Join the r/RobotVacuums subreddit for great info! It’s generally agreed that Roomba and Shark are pretty low quality, while brands like Roborock, Dreame, and Eufy are very well liked.
There is such a wide range of features and price points. We got an older, more basic model to start out with (a Roborock- only vacuum, no mopping- was on sale for less than $150 last year) and I love it. The reservoir has to be emptied every day or two since it doesn’t have the self emptying feature, but it still saves me a ton of time with 2 big dogs and kids in the house. We definitely plan to upgrade in the future to one that has self emptying and mopping features!
I actually have two now!! My older Q5+
And my new Saros 10..both are excellent!!
I have had the Q5 for many years and just decided to upgrade…so I use the Q5 upstairs and the Saros 10 downstairs!!
Can’t go wrong with a Roborock
I just bought the roborock Q5+ duoroller and it does a good job and my dogs don’t hate it. (And one of them is very anxious) it’s pretty quiet and I’m impressed with it so far. I’m sure there are newer options but that’s what fit in my price range for now
For small spaces, pick a compact dock and a bot with precise mapping; Roborock Q5+ (vac-only) or Dreame Q Revo (strong mop, mid-size base) are the safe picks.
I run a Q5+ in a 500 sq ft studio; the base tucks under a bench and needs \~3 ft clear in front and a couple inches on the sides. Set no-go zones for door swings and chair legs, keep the dock on hard floor, and skip auto-wash mop docks-they’re huge. If you want mop, use snap-on pads and rinse by hand.
RedditRecs is useful; I also check Rtings for noise/dock size and Vacuum Wars for pickup, and I’ve used Ask Edgar to time buys around earnings-driven price dips. Bottom line: small dock and accurate mapping matter most for OP’s space.
I have a Roborock Q5+, I absolutely love it. Did a lot of research before buying.
The newer ones have better obstruction detection but as long as I don’t leave things on the floor (toys, socks, etc) it gets everything.
I have 2 dogs and 3 cats, it’s a major lifesaver for me. I have it scheduled to run twice a day and it also self empties. It does best running often rather than once a week. If you wait longer between running it—the hair gets overwhelming for it.
Roborock is pretty solid as a brand and has only gotten better. Once I have the cash I will definitely be buying their new vacuum mop version.
Newer versions will pick up toys and move them. The tech is much better than roomba or shark.
But by “manual” it just means turning it on and letting it run, you don’t actually have to watch it.
Automatic scheduling just has it run without you pushing any buttons.
But honestly it’s made me better about picking things up off my floor.
DaWizz_NL
