Best Robot Vacuum For Thick Carpet and Pet Hair

If you own pets, a robotic vacuum is essential to keep up with the fur shedding. Find a model that has large dust bins that is able to easily empty itself.

Think about a model with virtual no-go zones and Best Robot Vacuum For Thick Carpet and Pet Hair mapping to keep it away from sensitive areas like pet bowls and bed. Also, look for models with clever features, such as scheduling and an app for smartphones.

1. Neato D7

The D7 is the top model in the Neato robotic vacuum line. It is extremely navigable and is controlled by either the app or Alexa. In contrast to many robots struggling to navigate around rooms without a map, the D7 utilizes advanced sensors and lasers to create a digital map of your home. You can create virtual "No Go" lines by clicking your finger. The D7 is not able to enter areas it should not (without the use of barrier tape or towers).

The cleaning capabilities of the D7 is impressive. It is able to remove 99.8 percent of Cheerios that are scattered across the floor. This is a little better than the Roomba i7+, which only manages to collect 94.6 percent and the Shark Ion R85, which is able to only pick up 100%. The D7 also manages to maneuver well on bare and high-pile carpet.

Another nice feature is the option to select between two different levels of cleaning. The Eco mode runs the vacuum more quietly and extends the runtime, while the Turbo mode provides a more effective cleaning. However Turbo mode operates at a loud, unfriendly volume which can be a problem in the event that you're using the D7 while working or watching TV.

The D7 is among the few robots capable creating and keeping multiple floor plans. This is perfect for multi-level homes. It also comes with a quick boost function that allows it to return to its base, recharge and then resume cleaning. This is particularly useful when you're cleaning difficult areas. Neato's app is easy to use and is regularly updated with new features. It is among the cheapest robots available on the market for thick carpets and pet hair.

2. Eufy RoboVac 11S

Similar to the Neato D7, the Eufy 11S is sleek and low-profile. This makes it possible to get under couches, beds and coffee tables easier than other robot vacuums. It also comes with some new features that allow it to clean better and get to where you want it, like the no-go lines you can draw on maps that prevent it from cleaning areas that are sensitive such as pet bowls or beds. It also comes with an auto-recharge feature and resume, in the event that it runs out of battery before it finishes cleaning it will return to its base, recharge it, and then return to where it began.

In our tests, the RoboVac 11S performed much better than its predecessor, eufy RoboVac 30C. It also was more efficient than the ILIFE A4s, Bobsweep Bob Pro, and the ILIFE a4s. It has a bigger dirt compartment, a longer battery life and is able to clear more debris from low-pile carpets and high pile carpets to floor surfaces that are bare. It is also built better and more durable, incurs fewer recurring costs, and maneuvers itself more efficiently.

It's not the best robot vacuum for floors with no carpet, but it is an excellent choice for homes with medium carpets and pets. It makes use of random navigation and sensors in its underbelly and bumper to navigate around obstacles. It's not as sophisticated as the mapping technology used in other robots, but it does the job well enough and it gets into nooks and crannies other robots cannot reach. It comes with spin brushes to clean walls, and a larger 0.6-liter dust bin. It has an actual control that has an all-black screen and a charging station. It also has four side brushes that can be attached to two additional filters, and a cleaning tool.

3. iLife VS3 Professional

If you have pets, you'll require an effective robot vacuum to remove pet hair. Even the best self emptying robot vacuum and mop for pet hair robot vacuums can struggle with this hair, which clings to rugs and floors. I test how much dog and cat fur robots can gather from the floor by measuring the amount of hair they can take in. I also test how the robot can maneuver through common terrain. This includes how well it travels over a common threshold such as table legs, furniture, and under the couch. Some robots can map out their homes by using sensors to sense their way through the setup process and create an image of the house. This lets them better avoid obstacles during subsequent cleaning cycles.

The iLife V3s Pro excels at managing household terrain and is among the most affordable models we've tested. It also performed well in my test for removing pet hair, removing nearly all the hair from hardwood floors and only slightly lower its score when it was tested on carpet.

The V3s Pro, unlike many other robot vacuums, doesn't use a brush roll. Instead, it relies on two spinning side brushes to break up debris and push it towards an opening of three inches at base of the device. Although this isn't a very efficient system for carpet but it's still awe-inspiring for such an inexpensive unit.

The iLife V3s Professional's mopping ability is also fairly good. It did a good job on floors that were bare and picked up bits of tinsel and mud from my tests. It's not as good as the best auto vacuum for pet hair robot mop.

4. Roborock s7

For a robot vacuum with impressive technological capabilities and impressive tech capabilities, the Roborock s7 is an excellent value. The mid-priced model works as well as many high-end models and is easy to operate and maintain. It has a variety of top-quality features that are similar to those found in robots costing twice as much. It's a great choice for first-time buyers, those who are upgrading from an entry level model, and anyone looking to cut down on time spent cleaning.

This robot is equally at comfortable on floors that are unfinished as it is on carpet. Its suction power of 2,000Pa can handle the toughest carpeting. It can even clean pet hair from cracks and crevices on bare floors. It's built well, moves effortlessly, and can be operated using voice commands from Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant for hands-free operation. Its battery is smaller than some of the other models we tested, but it still has plenty of juice for most homes.

The s7 is also a good mopping robot. It comes with a 200ml tank filled with water and mopping pads that can be attached to the robot's back. Add water and a microfiber towel, and the s7 automatically begins mopping your floors. The s7 will then turn off and return to its dock after mopping is finished.

The app's companion is simple to use and features a sleek layout with lots of functions. You can draw a map of your house, set virtual boundaries that the s7 can't cross, create zones of no-go areas, or simply tell it to clean a specific room. You can also view its maintenance history, its current status, and even monitor its performance.

5. Neato Q5 Pro

The Neato Q5 Pro robot vacuum is a versatile machine that is great at cleaning floors that are not clean. It also removes many pieces of dust from both high and low pile carpet. It is incredibly solid, comes with a wide suite of navigation features and is simple to maintain. It has a shorter battery life and has higher recurring costs than other units.

The Q5 is among the most slow robots we've tested, however, its layout algorithm is reliable and doesn't need any extra attention after its first run through an area. It begins by tracing a perimeter, and then fills in the interior with parallel lines. When it's done the device returns to its charging station or its starting location if it started away from the base.

It did a very respectable job of cleaning hardwood floors and sucking up at least 88% of dirt for each test. It had more trouble with carpets with a high and low pile however, it performed much better than the standard unit. It also has a mopping attachment to clean up wet spills. We didn't test it.

Its mobility, which is more than average for a lidar robot is that it can bump into furniture or other obstacles with a gentle bump. Its navigation system can recognize stairs and multiple floor levels that is a nice feature that allows it to efficiently navigate multi-story homes. It can also recognize individual room types when you select them in the app. It also allows you to adjust the power level, establish no-go zones and view an image of the current cleaning area. The Q5 can be controlled using the mobile app, or via voice commands from Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Siri.