The 3 Best Robot Vacuums For Pet Hair

Living with a pet means living with pet hair. If you’re vacuuming up constantly trying to keep up with it, then you’re overdue for an upgrade. The best robot vacuums for pet hair have washable filters for trapping allergens and the battery life to clean your space in just one or two cleaning runs.

Most robot vacuums can run for at least an hour before recharging; the best ones automatically return to the dock to recharge when the battery is running low, and then complete the cleaning job when charged.

A robot vacuum that is particularly effective at picking up pet hair and other debris will feature a high-efficiency filter or several filter layers that trap allergens inside, which is a major plus considering how pets like dogs and cats are notorious for spreading dander. A washable filter ensures you easily remove all debris and allergens so that your vacuum is squeaky clean and ready for its next pass over your floors or carpet.

Some bonus features to look for are WiFi connectivity to program the vacuum to run on a schedule, and smart zone mapping which means it can safely zip around your house even when you’re not home. Choosing a model with the right size dust bin for your space and cleaning needs will also save you major time and hassle. The average robot vacuum’s dustbin has a capacity of about a half-liter, give or take a bit, but both smaller or larger bins can work well, depending on your space. A self-emptying bin is even more convenient for truly painless vacuuming, especially if you live in a home plagued by pet hair.

Keep reading for the best robot vacuums for pet hair and get ready to kick back while it does all the work.

1. The Overall Best Robot Vacuum For Pet Hair

The overall best robot vacuum for pet hair stands out for its ability to clean up after you, your pets, and itself; any time its .39-liter dustbin is full, this nifty robot automatically empties it into a tall cleaning base that holds up to 30 loads, and then gets back to work. (You can manually empty the cleaning base when it's full, usually after about 60 days.) The Roomba i7+ is a particularly worthwhile investment for homes with multiple and/or particularly hairy pets that could overwhelm another vacuum.

The vacuum's rubber brushes are designed to clean on multiple surfaces, including carpeting and hard floors, and they don't get tangled with pet hair. Reviewers report it does best on low-pile rugs or carpet. Run time is about 75 minutes, and when running low the vacuum automatically docks to recharge before finishing the job. The vacuum's AllergenLock bags with four layers trap up to 99% of pollen and mold and its washable filter catches 99% of cat and dog allergens.

Set up your Roomba vacuum with an Amazon Alexa or Google Home device, and you'll be able to say something like, "Alexa, clean up under the kitchen table" to handle daily messes. Its WiFi connectivity allows for mapping your house on multiple stories, and it'll clean more effectively as it learns the layout of your home. Plus, this smart vacuum senses areas that are dirtier and automatically goes over them more than once to ensure they are clean.

One thing to keep in mind is the base is bulkier than other vacuums with only a dock, so set aside some space for it.

A helpful review: “We have two Bernese and two cats. The hair, dirt, and other effluvia are not to be believed. Our downstairs is a mix of carpet and hard floor, approximately 2200 s.f. This is our third Roomba and is far and away the best. [...] This thing is a MONSTER. First of all, it’s much quieter than the other two. It cleans much more quickly and thoroughly, without banging repeatedly into the skirting boards the way the 770 used to. The roller and brush design is smart and means less hair wrapped in a Gordian knot around the rollers the way the 770 and the 980 used to. And the automatic emptying feature works like a charm [...] I know it’s pricey. But if you have multiple hairy pets, this thing is the shiznit.”

2. The Runner Up

A close runner up to my number one pick, this highly rates robot vacuum is up to the task. Consumer Reports said it’s “superb at cleaning carpet” thanks in part to its suction power and a shutter brush that extends only as it nears a wall so it doesn't end up just moving dirt and hair around as it works; the rubber blade also does especially well when cleaning walls or hard-to-reach areas. Reviewers report it cleans high-pile rugs best when placed directly on them, rather than trying to transition from hard flooring.

This pick with a .3-liter dustbin has a run time of up to 90 minutes, and it automatically recharges when the battery is low and will finish the job after a charge. The WiFi-capable vacuum works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and it can be programmed to clean with mapping of your home. This pick also comes with magnetic boundary tape to keep it out of certain areas, like a dog bed or litter box. The vacuum's filter is washable.

A helpful review: “[...] R7065 has outstanding suction and has no problem picking up deeply embedded dog hair from my carpet. It actually seems to do a better job at this than my Dyson upright, and it absolutely blows away the Roomba robot vac it replaced. It has plenty of battery and dirt bin capacity to pretty thoroughly clean all of the rooms in my home. Navigation so far seems spot on as it hasn’t gotten lost or hung up on the furniture yet. One of the selling points for me was how it has a mapping system to image your house and build a navigation map to avoid obstacles. [...] Scheduling it to work at a set time and date is easy enough, although the star of the show for me is how easily it integrates with Google Home via WiFi connection. Everyone in the house gets a kick out of how I can control it with my voice. [...]”

3. The Best On A Budget

A highly rated affordable robot vacuum with more than 24,000 reviews? Yeah, you'll want to consider this under-$250 pick for cleaning up after pets on a budget. The eufy robot vacuum runs for up to 100 minutes and automatically docks to charge when it's running low.

The vacuum's prefilter and sponge filter are washable, but the high-performance filter is not. Its powerful suction cleans on tile, hardwood, or laminated floors, as well as low- to medium-pile carpets. The manufacturer notes this pick won't really work on high-pile carpet or very dark floors.

Some bells and whistles you don't get at this price: WiFi connectivity and zone mapping. However, it can be scheduled to run daily at a specific time. You’ll also need to empty the .6-liter bin manually, though the larger bin means less frequent changes. But it remains a very effective tool for pet owners; one reviewer commented, "It picks up so much dust and pet hair. We do a full vacuum every other week with my Dyson, so I think of the robot vacuum as a supplemental vacuum. I was shocked at how much was in the dustbin after its inaugural cleaning!"

Aesthetically and functionally, this is also a slimmer robot vacuum that can fit under more furniture and is available in black or white to match your decor.

A helpful review: “Did a bit of searching for a high-quality / low-cost robot vacuum, and ended up choosing this one. I am very pleased with the purchase. I have it set to run everyday while I'm out at work, and it's made an incredibly noticeable difference in my home. My bare feet / socks no longer pickup dirt and dog hair every time I walk through the house, and all I have to do is empty the vacuum's bin when I get home. I had it run while I was home over the weekend, and it was very quiet. For comparison, when it was vacuuming in front of me, it sounded like somebody is vacuuming in a different room with the door closed. So not absolutely missing, but so quiet that you can watch TV without adjusting the volume. Very worthwhile purchase. If you have a pet that sheds faster than you can sweep, this is absolutely essential.”