The cheapest robot to buy can be expensive to keep useful. Price the parts for your exact model before purchase and value the maintenance routine you will actually perform.
Build the parts basket first
Search the manufacturer’s store for the exact model’s filter, main brush, side brush, bag or bin, mop parts, dock tray parts, cleaning solution, and battery. Save part numbers when available.
Annual cost is a range
Replacement intervals depend on floor area, debris, pet hair, run frequency, washing, and whether parts are cleaned instead of replaced. The ownership calculator uses your chosen intervals rather than pretending one schedule fits every home.
Third-party consumables
Generic parts can lower cost, but fit, filter media, brush balance, detergent chemistry, and warranty treatment may differ. Do not assume a visually similar part is equivalent.
Labor is part of ownership
Count minutes for hair removal, filter care, tray scrubbing, tank rinsing, sensor wiping, floor prep, and rescue. A simpler robot that you maintain is better than a complex dock you avoid.
Battery and repair horizon
Ask whether the battery is sold, whether replacement instructions exist, and whether wheels, brushes, tanks, and dock parts are available. A repairable three-year machine can beat a sealed bargain replaced after one failure.
Before you buy
- Exact-model consumables are listed
- One-year parts basket is priced
- Battery path is known
- Generic parts policy is understood
- Monthly maintenance time is realistic
- Return and warranty shipping costs are understood
How to use this guide
This guide is a durable editorial framework. It explains system tradeoffs without assigning product scores or pretending a manufacturer claim is a shared lab measurement. For a model-specific decision, record the exact SKU, region, source URL, checked date, and what remains unknown.