cleaning run and the average amount of soil a machine manages to remove. Additionally, we run anecdotal (visual) pet hair tests for each robot, on all three floor types. We judged anecdotally for fur removal for pet owners, visually inspecting the amount of pet hair left on the three flooring types after a single pass.

How we test cordless vacuums

img-20191111-153402-collage

We run tests in a straight line across all three floor types.

Brian Bennett/CNET

Putting cordless vacuums through their paces isn't as complicated as testing a robot vacuum cleaner, but it still takes lots of time and careful effort to find the best cordless vacuum. We run each vacuum in a straight line across three different surfaces (hardwood, low-pile carpet, midpile carpet). On all three test beds, the test area is the same length (30.25 inches).

cup of sand being dumped on carpet for test

We tested a vacuum's ability to clean up sand and rice.

Just like in robot tests, the width of the test bed is proportional to the vacuum's nozzle width. We measure this width ourselves. We also use nozzle width, plus the flooring type, to calculate the soil density for each test, per IEC guidelines. We use the same soil types here as well; sand and pet hair. We perform three runs (at minimum) on each floor type. We also test suction power with sand and pet hair separately, which each getting tested at least three types on each of the three surfaces. We weigh the vacuum's dust bin both before and after each run.

From there we can calculate the percentage of dirt and debris pickup for every run and the average amount of soil a vacuum manages to remove. Additionally, we run anecdotal (visual) pet hair tests for each vacuum, on all three floor types to help us select the best cordless vacuum.

If you're looking for a high-performance vacuum that will maintain its battery life and last for several years, you'll have to pay around $400 for a robot vacuum and $300 for a cordless vacuum. That said, if you're on a tighter budget there are serviceable options for much less. Many of the vacuums on this list performed well in one-off testing, but how long they'll stay nice is another question. Cheaper vacuums may have a shorter overall life than a pricier model from the likes of Shark, which comes with a five-year warranty for its lineup. That said, going with a reputable brand like Levoit, Eufy or Dirt Devil is likely to get you better customer support.

Suction power for robot vacuums and stick vacs is calculated differently, making it challenging to compare head-to-head. However, you can use different units to help inform you how much suction each style of vacuum offers. Robot vacuums use units of pascal or "Pa" to indicate the suction power for these devices, with the average being between 25010 and 3000 Pa.

For stick vacs, the standard unit of measurement is air watts, or "AW," to give consumers an idea of the vacuum's suction power. AW combines water lift and airflow methodologies and is recognized by the American Society of Testing and Materials.

Each vacuum style can offer long-term cleaning ability should you properly maintain your machine. This includes removing clogs and periodically giving the vacuum a deep clean. Generally (especially for cheap stick vacs) fewer things can go wrong and cause the unit to become less reliable. Robot vacuums rely on sensors and more moving parts to properly clean your floors, and if one of these malfunctions this can create issues. Then there's apps and other aspects of the software that can sometimes cause problems. This isn't common, but it is something to be aware of.

When using a vacuum cleaner, you should avoid water, wet foods, ash and fine dust as it can impede the suction mechanism.

Yes, it is recommended to empty your vacuum after every use to help maintain optimal suction power, and to prevent dust from building up inside. Higher end vacuums come with self-emptying docks to do this for you automatically, but you won't find that feature for less than $300.

If you have a lot of carpeting, you'll want to look at cordless and upright vacuums for the best cleaning power. We've tested many cordless vacuums that returned excellent results in our testing, including our best overall pick, the Shark Stratos. However, if you're on a budget, the Levoit LVAC-200 proved more than capable of tackling hardwood and carpet alike. For hardwood specifically, the Dirt Devil BD5700V is also no slouch. Finally, many robot vacuums are also quite capable of handling carpet, including the Eufy 25C on the budget end and the versatile Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo if price is no object.

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