If you share a home with a little person or a pet, chances are you spend a lot of time on the floor. I’m the grateful (and routinely groggy) parent of a one-year-old, which means I’ve given up my place on the couch and taken on a whole new perspective of my apartment—and a whole new appreciation for clean floors. Spotting toddler debris (read: dirt and sand from the playground and exactly one million shards of Goldfish) sends me into a tailspin, but—and herein lies my issue—I can’t stand vacuuming. So, I’ve been on the hunt for a hands-free hoover that’s less expensive than the ever-popular Roomba, but just as effective and low-effort.
My search brought me to the Ionvac SmartClean 2000 Robovac, which has more than 10,000 five-star reviews and is currently on sale for less than $100 at Walmart. Compare its features and functions to the internet’s favorite robo-vacuum, and you’ll see that it really is the ultimate Roomba dupe. Like its pricier counterpart, the Ionvac SmartClean is designed with multiple cleaning modes to get the best suction on your rugs and hard floors. Not for nothing, Ionvac is equipped with four high-powered settings as compared to Roomba’s three—but who’s counting?
Ionvac SmartClean 2000 Robovac WiFi Vacuum Cleaner — $90.00
Originally $129, on sale for $90
- Customizable with four high-powered cleaning modes
- Built with sensors that allow it to automatically dock and recharge
- Cleans more quietly than comparable smart vacuums
- Is totally hands-free, with options to use the remote control, a smartphone app, or voice activation
- Much more cost-effective than the comparable Roomba
- Great for open spaces, but can get stuck in more complicated or furniture-filled floor plans
- Requires WiFi
Just like the Roomba, this hands-free vacuum uses smart navigation and sensors to clean your space and then return back to its recharge docking station when it needs a little juice. You’ll get up to 100 minutes of vacuuming before the battery runs low—which, by the way, is a *much* longer run time than my beloved Dyson cordless vacuum.
This Roomba dupe is the perfect solution for my cozy apartment, which clocks in at under 1,000 square feet, has no stairs, and houses very minimal furniture (but the absolute maximal amount of building blocks, board books, and baby dolls). Larger, more complicated, or more furniture-filled floor plans might cause the Robovac to get stuck while it’s working its magic, but it just takes a little redirecting to set it back on its suctioning course.
Ultimately, it’s the price that makes the Robovac a must-have for your home—whether you live with kids or pets, you dread tidying, you love smart tech, or a combination of the three applies. At just $129, plus an additional $40 off right now at Walmart, it’s a worthy household investment (that’s hardly an investment) that packs a major cleaning punch. Prediction: This Roomba dupe will have you frequently floor lounging in no time.