Best Prime Day robot vacuum deals 2020: What to expect

If you’re shopping for a robot vacuum cleaner but don’t have an immediate need, consider waiting for this year’s Prime Day deals during Amazon’s annual blow-out sales event. Delayed this year due to the pandemic, Prime Day 2020 is rumored to take place in early October, and the pent up desire for sales by manufacturers and merchants could result in incredible deals. Robot vacuum cleaners are frequently on sale, but waiting for this year’s Prime Day Robot Vacuum deals could pay off nicely.

When are the best Prime Day robot vacuum deals?

Judging from past years’ experiences, Amazon will save most of the best deals on robot vacuums, just like other product categories, for Prime Day itself. To build excitement for the event, Amazon will almost certainly tease with some eye-catching deals. Because robot vacuums are such a hot product, the chances are excellent that there will be a few crazy-good robot vacuum deals before Prime Day.

If you narrow your search for a robot vacuum to one or a few models that appear during the Prime Day pre-sales, don’t hesitate to take advantage of the early discounts. You can’t be sure products used for the lead-up excitement builders will still be available during Prime Day. On a similar note, if you find a vacuum you want at an outstanding price at any time before Prime Day, the safest course is to buy it when the deal fits your budget.

If you aren’t searching for a great deal on a particular robot vacuum or a shortlist of models, that puts you in a favorable strategic position. If you are happy with a machine from a trusted brand at a price that fits a particular price range, that strategy should give you the best chances of scoring an astounding deal on a robot vacuum.

What Prime Day robot vacuum deals to expect

Based on past Prime Days and massive sales events, the best deals on robot vacuums will be on entry-level and high-end models from many manufacturers. Brand loyalty with smart electronic devices is based on familiarity and trust, so entry-levels models of brands such as iRobot Roomba, Ecovacs Deebot, Eufy RoboVac,  and Roborock often sell at hugely discounted prices to win customers who will hopefully stick with the brand for life. Discounts can range from 25% to 45% for starter model robot vacuums. Most major brands have a wide price range of robotic vacuum models, with significant discounts of 20% to 30% up and down the line. Occasionally you’ll find a high-end model with the price slashed by hundreds of dollars.

In addition to discounts on current model lines, you may find even better deals on older models as manufacturers use Prime Day to clear inventories. Amazon also has flash sales and lightning deals during Prime Day, where special prices are available for a short time or a limited number of units. Be prepared to act quickly if a model you desire appears in a flash sale.

How to choose a new robot vacuum cleaner

Robot vacuum cleaner prices range from just over $100 to more than $1,000. Even a basic model will clean your floors. More expensive models add higher suction power, better navigation features, longer running time per battery charge,  pet-friendly features, air filtration, and even self-emptying dustbins.  Consider the following factors when you choose your robot vacuum cleaner.

Home size:

If your home has many rooms or greater than average square footage, battery running time and dustbin capacity can mean the difference between finishing the job on one battery charge or needing multiple cycles. Robot vacuums return to their charging station when power runs low, but after recharging, entry-level models don’t automatically resume cleaning where they left off. A few of the most expensive models empty their dustbins at the charging station without human assistance, but most do not.

Flooring

Robot vacuums all do well on hard floorings such as wood, manufactured wood, and tile. Carpeting is more of a challenge for robotic vacuums. If you have medium-pile to thick carpeting, you’ll need an extra powerful model for satisfactory performance.

Navigation and mapping

Entry-level robot vacuums start cleaning and turn when they approach or bump into an obstacle. Advanced models employ more efficient cleaning patterns. The best robot vacuums create digital maps of home or individual rooms to use in subsequent cleaning sessions.

Pets and children

Children make messes, and pets leave hair and dander on the floors. Pet-friendly robot vacuums usually have tangle-free roller brushes and extra-powerful suction.

Battery life/operation time

Most robot vacuums run for at least an hour before they need to return to their docking station to recharge. The maximum running time is about 150 minutes. As mentioned above, if you have a larger home or want every room and area cleaned in one run, look for longer battery life.

Protected areas

Pet water and food dishes spill when robot vacuums bump into them, so you’ll either want to move or protect the pet dishes or select a robot vacuum that uses physical or digital means to avoid specific areas.

Smart home control

Robot vacuums all work with either a remote control, a mobile app, or both. Mobile apps let you start the vacuum remotely. Many robot vacuums also respond to Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant voice control for basic commands.

Should I shop on Prime Day or wait until Black Friday?

Black Friday is spaced only a month apart from Prime Day this year. This means that if these Prime Day robot vacuum deals run certain products out of stock, we might not see a full restock in time for Black Friday or even Cyber Monday. So if you already have a favorite brand in mind, you won’t want to wait around till late November to purchase it. There’s also a good chance that with shipping delays anything you purchase on Black Friday won’t make it to your door till the new year. So if you’re looking to start holiday shopping it’s smarter to use Prime Day this year, especially because we don’t anticipate prices differing by much on Black Friday.

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