The Best Robot Vacuum For Pet Hair on Hardwood Floors

A quality robot vacuum can make a significant difference in keeping allergens such pet hair and dust under control. However, not all models are created identical.

If you're looking to purchase pet-friendly features in your vacuum or simply a good robot to complement your existing vacuum, there's many choices.

1. Eufy RoboVac G30 Edge

The G30 Edge is the newest model in Eufy's budget line of robot vacuum cleaners. It's a sleek black design with blue and rose-gold accents that looks like the design of a smartphone. This model is easier-to-use than previous models and includes features like BoostIQ which automatically boosts suction to ensure better cleaning of all surfaces. It also makes use of intelligent navigation to avoid repeating the same spots repeatedly, an issue that is common with simpler bounce-navigation systems.

It does an excellent job of picking up pet hair and crumbs from hard floors, but it is behind the best vacuum mop for 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 a bit disappointing.

The G30 Edge is unique in its ability to map out your home using a digital map. It can keep track of the rooms it has cleaned previously and prevents it from returning to those rooms, a major frustration with more basic robots that rely on the use of traditional magnetic tape to mark off no-go zones.

The G30 Edge has other conveniences, including a "Find My Robot" mode that plays an ominous tune until it is found, and Best Robot Vacuum For Pet Hair on Hardwood Floors a directional pad that lets users to manually move the robot. It also has a built-in auto return function that can send it back to its charging base if the battery is low, an important security feature.

2. Neato Botvac D-Shape

The Neato Botvac D-Shape robot is a powerful machine with a variety of smart features. It is able to clean floors well and climb up high-pile carpets easily. The app comes with advanced features like boundary lines remote access to the robot as it is working, and best robot vacuum for pet Hair On hardwood floors many other options.

This model is the latest in the long-running line of robots manufactured by Neato. It has a distinctive "D shape when seen from above. The design offers a number of advantages, including improved corner-cleaning and a bigger bin of dust than the majority of models. The D-shape design also allows the robot to access furniture better than robots with a circular design.

The D-Shape will briefly pause before starting a cleaning cycle using a spinning infrared camera to look over and evaluate the area. It will then begin to clean in a grid pattern and move in a systematic manner from one area to another until the floor is completely covered. This method of cleaning is much more effective and thorough than the random approach employed by some competitors.

The d-shape design also permits the D-Shape to have a larger dust bin that is 700ml as opposed to 400 to 600ml for similar-priced robots. That increased capacity means you'll need to empty the bin less often, which will save your time and effort. The D-Shape also features a flat front side that can help it navigate around obstacles such as tables and chairs. In our tests, we found that the D-Shape got stuck under a stool with four legs, and also underneath an exposed electrical cord. However it was able to to free itself each time.

3. Roomba I3+ EV

The Roomba i3+ EVO is a fantastic choice for pet owners. It works well on hard floors and does a great job of clearing up debris like rice, cereal, and hair of pets. It isn't as good on carpets however it's still better than other robots in this price range. The Roomba EVO is also very efficient in moving between floor types. It isn't stuck in transitions like the older models. The dual multi-surface rubber brushes can adapt to different flooring types and are able to resist the tangles in pet hair.

The i3+ EVO's obstacle avoidance isn't as effective as some of the other robots we tested and it repeatedably hit objects in our tests like handbags, shoes and pet toys prior to continuing its journey. It also had trouble dealing with salt that was coarse that it blew over and around instead of picking up.

The i3+ EVO comes with a variety of amazing features that make it worth the additional cost compared to other Roomba models, like a self-emptying dustbin and advanced control through the app. You can schedule cleanings, create custom routines, and create zones that do not want the robot to enter. The smart scheduling system will suggest extra cleaning during allergy seasons, and depending on the routine you follow. Its navigation system is unreliable and sometimes vacuums in erratic patterns like zigzags or diagonals instead of parallel to walls.

4. Shark AI Self-Empty, XL

This intelligent robot is able to map your home in detail, better than you. It also comes with dual brushes that can adjust to various floor types and avoid tangling, making it the ideal option for households with pets. The app allows you to control the robot, or activate it using Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The dock, called Omni automates tasks like refilling and cleaning the robot's water tanks, emptying the debris bins, charging and drying the mop pads.

It's an excellent value. The Shark AI Self-Empty XL is less expensive than many other robots we've reviewed and yet comes with advanced features, such as mapping and a self-emptying bin which holds a decent amount of trash. We tested it in a home with a mix between bare flooring and carpeting with low pile and found it to move and clean exceptionally well, even navigating corners. The vacuum does a good job of removing pet hair on carpeting. However it's not as powerful much power as our top selections.

The Roborock S4 Max, however is more durable, recharges quicker than the Shark and offers a broader selection of automation features and scheduling options as well as support for "no-go zones". Shark is still a good option if you're looking to buy something cheaper or prefer to control and monitor your system via your smartphone instead of a remote.

5. Bissell SpinWave Dry and wet

It's hard to find a robot that combines vacuuming and mopping This one does it. Its two-tank system can effectively vacuum or mops with the touch of a button. It easily transitioned between surfaces in our tests and was successful in picking up pet hair from carpets and hardwood floors. It also comes with an edge-sweeping tool to remove cat hair from walls and baseboards.

This robot is a great choice if you are looking for a model that's affordable and has some extra features. It was able to navigate obstacles with ease during our tests and can be operated via an app or by speaking. It even supports scheduled cleanings and has a huge dust bin to catch mess before they get full. It can take it up to 166 minutes to finish its job, but this is still more efficient than other robots we have test.

The most impressive feature of this robot is its front-facing camera, which lets you check the cleanliness of your home on a live map in the app. It's especially helpful when you're trying to find something specific or your children spill glitter from the holiday decorations all over your flooring. You can save yourself a lot frustration by finding the lost item immediately. The lithium batteries that do not fade can last for up to 130 minutes on a single charge.

6. Roomba 694

The Roomba 694 is a stylish robot that delivers good cleaning. It is very adept at moving itself and is able to reach under furniture without becoming stuck. It is also suitable for low-pile carpet and rugs. It can get stuck on rug tassels and it's difficult to maneuver small spaces such as corners. It also has trouble collecting pet hair from all surfaces.

Despite the 694's limited feature set, it still performs better than the majority of competitors. It was able to score the perfect score in our cereal-carpet test, and was able to pass our test on cat litter with only a few scattered pieces of litter left behind. It's not as effective on hardwood floors, however. Its side brush is often scattered with large pieces of cereal that cling to the floor instead of vacuuming them up. It also had a hard time removing table salt from a clean floor, with a lot of grains falling across the floor and beyond its reach.

It supports voice control via Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant via an external device (sold separately). It is able to learn about your habits of cleaning and creates custom schedules. Cliff Detect and an edge-sweeping brush ensure that it can get into 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 trash bin. The pricier iRobot j7 is more advanced and better on all surfaces. It is also more durable, has a bigger dustbin, is faster to charge and can handle obstacles like electrical cords better.