What are the features that make the best robot vacuum for pet hair? These are the best vacuum cleaners for tackling the messes of pet hair and pet dander that your furry friends leave behind. With features like tangle-free brushes and powerful suction capabilities, these automatic cleaning tools are well-equipped to handle tough jobs.
These vacuums also offer plenty of smart functionality, so you can customize cleaning modes and cleaning schedules. Robot vacuums for pet hair also feature the ability to clean pet hair from multiple types of flooring, including carpet and hardwood floors. If you’re looking for a comprehensive and convenient way to clean up after your pets, you can’t go wrong with one of these powerful cleaning tools. They may not be the cheapest vacuums, but robot vacuums are worth it for the time and energy they’ll save you.
Keep reading to learn more about the best robot vacuums for pet hair and which features you should consider when shopping for the right option for your needs.
Top Robot Vacuums for Pet Hair
#1 iRobot Roomba 694 Robot Vacuum
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: Great for users who want a robovac with enough runtime to clean their space efficiently, as well as support for voice control.
- Long 90-minute runtime
- Has support for voice control
- Adjusts its cleaning height to clean different surfaces
- Small storage capacity
The iRobot Roomba 694 robot vacuum cleaner is a smart alternative for all the homeowners that wouldn’t want to or don’t have the time to pick up a stick vacuum cleaner and vacuum their house. It intelligently learns a user’s general cleaning routine and creates a customized schedule around the usual cleaning times. It also suggests extra cleaning rounds whenever the pollen count is high and automatically adjusts its cleaning height to clean out pet hair and other debris from carpets or hard floors. Unfortunately, similar to the iRobot Roomba 614, some have complained about its small storage capacity and have had to constantly empty it during cleaning.
Getting the Robovac to start working is as easy as issuing a command through Alexa or Google Assistant, but to do this, you’ll have to add it to the list of smart home devices controlled by the two and have WiFi on. The Roomba 694 also comes with special sensors that detect high-traffic spots to clean them thoroughly, and with a runtime of up to 90 minutes, it’s got enough battery power to clean medium to large-size spaces. The sensors also help it avoid knocking into walls or furniture, and with dual, multi-surface brushes, the cleaner works more efficiently by loosening debris and then picking it up. iRobot has other quality models on the market alongside the 694, like the Roomba 860. Also, compare the Roomba 960 vs 980, its successor, to see which might fit your needs.
#2 iLife V3s Pro Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: It can be set to multiple cleaning modes and has a relatively powerful suction force to pick up debris quickly.
- Multiple cleaning modes
- Comes with a remote
- Quiet operation
- No WiFi connection therefore no voice/app control
- No floor mapping
Similar to the ILIFE A4s Pro, The iLife V3s Pro is an autonomous vacuum cleaner with a 2.98-inch low-profile design to easily reach under a bed or sofa and clean up pet hair or dirt. It has a suction force that is powerful enough to effectively pick up debris, and since it comes with its own remote, users will be able to control where and how the vacuum should clean. However, it doesn’t have WiFi connectivity for voice/app control and cannot map floors.
It offers four cleaning modes to choose from, which are auto clean, edge clean, spot clean, and scheduled clean, and its anti-dropping sensors prevent it from falling off stairs. The extra-large wheels on the V3s Pro allow it to move across from hard floors to carpets easily, and with the ability to detect where the charging dock is, the vacuum cleaner returns to it whenever its battery is low. It has a 0.3-liter dustbin capacity and is also very easy to clean. It is also not noisy and has LED indicators that show the current work status.
#3 LeFant M210 Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Award: BEST FOR GENERAL CLEANING
WHY WE LIKE IT: It cleans a wide range of surfaces and allows for remote, app, or voice control.
- Large capacity dust bin
- Cleans a variety of floors
- Support for voice control
- App is not user friendly
The Lefant M210 is a pretty compact robovac that comes with a relatively sizeable 0.5-liter dustbin capacity and a brushless suction port to prevent any entanglements when getting rid of pet hairs and other debris. It comes with drop sensors that keep it away from edges and stairs and the ability to clean a variety of floor surfaces such as hardwood, tile, stone, and low pile carpet. For carpets with loops, you’ll want to get the leading vacuum for Berber carpets. Owners will be able to set it to four different cleaning modes: zig-zag path clean mode, edge clean mode, spot clean mode, and automatic clean mode. However, some users have complained that its app is not user-friendly.
With a runtime of up to 100 minutes, the robot vacuum cleaner has enough battery power to cover large spaces throughout the home, and since it comes with both a remote and a smart app, both monitoring and controlling are pretty easy. The vacuum cleaner is also compatible with both Alexa and Google Assistant, so users will be able to use their voices to issue commands. With a suction force of about 1.8Kpa, the vacuum cleaner is pretty powerful, and users who opt to get a mop bracket will be able to make use of its mapping function.
#4 Eufy bu Anker Robovac G30 Robot Vacuum
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Award: BEST FOR SMART FEATURES
WHY WE LIKE IT: It has a wide range of smart features that make it convenient to use. It also has a long runtime and can efficiently clean various surfaces.
- Powerful sucking force
- BoostIQ technology that regulates suction force
- Suport for voice control
- Users don’t get notified whenever collection tray needs to be emptied
The Robovac G30 comes with a powerful suction force, can be operated through an easy-to-use app, and has a BoostIQ function that automatically regulates its suction power to deal with stubborn stains or optimize efficiency when dealing with different floor surfaces. The vacuum cleaner has a suction power of about 2000 Pa, giving it enough power to deal with pet hairs and both large and small debris. Its WiFi connectivity allows for control through the app, though those that prefer to issue voice commands will be able to do so either through Alexa or Google Assistant. Unfortunately, the vacuum cleaner does not notify users whenever its collection tray needs to be emptied.
Thanks to its upgraded navigation, the G30 can map floors and organize an efficient cleaning route, and in case it runs out of battery while cleaning, it’ll be able to pick up where it left off after it gets charged back up. It also has nine different anti-collision sensors that ensure that it avoids bumping into obstacles, and its streamlined design ensures that it keeps noise levels down to as low as 55 dB.
#5 Yeedi k650 Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Award: BEST FOR LARGE DUST CUP
WHY WE LIKE IT: It has a large capacity dust cup, and its cleaning process can be controlled and monitored through an app. It is also pretty quiet and has a big battery for long runtime.
- Large dust cup capacity
- Long 130 minute run time
- Works with boundary strips
- No cleaning sequence (operates randomly)
The Yeedi k650 robot vacuum cleaner stands out from the rest thanks to its sizeable 0.8-liter dust cup. It has three different levels of suction power for users to choose from to adapt it to cleaning different surfaces, pet hairs, or debris, and with a noise output of around 56dB, it is quiet enough not to disrupt during cleaning. The robovac is designed in such a way that it avoids any hair entanglement troubles thanks to its tangle-free silicone main brush, and with a 2600mAh built-in battery, it averages a healthy run time of up to 130 minutes per charge. Unfortunately, it has no proper cleaning sequence.
The k650 offers up to 2000Pa of suction power, and also comes with a triple filter system that efficiently eliminates unwanted dust and airborne particles from the air. The cleaner also comes with a range of anti-collision sensors to navigate the home quickly. Since it can be configured to operate within boundary strips, users will be able to easily designate the areas where they would not want the vacuum cleaner to reach.
#6 Roborock S4 Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Award: BEST FOR LONG RUNTIME
WHY WE LIKE IT: It has a large 5200mAh battery that allows it to run for up to 3 hours and a user-friendly app that users can use to map different floors and designate cleaning areas.
- Very intuitive app
- Long 3-hour runtime
- Fairly large capacity dust cup
- No sweeping or mopping function
The Roborock S4 is a premium robot vacuum cleaner that can learn, map, and recognize up to four different levels of a home and store pertinent information, such as no-go zones and invisible walls. Owners will also have to download the Roborock app to do a variety of things that add to the functioning and efficiency of the cleaner, such as monitoring its exact mopping and vacuuming sequences, setting different cleaning routines, and regulating its suction force. However, it has no sweeping or mopping function.
Powered by a 5200mAh battery, the S4 has enough juice to clean for up to 180 minutes continuously. It also has a specialized Problem Area Cleaning feature, where users will also be able to identify a specific region on a floor in the app for the vacuum cleaner to tackle any stubborn spots, deal with large or small debris or take in large piles of pet hair. It also comes with a relatively large 0.46-liter dustbin, supports voice control through Alexa, and has easy-to-wash filters.
Beginner’s Guide to Robot Vacuums for Pet Hair
What Are Robot Vacuums for Pet Hair?
The best robot vacuum for pets is a powerful cleaning tool with features made specifically to clean up the tough messes pets leave behind, such as pet hair, pet dander, pet food, and kitty litter. These features, which are often found on many great Roombas for pet hair, include tangle-free brushes, wide intake ports, and high-capacity dust bins. Fortunately, these autonomous vacuum cleaners are also well-equipped to handle other types of messes like dirt, dust bunnies, food crumbs, and human hair, all without requiring manual input from you as a pet owner.
That said, you’ll want to look into a great vacuum for cat litter and other small messes made by pets. Plus, pick up a great RV vacuum if you take your pets on the go with you.
Robot Vacuums for Pet Hair vs Traditional Vacuums
Robot vacuum cleaners are very different from traditional vacuum cleaners in many ways. However, it’s important to understand first that they also share some similarities. The main similarity between the two types of vacuums is core functionality. With internal and mechanical components like intake ports, exhaust ports, motors, fans, and dust cups, both of these vacuums generate strong suction power and collect debris as they travel across the floors.
However, the similarities between robot vacuums and traditional vacuums essentially stop there. Where traditional vacuum cleaners come in all shapes and sizes — from upright vacuums to handheld vacuums — the best robotic vacuum for pet hair typically features a circular design that sits low to the ground. This design is perfect for cleaning around edges and under furniture.
You’ll also go about user input in different ways between the two types of vacuums. With traditional options, like canister and upright vacuums, you are responsible for operating every part of the vacuum. If you don’t, you won’t be able to clean anything.
On the flip side, robotic vacuums require minimal user input from you. Instead, you’ll spend a small amount of time on initial programming, and the vacuum cleaner will do the rest. These devices rely on software and a series of sensors to determine where to go and where to avoid. In some cases, you’ll need to empty the dust cup when it’s full, but other options feature a self-emptying base that will do it for you. You may also like a vacuum with power, such as the finest self-propelled vacuum.
How Robot Vacuums for Pet Hair Work
As with traditional vacuum cleaners, robot vacuums utilize a series of internal, mechanical components to create a vacuum effect, which sucks up debris as you pass over it on the floor. Once the vacuum powers on, it uses an electric motor to spin a fan, which then creates airflow throughout the device. This airflow creates a pressure drop by the intake port to simulate the vacuum effect. Once the debris is collected, the airflow carries it into the dust cup, where it remains until the vacuum is emptied.
Apart from these mechanical components, robot vacuums also feature electronic components to manage the device’s autonomous functionality. More affordable robot vacuums use bumper sensors and boundary strips to know where to go. High-end robot vacuums feature infrared sensors, smart functionality, and advanced mapping software.
Do You Really Need a Robot Vacuum for Pet Hair?
If you have pets in your home, you know just how time-consuming and difficult it can be to clean up after them. Pet hair, kitty litter, and food messes can happen constantly. With a robot vacuum, you won’t need to worry about constantly pulling out your upright vacuum to clean up. Instead, these robot cleaners will take care of the mess for you. If the primary reason you’re considering a robovac is that your traditional upright is too strenuous and heavy for you to maneuver, a lighter vacuum might be a better fit for you, such as the best stick vacuum for pet hair. But if you don’t want to deal with handling a vacuum at all, then a robovac could be perfect for you.
Before you purchase an automatic vacuum for pet hair, be sure to do your research. This way, you’re more likely to find a robot vacuum for pet hair in 2023 that not only works well, but is easy to operate. With so many different Roombas used for dog hair currently available on the market, it’s important to read reviews from other consumers before making your final decision. Additionally, avoid using older models of robot vacuums before 2023 as they may do more damage than good.
Is a Robot Vacuum for Pet Hair Worth Buying?
- You Need to Clean Up Pet Hair and Other Messes: The top reason to purchase the best vacuum robot for pet hair is that you actually have pets in the home. Whether you have cats, dogs, or other furry friends, these vacuums can help you clean up after them, even when you aren’t home. These robot vacuums for pets are also good at cleaning up kitty litter spills and food crumbs.
- You Need Multi-Surface Cleaning: These models excel at transitioning between different floor types. If your floors transition from carpet to hardwood floors, you can rest assured these pet robot vacuums will continue to give you a seamless cleaning experience. The best options in this category feature sensors that can detect different types of flooring and adjust suction power accordingly. If you’ve got some tough messes around your home, consider a model that can perform a deep cleaning on a daily basis. Though if you want additional features out of these cleaning appliances, you might have to look beyond an affordable robot vacuum and expand your budget.
- You Need the Convenience of Autonomous Cleaning: If you’re looking for the most hands-off vacuuming experience your money can buy, then you can’t go wrong with a robot vacuum cleaner. Thanks to autonomous functionality, you can set it and forget it while you run errands or go to work.
Why a Robot Vacuum for Pet Hair May Not Be For You
- You Don’t Have Pets in Your Home: If you don’t have any furry pets at home, then a robot vacuum for pet hair may not be the best choice for you. However, if you still want an autonomous cleaning experience, you may want to consider an option that fits your specific needs, like the best robot vacuum for hardwood floors.
- You Need to Clean Up Long Human Hair: If you’re looking for the best solution to clean up long human hair at home, then you should consider the best robot vacuum for long hair. These models share many features with fine pet hair robot vacuum cleaners but do better with longer hair strands.
- You Want to Save Money: If you’re on a tight budget, then a robot vacuum might not be the best solution for you in the long run. These cleaning tools tend to be much more expensive than traditional alternatives like a handheld vacuum or a cordless vacuum. Even if the robovac you invest in is not a high-end robot vacuum, the basic models aren’t dirt cheap either. Both ranges of models perform cleaning tasks, but the premium models will have extra features versus the standard robot vacs, like a docking station that can self-empty the dust bin, mapping capabilities, smartphone remote control, etc.
How Long Will a Robot Vacuum for Pet Hair Last?
Robotic vacuum cleaners often offer a similar expected lifespan as standard vacuum cleaners. If you follow the advice of cleaning companies like Classic Cleaners, you should expect to get around five to seven years of service out of your robot vacuum before it needs to be repaired or replaced.
The specific lifespan you get out of your robot vacuum depends on how often you run it and how well you take care of it. It doesn’t always depend on the prices of the models or if you own a powerful robot vacuum. If you’ve scheduled the vacuum to clean constantly and perform one cleaning session daily, then you shouldn’t expect as much lifespan out of it. Similarly, if you don’t empty the dust cup or properly maintain the vacuum, you can also expect a decreased lifespan.
Another factor to consider with your robot vacuum’s lifespan is the battery life. All robot vacuums use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, and it’s important to understand that batteries don’t last forever. In fact, most lithium-ion batteries will fall below 60% of total capacity after four years. As such, you’ll likely need to replace the vacuum’s battery before you replace the vacuum.
How to Choose a Robot Vacuum for Pet Hair
As you start to research the different robotic vacuums for cleaning long hair that are available on the market today, you’ll want to keep a few key considerations in mind. Focus on finding a vacuum that will clean the floors in your home and offers features that enable the best vacuum to clean long hair without getting tangled up. You will also need to consider what kind of smart features your vacuum provides. These will help you make the right decision for your individual needs.
Best Robot Vacuum for Pet Hair Key Factors to Consider
1. What features does your robot vacuum have that make cleaning pet hair easier?
To properly clean up pet messes like hair and food spills, you’ll want to be sure your robotic vacuum offers a few different features. Consider a vacuum with these options available:
- Large Intake Port: Clumps of dog hair or cat hair can easily clog up the internal workings of your vacuum. As such, you should focus on finding a model with a wide intake port, which creates an easier passage for pet hair to travel to the dust cup and not get stuck on the way. Try to find a model that has a bigger dustbin size without sacrificing a slim design.
- Tangle-Free Brush Roll: You’ll want to make sure the pet hair your vacuum is cleaning up doesn’t get tangled before it ever gets sucked up. With tangle-free brushes and brush rolls, your robot vacuum will break up clumps before they become a problem.
- Advanced Infrared Sensors: High-end robotic vacuums feature infrared sensors and laser navigation systems, which can more accurately detect the extent of the mess or the floor type. If faced with a difficult mess, the vacuum can adjust its suction power to a more appropriate level. Some models are smart in navigating your house while taking into account barriers or magnetic strips set to represent rooms they shouldn’t go into and clean.
- Mopping Capabilities: Some robot vacuums come with a mop pad and water tank, which can help further sanitize your hard surfaces. If you’re a dog or cat owner and your pet spills some water from the water bowl, a robot vacuum can come in and mop up the spilled water. These combo robot vacuums can mop and vacuum simultaneously around the water and food bowl too. Regular vacuums usually can’t tackle water spills for safety concerns. Cheap robot vacuums usually don’t have mops, so though you get that affordable price, you’ll still have to go in with a manual cleaning to mop up those water messes yourself.
2. Do you need a robot vacuum with multi-surface capabilities?
If you have more than one type of flooring in your home, you’ll definitely want to consider a vacuum cleaner with the ability to transition between them seamlessly. This way, your vacuum can clean pet hair and messes from tile, low-pile carpet, medium-pile carpet, high-pile carpet, hardwood floors, and linoleum with ease. Models with rubber brush rolls are better suited for multi-surface cleaning, as well as options with advanced sensors. Although, if you have mostly thick carpeting throughout your home, you’ll want the finest robot vacuum for thick carpets.
3. How much pet hair can your robot vacuum handle, and do you need self-emptying functionality?
With pet hair, there is no such thing as a small mess. This is why it’s important to find a robotic vacuum cleaner with a larger dust cup capacity than average. Most models offer between 0.4 and 0.7 liters of capacity, and you’ll most certainly want to consider one on the higher end of that scale. This is especially true if you’re planning on using the robot vacuum to clean large floor plans.
You’ll also want to consider whether you want to spend a little extra money to purchase a self-emptying robot vacuum. These options can detect when their dust cups are full and will automatically return to the self-emptying base to empty the pet hair they’ve collected so far. This saves you from the regular effort of emptying the vacuum. Instead, you’ll just need to empty the base every 60 cleaning cycles or so. An automatic dirt disposal feature may be an additional hefty price to some who are only looking for inexpensive models, but to others, it’s a reasonable price for what you get and how it enhances your lifestyle, especially if it cleans up pet dander that affects yours or your guests’ allergies.
4. How smart should your robot vacuum for pet hair be?
All robot vacuum cleaners offer some level of smart functionality, simply by the nature of being a robot cleaning tool. However, some models provide much more smart functionality than others. Consider how smart you want your vacuum to be.
The best options are compatible with smart home assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for voice control. They also pair with smartphone apps that allow you to create fine-tuned cleaning schedules and switch between different cleaning modes.
If you aren’t interested in extensive smart functionality, you can save a few bucks and still find smart vacuums with basic functionality. You’ll just need to put more manual effort into programming the vacuum and defining the virtual boundaries.
5. How long do you need your robot vacuum’s battery to last?
Since they rely on battery power, robot vacuums will need to regularly return to their charging base, sometimes in the middle of a cleaning job. Since they do it all by themselves, you might think that battery life isn’t very important. However, your vacuum’s battery life determines how often your cleaning schedule is interrupted for recharging.
If you plan to clean large spaces in a single cleaning cycle, you’ll want to be sure you purchase a robot vacuum with longer battery life. This is especially true for cleaning up pet hair, which often requires more powerful suction levels.
