I'm TechRadar's resident robot vacuum expert, which means I get to try out the more advanced, expensive bots on the market. And while many of those are indeed excellent machines, some of the robovacs that have impressed me most have hailed from the budget end of the market.
Below, you'll find my picks for my three favorite cheap robot vacuums in the UK. I tested two of these myself, and the third was put through its paces by one of my regular reviewers. All three punch well above their affordable price tags, and deliver very capable cleaning. They lack the bells and whistles of the very best robot vacuums on the market, but they're reliable, easy to use, and will make a big difference to your cleaning regime.
Officially, anything under £400 is in TechRadar's budget bracket for robot vacuums, but these three bots all come in at well under that – the cheapest (#3) is currently £150, while the priciest (#2) is around £300.
Read on for a closer look at these brilliant budget buys...
This article focuses on UK models – if you're across the pond, check out my guide to the top budget robot vacuums in the US.
1. Roborock Q7 M5
Why we loved it...
The Roborock Q7 M5 is a 2025 refresh of an older Roborock bot, and it absolutely nails the basics for a very low price. The cheapest I've seen it for is £179.99, but it's generally around the £220 mark, and exceptional value for money even at that price. It packs 10,000Pa of suction, which is what I'd expect from a much pricier bot (the other models in this mini roundup max out at 6,000Pa).
On test, that extra bit of power meant it could pull all kinds of dust, dirt and – most impressively – dog hair from my carpets. The build quality is reassuringly robust, with chunky, spring-mounted wheels that help with traversing taller room thresholds. It's also straightforward to use, with accurate navigation and speedy mapping.
The dock on the Q7 M5 just charges the bot, and doesn't take care of emptying dust or anything else. The benefit of this is that it's pleasingly compact (the whole setup lived under a bed during my testing period), and it'll be fine if you're not dealing with particularly high volumes of dust – especially because the onboard bin is relatively small.
However, for a more hands-off experience you might want to upgrade to a fancier dock. This exact robovac is available with a few different dock types – the M5 is charge-only, the M5+ auto-empties dust, and the M5 Max+ empties dust and refills the water tank. Naturally, you'll pay more for a more advanced dock, and value for money will depend on what's available, and if there are any good deals about.
For more info, read my full Roborock Q7 M5 review.
Don't buy it if...
2. Xiaomi X20+
Why we loved it...
Generally, it follows that for more functionality, you'll need to pay more. This Xiaomi bucks that trend by offering the kind of featurelist you'd expect from a high-end bot, but for a budget price. It costs £299.99 at list price, so it's pricier than both of the other models in my roundup, but you get a lot more for your money.
One big difference is in the dock. This not only charges the bot, but automatically empties its dust cup, refills its water tank, and washes and dries its mop pads. The mopping is advanced, too. Rather than a fixed, D-shaped mop pad it has two spinning discs, which are better for scrubbing floors. It can also lift the pads when traversing carpet, to avoid unwanted dampness. And of course, the dock will take care of some pad maintenance for you too. All of that is a clear step up compared to both of the other models in this list.
Elsewhere, there's effective cleaning, reliable navigation and strong obstacle avoidance. It's also pleasingly quiet in use.
Read our full Xiaomi X20+ review for more info.
Don't buy it if...
3. Dreame D9 Max Gen 2
Why we loved it...
The Dreame D9 Max Gen 2 is a brilliant, basic bot for an extremely budget-friendly price. In fact, right now it's the cheapest model in this list, coming in at £149 on Amazon (down from an RRP of £199). Previously, it's dropped as low as £135, but that's rare – and for those kinds of prices, it's kind of a no-brainer.
The vacuum performance is strong, and the bot had no trouble clearing fine and chunky debris in my suction tests. Setup and mapping are straightforward and accurate, and it had no issues with navigating its way around. I also found the app intuitive and easy to use, and the charge-only dock is compact enough to fit in any spot – even under a bed.
The mopping setup is the most basic of any model here. There's a D-shaped pad mounted to a wide, flat water tank, and the whole thing needs to be removed if you want to stop the bot from mopping. However, on test it did a decent wipe-down job and didn't leave my floors too wet.
In terms of features, it's pretty similar to the Roborock at #1. The Roborock is technically better – the suction is stronger (10,000Pa vs 6,000Pa here) and the mopping can be switched off without removing the mop pad. However, I tested both myself, and was fairly equally enamored with both.
Head to my Dreame D9 Max Gen 2 review for the full low-down.
Don't buy it if...
Specs compared
Roborock Q7 M5 |
Xiaomi X20+ |
Dreame D9 Max Gen 2 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Max suction: |
10,000Pa |
6,000Pa |
6,000Pa |
Robot height: |
3.9in / 9.9cm |
3.8in / 9.7cm |
3.8in / 9.6cm |
Mop type: |
Fixed, D-shaped pad |
Dual spinning mop pads |
Fixed, D-shaped pad |
Dock capabilities: |
Charge only (alternative docks available) |
Charge, empty bin, wash and dry mop pads |
Charge only |
Review: |
