iRobot’s Roomba i4 Evo and j7 Plus are down to their best price to date

Much like smart locks, video doorbells, and other smart home tech, budget robot vacuums have come a long way in the past few years. Case in point? iRobot’s ultra-affordable Roomba i4 Evo, an exceptional cleaning companion that’s receiving a big markdown as part of Amazon’s October Prime Day. Right now, you can get it for just $199.99 ($200 off), which is $100 below its usual sale price of $299.99.

If you’re looking for something more capable, Walmart is taking 50 percent off the high-end iRobot Roomba j7 Plus and selling it for $399, which is essentially the typical asking price of a midrange model. That’s not bad, given the premium model comes with an automatic disposal tank, unlike the standard Roomba i4 Evo.

At this point, it’s safe to say that iRobot is one of the most noteworthy names in the world of robot vacuums — and both models continue the company’s streak of producing superb, puck-shaped vacuums. Although the i4 Evo features slightly less suction power than the j7 Plus, both vacuums offer more than enough power to gobble up any dirt and debris that might be hanging out on your hardwood floors or in your carpet, especially when paired with their pair of rubber brushes. The latter won’t tangle as easily as bristle brushes, which can easily get caught up when they encounter long strands of hair.

As for the software, both the i4 Evo and j7 Plus offer some of the best there is, which is one of the reasons they’re some of our favorite robot vacuums. The main difference between the two is that the i4 Evo doesn’t offer keep-out zones or the AI-powered obstacle avoidance found on the j7. However, it does offer intuitive smart mapping, which allows it to learn and recall the different rooms in your home and thus create customized cleaning schedules, as well as spur-of-the-moment sweeps. Conveniently, you can also control either vacuum with Alexa or Google Assistant, along with a mobile app for Android and iOS.