Roomba vs Shark vs Neato vs Eufy
To sustain this free service, we receive affiliate commissions via some of our links. This doesn’t affect rankings. Our review process.
Does it feel like you need to vacuum 24/7 to keep up with your dog’s shedding? A robot vacuum can help keep your floors spotless and knock one chore off your to-do list.
Article Overview
Best Robot Vacuums For Pet Hair
We chose the best robot vacuum based on the following factors:
- Price
- Runtime
- Dustbin size and auto-empty features
- Ability to vacuum every area and not miss a spot
- Auto recharge and resume
- Recharge time
All of the vacuums we review here work on carpet and hard floors. If you have rugs in your home, you may need to pick them up or use carpet tape to help keep them in place. (Please read the instructions carefully on the tape and make sure it won’t damage your flooring.)
In general, you’ll want to remember to declutter your floors before running the vacuum. That means picking up and securing any loose cords, blankets, etc.
iRobot Roomba i7+ Review
#1
If you don’t want to think about vacuuming for months, the Roomba i7+ is an excellent choice. This vacuum performs well with even heavy shedding dogs like Beagles and German Shepherds, which is why we consider it the top dog in robot vacuums.
It includes a high-efficiency filter that’s ideal for pets and can vacuum an entire level of your home with smart mapping technology. What really makes it the best for those of you with heavy shedders is that it has automatic dirt disposal, so it can return to the home station, empty its bin and continue vacuuming without your help.
You can also create Keep Out Zones, which are lines you can draw in the app on the virtual map to keep Roomba away from sensitive areas like your pet’s food dishes.
The vacuum connects to an app so you can schedule it to clean an entire level of your home or certain rooms. Running this vacuum daily can help reduce the amount of dog hair on your floors and keep your home more allergen-free.
Pros |
Cons |
|
|
*This may not be a con for those of you who suffer from allergies. The fact that Roomba i7+ uses an AllergenLock bag means that it traps 99% of pollen, mold and dust mites, something that bagless robot vacuums cannot claim.
Price
Shark IQ Robot R101AE Self-Empty Review
#2
If the Roomba i7+ is too expensive, consider this Shark IQ Robot, which also has self-emptying capabilities. The Shark IQ can run for up to 60 minutes, recharges and resumes vacuuming and has an app to control the vacuum.
It has many similar features as the Roomba i7+, however, it takes much longer to recharge (up to 6 hours, whereas the i7+ only takes 75 minutes). It also has a much smaller dustbin, so it will need to return to the base station to empty more often than the Roomba i7+.
If the long charge time doesn’t bother you, you may prefer this one since it is often less expensive, and it doesn’t require any bags in the base dustbin like the i7+ does.
Pros |
Cons |
|
|
Price
Neato Botvac D7 Review
#3
The Neato Botvac D7 is excellent for multi-level homes since it can store up to 3 floor plans. You can also create “no-go lines,” which are lines you can draw in the app on the virtual map to help keep the robot vacuum away from sensitive areas like your dog’s food and water bowls. (Other bot vacuums (besides Roomba i7+) have sensors or tape you can place as boundaries to keep the vacuum out of areas.)
This vacuum uses lasers to map out the floor plan, which means it can operate even in the dark, so you can run the vacuum while you’re asleep if you want.
Unfortunately, you can’t tell Neato which rooms you want vacuumed. If you want a specific room cleaned, you’ll need to place the vacuum in the room and close the door so it remains in that room. Another option is to put “no-go lines” in the app to keep Neato in certain rooms.
Pros |
Cons |
|
|
Price
Comparison Table
*Mapping Technology
Robot vacuums use various forms of technology to clean a space.
Collision, Wheel, Brush & Cliff Sensors
The basic and least accurate form of technology is collision, wheel, brush and cliff sensors. This isn’t technically a form of mapping since the bot vac doesn’t map out your floor plan. Instead, the robot operates in a random pattern, bumping into things and maneuvering around the room.
The sensors tell the robot when they are getting close to an object, and then the vacuum can slow down or change its path. Vacuums with this type of technology typically cost less than those with more advanced mapping technology.
These types of vacuums may not get every inch of floor coverage, but if you run the vacuum regularly, it will most likely hit any missed space another time.
vSLAM
vSLAM stands for visual simultaneous location and mapping. It is an optical system that can identify furniture and room layouts to help it navigate a room efficiently. It won’t waste time vacuuming the same spot unless heavy dirt is detected.
Vacuums with vSLAM technology can typically vacuum an area faster and more thoroughly than those with collision, wheel, brush and cliff sensors. The downside is that these vacuums are typically more expensive and they need some lighting to help them find their way. So if you want to run your vacuum at night while you’re sleeping, you’ll need to leave some lights on so the vacuum can see.
Lasers
Vacuums with laser navigation can detect the size and shape of an object to help them maneuver a room. These vacuums are typically good at covering a space with high efficiency.
These types of vacuums can typically operate well in the dark, so if nighttime vacuuming is your goal, a laser mapping vacuum is a good option. The downside is that these vacuums can cost more.
Other Robot Vacuums To Consider
The vacuums below didn’t make our top 3, but they are still worth your consideration because they may fall more in line with your budget or have features that are more important to you.
Eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 11S | iRobot Roomba 675 | iRobot Roomba 960
Eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 11S (Slim) Review
If your dog hates loud noises, this may be the best robot vacuum for you. The Eufy 11S is designed to run no louder than a microwave. This makes it an excellent choice for those of you with young children at home, too, since you may want to run this while they’re asleep. However, this vacuum is missing many features that are included in the higher end robot vacs.
Pros |
Cons |
|
|
Price
iRobot Roomba 675 Review
If you want something that’s slightly more budget-friendly but doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of our top 3 picks, the Roomba 675 is a dependable robot vacuum. It’s good for those of you who are interested in a robot vacuum but don’t want to invest a ton of money.
This vacuum works best in homes with lower-maintenance dogs who have short hair. The bristle style brushroll can tangle longer pet hairs, so we don’t recommend this for households with heavy shedding, long-haired dogs.
If you’re interested in a robot vacuum but aren’t ready to invest $500+ in one, this is an excellent model to start with. Warning: It may convert you into a true robot vacuum believer.
Pros |
Cons |
|
|
Price
iRobot Roomba 960 Review
This was the first robot vacuum I purchased for my home, and I absolutely love it. I have a hound mix, and I’d say she sheds close to what a Labrador Retriever sheds. I also have a young son who loves to drop crumbs everywhere, so this vacuum has been life-changing.
I have it set to vacuum the entire main level of my home a few times a week. I also take it to other levels in my home (with the base station) to vacuum them as well. This is so convenient and takes a chore off my to-do list.
It has a 0.82-liter dust bin, so it can typically vacuum an entire level of my home without needing emptying. Maintenance is easy for this vacuum, and it’s nice to play on the floor with my son without getting covered in dog hair and crumbs.
My home has a mixture of hardwood, rugs, high-pile carpet, low-pile carpet, luxury vinyl and linoleum flooring. I noticed with the flimsy rugs, the Roomba would struggle and drag the rug with it. I purchased some carpet tape to help hold those rugs in place. Now the Roomba has no issues with the rugs.
I wish I could set it to clean a specific room, but I knew I wouldn’t have that capability before purchasing it. It wasn’t until after I bought this vacuum that I realized how convenient that feature could be. My next robot vacuum will definitely include this feature.
I wasn’t confident I’d be a fan of robot vacuums so I didn’t want to spend the extra money on that feature, but looking back, I wish I would’ve invested the extra money in those higher-end features.
Pros |
Cons |
|
|
Price
Watch A Robot Vacuum In Action
Check out the video below of my Roomba 960 in action. As you can see, it does a great job adjusting to furniture and toys, and my dog, Sally, doesn’t mind it too much either.
Unsure About Robot Vacuums?
If you aren’t quite sold on a robot vacuum for your household, you can still go the traditional route and purchase a regular vacuum. We’ve reviewed the best vacuums for pet hair and have selected various models depending on your needs.
Does your dog shed a lot?
