5 Best Robot Vacuums for Pet Hair, Tested by Cleaning Experts
No more furry floors in this house.
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Keeping floors clean and free of fur is a never-ending chore with pets in the home. Fortunately, we’ve found some top-notch robot vacuums that can help keep floors clean with minimal effort on your part. While we have yet to find a robot that completely eliminates the need for vacuuming, the models included in this guide will help maintain clean floors between manual cleanings, so you won’t have to take out your full-size vacuum as often.
At the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab, we put robot vacuums through rigorous testing to assess hard debris removal, pet hair pickup, maneuverability, obstacle detection, ease of use, and more. With features like rubber brush rolls to minimize fur tangles and smart navigation capabilities to avoid spreading pet messes, these robot vacuums can help keep your home cleaner for longer.
Our top picks:
Pros
- Faux fur did not tangle on roller brush in our tests
- Can be linked to Braava jet robot mop
Cons
- Not equipped to avoid pet messes
iRobot created the first-ever robot vacuum in 2002, and it continues to be a pioneer in the category. The Roomba s9+ aced our hard floor cleaning assessment, picking up 99% of the dry debris we spread across our test enclosure.
When faced with our faux pet hair test, it cleaned up almost all of the fibers we applied to the carpet. The tangle-resistant rubber brush roll made maintenance easy, as no hair became stuck in it during our evaluation. Take note that the S9+ can't actively identify and avoid pet messes, so it may not be the best choice for households with pets that aren't fully potty-trained.
The s9+ pairs with an app that lets you edit the maps it creates of your home and set cleaning schedules. You can even send it out to spot-clean a small mess as soon as it happens. To complete your automated cleaning toolkit, the brand has a Braava robot mop that coordinates with the robot vac to begin mopping your floors after a vacuum session is completed.
| Dust Bin Capacity | 400 mL (Base holds up to 60 days of debris) |
| Robot Height | 3.5 in |
| Notable Features | Self-emptying, smart mapping, spot cleaning, links to Braava jet robot mop, charge and resume cleaning, auto boost carpet cleaning |
Pros
- Excellent pet hair removal from carpets
- Can vacuum under low furniture
Cons
- No app connectivity
While we haven’t tested the eufy 11S Max ourselves, it is a simpler version of the nearly identical 15C Max, which we evaluated with excellent results. According to the brand, both models share the same size, suction power, runtime and operating volume.
In our tests, the eufy was one of the best-performing models at removing pet hair from carpets. It also earned the highest maneuverability score out of 15 models in its group, thanks in part to its slim design, which allowed it to reach under low furniture where other robots couldn't go.
The 11S Max does not pair with an app or respond to voice commands. Instead, it relies on a battery-powered remote. Both models use infrared sensors and follow a random path rather than a set cleaning pattern. Still, the model we evaluated covered our test area well enough to earn high scores in our dry debris pickup tests.
| Dust Bin Capacity | 600 mL |
| Robot Height | 2.85 in |
| Notable Features | Auto increase suction on carpet |
Pros
- Earned the second-highest overall maneuverability and navigation score
- Base washes and dries the mopping pads after a cleaning task
Cons
- Self-emptying feature does not always fully empty dust bin
The sleek-looking Dreametech L10S Ultra has a long list of helpful features, and its charging base is equally well-equipped. We found that the app is easy to use for scheduling cleaning tasks, adjusting suction and water levels and viewing the onboard camera while the robot is in motion.
The L10S Ultra earned the second-highest overall score in our obstacle avoidance tests, successfully steering clear of both large and small obstacles during every trial. While most robots do better on hard flooring than carpet, this model performed equally well on both. It also had the quickest mop-raising reaction time when it sensed carpet, preventing any unnecessary wetting of the rugs in our test area. Because the charging base washes and dries the mopping pads after each cleaning task, they don't need to be removed and laundered as often as other models. However, we did notice the base's self-emptying feature left a bit of dirt behind in the robot's dustbin. While other robots we tested in our obstacle course struggled to remove stains from hard flooring, the L10S Ultra was one of the only models to noticeably lighten the edges of stains after just one pass.
| Dust Bin Capacity | 350 mL (Base holds up to 60 days of debris) |
| Robot Height | 3.8 in |
| Notable Features | Cleans and dries mopping pads after cleaning session, voice control, recharge and resume, remote camera viewing through app, schedule cleaning, adjusts cleaning path according to obstacles and room sensed, auto-boost suction on carpet |
Pros
- Takes up less space than combo and self-emptying units
- Can detect dust levels and automatically adjust suction
Cons
- Cannot mop or self-empty
Many high-end robot vacuums are either combination vacuum mops or self-emptying units. Both styles require a bulky charging dock for storing water or a dust bag. By skipping these extras, the Dyson 360 Vis Nav saves space without compromising on useful features like mapping, voice control and scheduled cleaning.
The Vis Nav 360's brush roll is thicker than any other model we've tested, which helps prevent pet hair from wrapping around it and becoming tangled. The brush roll also runs the entire width of the robot, allowing it to cover more area with fewer passes. None of our faux pet hair stuck to the brush in any of our tests runs. The vacuum also has incredible suction. It outperformed all other units when removing heavy debris like sand in our carpet pick-up tests.
Though this model isn't self-emptying, a one-touch ejection button makes clearing the dust bin easy. Features like room mapping, setting no-go zones and scheduling cleaning can be accessed through the app, which we found easy to use and fast to set up. While this model lacks the mopping and self-emptying abilities common in other newer robots, we think it is a great choice for anyone looking for great performance with a smaller footprint.
READ OUR FULL REVIEW: Dyson 360 Vis Nav Robot Vacuum Review
| Dust Bin Capacity | 570 mL |
| Robot Height | 3.9 in |
| Notable Features | Recharge and resume, schedule cleaning, virtual no-go zones, zone cleaning, smart mapping, voice control, auto-boost suction in high dust areas |
Pros
- Great obstacle avoidance in our tests
- Good quality in-app camera viewing
Cons
- Charging base has large footprint
The Ecovacs X1 Omni is a two-in-one vacuum and mop combo that scored well when cleaning corners, mopping and removing pet hair from carpet.
We tested this model for several months at home and found that it maneuvers well around obstacles big or small, never bumping them or pushing them around. While this did lead to some debris being left behind, we found this to be a small price to pay for superior obstacle avoidance. From the Ecovacs app, you can watch the robot's cleaning path through your home, adjust suction and water levels and program any area on the map as no-go zones.
Ever wonder what your pets do when you aren't home? With the app, you can see the inside of your home through the robot's built-in camera, even when it's docked in its charging base. The base is pretty large compared to other self-emptying robot vacuums. On the bright side, because the clean and dirty water tanks in the base are 4 liters in size, you won't have to worry about refilling or emptying them very often. The charging base also washes and dries the robot’s mopping pads and acts as a self-empty station for its dust bin.
| Dust Bin Capacity | 350 mL (base holds up to 3 L) |
| Robot Height | 4.1 in |
| Notable Features | Base washes and dries mopping pads, recharge and resume, schedule cleaning, virtual no-go zones, zone cleaning, remote camera viewing through app, adjust water flow, voice control, auto-boost suction on carpet |
How we test robot vacuums
At the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab, we've been testing robot vacuums since the first model was released over 20 years ago. Since then, we’ve conducted numerous category-wide tests on dozens of models, and we continually revise our methods so we can evaluate the latest features and innovations. Last year alone, we tested 19 unique models, and we’re slated to test several more this year.
We evaluate robot vacuums for their ability to pick up various types of debris such as oats, uncooked orzo and sand on both carpets and bare floors. To assess pet hair pickup, we spread faux fur on area rugs and observe how effectively each vacuum removes it. For testing object detection and maneuverability, we run cleaning trials in a two-room enclosure furnished with items like a sofa, coffee table and small obstacles such as chew toys and slippers.
To accurately measure debris removal, we weigh each robot's dustbin before and after every test run to calculate the percentage of debris collected. During setup we also document the process and note any standout features or quirks which inform our scoring for categories like ease of use.
What to look for when shopping for the best robot vacuum for pet hair
When considering a robot vacuum, pet owners should look out for a few key things.
✔️ Brush roll: Newer robot vacs often have brush rolls made of rubber, but some still use the bristle rolls usually found on older models. Rubber brush rolls make pet hair easier to remove, and they are less prone to holding onto fur in the first place. Regardless of what brush roll your model uses, make sure to check for clogs and remove any leftover hair a few times a week, especially if your pets have long hair or are prone to shedding.
✔️ Navigation technology: There are several different technologies used by robot vacuums to navigate a home. Robot vacuums that bump into all surfaces instead of going around them are not the best option for homes with pets. They can smear pet messes, get stuck on toys or even suck them up while performing a cleaning task. Instead, opt for a model that can detect objects in its path and steer clear of them.
✔️ Noise: If you've ever vacuumed around a dog or cat, you know just how much loud noises can scare them. While robots tend to be quieter than conventional vacuums, the self-emptying bases we've tested are all quite loud when they empty a robot's onboard dust bin.
Features that are important in all robot vacuums, for pet owners and non-pet owners:
✔️ Vacuum and mop or vacuum only:
Many new robot vacuums also offer mopping features, but if most of your home is carpeted, a combo model may not be worth the added cost. Vacuum-only models are typically more affordable and take up less space. If you do have a lot of bare flooring, having a vacuum and mop combo can buy you time between manual mopping sessions.
If your home has a mix of flooring types, make sure the combo unit has good carpet recognition and can lift the mop pads high enough to avoid wetting your rugs. If you already own a robot vacuum and want to add a robot mop, look for models from the same brand. Some can sync and work together for more efficient cleaning.
✔️ Other features:
Some of the newest robot vacuums offer standout features like app connectivity, carpet sensors and self-cleaning charging bases. App-connected models let you schedule cleanings, control settings, set no-go zones and more. A user-friendly app is one of the most valuable features after cleaning performance.
Carpet sensors are especially helpful if you have many rugs or carpeted areas. These sensors often boost suction for deeper cleaning. For combo models, most lift the mopping pads slightly to avoid wetting rugs, but be sure to check that your rugs are low-pile enough to prevent issues.
Self-emptying bases automatically empty the robot’s dustbin into a larger container inside the dock after each run. Some of the newest models also wash and dry mop pads and store dust and dirty water for weeks or even months, making them as hands-free as possible.
Are robot vacuums worth it?
While a robot vacuum won’t save you from ever having to vacuum again, it is a worthwhile investment if you want to extend the length of time between manual cleanings. All of the robots we have featured in our robot vacuum guides are great maintenance cleaners, but it is still important to occasionally use a full-size vacuum to remove fine debris from rugs and clean in corners that many robots struggle to reach. We recommend setting your robot vacuum on a schedule to clean your floors while you are away from home. For areas of the home with low foot traffic, a robot vacuum may be all you need to keep floors clean.
How do you clean a robot vacuum?
Most robot vacuums require some light maintenance in between cleaning tasks. Remove any hair that becomes tangled around the brush roll after each session (or at least after every second or third session).
People with heavy-shedding pets may have to remove tangled hair more often than those without. Consider a robot vacuum with rubber brush rolls which are easier to clean. Dust bins should be emptied and mopping pads should be removed and allowed to dry after each use. Models with self-emptying bases may allow you to go a few months without replacing the bag or emptying the dust bin on the base. Many new models have bases that wash and dry the mopping pads too, but they do still need to be removed and laundered after a few uses.
If you're worried a robot vacuum will get into pet messes and spread them around your home, look for models with obstacle avoidance technology that can detect and maneuver around obstacles rather than running over them. If your robot gets into any pet messes, end the cleaning task immediately and see what your robot's manufacturer recommends to properly clean all of the contaminated parts. Some parts may be easier to replace than to clean.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Jodhaira Rodriguez tested dozens of floor-cleaning appliances including vacuum mop combo devices, robot vacuums and more during her time at the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab, including personally testing many of the robot vacuums included in this guide.
Noah Pinsonnault is a product reviews analyst in the Home Care & Cleaning Lab, where he helps design and perform tests on various product categories. To prepare the latest update of this story, he evaluated several newer models and pored over old testing data to see how the new models compare to our past favorites.
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