Best Robot Vacuums Under $500

A budget self-emptying LiDAR vacuum for hard floors and low carpet in homes without pets; its poor pet hair score rules it out for shedding animals.

A no-frills LiDAR vacuum with a bagless self-empty base for people who don’t need mopping and want to stay under $500.

For carpeted homes on a budget that want long runs and a self-emptying dock; skip it if you need real mopping or obstacle avoidance.

A basic self-emptying LiDAR robot for vacuuming; since it is hard to find new, the T50 Max Pro Omni is the better buy.

For budget buyers who mostly want hands-off vacuuming with a self-empty dock and LiDAR mapping.

For small, hard-floored homes on a tight budget that want LiDAR mapping; pet owners and carpeted homes should look elsewhere.

The value pick of Dreame’s range: strong measured carpet cleaning, long runtime and a full self-cleaning dock for about half the flagship price.

A low-cost way to get a hot-washing roller-mop dock robot; cleaning is solid, though yeedi publishes few specs.

A lot of robot for about $500: strong carpet cleaning, long range and a hot-water mop-washing dock. Good for privacy-minded buyers who don’t need camera-based avoidance.

One of the cheapest fully featured dock robots, with Matter and hot-water washing; best for hard floors, since carpet deep cleaning trails pricier models.

A budget all-in-one dock robot for hard-floor homes with pets; its carpet deep cleaning is weak and ECOVACS publishes few US specs.

For pet owners who want camera obstacle avoidance and a mop that never touches carpet; check availability first, as it is now hard to find new.

The cheapest way into a dock that washes the mops, for small homes with low furniture. Its weak carpet cleaning and short range rule it out for bigger or carpeted homes.

Suits large, mostly hard-floor homes that want a self-washing mop dock from a familiar brand; weak carpet and pet hair results make it a poor fit for rugs and pets.