My favorite budget-friendly robot vacuum is from a brand you've never heard of

ZDNET's key takeaways

• The 3i G10+ robot vacuum and mop is available for $230.
• The robot boosts suction when it detects carpet, compacts debris within itself to let you go longer between emptying it, and navigates efficiently.
• The unit itself is 4.3 inches tall, so it doesn't fit under furniture that is at least 4.4 inches off the ground, and it's rather loud.

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I love using a high-end robot vacuum, but the ones I enjoy testing the most are the midrange and budget-friendly ones. I've been testing the 3i G10+ robot vacuum for a few months, and it's become my favorite budget-friendly option. 

As a robot vacuum reviewer, I've tested dozens of options across all price points, yet the G10+ offers some of the best value for money I've found, thanks to its performance, obstacle avoidance, and extra features. 

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The 3i G10+ is the best entry-level robot vacuum you can buy right now. As such, it features a small footprint, thanks to its tiny charging dock and lack of self-emptying or self-washing capabilities. Instead, the G10+ has a large 1L dustbin with a built-in dust compactor, letting you go up to 60 days without emptying it. This lets you run your robot vacuum as needed, and only worry about returning to empty it every few weeks, though your mileage may vary.

My dog sheds for a living, yet the G10+ still lasted about five weeks without me needing to intervene and empty it -- all while running at least three times a week. And this is with the robot picking up pretty much everything in sight, thanks to its 18,000Pa of suction power and strong navigation abilities.

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I've gotten used to robot vacuums missing spots here and there during cleaning, but the 3i G10+ offers some of the best coverage I've seen from a robot. It cleaned close to the edges and covered every inch of my floor, so I'd come home to find pet-hair-free floors each time. Our lab found similar results, with a navigational coverage of 86.53% across the entire testing area. 

A look at the 3i G10+'s large compression dustbin.

Schylar Breitenstein/ZDNET

Aside from knowing where it's going, the 3i G10+ also knows what to avoid: this robot vacuum intelligently navigates around obstacles that other models don't, including balled-up paper, tissues, and socks. My kids are constantly leaving these kinds of debris in their wake, along with small toys and stickers, so these items have become the bane of my existence as a robot vacuum tester. 

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Most robot vacuums I've tried try to vacuum these things up, only to have their roller brushes get stuck on them. Thankfully, I didn't have that issue with the G10+, which simply went around these obstacles. 

Because the 3i G10+ is rather tall, it's gotten some scratches on the body when attempting to go under furniture.

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

While the robot is generally pretty quiet, I noticed the 3i G10+ making a weird whirring sound as it moved. This wasn't a terribly loud sound, but it did startle me the first time I heard it. I initially thought my unit was the problem, but I realized this may just be a thing with this robot after comparing notes with our testing lab, since their unit made the same noise. The sound is unusual for a robot vacuum, so it could be a problem for those sensitive to noise. 

ZDNET's buying advice

So many robot vacuums fall short of their claims, and I was happy to see that the 3i G10+ did not -- instead, it exceeded my expectations. Just $230 buys you a strong, dependable, intelligent robot vacuum and mop that doesn't require you to babysit it. 

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I tested the G10+ on my home's first floor, where the dog lives, and was happy to see it picked up all the hair on my hardwood and tile floors, as well as most of it on the carpet. This is consistent with ZDNET's lab testing, where the robot unfortunately pushed more pet hair around instead of picking it up. As a result, I recommend this robot vacuum for homes with mostly hard floors, like tile, wood, or laminate.