Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

The best robot vacuums for high-pile carpet

Certain homeowners may be skeptical of how easily a robot vacuum can handle their thicker, high-pile carpets. That’s a legitimate concern; robot vacuums pack a lot of power for their small size, but they can struggle to clean thick carpet as thoroughly as a traditional vacuum that sports a more powerful motor and larger cleaner head.

But there’s good news: Some robot vacs come with extra suction and other features that can do very well on carpets, even those with high piles. While their batteries may need to be replenished more often as they expend the necessary power, your carpets will stay clean. Here’s what to look for.

Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra Robot Vacuum with Empty Wash Fill Dock
Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra
Best overall robot vac for high-pile carpets
Jump to details
Roborock Q7 Max+
Roborock Q7 Max+
Best robovac for cleaning high-pile carpet and hard floors
Jump to details
iRobot Roomba s9+
iRobot Roomba s9+
Best robot vacuum for deep cleaning
Jump to details
yeedi vac 2 pro Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo, 3000Pa Suction with “Patented“ Oscillating Mopping, 3D Obstacle Avoidance, 240mins runtime, Perfect for Carpet and Hard Floor Cleaning and Pets Family
Yeedi Vac 2
Best robot vac that won't break the bank
Jump to details
eufy by Anker, BoostIQ RoboVac 15C MAX, Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum Cleaner, Super-Thin, 2000Pa Suction, Quiet, Self-Charging Robotic Vacuum Cleaner, Cleans Hard Floors to Medium-Pile Carpets
Eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 15C Max
Best robovac for mid-pile carpets
Jump to details
roborock s7 maxv ultra review 1
Nick Mokey/Digital Trends

Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra

Best overall robot vac for high-pile carpets

Pros
  • Self-emptying, self-cleaning
  • Simple setup
  • Quiet
  • Great mopping performance
  • Decent obstacle avoidance
Cons
  • Lackluster pet hair pickup on carpet
  • Large dock

For deeper carpets, suction is especially important to get rid of dust, dander, mites, and anything else unpleasant that may be hiding below the surface. There’s no robot vacuum on the market that can produce suction quite like Roborock’s S7 MaxV Ultra, which tops out at an incredible 5100Pa of suction and is packed with useful smart features.

The vacuum can automatically empty and recharge at its station (an important feature for any modern robot vacuum), sense and avoid new obstacles like extra furniture, and has a set of app features that allow for full control of when and how the bot cleans. It also has a mopping feature for hard flooring, not to mention compatibility with voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. The downside is that it’s also one of the most expensive robot vacs around, so you’ll have to decide if your carpet is worth it.

Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra Robot Vacuum with Empty Wash Fill Dock
Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra
Best overall robot vac for high-pile carpets
roborock q7 max plus review  black cleaning
Roborock

Roborock Q7 Max+

Best robovac for cleaning high-pile carpet and hard floors

Pros
  • Mops and vacuums simultaneously
  • Powerful 4,200 pa suction
  • Lengthy battery life
  • Includes a self-emptying dock
  • Excellent mapping capabilities with lidar
  • No-go zones, virtual walls, and water-flow control
Cons
  • Minimal included accessories
  • No sonic mopping
  • The most expensive model in the Q-series

The Q7 Max+ offers a bit of compromise: It’s significantly more affordable that the S7 version and keeps many of the same smart features, but lowers the suction down to 4200Pa — still much more than any of the average robot vacs available. Otherwise, you’re getting many of the same benefits, including an alternative mop mode for cleaning hard floors, voice assistant compatibility, and auto-cleaning and recharging (with up to 180 minutes of run time).

The vac’s app allows you to set schedules, create blocked-off zones to avoid, and performs other useful robot vac abilities. The brush is also designed to avoid hair tangles and may be a good option if you need to routinely clean up pet hair from your carpet.

Roborock Q7 Max+
Roborock Q7 Max+
Best robovac for cleaning high-pile carpet and hard floors
irobot roomba s9 plus review 1
Terry Walsh / Digital Trends

iRobot Roomba s9+

Best robot vacuum for deep cleaning

Pros
  • Superb cleaning performance
  • Self-emptying dust bin
  • Multi-floor smart mapping
  • Precise object detection and navigation
Cons
  • High price

Roombas may not quite be able to reach the suction power of some Roborock models, but they have plenty of smarts and an excellent three-stage cleaning system that’s designed to get carpets as clean as they want. This Roomba can also sense when an area is dirtier or carpet is thicker and turn on a power boost mode for extra cleaning. The design is also good at taking care or corners and edges as it works.

In addition to being able to automatically empty its bin and recharge, the s9+ builds smart maps of every room to plot the best cleaning path, while allowing you to set spot cleaning, no-go zones, and more. Alexa compatibility allows you to issue voice commands to clean up a sudden mess, and the app will even make suggestions about what sort of cleaning schedules to set over time.

iRobot Roomba s9+
iRobot Roomba s9+
Best robot vacuum for deep cleaning
The Yeedi Vac 2 robot vacuum.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Yeedi Vac 2

Best robot vac that won't break the bank

Pros
  • Great features for a mid-range model
  • 3000Pa of suction
  • Oscillating mop included
  • Auto dustbin emptying
Cons
  • Lacks cleaning options found on more expensive models

Yeedi’s vac and mop bot combo is an excellent mid-range option that still manages to reach an impressive 3000Pa of suction to help give carpets the deeper cleaning they need. It also has an oscillating mop for hard flooring and can switch between the two when moving from carpet to flooring and back again. Smart mapping and object avoidance allow the vac to identify rooms and plan a cleaning strategy, too.

It’s also impressive that users get auto dustbin emptying at this price, as well as automatic recharging for the robust 240-minute battery. Voice assistant support is included, too. We wish this Yeedi has more options for power boosting and spot cleaning, but it’s still ready to handle thicker carpets.

yeedi vac 2 pro Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo, 3000Pa Suction with “Patented“ Oscillating Mopping, 3D Obstacle Avoidance, 240mins runtime, Perfect for Carpet and Hard Floor Cleaning and Pets Family
Yeedi Vac 2
Best robot vac that won't break the bank
Eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 15C Max.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 15C Max

Best robovac for mid-pile carpets

Pros
  • Affordable
  • Boost mode for carpet
  • Voice assistant support
  • Object avoidance
Cons
  • No automatic emptying or charging modes
  • Not made for the highest pile carpets

This Eufy model isn’t exactly meant for the highest pile carpets; in fact, it directly says that it’s made for mid-pile carpet. But it’s the most affordable model you can find for tackling this job and could be a suitable option for carpets or rugs that are thick, but not too thick. The vac can generate up to 2000Pa of suction and features a useful BoostIQ system that can detect when extra vacuuming strength is needed and increase suction power, which helps save battery life when the bot isn’t on carpet.

The app isn’t packed with the same options of a Roomba, but it still includes important scheduling functions. The bot is smart enough to avoid obstacles or falls down the stairs. It also includes voice assistant support. However, at this price point, you’re not getting a station for automatic bin emptying or recharging, so you’ll have to manage these features yourself with what the 100-minute battery can accomplish.

eufy by Anker, BoostIQ RoboVac 15C MAX, Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum Cleaner, Super-Thin, 2000Pa Suction, Quiet, Self-Charging Robotic Vacuum Cleaner, Cleans Hard Floors to Medium-Pile Carpets
Eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 15C Max
Best robovac for mid-pile carpets

Editors' Recommendations

Tyler Lacoma
If it can be streamed, voice-activated, made better with an app, or beaten by mashing buttons, Tyler's into it. When he's not…
The best robot vacuums for 2023
A robot vacuum by Eufy that offers home mapping and 2,000 Pa suction.

Whether you live in a cozy studio, sprawling mansion, or anything in-between, a robot vacuum is a great way to cut down on your weekly chores. Vacuuming can eat up several hours of your week, and between all the maintenance and dirty dustbins, it’s arguably one of the least appealing household responsibilities.

The best robot vacuums make all that a thing of the past, with premium models offering self-maintenance and the ability to automatically purge their dustbins after each cleaning. Those with smaller homes that don’t need all those fancy features can save a bit of cash by opting for more affordable models that simply clean your home on a regular basis – although you’ll still need to empty the dustbins occasionally. But no matter how you cut it, robot vacuums are a useful addition to any smart home. And in 2023, you have more options than ever before.

Read more
Best vacuum deals: cordless to corded, Dyson to Bissell
LG CordZero all in one stick vacuum with auto empty dock.

An invaluable tool for cleaning any home, residence, or even business is -- you guessed it -- a vacuum. Modern vacuums have evolved considerably, too, so they're not bulky, they're extra functional, and most are cordless, so you can move around freely without getting tangled up in wires. We rounded up an excellent and varied selection of the best vacuum cleaner deals available. These new vacuum cleaners have updated features to make house cleaning more efficient without costing hundreds of dollars. We included cordless dust busters, stick vacuums, and 2-in-1 and 3-in-1 multipurpose models to bring your household cleaning chores into the 21st century. We didn't include robot vacuum deals, so check out our separate roundup if that's what you're looking for. Clean up with these money-saving vacuum deals. Note that prices can change daily with some of the following brands and models, especially with the least and most expensive models, so be sure to check back if you don't see a deal you like today.
Bissell 2030 3-in-1 Corded Stick Vacuum -- $25, was $29

This lightweight, convertible stick vacuum does use a cord but has built-in and easy-wrap cord storage, so you don't have to worry about a large bundle of cords. It offers powerful, effective cleaning for all kinds of floor types, including rugs, hard floors, carpets, and more. The easy-empty dirt cup and detachable top form -- to offer a handheld unit -- add even more versatility to the equation.

Read more
The best video doorbells for 2023
A person pressing the Arlo Video Doorbell.

The best video doorbells of 2023 are being produced by household names like Wyze, Arlo, Nest, and Ring. Products from these companies span all budgets and offer a wide range of features -- including HD video capture, customizable motion zones, two-way audio, and the ability to save footage for later reference.

While most of the video doorbells available today are up to the task of guarding your front door, some of them are better equipped than others. For example, some offer head-to-toe resolutions that are ideal for certain porches, while others provide enhanced night vision footage for easier detection.

Read more