I've been reviewing robot vacuums for years – these are the 6 worth buying on Prime Day

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I've covered every single Prime Day sale there has been in Australia and the one trend I've noticed is that the catalogue of vacuums – specifically robot vacuums – is steadily increasing on Amazon. Better yet, the discounts on them during major sales like Prime Day and Black Friday only keep getting deeper with each passing year.

And that's good news for you, the shoppers, because you get to suck up the savings (pun entirely intended) and then not worry about having to vacuum your floors yourself – you can let your new bot do it for you.

Heck, you can even get a bot that will mop your hard floors at the same time. But wait, there's more that robot vacuums can do! There are some that will also self-empty their bins, clean out the dirty mop water automatically and even refill the reservoir with clean water.

Taking it one step further, you can now get robovacs that will also dry out the wet mopping pads using hot air as soon as they go back to their dock for charging. This prevents nasty odours and bacteria building up on the mop pads, so they're ready to be used the next time. The one thing these fancy robot vacuums won't do is actually wash – as in really scrub – the mop pads, which happens to by my one pet peeve. I feel like the dirtier they get, the chances of brown streaks on my very light grey floor is higher. Well, I suppose I really ought to not be all that lazy.

If, like me, you're keen to automate your floor cleaning, I've picked out the best Prime Day robot vacuum cleaner deals for you – catering to different budgets and needs – and rest assured, I've tried most of these myself even if I haven't fully tested them for TechRadar.

Note, however, that the deals listed below are all Prime exclusive, so you will need a subscription to shop these – you can sign up here if you don't already have one.

Best Prime Day robot vacuum deals

Best for general vacuuming and mopping
Ecovacs Deebot N8 Plus | AU$1,099 AU$549 (save AU$150)

With a 2L dust bag in its charging dock, which doubles as its self-emptying station, this machine can detect carpets to automatically increase its suction power to ensure it's cleaning up that hard-to-reach debris within the fibres. This is an older Deebot, so lacks a little in the suction department compared to its newer brethren, but if you don't have pets, this won't be a problem. And it will mop your hard floors as well, but only automatically clean out the dust bin – you will need to refill the water reservoir and wash the mop pads yourself.

If you don't need the self-emptying charging dock, you can save more and get the Deebot N8 for just AU$299 – AU$100 cheaper than its previous record low.

Best for basic vacuuming in large homes
TP-Link Tapo RV30 Plus | AU$686 AU$547 (save AU$139)

I already think that this self-emptying robot vacuum is good value at full price – which is AU$999 actually. So the original list price on Amazon itself is low, plus the AU$139 discount on top of that... oh, and you get three additional replacement dust bags bundled in too! In my Tapo RV30 Plus review, I called out its massive dust bag capacity – it's the first robovac I tested with a 4L dust bag in the self-emptying dock. The bot can mop too. It's a good balance between price and functionality, and it won't take up too much floor space in your home either.

Lower ongoing costs
Eureka E10s | AU$999 AU$549 (save AU$450)

This robot vacuum stands out with loads of great features, including a bagless self-emptying station that helps reduce the cost of operation. While I didn't test this model myself, my colleague who did says it's fine for everyday cleaning but will struggle with tougher jobs. So, again, this is ideal for homes without pets but with predominantly hard floors. This AU$549 discounted price is about AU$100 cheaper than what we saw during EOFY sales in June, so it's a good bargain. Oh, and it also comes in white if you'd prefer.

Best for homes with pets
Ecovacs Deebot T30 Omni | AU$1,749 AU$1,399 (save AU$350)

Where most self-emptying and self-cleaning robot vacuums are mammoth-sized, taking up a lot of floor space, this Deebot can tuck in very nicely under a counter in your kitchen or bathroom. Despite its relatively diminutive size, it still promises to keep your floors clean, thanks to a whopping 11,000pa of suction – one of the highest for a robovac. It even boasts an anti-tangle main bar brush, so your or your pet's hair will not be a maintenance problem. I haven't tested this model yet, but I've seen it in action at a media event and I can't wait to get my hands on it.

Are robot vacuums worth it?

There was a time when I'd probably say no when asked if robot vacuums were worth spending money on. Today, after having lived with a few different models over the years, I think they're definitely worth every cent.

I mean, they do the vacuuming for you! If that wasn't a good enough reason, here are a couple more.

If you have the spare change for a premium model, you can get better suction power than some of the best cordless vacuums. For example, the Ecovacs Deebot T30 Omni has better suction (11,000pa) than the Dyson Gen5detect (2,085Pa).
They offer better battery life than most cordless vacuums. Newer robot vacuums can carry on cleaning for up to three hours before needing a top up at the mains, while most cordless vacuums die out in about 60-70 minutes.

Shop more discounts in our full coverage of the best Prime Day deals in Australia.

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While she's happiest with a camera in her hand, Sharmishta's main priority is being TechRadar's APAC Managing Editor, looking after the day-to-day functioning of the Australian, New Zealand and Singapore editions of the site, steering everything from news and reviews to ecommerce content like deals and coupon codes. While she loves reviewing cameras and lenses when she can, she's also an avid reader and has become quite the expert on ereaders and E Ink writing tablets, having appeared on Singaporean radio to talk about these underrated devices. Other than her duties at TechRadar, she's also the Managing Editor of the Australian edition of Digital Camera World, and writes for Tom's Guide and T3.