Forget Dyson: you don’t need to spend big bucks on a robot vacuum for hard flooring

Dreame D10 Plus Gen 2 robot vacuum on a hardwood floor — (Image credit: Future)

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After testing my fair share of the best robot vacuums over the last year, my general advice is that if you want something that’s going to clean your home to a high standard, you need to spend more money to get better results. But if you’re just looking for a robot vac that can help with the everyday maintenance of your home, then you can get the job done for less than $300.

Cheaper robot vacuums may not be able to deep clean carpets, but for homes mainly furnished with hard flooring, you don’t need the highest suction power possible. In fact, you can get the job done with suction powers as low as 6,000Pa.

I’ve been testing the Dreame D10 Plus Gen 2, and it’s the perfect example of why you don’t need to spend big money to get impressive maintenance results. So here, I’ll share why sacrificing some premium features could be worth it if you don't need all the bells and whistles in your home.

Saving money on hard floors

Dreame D10 Plus Gen 2 photographed on a wooden floor in front of a blue backdrop — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

For most people, a basic robot vacuum is more than enough. Take the Dreame D10 Plus Gen 2. At first, I thought that having a suction power of just 6,000Pa compared to the 36,000Pa of the Roborock Saros 20, which I currently use at home, was unthinkable. I mean, on the carpet I can notice the difference, but on hard flooring? Not so much.

Because there's nothing on the hard floor for debris to get caught up and tangled in, the decreased suction power isn't making a great deal of difference — and operation is a lot quieter. There's no reason to be paying hundreds more for suction you can't visually notice.

There's also a lot less that can go wrong with a cheaper vacuum like the Dreame D10 Plus Gen 2 because there are fewer moving parts to contend with that could deteriorate over time. With a more expensive robot vacuum, you could spend more money fixing things like sensors and heating elements in the docking station.

The sacrifices you'll be making

When it comes to deciding between a flagship model and a budget robot vacuum to keep your home clean, it can seem like a no-brainer to spend more money. With features like heated mop cleaning and superior object avoidance, expensive vacs come with their perks. But it's not what ever home needs.

There are obviously some features that you’re going to pass up on if you opt to buy a cheaper vacuum, such as self-cleaning in the docking station and water filling and emptying. These are features that can make everyday home maintenance a breeze, especially if you have a busy home with pets.

I have to say, I personally love these features, but there have been times where I've used other mops to clean my floors for a deep clean and have wondered: do I really need to be using my robot vacuum to mop? When I test out robovacs without mops, I don't miss it.

However, if you do need a robot vacuum with a mop function, I will say that having a docking station that can wash and dry the mop is a game-changer. It's all about what your home requires.

Bottom line

Don't spend the extra cash if you don't have to. You can find out more by reading my Dreame D10 Plus Gen 2 review, and decide whether a budget robot vacuum could be the right fit for your home over a flagship model.

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Ashley is a staff writer on the the Reviews team at Tom’s Guide. She has a master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from Cardiff University and a BA in Journalism, Media and Sociology. She has written for titles including Women’s Health UK, writing health and wellness stories, and Virgin Radio UK, specializing in entertainment news and celebrity interviews. She has reported on a variety of topics including music, literature, motorsport, entertainment and health. She has previously reviewed live music events, books, and wellness products but discovering the top audio equipment on the market is what she does best. When she is not testing out the latest tech, you can find her either curled up with a cup of tea and a good novel or out hiking.