Appliance / Robot vacuums / Guide
【Oct 2026 Update】Best Robot Vacuums in Japan Around JPY 40,000: Three 2026 Models Compared, Dreame F20 Plus Empties Itself for 120 Days
Choose a robot vacuum by how often you must empty it, how much floor it needs, and whether it mops. The Dreame F20 Plus (May 8, 2026) lists at JPY 35,800 and needs no emptying for up to 120 days. The Roomba Mini Slim (Apr 6) costs JPY 39,800.
Key points
- Release order: Roomba Mini (Feb 27, 2026), Roomba Mini Slim (Apr 6), Dreame F20 Plus (May 8)
- Prices: Roomba Mini JPY 49,800, Mini Slim JPY 39,800, Dreame F20 Plus JPY 35,800 (the F20 is JPY 24,800)
- Both Roombas are 24.5cm wide, 9.2cm tall and about 2.0kg. The JPY 10,000 gap between Mini and Mini Slim is about 25% of the Mini Slim's price
Which robot vacuum? How often you empty it and how much floor it needs
With a robot vacuum, the suction number matters less than where it sits and who empties it. A small robot with a big dock still takes up the room.
As an IT consultant (SE), I read the footnote before the headline number. So the "120 days" below carries its note: it comes from the maker's own lab data.
Three models released in 2026. The short answer: the Dreame F20 Plus balances money and effort best. For a small room, the Roomba Mini Slim.
Three yardsticks: emptying effort, footprint, price
| Yardstick | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Emptying effort | Dreame F20 Plus | 4L dust bag, up to 120 days between empties (Dreame's lab data) |
| Footprint | Roomba Mini Slim | Its stand set upright is 8.6cm deep and weighs about 0.7kg |
| Price | Dreame F20 Plus | JPY 35,800, JPY 4,000 below the Mini Slim (39,800 − 35,800) |
How many days you really go without emptying depends on household size and how dirty the floor gets. The figures here are the makers' conditions.
The models: release dates and numbers
| Model | Release | Price (tax incl.) | Dust collection | Robot size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roomba Mini | Feb 27, 2026 | JPY 49,800 | AutoEmpty dock | 24.5cm wide, 9.2cm tall, about 2.0kg |
| Roomba Mini Slim | Apr 6, 2026 | JPY 39,800 | None (SlimCharge stand) | 24.5cm wide, 9.2cm tall, about 2.0kg |
| Dreame F20 Plus | May 8, 2026 | JPY 35,800 | 4L bag, auto collection | ― |
| Dreame F20 | May 8, 2026 | JPY 24,800 | None | ― |
The two Roombas share one body. The dock is the difference: the Mini's pulls dust out automatically, the Mini Slim's is a thin stand you can set upright. The JPY 10,000 gap is about 25% of the Mini Slim's price (10,000 ÷ 39,800).
Dreame F20 Plus: auto-emptying and mopping for JPY 35,800
Released May 8, 2026, this is a 2-in-1 top model. Suction is 20,000Pa, and the side brush is 6.8mm longer, which Dreame says covers up to 95% of wall edges.
A 280ml water tank lets it mop while it vacuums. The only difference from the F20 is auto-emptying, a JPY 11,000 gap (35,800 − 24,800). If you hate emptying a bin daily, that is worth paying for.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Dreame F20 Plus Robot Vacuum and Mop
Rakuten Ichiba is a Japanese marketplace. Overseas shipping depends on the shop.
Buying from outside Japan? Sign up free for Rakuten Global Express (Rakuten's official forwarding service) and check out with its Japan warehouse address → full guide
Roomba Mini Slim: 24.5cm wide, made for small rooms
Released Apr 6, 2026 at JPY 39,800. The body is 24.5cm across, 9.2cm tall and about 2.0kg, about half the volume of the Roomba 105 Combo according to iRobot.
The stand, set upright, is 22.2cm wide and 8.6cm deep, so it tucks into a corner. It suits a studio flat, or a home where the robot must slip under furniture.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
iRobot Roomba Mini Slim Vacuum and Mop Robot with SlimCharge Stand
Rakuten Ichiba is a Japanese marketplace. Overseas shipping depends on the shop.
Buying from outside Japan? Sign up free for Rakuten Global Express (Rakuten's official forwarding service) and check out with its Japan warehouse address → full guide
Roomba Mini: AutoEmpty pulls the dust out for you
Released Feb 27, 2026, this is the first Mini. Its dock (21.2cm wide, 17.8cm deep, 28.5cm tall) pulls the dust out of the robot automatically. The price is JPY 49,800.
It is for people who want the Roomba name and auto-emptying together. iRobot's store sells it in four colors: white, black, sakura and wakaba.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
iRobot Roomba Mini Vacuum and Mop Robot with AutoEmpty Dock
Rakuten Ichiba is a Japanese marketplace. Overseas shipping depends on the shop.
Buying from outside Japan? Sign up free for Rakuten Global Express (Rakuten's official forwarding service) and check out with its Japan warehouse address → full guide
Strengths and things to note
Strengths
Dreame F20 Plus: auto-emptying, mopping and 20,000Pa for JPY 35,800. Roomba Mini Slim: a 24.5cm body and an upright stand mean it fits almost anywhere. Roomba Mini: auto-emptying with a very small body.
Things to note
The Dreame press release text gives no size, so check the maker's diagram before you buy. The Mini Slim has no auto-emptying, so you empty it by hand. The Mini costs the most of the three at JPY 49,800.
Which one should you buy?
To empty the bin less: Dreame F20 Plus. For a tight space: Roomba Mini Slim. For a Roomba that empties itself: Roomba Mini. The cheapest start is the Dreame F20 at JPY 24,800.
If you can't decide, take the Dreame F20 Plus. The reason: JPY 35,800 buys up to 120 days without emptying, plus mopping. Over three years that is about JPY 33 a day (35,800 ÷ 1,095).
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Dreame F20 Plus Robot Vacuum and Mop
Rakuten Ichiba is a Japanese marketplace. Overseas shipping depends on the shop.
Buying from outside Japan? Sign up free for Rakuten Global Express (Rakuten's official forwarding service) and check out with its Japan warehouse address → full guide
If you also care about the air after cleaning, read the Daikin MC757A review. For dry winters there is the best humidifier guide, and for wet hair the best hair dryer guide.
FAQ
What is the best robot vacuum?
For money and effort, the Dreame F20 Plus. For a small room, the Roomba Mini Slim. For a self-emptying Roomba, the Roomba Mini.
What is the difference between Roomba Mini and Mini Slim?
The body is the same size. The Mini has an AutoEmpty dock that pulls out the dust, at JPY 49,800. The Mini Slim has a thin upright stand, at JPY 39,800.
What is the difference between Dreame F20 and F20 Plus?
Auto-emptying. The F20 Plus has a 4L dust bag and costs JPY 35,800. The F20 has none and costs JPY 24,800.
About the writer and sources
Written by a home-appliance nerd who works as an IT consultant (SE). At work, I read the footnotes behind a spec before the headline number, and I built the tables here the same way.
Release dates and prices were re-checked on Oct 26 against the makers' announcements and Rakuten Ichiba listings. Sources are listed below.
