Even if you don’t have a ton of visible floor space, a small robot vacuum will clean every inch it can reach. These are the best choices for the job.
I live in a studio apartment that’s about 20 x 9 feet, plus a bathroom, and honestly, I’ve always thought my place was too small to house a robot vacuum. I mean, one arm of my sofa practically touches my bed while the other side of the couch is mere inches away from the fridge. Gotta love that zero-bedroom life.
I rely on my Swiffer and Shark Rocket stick vacuum that I can shove into my coat closet to clean the floors in my small apartment. But, it turns out you actually can have a robot vacuum in small spaces. Robot vacuum bases do need ample room around them so the vacuum sensors can find their way home, but this just means you might have to get creative about placement. Or hey, maybe you have that one awkwardly empty area that’s the perfect size for a robot vacuum base. Now you know what to put there.
Some robot vacuums are clearly better for small homes and apartments — the iRobot Roomba i7+ with its self-emptying behemoth of a base is probably not the best choice when you’re trying to be economical with your space.
Other, smaller robot vacuums actually do a sufficient job with little room to work. And it’s not just crappy little robot vacuums from random brands you’ve never heard of on Amazon. iRobot and Shark make robot vacuum models that work for any sized home.
Do robot vacuums work in small spaces?
If your home is jam-packed with furniture and you don’t have much exposed floor space, you’re probably better off not getting a robot vacuum. They need sufficient space to be able to maneuver around and find their way back to their charging stations. But if you have some floor space to work with, a robot vacuum can actually do a good job cleaning.
And the nice thing about cleaning a smaller space is you don’t have to worry about the vacuum’s run time or battery life. It likely won’t take long to sweep the entire floor, and your robot vacuum can probably do the whole route without using a full battery charge. That also means you won’t have to empty the dustbin as often as you would if you lived in a big house. Modest living has its perks!
To make the most out of your space, put the robot vacuum base underneath side tables or other furniture with ample room below it. Just make sure the vacuum can return for charging without issues.
Most robot vacuums have scheduling features, so you can set your robot vacuum to run while you’re out of the house or a time when you won’t be walking around in your home if you want to avoid the robot vacuum nipping at your feet. And to get the best results, make sure you don’t have any loose items lying around on the floor.
What to look for in a robot vacuum for small spaces
When looking for a robot vacuum for small areas, you have to think about the layout of your space. If almost every inch of floor space is covered with furniture, you’re going to need a robot vacuum with a short profile that can actually maneuver under and around furniture without bumping into stuff or getting stuck underneath the bed or couch.
Robot vacuums sweep in either a random pattern or in neat rows, but with a small home, you probably don’t need to shell out the extra cash for neat rows because depending on your setup, you won’t have a ton of open space that would require meticulous, row-by-row cleaning.
Some of the cheaper, smaller robot vacuums aren’t great for carpet, but leave hardwood floors so clean you’ll actually want to walk barefoot on them. If you have carpet in your home, look for a robot with powerful suction and a deep-cleaning brush roll. For hardwood floors, there are some robot vacuums that also have mopping functionality. This is awesome for saving space because you get two appliances in one.
Are robot vacuums worth it?
I don’t mind vacuuming as a chore, and in my tiny home it doesn’t take more than 10 minutes, so I’ll stick with my upright vacuum for now. But the appeal of a robot vacuum is absolutely there.
Deciding whether a robot vacuum is worth it is really a personal preference. They definitely add some convenience to your life by taking over the manpower of vacuuming your floors. And with app control and remote scheduling, you can clean your floors without even being at home. But robot vacuums can get quite pricey and you don’t have full control over where and how they clean.
Make sure to get one that is powerful enough to suck up your messes and low-profile enough that it’s not the focal point of your home to really make a robot vacuum worthwhile.
What is the best robot vacuum for small spaces?
Our top pick for the best robot vacuum for small spaces is the Shark ION AV753 because of its ultra-slim profile. It can easily work its way under furniture to get every exposed bit of floor you have in your home. Plus, it’s just a downright powerful and impressive robot vacuum that truly gives you the most bang for your buck.
It’s not the only robot vacuum that impressed us, though. Check out all of our picks for the best robot vacuums for small spaces.
Shark ION robot vacuum AV753
Robot vacuums don’t get much slimmer than the Shark ION.-
Cleaning pattern:
Random -
Run time:
120 minutes -
App connected:
Yes -
Voice assistant integration:
Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant -
Dimensions:
12.6 x 12.6 x 2.6 inches
At just 2.6 inches high, the Shark ION AV753 is one of the shortest robot vacuums available, but of course that’s not the only reason we love it. It’s also affordable, has WiFi connectivity for app use, and has Shark’s signature toughness and power. The vacuum is good for picking up hair, but you will have to keep an eye on the brush roll as it’s prone to tangles. Like most robot vacuums in this price range, the cleaning pattern is random and the vacuum might bump into a few things on its route — but those are minor drawbacks.
Eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 11S
Bring out the Eufy 11S when your place needs a quick, once over clean.-
Cleaning pattern:
Random -
Run time:
100 minutes -
App connected:
No -
Voice assistant integration:
N/A -
Dimensions:
12.8 x 12.8 x 2.85 inches
Though it’s slightly taller than the Shark Ion, the Eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 11S has one of the slimmest profiles amongst robot vacuums, allowing it to easily clean under most furniture. The robot vacuum is best for low- to medium-pile carpet or hard flooring — it doesn’t perform super well on high-pile carpet. Put the RoboVac 11S is standard or max modes depending on the surface you’re cleaning and how messy it is. Although it’s small, the Eufy vacuum doesn’t cut corners with features: It has multiple cleaning modes, operates quietly, easily transitions between floor types, and has sensors that prevent it from falling or bumping into things. But because of its low price, the robot vacuum doesn’t have WiFi capabilities, so all controls are located on the included remote.
iRobot Roomba 675
A dual brush system digs deep in carpet to pull up embedded hair, dirt, and debris.-
Cleaning pattern:
Random -
Run time:
90 minutes -
App connected:
Yes -
Voice assistant integration:
Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant -
Dimensions:
13.4 x 13.4 x 3.54 inches
Not quite as powerful as the Roomba i7, the Roomba 675 is a nice basic option for small apartments and homes. That doesn’t mean it underperforms, though. The suction is slightly weaker, but still impressive and efficient on carpets. On its underside, the Roomba 675 has dual brushes that dig deep in carpet to pull up dirt, hair, and debris embedded in the fibers. Of course, it’s also a beast on hard flooring as well. Dirt sensors tell the vacuum where it should spend more time to make sure every inch of your little space gets cleaned evenly.
Shark VacMop Pro robot vacuum and mop
Seamless transitions between vacuuming and mopping make the VacMop ideal for hard floors.-
Cleaning pattern:
Neat rows -
Run time:
60 minutes -
App connected:
Yes -
Voice assistant integration:
Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant -
Dimensions:
12.52 x 13.52 x 3.48 inches
In small homes, saving space is the name of the game. That’s why we love the Shark VacMop Pro so much. As you can guess from its name, it’s both a robot vacuum and robot mop. Who doesn’t love good twofer? There are other, cheaper robot vacuums that double as a mop, but if you want the job done well and done well on the first time, Shark is the best brand. It has smart mapping that cleans row by row and knows the difference between hard floors and carpet/rugs. The vacuum also features a self-cleaning brush roll, which means you won’t have to go to town with scissors trying to cut hair that tangled itself around your vacuum.
ILIFE V3s Pro
For a low price, the ILIFE will keep your floors clear of dirt and debris.-
Cleaning pattern:
Random -
Run time:
100 minutes -
App connected:
No -
Voice assistant integration:
N/A -
Dimensions:
11.8 x 11.8 x 3 inches
If you have a small space, you might not want to spend a ton of money on a robot vacuum — it’s not cleaning that much floor anyway, right? For a cheap robot vacuum that gets the job done, turn to the ILIFE V3s. Now, obviously this vacuum isn’t going to blow your mind and it’s not going to be the best for carpet (it doesn’t have a brush roll), but it does some serious work on hard floors. It also has a pretty small footprint and the docking station won’t take up a ton of space.
iRobot Roomba i7
Compatible with iRobot’s self-emptying base, the Roomba i7 is a good investment if you plan to upsize in the future.-
Cleaning pattern:
Neat rows -
Run time:
75 minutes -
App connected:
Yes -
Voice assistant integration:
Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant -
Dimensions:
13.34 x 13.26 x 3.63 inches
If you don’t plan to live in a small home long term, iRobot’s Roomba i7 is a good investment. The i7 is compatible with iRobot’s self-emptying base, so when you decide to upsize your home you can also upgrade your robot vacuum without buying a totally new one. This robot vacuum has some of iRobot’s most advanced technology and power under its hood, with 10 times the suction power of standard Roombas. The i7 has smart mapping, which learns your home’s layout — granted if you live in a one-room rectangle studio apartment, that’s kind of a useless feature.