Want a Black Friday robot vacuum deal? These are the bots that rock, and the droids to avoid

A robot vacuum will change your life, and Prime Day is the time to get buy one
(Image credit: Future)

iRobot Roomba robot vacuums are some of the most desirable available, and there are plenty of Roomba Black Friday deals to be had in this year's sales. In general, robot vacuums are some of the best gadgets to grab in the Black Friday deals, with significant discounts at all price ranges.

Of all the chores I dislike, I particularly disagree with vacuuming. It's loud, it requires me to move far too much and, especially in my current apartment, I have to do it a lot. That all changed when I recently tested the robot vacuum of my dreams - the iRobot Roomba Combo j7+.

Honestly, it's been a game-changer. While I still need to vacuum occasionally for a deeper clean, I've freed up at least an hour every week.

However, it's not always been plain sailing between me and robot vacuums. Most of the robot vacuums I tried before this were more budget-friendly models, and while they're still useful, they can be more of a burden than a boon. It's a little like having a cleaning toddler - they require a lot more hands-on management, and sometimes aren't even smart (or safe) enough to leave alone. 

The key to maximizing the time-saving opportunity presented by these handy little bots is ensuring you go for one with a high IQ. This does bump up the price, but you get what you pay for. The biggest time-saving features are self-emptying, object detection, advanced navigation and easy automation via an app.

While the Roomba Combo j7+ and its magical combination of smart tech, vacuuming and mopping are unlikely to appear in the sales, plenty of other incredibly powerful and intelligent robovacs from iRobot and other brands will be. 

Ready to reclaim your time? Here are some of the best deals on intelligent, time-saving robot vacuums.

(Not in the US? Scroll down for the best robot vacuums in your region). 

Black Friday intelligent robot vacuum deals (US)

iRobot Roomba j7+

iRobot Roomba j7+: <a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=8428&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FiRobot-Roomba-Self-Emptying-Robot-Vacuum%2Fdp%2FB094NYHTMF%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">was $799 now $589 at Amazon
The j7+ is the non-mopping sibling of my all time favorite robot vacuum, but in every other way performs exactly the same. In <a href="https://www.techradar.com/reviews/irobot-roomba-j7-plus" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"">our review we gave the j7+ a lofty 4.5 out of 5 for its excellent pick-up and its self-emptying capability, which is a great time-saver. In the Black Friday deals, it's 25% off, which is a higher than its record-low price last week. We've never seen this model this cheap on Amazon before.

Eufy RoboVac X8: $499.99$299.99 at Amazon

Eufy RoboVac X8: <a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=8428&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2Fdp%2FB09WF2RT19%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank">was $499.99 now $299.99 at Amazon
While it's Eufy's most expensive robot vacuum to date, over Black Friday you can get it for its lowest ever price. At 40% off, it's a great deal. In our <a href="https://www.techradar.com/reviews/eufy-robovac-x8" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"" target="_blank">review we found it powerful with plenty of new intelligent features, but it's a little tall. 

Ultenic T10: $499 $359 at Amazon

Ultenic T10: <a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=8428&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2Fdp%2FB08GY2BQJC%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"">was $499 now $359 at Amazon
This is one of the lowest prices we've ever seen on this particular model, so it's definitely one worth looking into. It's self-emptying and powerful - perfect for pet owners and families.

Black Friday intelligent robot vacuum deals (UK)

iRobot Roomba S9+

iRobot Roomba s9+: <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=92X363&xcust=hawk-custom-tracking&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irobot.co.uk%2Fen_GB%2Firobot-roomba-s9%2FS955840.html&sref" data-link-merchant="SkimLinks - irobot.co.uk"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">was £1,299 now £889 at iRobot
This top-end robot vacuum is packed with smart features, including self-emptying and three-stage cleaning. It has advanced home mapping, and it's discounted by a fantastic £400 for Black Friday.

iRobot Roomba j7+: £899£619 at iRobot

iRobot Roomba j7+: <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=92X363&xcust=hawk-custom-tracking&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irobot.co.uk%2Fen_GB%2Firobot-roomba-j7%2FJ755840.html&sref" data-link-merchant="SkimLinks - irobot.co.uk"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">was £899 now £619 at iRobot
The j7+ is the non-mopping siblings of my all time favorite robot vacuum,  but in every other way performs exactly the same. In <a href="https://www.techradar.com/reviews/irobot-roomba-j7-plus" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="SkimLinks - irobot.co.uk"">our review we gave the j7+ a lofty 4.5 out of 5 for its excellent pick-up and its self-emptying capability, which is a great time-saver. In the Black Friday deals, it's 25% off, which is a higher than its record-low price last week. We've never seen this model this cheap on Amazon before.

Image

Ultenic T10: <a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=8428&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.co.uk%2Fdp%2FB08GY2BQJC%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-21%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-21" data-link-merchant="Amazon UK"" target="_blank">was £599.99 now £369.99 at Amazon
If you want a hybrid robot vacuum cleaner which self empties and is suitable for homes with pets, then now is your time to invest. With a saving of £230 you can't go too far wrong with this deal, especially since we rated it 4 out of 5 stars in our <a href="https://www.techradar.com/reviews/ultenic-t10-review" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon UK"">review for all the tech that it has to offer.

Eufy RoboVac X8: £449.99 £300 at Amazon

Eufy RoboVac X8: <a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=8428&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.co.uk%2Fdp%2FB08ZN3N7WS%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-21%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-21" data-link-merchant="Amazon UK"" target="_blank">was £449.99 now £300 at Amazon
So right now you can get this robot vacuum cleaner for it's cheapest price, ever, with £149 off the price for Black Friday. In our <a href="https://www.techradar.com/reviews/eufy-robovac-x8" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="Amazon UK"" target="_blank">review we found it powerful with plenty of new intelligent, although it's not the slimmest. If you want an automated clean then this deal is a good place to start with.

In terms of the robot vacuums you'll want to avoid, it depends mostly on your needs, but below we've listed some of the key features to look out for. If the vacuum you're looking at buying doesn't have them, or at the very least doesn't have ones you know will benefit your home, we'd recommend looking elsewhere.

  • Cliff detection: This one is pretty fundamental, especially if you have stairs in your home, allowing the vacuum to detect drops and avoid damaging itself. Most robot vacuums now have this feature, but always double check
  • Home mapping: A lot of vacuums will claim to have home mapping, but what's key is choosing one that can remember the map it has made of your home. This reduces the risk of it bumping into things, or worse, damaging them.
  • Obstacle detection: This is one of the most sought-after features, preventing your vacuum from barreling into obstacles around your home like wires, toys and even pet poop. Having this feature means you don't have to tidy up before every clean, reducing hands-on maintenance.
  • App control: This will depend on your own preferences, but an app can be an amazing benefit, especially if you want to remotely work your vacuum. Just because a robovac has an app doesn't mean it's good, of course, so always check out reviews.
  • Self-emptying: It's a bit of a luxury feature, but self-emptying robot vacuums can even further reduce the required legwork, reducing how frequently you need to manually empty the internal dustbin. 
  • Battery: Battery life is, of course, important, but more so important is how your robot vacuum behaves when it's running low. Look for vacuums that can return home, charge, and continue their cycle if you want one that won't give out mid-clean

Scroll down for more Black Friday deals in the US and UK.

More Black Friday deals 

Josephine Watson
Managing Editor, Lifestyle

Josephine Watson (@JosieWatson) is TechRadar's Managing Editor - Lifestyle. Josephine has previously written on a variety of topics, from pop culture to gaming and even the energy industry, joining TechRadar to support general site management. She is a smart home nerd, as well as an advocate for internet safety and education, and has also made a point of using her position to fight for progression in the treatment of diversity and inclusion, mental health, and neurodiversity in corporate settings. Generally, you'll find her watching Disney movies, playing on her Switch, or showing people pictures of her cats, Mr. Smith and Heady.