(PCMag/Amazon)
Black Friday is a very good time to buy a robot vacuum. Lots of brands from our regularly updated list of the best robot vacuums are offering big discounts, including Dreame, Ecovacs, Eufy, iRobot, Roborock, and Shark. Plus, you'll need to clean up after Thanksgiving and the end-of-year holidays, so what better way to do it than with a new robot floor cleaner?
As a rule of thumb, look for a model reputable brand. Recent models from Dreame and Ecovacs have earned high ratings in our reviews, and our readers love Eufy and Shark. Since you'll be paying at least a couple hundred bucks, you'll want to make sure the model you choose has all the features you want. For example, a self-emptying model saves you from lifting a finger and it's a must-have feature if you're allergic to dust. A vacuum that also mops can add a lot of convenience to your cleaning routine if you have a mix of carpet and hard flooring. Most of these features come at a premium, but now is a great time to buy a high-end model for a lot less than MSRP.
During big sales events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, look for a discount of at least 30%. Less than that, and you’re likely to stumble on a similar discount at any time of the year with a little patience.
Even within these general guidelines, you might still notice lots of deals and struggle to decide which one to pick. I test and rate dozens of robot vacuums each year and I'm here to help. In fact, as I type this story, I'm keeping one eye on a robot vacuum I'm testing as it cleans a mess of rice that I spread along the wall. (Check out all the details of our rigorous testing procedure here.) Below, are the best deals on the best products I've found so far.
The Best High-End 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop
This Black Friday, one of our favorite robot vacuums gets a big discount. Similar to its price during October's Prime Day, the Ecovacs Deebot X2 Omni is currently 40% off, bringing it down to $899.99 from its $1,499.99 MSRP.
Even better, the Ecovacs Deebot X2 Omni is among the best robot vacuums regardless of price. It vacuums and mops thoroughly, works efficiently, empties its own dustbin, cleans its own mops, and has long battery life. This 4.5-star, Editors' Choice-winning sucker even made our Best Products of the Year list.
Basic Robot Vacuum at a Rock-Bottom Price
On the other end of the spectrum, the Shark Ion robot vacuum doesn't have any fancy extras, but it's already quite affordable at its $229.99 list price. Add in a 35% discount, and you can snag this capable cleaner on Black Friday for the cost of a night on the town.
The Shark Ion doesn't have advanced navigation or a self-emptying base station, as expected for the price, but it's a thorough cleaner. It works slowly, but it has long battery life to support its meandering. Better yet, thanks to its slow and steady pace, it can thoroughly remove pet hair, small particles like dust, and large particles like food with surprising skill for its base-level price. It also supports both app control and voice commands through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
A Top-Tier Roomba for Less
You can find many models in the ever-popular Roomba line of robot vacuums on sale for Black Friday. Our favorite Roomba robot vacuum and mop hybrid, the Combo j7+, is available at a nice 35% discount off its $1,099.99 list price.
Roomba's high-end hybrid robots have a unique retractable mop that lifts on top of the body when moving over carpet to completely avoid cross-contamination and accidental carpet wetting. The Combo j7+ also comes with top-of-the-line obstacle avoidance, specifically for pet waste, so it's the perfect fit for your place if you live with an accident-prone pet.
The Combo j7+ was iRobot's first 2-in-1 model, and the company has since released the Combo j9+ and the Combo 10 Max, but the Combo j7+ still earns top marks of the bunch from us thanks to its attractive feature set and lower price, making its Black Friday sale price all the more appealing.
Looking for something more fun that a vacuum? Check out our Black Friday hub for up-to-the-minute deals on all the tech products you want.