I’m a vacuum cleaner expert, and this $150 Roomba deal is my early Black Friday must-buy

Roomba Essential robot vacuum on a wooden floor, with 'Don't miss' graphic overlaid

Head to Amazon right now and you can hoover up the Roomba Essential robot vacuum for $149 (was $249.99), or the combo vacuum-mop version for just $159 (was $274.99). That’s 40% and 42% off respectively, and the lowest prices we’ve seen for both models – and these are ridiculously cheap prices for Roomba vacs.

These are the best early Black Friday deals I’ve seen so far. Robot vacuum cleaners are always well represented in these seasonal sales, and this limited-time deal is especially good value. iRobot’s Roombas are amongst the best robot vacuums around, and while the Essential range is basic in terms of features, you’re still getting that brand expertise and build quality, and if you’re just looking for a simple but effective low-effort clean, either model will serve you well.

Not in the US? Scroll down for more Roomba Black Friday deals in your region.

Today’s best cheap robot vacuum deals

The Roomba Essential models are relatively new additions to the iRobot range, offering simple and very affordable entry-level robot vacuum options. They’re designed for regular, light cleans, helping you stay on top of things so the dirt never builds up. You control these robovacs via a companion app (or, if you have an Alexa device, using your voice) and you can schedule cleans for while you’re out and about, for minimal disruption.

You can see exactly how the Essential and Combo Essential compare to pricier options in my Roomba range guide – if you have a bit of a bigger budget, you might want to consider upgrading to a slightly more advanced model (we’re rounding up all the best offers across the range in our Black Friday Roomba deals guide).

The Essential and Combo Essential both have a compact dock, which charges the robovac when it runs out of juice. This is perfect if you’re short on space, but if you’re dealing with lots of dirt or pet hair you’ll probably need to empty the onboard dust cup regularly, because it’s pretty small. Most of the other models in the range have the option of an auto-empty dock, with a larger dust bin that will need less frequent emptying.

One notable difference between the Essential range and other Roombas is that they have a single bristle roller rather than dual rubber rollers. The latter is especially good at picking up hair, so if that’s a priority for you head to our guide to the best robot vacuums for pet hair.