What is the best robot vacuum for pet hair? My cats and I have been testing options at home.
Automatic upkeep with shedding is something no seasoned pet owner would turn down. While the humble lint roller is still the most reliable line of defense for furniture and black clothes, the best robot vacuums for pet hair can take your hardwood and carpet maintenance off your hands.
It’s hard to envision how well a robotic vacuum cleaner could possibly work on a thick layer of pet hair until you’ve actually seen proof in person. Well, I have — I test new robot vacuums at home every month, and my cats hold nothing back when preparing the testing grounds. Three-quarters of the way through 2025, I’ve narrowed down my top five picks for the best robot vacuum for pet hair.
How to find a robot vacuum that works on pet hair
You’ve probably gathered that suction power is one major determinant of how well a robot vacuum works on pet hair. But the brush roll system is nearly just as important when choosing a robot vacuum to deal with pet fur. Two spinning brush rolls are far more effective than one at loosening fur embedded in carpet, and the separation between the two acts as an exit door for hair that’d start wrapping otherwise. Pet parents should definitely opt for a self-emptying robot vacuum — so much fur being sucked up will lead to a full dustbin faster, and you won’t feel like emptying it yourself every day.
If hardwood or tile is prevalent in your home, the best robot vacuum and mop combo for pet hair will be able to sanitize the floor while mopping and then wash its own mops to rinse off any lingering hair
If your home zoo seriously needs the utmost fur-fighting power, though, I’d have a good cordless stick vacuum on standby — stick vacuums are just more powerful than robot vacuums in general.
Other robot vacuums we’ve tested recently
I tested several other top robot vacuums in the past that didn’t make the most recent cut for this list. Some, like the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, Roborock Qrevo Master, Narwal Freo X Ultra, and various versions of the Roomba j7, were my top recommendations at one point, but have since been overshadowed by newer, more powerful models that are a better bang for your buck. I recently tested and was impressed by the Roomba Plus 505 Combo, which isn’t in this list just because its more powerful sibling is the obvious pick for pet parents.
I’ve also tested some 2025 robot vacuum releases that were OK, but ultimately aren’t a top pick for me. The Dreame X50 Ultra grabbed attention during its CES 2025 debut for its ability to “climb,” though the fine print is that it can’t scale thresholds taller than 6 millimeters (about 2.36 inches). A slew of new Dreame robot vacuums are slated to come out in fall 2025, among them a model with improved climbing abilities and a model whose self-empty dock can hold three sets of mopping pads. I’ll be getting my hands on these as soon as possible and updating my top picks for this list accordingly.
Mashable
