The Best Robot Vacuum For Pet Hair on Hardwood Floors

A good robot vacuum cleaner can make a big difference in controlling allergens like pet hair and dust. However, not all models are equal.

There are a variety of options to choose from, whether you want a pet-friendly vacuum or a robot to complement your other vacuum.

1. Eufy RoboVac G30 Edge

The G30 Edge is the newest model in Eufy's line of budget robot vacuum cleaners. It's a glossy black model with blue and rose-gold accents that look like an iPhone. This model is easier to use than previous models and offers features such as BoostIQ that automatically boosts suction power to ensure better cleaning on all surfaces. Smart navigation is used to avoid the repetition of the same areas that are common when using bounce-navigation.

It does a good job picking up pet hair, crumbs and dust on hard floors, but it is not as efficient as the top models in terms of removing flour from carpet. In our tests, it failed to pick up 74% of the powder on hard floors and 26% on carpet.

The G30 Edge is unique in its ability to map out your home using digital maps. This lets it remember the rooms it's cleaned, and to avoid returning to the same rooms. This is a major frustration for the more basic robots that require the old-fashioned magnetic tap to delineate no-go zones.

The G30 Edge has other conveniences, including a 'Find My Robot' mode that plays an audible tune until it's found and an directional pad that allows you to manually move the robot. It also has an automatic return feature that can send the robot back to its charging station when the battery is low. This is a safety feature.

2. Neato Botvac D-Shape

The Neato Botvac D-Shape robotic is a mighty machine with a long list of intelligent features. It can clean floors well and climb up carpets with high piles easily. The app also has advanced features, such as boundary lines remote control access while the robot is working and a variety of other options.

This model is the most recent in a long series of robots from Neato and has a distinctive "D" shape when seen from above. This design offers several advantages, such as improved corner cleaning and a bigger bin of dust than most other models. The D-shape design allows the robot to reach under furniture more easily than models with a circular design.

The D-Shape will stop briefly before beginning a cleaning cycle to use spinning infrared to look over and evaluate the area. Then, it will begin to clean in a grid pattern by moving in a logical manner from one area to another until the floor is completely covered. This method of cleaning is more effective and thorough than the random approach employed by some competitors.

The D-Shape's design allows it to have a huge 700ml dust container as opposed to 400-600ml for robots of the same price. This increased capacity means that you will have to empty the dust bin less often, saving your time and effort. The D-Shape has a flat surface on the front, which helps it navigate around obstacles like chairs and tables. In our tests, the D-Shape did get stuck under a stool with four legs and an electrical cord that was not covered however it was able to break free every time.

3. Roomba i3+ EVO

The Roomba EVO i3+ is a fantastic option for pet owners. It works well on hard floors and does a great job of removing particles like cereal, rice and pet hair. It has some issues on carpet, but is better than the majority of robots in this price range. The Roomba EVO is also very good at moving between different flooring types. It isn't stuck in transitions like the older models. Dual multi-surface brushes can flex and adapt to various flooring types. They also have a tendency to not tangle pet hair.

The i3+ EVO has weaker obstacle avoidance capability than the other robots we tested. It repeatedly encountered objects such as handbags, pet toys and shoes before continuing its route. It also had trouble dealing with coarse sea salt, which it was able to blow around instead of taking it up.

The i3+ EVO comes with a variety of amazing features that make it worth the extra cost compared to other Roomba models, Vacuum including a self-emptying dustbin and advanced control through the app. You can schedule cleanings and create custom routines. You can also set up zones that block the robot from entering certain areas. The smart scheduling system can suggest additional cleanings during high allergy times, in accordance with your routine. The system for navigation is not reliable and sometimes vacuums in erratic patterns like zigzags or diagonals instead of parallel to walls.

4. Shark AI Self-Empty, XL

This smart robot is able to map your home in detail and better than you. It also has two brushes that can be adjusted to different floor types and avoid tangling, which makes it the ideal option for households with pets. You can control the robot through the app, or activate it hands-free using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. The dock, called Omni, automates tasks such as refilling and cleaning robot's water tanks, emptying debris bins, charging and drier the mop pads.

It's a great price. The Shark AI Self-Empty XL offers many advanced features, such as mapping and a self-emptying bin that can store a lot of garbage. We tried it out in a home with a mix of unfinished floors and low-pile carpeting and found it to move and clean very well, even navigating corners. The vacuum does a good job of picking up pet fur on carpeting. However, it doesn't have as much power as our top selections.

However the Roborock S4 Max is better constructed, takes less time to recharge than the Shark, and provides more automation and scheduling features as well as support for zones that are not allowed to be used. Shark is still a great option if you're looking for something cheaper or prefer to manage and control your system with your phone rather than using a remote.

5. Bissell SpinWave Dry & Wet

This robot is capable of mopping and vacuuming. Its two-tank system can effectively vacuum mop for pet hair or mop with the push of the button. It easily transitioned between surfaces during our tests, and was able to excel at picking up pet hair from carpets and hardwood floors. It also features an edge-sweeping tool to clean cat hair along baseboards and walls, as well as the ability to schedule it to your schedule.

This robot is a great pick if you want an affordable robot with additional features. It maneuvered obstacles well in our tests and can be controlled via an app or by speaking. It even supports scheduled cleanings and has a large dustbin to collect the mess before it gets full. It can take it up to 166 minutes to complete its task, but this is still faster than other robots that we have evaluated.

The highlight of this robot is its front-facing camera that allows you to monitor your home's cleanliness using live maps in the app. It's particularly helpful if you're trying to find a specific item or if your children spill glitter from the decorations on your flooring. It can save you a lot of frustration by finding that lost item right away. The fade-free lithium batteries can last up to 130 minutes with a single charge.

6. Roomba 694

The Roomba 694 is an upscale-looking robot that delivers excellent cleaning. It does a great job maneuvering itself and is able to move under furniture without getting stuck. It's also a good choice for rugs and low-pile carpet. It can become stuck on rug tassels and it's difficult to maneuver tiny spaces like corners. It also has difficulty collecting pet hair from all surfaces.

Despite the limited features of the 694 however, it still performs better than the majority of its competitors. It got a perfect score of 10 in our cereal carpet test and passed our cat litter test with only a couple of stray pieces. It's less efficient on hardwood floors, though. Its side brush is often scattered with large, clinging cereal bits instead of vacuuming them. It also had a hard time removing table salt from a clean floor, with many grains falling across the floor and out of its reach.

It supports voice control via Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant via an external device (sold separately). It learns your habits of cleaning and offers personalized schedules. Cliff Detect and an edge-sweeping brush ensure it gets into hard-to-reach corners, while Dirt Detect sensors alert it to heavily soiled areas. It has a bin that automatically empties and it has a battery life of around 60 minutes. The more expensive iRobot J7 is more sophisticated and performs better on all surfaces. It also feels better built, vacuum has a larger dustbin, charges faster, and can navigate obstacles such as electrical cords more easily.