Today’s best deals: Roomba robot vacuums, Apple iPads, and more

Enlarge (credit: Ars Technica)

It's time for another Dealmaster! Our latest roundup of the best tech deals from around the web includes a number of deals on iRobot's popular Roomba robot vacuums.

Several models are currently available for prices that either match or are close to the best prices we've tracked: The more basic "bump-and-run" Roomba 694 is about $50 off its usual street price at $180, for instance, while a step-up model like the Roomba i3 Evo, which cleans in more orderly patterns instead of semi-random ones, is down to a joint-low of $250. The Roomba j7, meanwhile, is about $160 off its usual price and adds better battery life and the ability to automatically avoid obstacles like pet waste or power cords. "Plus" versions of the latter two vacuums, which include a self-emptying feature that allows the devices to autonomously dump their debris into a compartment built into their charging docks, are also down to the best prices we've tracked.

The usual caveats with robot vacuums still apply—they're not cheap, they'll still get stuck from time to time, and they aren't as strong as normal vacuums—but they can still be valuable to those who want to spend less time cleaning manually. The models we've highlighted below have generally received positive reviews around the web for their performance and durability, so they should represent a good value for those interested in giving this kind of device a try.