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All of the robot vacuums already on sale ahead of Black Friday

At these prices, you don't have to settle for the most basic model to stay on budget.
By Leah Stodart  on 
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Robot vacuum inside purple shape on purple grid backdrop
Are robot vacuums worth it or more hassle than helpful? We say the first one — but Black Friday is a great time to try one for yourself. Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable

UPDATE: Nov. 17, 2023, 4:00 p.m. EST This post has been updated with the best robot vacuum deals ahead of Black Friday including deals from Amazon and Best Buy's official Black Friday events, which kicked off on Nov. 17.

An overview of the best early Black Friday robot vacuum deals:
Best standalone robot vacuum deal
Shark Matrix RV2300
$199 at Walmart (save $100.99)
Gray Shark robot vacuum and smartphone with map of home on screen
Best self-emptying robot vacuum deal
Shark Detect Pro RV2820AE
$449.99 at Best Buy (save $150)
Black Shark robot vacuum with dock and smartphone with cleaning app on screen
Best robot vacuum/mop hybrid deal
iRobot Roomba Combo j5+
$494.99 at Amazon (save $305)
iRobot Roomba robot vacuum on auto empty dock beside separate water tank

Robot vacuums feel like they're everywhere and nowhere all at once in the good year of 2023. Shopping holidays have gone hard in this category for years, but you still may not know anyone who actually has one. If you're wondering if robot vacuums are actually worth it, your best bet is to scope out Black Friday robot vacuum deals to try one yourself.

SEE ALSO: Roomba models, explained: The 2023 guide to deciding which Roomba you should buy

By Black Friday, we mean the entire month of November. Retailers like Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Amazon have been dropping early deals for weeks, and all four have finally cut the virtual ribbon of their official Black Friday sales: Walmart and Target earlier in the month and Best Buy and Amazon on Nov. 17. That means that unless you're waiting for a very specific vacuum that happens to not be on sale yet, there's no real point in waiting until Black Friday — and denying yourself several weeks of one less chore — to buy a robot vacuum.

Below, we're tracking the robot vacuum deals live ahead of Black Friday. Deals are organized into three sections — standalone robot vacuums, self-emptying robot vacuums (that don't mop), and robot vacuum/mop hybrids — and listed in order of price. We'll be updating this list as new deals drop throughout the days leading up to Black Friday, so check back.

Note: All newly added deals are marked with a ✨, while deals with a 🔥 have dropped to an all-time low price.

Early Black Friday standalone robot vacuum deals under $300

Gray Shark robot vacuum and smartphone with map of home on screen
Credit: Shark
Our pick: Shark Matrix RV2300

Why we like it

For a solid cheap Shark option, skip the outdated $129 Shark ION and opt for one from the newer Matrix line instead. For less than $200, the RV2300 model (without an auto-empty dock) secures LiDAR-powered smart home mapping and virtual boundaries, plus Shark's Matrix technology, which tackles debris from multiple angles in a crosshatch pattern to grab anything that was missed on the first pass.

Shark itself claims that the Matrix dishes out 50% more suction power than the Roomba i3 — and when the Roomba i3 costs $100 more even on sale, we'd understand if that's an experiment you're willing to test.

More robot vacuums on sale for under $300

Early Black Friday robot vacuum deals under $500

Black Shark robot vacuum with dock and smartphone with cleaning app on screen
Credit: Shark
Our pick: Shark Detect Pro RV2820AE

Why we like it

Shark released several different versions of its flagship robot vacuum in 2023. The chic Detect Pro model sets itself apart from the pack with two new features: Dirt Detect, which automatically sends the botvac over dirtier areas multiple times with increased suction, and NeverStuck technology, which enhances this Shark's obstacle detection and maneuverability for less babysitting.

Home mapping and virtual boundaries guided by 360-degree LiDAR are present here, plus Shark's newest claim to fame: its Matrix cleaning technique that vacuums in a crosshatch pattern to grab any debris missed from the first angle.

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More robot vacuums on sale for under $500

Early Black Friday robot vacuum deals under $700

Roomba with flat edge on auto empty dock and smartphone with green iRobot logo screen
Credit: iRobot
Our pick: iRobot Roomba s9+

Why we like it

The s9+ hasn't been the latest or greatest Roomba since iRobot started rolling out its j Series robot vacs in 2021. But it should still be a serious contender if you have pets or lots of thick carpeting in your home — especially when on sale for $599.99. For reference, the only Roombas with stronger suction power than the s9+ are the j9+ and Combo j9+, which go for $899.99 and $1,399.99, respectively, and aren't currently on sale.

Early Black Friday robot vacuum/mop hybrid deals

iRobot Roomba robot vacuum on auto empty dock beside separate water tank
Credit: iRobot
Our pick: iRobot Roomba Combo j5+

Why we like it

You can bring home the triple threat that is automatic emptying, mopping, and small obstacle avoidance for less than $500 with this deal that dropped on the first official day of Amazon's Black Friday sale.

Compared to the Roomba j7+, the j5+'s obstacle detection cameras aren't quite as precise, and still may require you to pick up things like towels or socks, or put a virtual barrier around pet bowls. But to be able to skip skimming the floor for rogue cords and enjoy automatic emptying for less than $400, you can probably deal with ensuring laundry gets into the basket. As for the mopping, this is one of iRobot's new Swap and Mop models, which does require you to be home to physically click on the water tank when you want to mop.

More robot vacuum/mop hybrids on sale

Topics Black Friday Robot Vacuums

Frequently Asked Questions

The best robot vacuum for you might not be the best robot vacuum for someone else. To determine which robot vacuum will be a worthwhile addition to your home's cleaning routine, consider factors like floor type, square footage, and pets. A pricier mopping, self-emptying model might not be necessary in a small apartment with mostly carpeted floors, while expanding your budget to at least $500 for a moping and self-emptying model is wise if you have a large combination floor home that'll fill up a vacuum's dust bin quickly.

If your space consists of more than two rooms, smart mapping is arguably the top factor that will make a robot vacuum worth it. This feature is way more common than it was two years ago and can be found in sub-$200 budget models from Shark and iRobot if they're on sale.

For the right space, a cheap robot vacuum can totally be sufficient. Cheap robot vacuums typically have less suction power and may not come with an auto-empty dock or mopping capabilities, but this would be fine in a small space with no pets or as backup for the days when you don't have time to use your Dyson. On the plus side, these features get more widespread and affordable every single year, so even a budget cap at $300 is flexible enough to find a smart mapping, self-emptying, or hybrid model, especially from brands like Shark and Eufy.

Leah Stodart
Leah Stodart
Senior Shopping Reporter

Leah Stodart is a Philadelphia-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable where she covers essential home tech like vacuums and TVs as well as sustainable swaps and travel. Her ever-growing experience in these categories comes in clutch when making recommendations on how to spend your money during shopping holidays like Black Friday, which Leah has been covering for Mashable since 2017.

Leah graduated from Penn State University in 2016 with dual degrees in Sociology and Media Studies. When she's not writing about shopping (or shopping online for herself), she's almost definitely watching a horror movie, "RuPaul's Drag Race," or "The Office." You can follow her on X at @notleah or email her at [email protected].

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