Is Aldi's cheap robot vacuum cleaner worth buying?

If you've been toying with the idea of buying a robot vacuum cleaner but have been put off by the cost, you might be tempted by Aldi's latest Specialbuy offer.

Aldi is taking pre-orders for a £130 Easy Home robot vacuum on its website, with the vacuum due to officially go on sale on Thursday 8 August.

It's one of the cheapest you can buy, considering the latest versions from brands such as Dyson and iRobot cost anywhere between £750 and £1,000. It's certainly an eye-catching deal.

It's only available while stocks last, so it's likely that you'll need to act quickly if you want to get your hands on one. Is the price too good to be true though?

Discover which models we recommend: best robot vacuum cleaners

Aldi robot vacuum cleaner: is it a good deal?

Considering the rock-bottom price, Aldi's robot vacuum is, unsurprisingly, one of the more basic models we've seen in terms of features.

The Easy Home robot works by using sensors to detect obstacles and drops around the home. It can be controlled via a remote control or set to clean automatically using the programmer on the charging base.

Features and included kit:

• Suitable for all floor surfaces
• Six cleaning modes
• 90 minutes claimed run time
• Charging station
• Remote control
• Programmable
• Spare side brushes
• Spare Hepa filter
• Three-year warranty

No smartphone controls or hi-tech mapping

You'll need to spend a lot more if you want the likes of intelligent room mapping or smart controls - features you'll find on vacuums such as the Dyson 360 Eye (£800).

With the Easy Home, you get to choose between six preset cleaning modes, covering options such as spot cleaning, edges and zig-zag - although the mind boggles as to what the bizarrely named 'polygonal' cleaning mode is meant to achieve.

It does have some features that give it the edge over similarly priced rivals, including touch controls and a programmable timer.

The very cheapest robots don't have a charging station either, so you have to recover them from wherever they end up and plug them back in manually, potentially leaving you with a half-cleaned room.

Two things to watch out for with the Aldi robot vacuum

1. Don't expect a deep clean

If you're hoping Aldi's robot vacuum will completely replace your usual vacuum cleaner, you're likely to be disappointed. Even the best robot vacuum cleaners we've tested can't match a standard vacuum for cleaning power.

Particularly if you have carpets, don't expect a deep clean. A good robot can help you keep on top of the chores, but you might find yourself still reaching for a proper vacuum cleaner every so often.

We've found some brilliant cheap vacuum cleaners that will clean your home thoroughly for less than £100. See our top picks in our round-up of the top five best vacuum cleaners.

2. Watch out for noise

We haven't tested this specific model, but bear in mind that robot vacuums can be noisier than you might expect, which could be an issue if you're often at home during the day.

It can be hard to get on when there's a constant buzz in the background, although you can set the vacuum to work when you're out of the house.

Find out how to buy the best robot vacuum cleaner

Are robot vacuum cleaners any good?

The prospect of putting your feet up while a robot does all the vacuuming for you is certainly appealing, but we've found the reality can be a little different.

While the best robot vacuum cleaners can help you keep on top of the cleaning, the worst we've tested pick up just 4% of dust from carpets.

To put that into perspective, the best cordless vacuum cleaner we've seen picks up more than 85% of the dust on your floors.

If you're keen to be free from a traditional vacuum cleaner, a cordless vacuum might be a good compromise. We've recently found some brilliant options for £250 or less, so check our cordless vacuum cleaner reviews to see the models we recommend.