This $200 robot vacuum proves budget cleaners are ultimately worth your money

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I love using high-end robot vacuums, but the ones I love testing the most are the midrange and budget-friendly ones. i am testing 3i G10+ robot vacuum for a few months, and it’s become my favorite budget-friendly option.

As a robot vacuum reviewer, I’ve tested dozens of options at all price points, yet the G10+ offers me the best value for the money, thanks to its performance, obstacle avoidance, and extra features.

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The 3i G10+ is the best entry-level robot vacuum you can buy right now. Thus, it has a smaller footprint, due to its smaller charging dock and lack of self-emptying or self-washing capabilities. Instead, the G10+ has a large 1L dustbin with a built-in dust compactor, so you can go up to 60 days without emptying it. This lets you run your robot vacuum as needed, and only worry about emptying it every few weeks, though your mileage may vary.

My dog ​​sheds for a living, yet the G10+ lasted about five weeks without me needing to step in and vacuum it out—all while running it at least three times a week. And this robot captures everything in sight, thanks to its 18,000Pa suction power and strong navigation capabilities.

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I’ve gotten used to robot vacuums missing spots while cleaning, but the 3i G10+ provides some of the best coverage I’ve seen from a robot. It cleaned the edges closely and covered every inch of my floors, so I would come home to find the floors free of pet hair every time. Our lab got similar results, with navigational coverage of 86.53% across the entire test area.

In addition to knowing where it’s going, the 3i G10+ also knows what to avoid: This robot vacuum intelligently navigates around obstacles that other models don’t, including balled-up paper, tissues, and socks. My kids are constantly leaving this type of debris behind along with small toys and stickers, so these items have become the bane of my existence as a robot vacuum tester.

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Most robot vacuums I’ve tried try to vacuum these things, but their roller brushes get stuck on them. Thankfully, I didn’t have that problem with the G10+, which simply went around these obstacles.

While the robot is usually quite quiet, I noticed that the 3i G10+ was making a strange whirring noise while running. It wasn’t a very loud sound, but I was shocked when I heard it for the first time. I initially thought my unit was the problem, but after comparing notes with our test lab I realized it might be a thing with this robot, as their unit was also making the same noise. The sound is unusual for a robot vacuum, so it may be a problem for people sensitive to noise.

ZDNET’s shopping advice

Many robot vacuums don’t live up to their claims, and I’m glad to see that 3i G10+ It didn’t–instead, it exceeded my expectations. For just $200 you can buy a sturdy, reliable, intelligent robot vacuum and mop that doesn’t require you to babysit.

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I tested the G10+ on the first floor of my home where the dog lives and was pleased to see that it picked up all the hair on my hardwood and tile floors, as well as most of the hair on the carpet. This is consistent with ZDNET’s lab testing, where the robot unfortunately pushed more pet hair around instead of picking it up. As a result, I recommend this robot vacuum for homes that have mostly hard floors, like tile, wood, or laminate.