I've tested over 20 robot vacuums — here are the top 5 to shop on Prime Day

There's definitely something to be said for the crisp handheld control of a powerful cordless Dyson. But if you're not one to classify cleaning as cathartic, why not outsource that tedious task to one of the best robot vacuums?

Are Roombas the best robot vacuums?

Though Roombas are really good robot vacuums, they aren't the only good robot vacuums.

iRobot dominated the robot vacuum realm from the early 2000s up until a few years ago, so it's no surprise that much of the general public forgets that "Roomba" isn't simply a generic term for any robotic vacuum.

But Roombas officially aren't in a league of their own anymore: You can't even Google "Roomba" without a question involving Shark robot vacuums popping up, and other brands like Roborock and Eufy have entered the chat with a fury. And I'm here to put some respect on their names.

I'm regularly testing robot vacuums at multiple price points and keeping a list of the top performers based on criteria like smart mapping, obstacle navigation, pet hair pickup, self-emptying, suction power, and the bot's brushroll system. The theme of robot vacuum releases at CES 2024 and the surrounding slew of robovacs released this year also cement mopping capabilities as a standard feature — so on top of various dry vacuuming tests, I'm simultaneously keeping tabs on scrubbing efficacy to find the best robot vacuum and mop.

Our evaluation goes down in our own homes on carpet, rugs, tile, and hardwood floors, complete with a watchful eye on how seamlessly each robot vacuum handles a change in floor type mid-cleaning.

Do robot vacuums go on sale for Prime Day?

Big time. If you're really strict about not dropping more than a few hundred dollars on a robot vacuum, your chances of buying a nicer model without going over budget just went up. And if you're heavily considering just taking the plunge on a really fancy, expensive model, grabbing it on sale on Prime Day can cut your chances of regretting the splurge significantly.

As a staple category of any Amazon sale event, you can expect every major robot vacuum brand to throw in some serious October Prime Day deals — even iRobot tends to go hard, despite the cancelation of its acquisition by Amazon. In fact, Prime Days past have seen tons of major robot vacuums drop to new record-low prices. We'll be actively tracking the best October Prime Day robot vacuum deals through the end of the sale on Oct. 9, plus competing deals from retailers like Walmart.

With so many options on sale, though, you're likely to face the same decision fatigue that you did before Prime Day. I've narrowed down your shopping list to seven top options. Here are the best robot vacuums for every home and budget in 2024: