The Best Robot Vacuum For Pet Hair on Hardwood Floors

A quality robot vacuum can make a significant difference in keeping allergens such as dust and pet hair under control. Different models are not the same.

There are a variety of options to choose from for you to choose from, whether you need an animal-friendly vacuum or a robot to work with your other vacuum.

1. Eufy RoboVac G30 Edge

The G30 Edge is the newest model in Eufy's budget line robot vacuum cleaners. The G30 Edge is a shiny black vacuum cleaner with pink and blue accents. It's akin to an iPhone. The model is simpler to use than past models and offers features like BoostIQ that automatically boosts suction power to ensure better cleaning of all surfaces. It also employs intelligent navigation to prevent repeating the same areas over and over, a common problem with bounce-navigation systems that are simpler.

It does a very good job of picking up pet hair and crumbs from hard floors, but lags behind the best robot vacuum and mop pet hair models when it comes to scooping up flour on carpet. In our tests, the G30 Edge missed 74% of the dust on hard floors and 26% on carpet, which is disappointing.

One feature that makes the G30 Edge stand out is its ability to map your home with an electronic map that is available in the app. This lets it remember which rooms it has already cleaned and avoid going back to the same rooms. This is a major issue for the more basic robots that need the old-fashioned magnetic tap to delineate areas that are not allowed to be in.

The G30 Edge also has other advantages. It comes with a "Find My Robot" mode that blasts out loud music until it is found, and a directional keypad that lets you manually move the robot. It also comes with an auto return function that will send it back to its charging station when the battery is depleted it is a vital security feature.

2. Neato Botvac D-Shape

The Neato Botvac D-Shape robot is a powerful machine with a variety of best smart vacuum for pet hair features. It cleans bare floors very well, Best Robot Vacuum For Pet Hair on Hardwood Floors and it climbs on carpets with high piles fairly easily. The app also comes with advanced features such as boundary lines remote control access while the robot is in operation, and a variety of other options.

This model is the latest in a long-running line of robots by Neato. It is unique because it has a "D shape when viewed above. This design offers several advantages, including improved corner-cleaning and a larger bin of dust than most other models. The D-shape also enables the robot to reach under furniture better than those that have a circular shape.

When first starting a cleaning process, the D-Shape will stop briefly to use spinning infrared lasers to scan and assess the area. Then it will begin to work in a grid and gradually moving from one area to the next until the entire floor is cleaned. This method is more thorough and effective than some competitors who employ a random method.

The d-shape design allows the D-Shape to have a large dust bin, with 700ml compared to 400 to 600ml for similar-priced robots. That increased capacity means you'll need to empty the dust bin less often, which will save your time and effort. The D-Shape also has a flat front side that can help it navigate around obstacles like tables and chairs. In our tests, we discovered that the D-Shape was stuck under a four legged stool, and also underneath an electrical cord that was exposed. However, it was able free itself every time.

3. Roomba I3+ EV

The Roomba EVO i3+ is a fantastic option for pet owners. It does well on hard floors and does a great job of removing debris like rice, cereal and pet hair. It has some issues on carpets, but it's better than most robots in this price range. The Roomba EVO is also good at moving between different floor types. It isn't stuck on transitions like older generations. The dual multi-surface rubber brushes can adapt to different floorings and are able to resist getting caught in pet hair.

The i3+ EVO's obstacle-avoiding capability isn't as strong as some of the other robots we evaluated, and it repeatedably hit objects in our tests such as handbags shoes and pet toys prior to continuing its journey. It also had trouble with coarse sea salt that it blew around instead of picking up.

The i3+ EVO is packed with features that make it worth the price over other Roomba models. These include the ability to self-empty the bin and more advanced control through an app. You can schedule cleanings, set custom routines, and even create zones that don't want the robot to enter. Its intelligent scheduling can even suggest extra cleaning during allergy season and based on the routine you follow. The system for navigation is not reliable and sometimes vacuums in erratic patterns, such as zigzags or diagonals instead of parallel to walls.

4. Shark AI Self-Empty, XL

With its precise mapping technology, this intelligent robot knows your home better than you can. It also comes with dual brushes that can be adjusted to different floor types and avoid tangling, which makes it the ideal option for households with pets. The app can be used to control the robot, or activate it with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The dock, which is called Omni, automates tasks such as filling and cleaning the robot's water tanks, emptying the debris bins, charging and drier the mop pads.

It's an excellent value. The Shark AI Self-Empty XL offers many advanced features, including mapping and a self-emptying bin that can hold a lot of garbage. It was extremely clean and maneuvered well in a home which had a mix of carpets with low pile as well as floors that were bare and a mix of both. The vacuum also does a good job of picking up pet hair that gets stuck to carpets, though it doesn't have the same amount of power as some of our top choices.

The Roborock S4 Max, however it is more durable and recharges faster than the Shark and comes with a wider variety of automation options and scheduling options, including support for "no-go zones". We'd still recommend the Shark if you're looking for something less expensive, or if you prefer to use your mobile phone for control and monitoring instead of a dedicated remote.

5. Bissell SpinWave Wet and Dry

It's not easy to find a robot that can combine mopping and vacuuming however this one does exactly that. The two-tank system used by this robot allows it to mop or vacuum at the touch of one button. It effortlessly shifted between surfaces in our tests, and was able to excel at cleaning pet hair from carpets and hardwood floors. It also includes an edge-sweeping tool for removing hair from baseboards and walls.

This robot is a good choice if you are looking for a model that's inexpensive and has a few extra features. It maneuvered obstacles well in our testing and is controlled via an app or by speaking. It has a huge dust bin for messes to be collected before they're filled. The only issue is that it can take up to 166 minutes to finish its job, but that's still better than most other robots we've tested.

The most impressive feature of this robot is the front-facing camera that lets you check the cleanliness of your home on an interactive map within the app. This is particularly useful when you're trying to locate a particular object or if your children have spilled glitter from your festive decorations all over your floor. You can avoid lots of frustration by locating the item you lost immediately. Additionally the battery that is fade-free can run for up to 130 minutes on a single charge.

6. Roomba 694

The Roomba 694 looks upscale and provides a thorough clean. It is very good in maneuvering and can go under low-level furniture without stumbling. It's also a good choice for carpets and rugs with low pile. It can get stuck on rug tassels and it's difficult to maneuver small spaces, such as corners. It also struggles to pick up pet hair on all surfaces.

Despite the 694's limited feature set however, it still performs well than the majority of its competitors. It managed to grab a perfect score on our cereal-carpet test. It also passed our cat-litter test with just a few scattered pieces of litter left behind. It's less efficient on hardwood floors, though. The side brush scatters large cereal bits that cling to the floor instead of being vacuumed. It also had trouble collecting table salt on floor that was not paved, as a lot of grains fell across the floor.

It does support app control through the iRobot HOME app and voice command via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant (via an external device, sold separately). It learns about your cleaning habits and then creates custom schedules. Cliff Detect and an edge-sweeping brush will ensure it is able to reach hard-to-reach corners, while Dirt Detect sensors alert it to areas that are heavily soiled. Its battery lasts about 60 minutes and it has a self-emptying dustbin. The more expensive iRobot j7 has a more advanced suite of features and is more stable on all surfaces. It's also more durable, has a larger dustbin, is faster to charge and can handle obstacles like electrical cords better.