We talk a lot about robot vacuums and their smart capabilities, ways they map a room, and how they can self-empty their bins. We also discuss models that can switch between hard flooring and carpet, adjusting their cleaner heads and even their suction to compensate. But what if you primarily have carpet in your home? Are there robot vacuums that can happily spend all their time on carpet and still produce good results?
Yes! Certain specs like suction power and dirt detection make some robot vacs better for carpet than others. They pull up more dust and traces of carpet fibers, and as a result, their base station bins may fill faster and need to be emptied more often, but that’s a minor step. These vacs are ready for your carpets and low-profile rugs.
Best Roomba for carpet
iRobot Roomba s9+
- Superb cleaning performance
- Self-emptying dust bin
- Multi-floor smart mapping
- Precise object detection and navigation
- High price
There are several powerful Roomba lines to choose from, all equipped with a variety of iRobot’s excellent sensor technology and mapping capabilities (now in the hands of Amazon, although we haven't seen any indication of what it has planned quite yet). If you are looking for the best carpet-cleaning action you can find, the s9+ is one of the best picks thanks to its extra smart technology. It allows the vacuum to provide a deeper carpet cleaning with an optimized motor for suction and sports dirt detection technology that increases cleaning power if it detects a particularly dirty area.
Add in the larger multi-surface brushes, high-efficiency filter for capturing carpet dust, and automatic dirt disposal, and it’s easy to see why this is one of the best robot vacuums around. The capability to set walls and no-go zones around sofas and other furniture is also a big plus. And, if you have any hard flooring, the bot can easily adapt to that, too. All these features come at a price, though, so be prepared to spend.
Best robot vacuum for carpet and hardwood
Roborock Q7 Max+
- 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
- Minimal included accessories
- No sonic mopping
- The most expensive model in the Q-series
When it comes to carpet, suction power is one of the most important things needed for a deep clean. But robot vacuums are small, and they can’t really match the suction of large vacuums easily. That’s why a model dedicated to suction power like the Q7 Max+ is so well-matched for carpet owners. It provides an amazing 4,200 Pa of suction power, nearly twice what other advanced models on the market are producing.
The bot also includes plenty of cleaning capabilities, including LiDAR mapping, customized cleaning options, automatic dust emptying, and plenty more. It also comes with a vibration-based mop mode that can offer extra cleaning power for your hard flooring, too.
Best robot vacuum for thick carpet
Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra
- Self-emptying, self-cleaning
- Simple setup
- Quiet
- Great mopping performance
- Decent obstacle avoidance
- Lackluster pet hair pickup on carpet
- Large dock
If price really is no objective, then you can have the best of every world with the S7 MaxV Ultra. It pushes suction power even past the Q7, up to 5,100 Pa, making it excellent for deeper carpets where dirt may be trapped below the surface. It also has auto-mopping features for hard flooring, and the ability to both refill its mop reservoir and empty its bin automatically when necessary. The app offers you full control and customizable schedule options, while onboard sensors can detect and avoid unknown objects in addition to LiDAR mapping. It’s the complete package, but it’s also one of the most expensive vacs on the market.
Best robot vacuum for cluttered carpet
iRobot Roomba j7+
- Good job at avoiding wires
- Lower-profile self-emptying base
- Solid all-around cleaning
- Efficiently cleans in zigzag pattern
- Deep carpet cleaning performance is lacking
- Somewhat loud while vacuuming
The j7+ doesn’t have all the increased carpet capabilities of the s9 model, but it does have a few tricks of its own, including a design that’s particularly good for managing pet hair and extra sensors for dodging objects and reporting new obstacles. That’s a particular advantage if your carpeted areas tend to be busy or if toys or other objects may be left out. Roomba’s plentiful options for creating keep out zones and room-by-room cleaning schedules is present. This model can also return to its station to recharge and empty its bin, creating a largely hands-off experience.
Best robot vacuum for pet hair on carpet
Shark AV2501S
- Powerfins design to better scrape pet hair off carpet
- Made to pass across a zone twice
- Alexa support
- A more affordable model
- Not as powerful as many of our other picks
If your carpet isn’t that deep and you’re mostly worried about surface-level debris, especially gathered pet hair, then this more affordable Shark bot could be just what you need. It may not have the power of some of our previous picks, but it has a cleaner head option with “powerfins” designed to dig a bit into carpets and pick up pet hair without it getting trapped in tangles. The bot’s software is also designed to cover an area twice, once back and forth, and then another pass side to side, so there’s less chance that the vacuum misses anything.
Best budget robot vacuum for carpet
Wyze Robot Vacuum
- Efficient cleaning
- Intelligent mapping and navigation
- Easy setup and operation
- Able to setup virtual walls
- Lacks smart assistant integration
- Frequently catches cables
If you’re looking for prices more in line with buying a traditional vacuum, these robot vacs may seem like a tough sell. We recommend the Wyze vacuum, a budget model that still provides worthwhile cleaning for your carpets. There’s also plenty of smart tech to enjoy, not just app scheduling but route optimization, easy no go zone creation, and target cleaning options. It sports three levels of suction. However, if you’re tackling carpet, you’ll want to focus on higher suction levels, which means the 110-minute battery may not last as long as it’s rating, so give the bot time for multiple automatic recharging sessions.
