It may not be able to handle all the cleaning for you, but these smart devices are excellent at helping to clean up after pets and generally keeping pet hair down to a minimum — all while self-charging. Check out our favorite options below.
Note: Robotic vacuums may have trouble with especially thick rugs (which are tough to climb over) or dark carpet (which can confuse their sensors). If that raises some concerns, try to rent or borrow a model to see how it performs in your house before making your purchase.
iRobot Roomba i7+ Robot Vacuum
Best robot vacuum for pet hair overall
Hair and fur stand no chance against the i7+. It is equipped with power-lifting suction that delivers ten times more air power than its counterparts. It has dual brushes that are made to grab up pet hair. In addition, there’s a high-efficiency filter that captures dust, dirt and pet hair. The i7+ is a luxury robot vacuum that empties itself into a clean base, so you don’t have to worry about emptying the disposal bin. It also has an advanced navigation system, as well as integration with smart home platforms like Alexa and Google Home. With its deep cleaning abilities and smart integrations, it is worth consideration.
Why we love it:
- Self-emptying technology
- Integrates with Google Home or Amazon’s Alexa
- 10x more suction and cleaning power than other robot vacuums
iRobot Roomba i3 Robot Vacuum
Best value robot vacuum for pet hair
The iRobot Roomba i3 Robot Vacuum is a great robot vacuum for pet owners who are on a budget and looking for an option that effectively picks up fur from hardwood floors and carpets. Using ten times the power-lifting suction, this device picks up fur with ease to help you keep up with your pup’s constant shedding. Whether you live in a big home or a small apartment, this cleaning robot uses Smart Mapping technology to learns your floorplan and better navigate your home. It also features Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing users to control the vacuum via an accompanying mobile app. Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa integration mean you can even command it to start and stop cleaning with your voice.
Why we love it:
- Wifi connectivity and voice control technology
- Use with Google Home or Amazon’s Alexa
- Traps 99% of dog and cat allergens
Roborock S5 Max Robot Vacuum
Best robot vacuum for pet hair on multiple surfaces
With advanced laser-guided navigation and the ability to only clean select spaces, the Roborock S5 Max is one of the smarter vacuums in its price range. The S5 can seamlessly traverse multiple floor types and can clean for up to 2.5 hours on a single charge. You can set up no-go zones and no-mop zones, so the robot will only vacuum and mop where you want it to. It can stay away from pet crates or food bowls, while quietly cleaning up after your pet. You can even use the S5 with Amazon’s Alexa, activating it with voice commands.
Why we love it:
- Anti-Tangle brushes prevent hair from clogging the brushes
- Powerful 2000Pa suction and Carpet Boost does a superb job cleaning debris and hair
- Electric water tank with mopping capabilities makes it great for hardwood surfaces
eufy by Anker RoboVac G30 Edge Robot Vacuum
Best no-fuss robot vacuum for pet hair
The streamlined design means the G30 can easily access hard-to-reach areas like under low clearance furniture, ensuring that it’s cleaning everywhere pet hair and dander can hide. Although it lacks a laser navigation system, the G30 comes with boundary strips so you can easily define the areas you want it to clean. Its 9 built-in infrared sensors map your rooms as it cleans, so that it learns the space and can clean more efficiently each time. With Alexa-powered voice control and an easy-to-use app that make it incredibly easy (and stress-free) to use, the G30 is perfect for on-the-go pet owners. Now you can spend less time cleaning and have more time to spend with your pet.
Why we love it:
- BoostIQ automatically adjusts suction power based on surface detection
- Convenient scheduling feature with cleaning reports that provide details of each clean
- Manual control through the user friendly app gives you complete control
iRobot Roomba 694 Robot Vacuum
Best robot vacuum for multiple pets
When cleaning up after pets it is nice to have a vacuum with a few special features. This Roomba comes with dual multi-surface brushes to help get dirt and pet hair out of carpets and rugs. The dirt detection sensors can well when an area is dirty, so the Roomba turns up the power. Other smart features include intelligent navigation, cleaning schedules, and automatic recharging. This heavy-duty model is especially useful in homes with multiple pets.
Why we love it:
- Heavy-duty vacuum, perfect for multiple pet households
- Dirt detection sensor turns up power for bigger messes
- Automatic recharging for worry-free cleaning
For households with one pet or many these robotic vacuums are designed to take on the job. With smart sensors and room mapping technology, they get under and around furniture with ease. With automatic charging and self-emptying mechanisms, they take the burden of the chore away, and with app, Wifi and voice integration, you’ll hardly have to lift a finger. Maybe just to pet the dog.
Research and buying tips
What makes a robot vacuum good for pet hair?
When picking the best robot vacuum for your pet’s hair, you’ll need to pay close attention to specs such as suction power, brush functionality, and waste volume. The better and more powerful the suction, the greater your vac will be at picking up pet dander that gets stuck deep within carpet fibers. When it comes to brushing performance, you’ll want to look out for features like adaptive edge cleaning. Attacking the nooks and crannies of your home is critical for removing pet hair. Waste capacity essentially means how much dander your vacuum can handle in one use. If you have more than one pet, you’ll want a vac that can manage one or two month’s worth of dander — if not, you’ll be stuck unloading the vac frequently.
What else can robot vacuums do?
- Spot clean specific areas: While a whole-room cleaning is recommended at least once a week, you might only have a specific place that’s dirty. You don’t want to order your robot vacuum cleaner to clean the entire space just to clean a mess around the dining room table. The good news is that certain models of robot vacuums can spot clean — in other words, they focus on a specific area. This feature is most often available on models with smart maps. You can ask the robot vacuum to clean around a specific fixture in the home, such as the coffee table, entryway, or dining room table. When it finishes, it will return to its dock to charge.
- Create and recognize virtual barriers: If there are some places you don’t want your robot vacuum to go, you can create a virtual barrier within most apps that the vacuum will not pass. Just as long as the robot employs some kind of tech to map out rooms, such as light detection and ranging (lidar) sensors, it’ll know the layout of rooms — whereby you can set up virtual barriers or fences to keep it out of specific places.
- Detect edges and avoid falls: Many people worry that their robot vacuum will topple down the stairs, but that’s not something you need to concern yourself with. On the bottom of most robot vacuums are specialized cliff sensors that constantly emit a signal. This sensor measures the time it takes for the signal to return, and if it takes beyond a certain amount of time, the robot vacuum knows it’s at a cliff or an edge. This means that robot vacuums can effectively clean up to the edge of a step without going over. Because the wheels are positioned near the middle of the device, the sensors will detect the cliff long before it becomes unbalanced and falls.
Are robot vacuums worth it?
We certainly believe so. Although some may fancy the conventional upright vacuum, a robot vac takes all the manual labor out of home cleaning. Most robot vacuums are smart enough to observe and learn your home’s geography while providing the same suction power and brush features as a classic vac. Additionally, many can be managed with an app or through voice commands using a supported voice assistant. Even though first-gen robot vacs come at a high price, you can now find robot vacs at more affordable prices, similar to their upright (and handheld) counterparts.
About the author
Rusty Davis has been a tech lover for as long as he can remember. From the early days of gaming consoles to the introduction of the smartphone, portable computers, and more, he’s always wanted to get his hands on the latest and greatest. He has years upon years of experience reviewing and testing everything from phone cases to smartwatches, the latest phones and tablets to gaming computers, and even desks. If it’s a piece of tech or tech-adjacent, he’s interested in how it works and who it works best for. He’s now here sharing all of his knowledge with you to help you make the best decision for yourself.
