Quick Answer: Amazon’s Trade-In Program does not accept robot vacuums at all — the only real trade-in credit comes directly from the robot’s own manufacturer. iRobot pays up to $195 toward a new Roomba or Braava purchase, verified after you ship the old unit back with a free prepaid label. Roborock’s trade-in only applies when buying one of about 11 current flagship models, and the unit you send in must be in good condition with under 700 hours of use, per Roborock’s own trade-in terms. Shark, Dreame, eufy, and Ecovacs don’t run a comparable program, so owners of those brands are better off reselling directly or checking a local e-waste program.
Most shoppers assume a robot vacuum trades in the same way a phone does — hand it to whoever you’re buying from, get instant credit. That’s not how it works here, and the gap between what people expect and what’s actually available is the main thing worth knowing before you go looking.
Amazon doesn’t do this — the credit is brand-direct only
If you search Amazon’s Trade-In Store for “robot vacuum,” you won’t find one. Amazon’s program is built around phones, tablets, laptops, game consoles, and Amazon’s own Echo/Fire TV/eero hardware — small appliances like robot vacuums were never added to the eligible-items list. That rules out the path most people try first. The two programs that actually exist both come straight from the manufacturer, and only apply if you’re buying that same brand’s new robot.
What iRobot and Roborock actually pay
| Program | Who qualifies | Credit | Key condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Trade-In | Not offered | — | Robot vacuums aren't an eligible category |
| iRobot Trade-In | Any Roomba or Braava, any brand you're upgrading from | Up to $195, model-dependent | Must complete new purchase first; free prepaid return label |
| Roborock Trade-In | Only when buying a current flagship (Qrevo/S8 Ultra line) | Cashback set after condition review | Under 700 hours of use, good working condition, US only |
| Shark / Dreame / eufy / Ecovacs | No manufacturer trade-in program | — | Resell privately or use an e-waste program instead |
How the iRobot trade-in actually runs
iRobot’s own trade-in page lays out a three-step process: you get a credit estimate at the point of buying a new Roomba or Braava, ship your old robot back using a prepaid label iRobot provides, and the credit posts to your original payment method once the model is verified. The catch is the estimate isn’t final cash-in-hand before you buy — you’re committing to the new purchase first, and the credit applies afterward. Education-program robots, Clean Base disposal units, air purifiers, and accessories are explicitly excluded, and iRobot states it recycles whatever it can’t resell, so a genuinely dead unit still isn’t wasted.
How Roborock’s trade-in differs
Roborock’s version is narrower by design. It’s not a “send us any old robot vacuum for cash” program — it only kicks in when you’re buying one of a specific current-generation list (Qrevo S, Plus, Pro, MaxV, Slim, Master, Curv, Edge, plus the S8 Pro Ultra, Max Ultra, and MaxV Ultra). The old unit gets evaluated on two things per Roborock’s own terms: condition (good, fully functional) and usage time (under 700 hours). Pass both and customer service processes a cashback amount toward your new order within about a day of confirming the result. It’s U.S.-only, and remote territories (Puerto Rico, Alaska, Hawaii, Virgin Islands) are excluded.
- Qualifies for Roborock's trade-in program if your old robot passes the condition and under-700-hour usage check.
- Self-washing, self-refilling dock removes the manual water-tank refill most older robots require.
- See our full Qrevo Curv review for real-world suction and mopping results.
Whichever brand you land on, ordering the replacement first is usually the practical move since both trade-ins require an active purchase before credit posts — try Amazon Prime free for 30 days so the new robot arrives in two days while your old one is still in transit to the trade-in center.
If your brand doesn’t have a trade-in program
Shark, Dreame, eufy, and Ecovacs owners don’t have a manufacturer credit path — but that doesn’t mean the old robot is worthless. A private resale on Facebook Marketplace or eBay typically nets more than any flat manufacturer credit would, especially for a model still under 2-3 years old. For a robot that’s genuinely at end of life, check whether a local e-waste program or a service like Call2Recycle accepts small appliances — the lithium-ion battery inside means it shouldn’t go straight into curbside trash in most areas. If the only thing actually wrong with it is a worn brush roll or a clogged filter, our robot vacuum repair guide breaks down the 50% rule for when fixing it beats replacing it entirely.
The bottom line
Skip Amazon’s trade-in store for this one — it simply isn’t stocked for robot vacuums. If you already own a Roomba or Braava, iRobot’s up-to-$195 credit is close to free money on an upgrade you were making anyway. If you’re already inside Roborock’s ecosystem and eyeing one of its current flagships, check your old unit’s usage hours before assuming you qualify. And if your brand doesn’t run a program at all, reselling privately usually beats any workaround credit you’d find elsewhere — see our refurbished robot vacuum guide for how these traded-in units end up back on the market at a discount, and our warranty guide if you’re deciding between fixing your current robot or trading it up.