Other vacuums I’ve recently tested
I tested several other top robot vacuums over the past two years that didn’t make the recent cut on this list. Some, like the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, the Roborock Quravo Master, the Narwhal Freo Recently, in the last few months of 2025, I was impressed with the Roomba Plus 505 Combo, Plus 405 Combo, and the Narwhal Freo Z10 Ultra. Ultimately they were not the most thorough vacuum cleaners in their price range.
New robot vacuum announced at CES 2026
Many top robot vacuum brands unveiled new flagship models at CES in early January. These include Roborock Saros 20 Sonic and Qervo Curve 2 Flow, Dream X60 Max Ultra Complete and Narwhal Flow 2. I will be testing these at home as soon as possible and will update this guide accordingly once they are officially available for all purchase.
How to choose a robot vacuum for pet hair
Let’s dive a little deeper into the features that can make or break your experience relying on a robot vacuum to clean up after pets.
Suction power and brush roll
I recommend a vacuum with at least 8,000 Pa of suction power for effective pet hair collection, although heavy carpet and homes with more than two pets should consider a suction power of at least 12,000 Pa. But the brush roll system is almost as important when choosing a vacuum for pet fur. In my testing, dual brush roll vacuums are far more effective. For reference, the most powerful robot vacuums in 2025 had between 20,000 and 30,000 Pa of suction power, and new robot vacuums coming in 2026 bump that up to 35,000 Pa.
automatic emptying
Pet parents should definitely opt for a self-emptying robot vacuum – with so much fur sucked up the dustbin will fill up faster, and you won’t feel like emptying it yourself every day. Even with daily use, a self-emptying robot vacuum can last one to three months before you need to empty the trash.
mopping
If hardwood or tile is prevalent in your home, the best robot vacuum and mop combo for pet hair will be able to clean the floors while mopping and then use its own mop to wash away any remaining hair. Mopping is more likely to effectively remove other small pet debris, such as pet dander and kitty litter dust, which are too small to be inhaled by the vacuum’s suction power.
smart mapping
Some rooms or spots on the floor within those rooms tend to be hairier than others. A smart mapping robot vacuum learns the layout of your home and can go to specific areas on command, which you can queue up directly from the app. In my opinion, smart mapping is the most worthwhile robot vacuum feature, and it should be a baseline even when searching for a cheaper model – cleaning performance is a moot point if the vacuum can’t get where it needs to go in the first place.
small obstacle avoidance
Some advanced robot vacuums use cameras and 3D sensors to pinpoint any small obstacles in the cleaning path in front of them. When successful, these vacuums keep most pets from eating toys, cords, laundry or socks or shoes, keep dregs from getting into pet bowls, and even pet waste.
<a href