When it comes to maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in homes with hardwood floors and pet inhabitants, a reliable and efficient cleaning solution is paramount. This is where the excellence of robot vacuums shines through. Designed with smart technology, these devices can navigate through your home with ease, taking care of pet hair and dust on hardwood floors. In this guide, we will explore some of the best robot vacuums for hardwood floors and pet hair, aiming to help you find a solution that can keep your floors pristine and your home allergen-free.
Factors to consider when choosing a robot vacuum
Suction power and ability to adjust automatically
The suction power of a robot vacuum is vital for effectively picking up pet hair and dust, especially on hardwood floors. The best robot vacuums have strong suction power and can adjust their suction levels automatically based on the type of debris they encounter. This feature is particularly important for homes with pets, as it ensures the robot vacuum can handle the varying amounts and types of pet hair shed. Furthermore, an intelligent robot vacuum can transition seamlessly from carpet to hardwood floors, adjusting its suction power accordingly to ensure optimal cleaning.
As the general rule of thumb, you should select a robot vacuum with suction power from 1,000 pa up. But it doesn’t mean you should get the robot vacuum with the highest PA. Read my article “Robot Vacuum Suction: Is The Stronger, The Better?” to find out why.
Brush type
The brush type is another crucial factor to consider when choosing the best robot vacuum for hardwood floors and pet hair. Generally, there are two types of brushes: bristle and rubber. Bristle brushes are great at grabbing pet hair and dust, but they might scratch your hardwood floors. On the other hand, rubber brushes effectively attract pet hair and are gentle on hardwood floors. Some high-end robot vacuums offer a combination of both for optimal cleaning. Furthermore, check if the robot vacuum has a side brush that can reach corners and edges, ensuring comprehensive cleaning.
Navigation Technology
The navigation technology of a robot vacuum determines how efficiently and effectively it can clean your hardwood floors.
The best robot vacuum models employ smart mapping technology that allows them to navigate around your home intelligently, avoiding obstacles while ensuring all areas, including corners and under furniture, are thoroughly cleaned. Additionally, some models can detect areas with high concentrations of dirt and pet hair, making them focus more on these spots.
Advanced models also offer app integration, allowing you to set cleaning boundaries and schedules, offering more control over the cleaning process.
Choosing a robot vacuum with superior navigation technology ensures your hardwood floors and pet hair cleaning needs are met to the highest standards.
Battery life
Battery life is a significant aspect to consider when choosing the best robot vacuum for hardwood floors and pet hair. The duration of the vacuum’s operation on a full charge can determine how much area it can clean before requiring a recharge. Typically, robot vacuums with longer battery life can clean larger homes or areas more effectively.
However, it’s worth noting that many advanced models come with a ‘return to base’ feature, which allows the device to automatically return to its charging dock when battery levels are low, and resume cleaning once recharged. Therefore, while a longer battery life is beneficial, this feature can compensate for shorter battery durations.
Dustbin Capacity
Dustbin capacity is another critical factor to consider when selecting the best robot vacuum for hardwood floors and pet hair. The capacity of a robot vacuum’s dustbin determines how much dirt and pet hair it can hold before needing to be emptied.
If you have pets that shed a lot, a robot vacuum with a larger dustbin capacity is a more convenient choice as it will require less frequent emptying.
However, remember that a larger dustbin might add to the size of the vacuum, potentially affecting its ability to navigate under furniture. Hence, it’s important to strike a balance between dustbin capacity and the size of the robot vacuum to ensure effective and hassle-free cleaning.
Best Robot Vacuum for Hardwood Floors and Pet Hair
Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra
The Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra shines as the best robot vacuum for hardwood floors and pet hair due to its impressive suite of features tailored to these specific needs.
Its Empty Wash Fill Dock eliminates the manual labor associated with filling the water tank or emptying the dustbin, crucial for households with pets that shed frequently.
The ReactiveAI 2.0 technology ensures it navigates skillfully around obstacles, preventing scratches or damage to your hardwood floors. Furthermore, the vacuum’s ability to discern the type of flooring in each room and adjust its cleaning strategies offers a more thorough and careful cleanup of hardwood surfaces.
The powerful suction, coupled with an all-rubber brush, collects pet hair and dust efficiently without harming the floor, making it a superb choice. The multi-directional floating brush ensures optimal contact with uneven surfaces, enhancing its efficiency on both hardwood floors and carpets.
These features combined make the Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra an excellent choice for homes with hardwood floors and pets.
What do people say
Pros:
- The Empty Wash Fill Dock provides automatic dust emptying, mop washing, and water tank refilling, making it incredibly convenient and hands-free to use.
- ReactiveAI 2.0 obstacle avoidance technology allows the robot vacuum to navigate around common domestic hazards using its RGB camera and neural processing unit.
- Next-Level Intelligence recognizes furniture in your home and places them on the map automatically, identifying floors in each room to recommend different cleaning patterns or scrub intensity accordingly.
- Its all-rubber brush offers consistent cleaning performance on floor and carpets while providing long-lasting durability too.
- It generates more suction power than any previous Roborock robot vacuum for deep cleaning of carpets
Cons:
- The price tag may be a bit steep for some consumers who are looking for a more affordable option.
- The robot vacuum’s advanced features may require a bit of a learning curve to understand how to use them effectively.
- Some users have reported that the robot vacuum can get stuck on certain types of obstacles or furniture, which could be frustrating if you’re not around to intervene.
Roborock S7+
The Roborock S7+ earns its title as one of the best robot vacuums for hardwood floors and pet hair due to its advanced technology and thoughtful design. Its Sonic Mopping Technology is particularly effective on hardwood floors, scrubbing up to 3000 times per minute to remove stubborn stains. The Intelligent Mop Lifting feature ensures that carpets aren’t unnecessarily soiled, while the upgraded Brush System delivers deeper cleaning on uneven surfaces. These features, along with an improved rubber brush that resists tangling from pet hair, make it ideal for homes with pets and hardwood floors.
Moreover, its Ultrasonic Carpet Recognition allows for accurate carpet identification, automatically adjusting suction power for deeper cleaning. This automation reduces manual input and makes cleaning more efficient. The LiDAR Navigation and Adaptive Route Algorithms ensure precise navigation and cleaning, making it an ideal choice for larger homes. Its App Control and Voice Control support add to its convenience, making it easy to control and customize its cleaning routes.
In comparison to the Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra, it offers similar features but at a lower price point, making it more accessible. The additional Sonic Mopping Technology further enhances its cleaning capabilities, especially on hardwood floors. These combined factors make the Roborock S7+ a top choice when considering robot vacuums for hardwood floors and pet hair.
What do people say
Pros:
• Roborock S7 with auto-empty station provides tremendous value for convenience offered.
• Setting up and using the app is easy and space mapping works well, except for mirrors.
• Works well on hardwood floors; carpets require some effort to clean around objects.
• App allows several users to control the robots and schedule them.
• The mopping function removes dirt even from spot-checked, seemingly clean surfaces.
• Robot learns quickly and efficiently maps the house while returning to dock for charging and emptying.
• Excellent product especially for those with mobility issues or other disabilities.
Cons
• Sometimes it seems to get lost and cleans same path over and over again.
Roomba S9+
The Roomba S9+ is regarded as one of the best robot vacuums for hardwood floors and pet hair due to its superior performance and smart features. Notably, its PerfectEdge Technology with advanced sensors and a specially designed Corner Brush ensures thorough cleaning, even in hard-to-reach areas like corners and along edges, which is crucial in homes with pets. The vacuum demonstrates tremendous prowess in handling pet hair and debris on hardwood floors, courtesy of its 3-Stage Cleaning System with a powerful 40x suction.
Moreover, the intelligent vSLAM navigation allows the vacuum to adapt to your home’s layout, optimizing its cleaning path for efficient and thorough cleaning. It’s particularly mindful of obstacles, as the Careful Drive Mode allows it to maneuver around objects taller than 2.5 cm without disturbing them. These features are complemented by its Spot Clean mode, making it easy to command the robot to clean specific areas, such as under the kitchen table.
Furthermore, the Roomba S9+ leverages the unique intelligence of the iRobot OS that understands your cleaning habits and routines, offering personalized cleaning suggestions. This, along with features like Smart Recharge and Resume, allows the vacuum to charge only as long as needed and continue its cleaning task efficiently, making it a top choice for those seeking superior cleaning of hardwood floors and effective handling of pet hair.
What do people say
Pros:
- Rarely gets stuck
- Empties bin by itself, reducing the need for frequent emptying
- Flexible in moving furniture and chairs around without getting lost
- Recharges at the base almost every time and empties bin when required
- Easy to clean, especially with pet and long human hair
- Requires minimal maintenance
- The huge laser on top allows it to easily get under furniture and cabinets
Cons:
- Not suitable for larger debris as it may fill up quickly due to its small bin size
- Very expensive
Roomba i7+
As one of the highest-ranking robot vacuums available in the market, the Roomba i7+ has proven itself to be exceptional at managing the unique challenges posed by hardwood floors and pet hair. The reason it ranks as the best robot vacuum for hardwood floors and pet hair is primarily due to its innovative technological features.
The Dual Multi-Surface Rubber Brushes ensure consistent contact with hardwood floors, providing thorough and efficient cleaning of dust, debris, and pet hair. Unlike traditional bristle brushes, these rubber brushes don’t get tangled, making them an excellent solution for households with pets.
The High-Efficiency Filter is another standout feature which significantly improves indoor air quality. It traps 99% of cat and dog allergens – a significant boon for allergy sufferers.
In addition, the intelligent Smart Mapping technology allows the creation of Keep Out Zones to protect sensitive areas, while the Premium 3-Stage Cleaning System and 10X Power-Lifting Suction tackle stubborn dirt and pet hair on carpets and rugs.
The i7+ also offers unparalleled user control with its compatibility with Google Home and Alexa-enabled devices, making it a truly modern cleaning solution. Its ability to offer personalized cleaning schedules further enhances its user-friendly nature.
For these reasons, the Roomba i7+ undoubtedly earns the title of the best robot vacuum for hardwood floors and pet hair.
What do people say
Pros
- The Roomba i7 can be set up to run automatically when not in use, making cleaning more convenient.
- It operates at a remarkably quiet noise level.
- The robot vacuum has the ability to cover a 1400 sq. ft. condo on its own, saving time for other activities.
Cons
- It takes significantly longer (90-115 minutes) for the Roomba i7 to clean an area than it would take with a manual vacuum (11 minutes).
- The robot can only do about 75% of the job that you do by manually vacuuming.
- Occasionally (1 in 5 times), the Roomba i7 “forgets” an unobstructed path and gets stuck under furniture, causing it to return back to base without finishing its job.
- Long hair frequently gets tangled in extractor brushes and rotating brush on right side, requiring daily cleaning.
- The app takes 10-30 seconds to connect and cannot add jobs without waiting for the first job to complete or guessing when it will finish
Roomba J7 & J7+
The Roomba j7 and j7+ stand out as the best robot vacuums for hardwood floors and pet hair due to their innovative features designed to handle these specific challenges. The patented Dual Multi-Surface Rubber Brushes flex to adapt to different floor types, maintaining consistent contact and effectively capturing pet hair without getting tangled.
The PrecisionVision Navigation technology allows these robots to recognize and avoid obstacles, preventing them from getting stuck or tangled, which is common when dealing with pet hair.
Moreover, the Imprint Smart Mapping technology offers the flexibility to customize cleaning zones, protecting delicate areas on your hardwood floors. Furthermore, the Edge-Sweeping Brush is specifically designed to clean corners and edges, where dust and pet hair often accumulate on hardwood floors.
What do people say
Pros:
- The Roomba j7 is pretty smart! It can recognize all kinds of obstacles, from charger cords to pet poo.
- It can clean a pretty big area (up to 800 sqft) before emptying.
- The dust bin is easy to remove and clean with soap and water.
- If you don’t like handling dusty bins, there’s a “+” feature that will self-empty it for you!
- The Roomba j7 is really good at mapping out your space. It can even navigate downstairs and return home when it’s done cleaning.
- You can customize which areas it cleans using an app, so you don’t have to worry about it getting into certain rooms or areas.
Cons:
- The battery life could be better. It might need multiple charging cycles if you’re cleaning a large space.
- Unfortunately, the product instructions are kind of lacking. You might need to do some research online in order to figure out how to use all its features properly.
- While the Roomba j7 is definitely worth the investment once you get the hang of it, it might take some time to figure everything out at first.
- Mapping out your space can take a while, especially if you have a lot of rooms or obstacles in the way.
Ecovacs Deebot T8
The Deebot T8 truly excels as one of the best robot vacuums for hardwood floors and pet hair due to its innovative features and thoughtful design. The simultaneous vacuum and mop function, combined with a larger water tank, allows it to effectively clean hardwood floors while ensuring they remain unharmed. The precision laser mapping and navigation feature, powered by TrueMapping technology, ensures thorough cleaning of all floor surfaces.
Its advanced object detection capability prevents unnecessary collisions, safeguarding your precious hardwood floors from potential damage. Moreover, the carpet detection feature adjusts the suction power based on the surface it’s cleaning, ensuring efficient pick up of pet hair embedded in carpets and rugs.
Furthermore, the T8’s seamless integration with the ECOVACS App provides users with an unparalleled level of customization and control over their cleaning routines. This level of adaptability and versatility, coupled with its state-of-the-art technological features, make the Deebot T8 a superior choice for households with hardwood floors and pets.
What do people say
Pros:
- Well-designed product
- Good battery life
- Loaded with features
- Self-cleaning mopping pads
- Attractive design with independent voice command and powerful suction
- Good navigation and mapping for thorough cleaning
Cons:
- Less effective mopping performance, with inconsistent results and edges often left uncleaned
- Difficulty cleaning corners and edges due to design limitations
- The water tank not lasting long enough for larger areas, requiring frequent refills during use
- Dust bag issue, with the bin not fully emptying after use
Conclusion
While each of these robot vacuums brings unique features to the table, it’s clear that they excel in their primary objective – cleaning hardwood floors and picking up pet hair. The Roomba i7+, J7 & J7+, and Deebot T8 are all top contenders for the title of best robot vacuum for this specific purpose. Ultimately, the decision between them may come down to personal preferences and specific needs. However, one thing is for sure – incorporating a robot vacuum into your household cleaning routine can save time and effort while effectively tackling pet hair and maintaining the cleanliness of hardwood floors. So, choose wisely and enjoy the benefits of a clean home without lifting a finger!
