There are plenty of mid-priced robots that don’t have smart-map features but can, in theory, reliably navigate your entire home in a mostly orderly S-shaped pattern, using either a camera-based or gyroscope-based navigation system.

Our favorite examples are the Roomba I3 and older 900 models. The robots are not as controllable as Roborock S4 Max (or similar laser-based) bots. The benefits of these bots are that they do a great job cleaning and they last for a very long time. Their nav systems also work well.

Other cameras and gyro-navigators are not as good. While the technology itself is excellent, some bots lack the basic skills. They are also not helped by the low cost of excellent laser-based Bots.

Trifo Max , for example, worked fine in our tests, but user reviews suggest it gets lost pretty easily, isn’t built to last, and has poor customer service. Samsung Powerbot R7 is powerful, and especially the highest-end model. But the nav system can get lost easily, and it’s prone for ignoring small obstacles, such as transitions to carpet or the space underneath a table. Miele manufactures many amazing appliances. However, the Miele Scout RX2 doesn’t have all of its charms. The Eufy Robo. The Vac G30 Edge, which is quiet, thin, fast, and nimble as the cheaper 11S robot, can sometimes miss parts of your home. In addition, they often cost nearly as much to operate as laser-based machines. Roborock E4 Ecovacs Deebot 601 is another example of lower-quality robots.

Electrolux Purei9 is a strange product that we don’t like but love. The unique 3D mapping system performed well in our testing, however, it was slow to charge and could not clean small apartments reliably in reasonable time.

We wouldn’t recommend the Coral One robot-handheld hybrid at any price. This is the most loud vac we have tested. The navigation system wasn’t effective. It doesn’t have Wi-Fi, nor a barrier system. The vacuum can convert to a handheld unit, although it is heavy. Also, you will need to be careful about where the awkwardly designed nozzle goes. This robot vacuum was the worst we tested.