These robot vacuums make keeping up with pet hair a much more bearable chore

Read our full review of the Roomba s9+.

Automatic emptying wasn't the norm when iRobot dropped its fancy new D-shaped vacuum in 2019. The smarts of the s9+ are far more ubiquitous now, but this powerhouse still does one thing better than the newest Roomba, the j7+: deep clean thick carpets.

The s9+ cleans with 40 times the suction of 600 Series Roombas (the j7+ offers 10 times the suction) to provide some of the most thorough carpet attention on the market. Despite such power, the s9+ can still clean for over an hour before retreating to charge and unload debris. The flat edge is also still quite the rarity, and does a better job of snatching dust bunnies and fur balls hiding in corners.

Read our full review of the iRobot Roomba Combo j7+.

The newest Roomba uses a new camera that helps it to avoid smaller obstacles that are typically blind spots for robot vacuums. Though it can't recognize everything (like feathers on the end of wand toys), it's definitely the botvac to get if you're nervous about pet waste being smeared or about a toy clogging the machine. The j7+ rarely gets stuck or requires a human's help, so I felt super confident sending it on a cleaning run when I wasn't home.

A year-ish after the release of the j7 and j7+, iRobot also welcomed a mopping iteration of the j7 series. The Combo j7+ operates identically to the regular j7s when it comes to vacuuming, and looks almost identical as well. The only differences are an interior water tank and a retractable mopping pad that scrubs when appropriate, lifts completely over the vacuum body when carpet is sensed, and lays flat when not in use.

Hands-off cleaning is evolving, with much more of the process being automated past just the act of cleaning itself. Roborock's latest flagship hybrid, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra, empties its own dust bin, refills its own water tank (swapping dirty water for clean when necessary), and not only washes, but also dries its own mop pads, correcting the biggest downfall of the older S7 MaxV Ultra. The dock, though still obnoxiously sized, has also undergone a chic redesign to better disguise the triad of water tanks. Boosted suction on carpet is also more intense: 6,000 Pa versus the older model's 5,100.

At $1,599.99, the S8 Pro Ultra is currently the most expensive robot vacuum on the mainstream market. Its menu of specs is almost identical to that of the Ecovacs Deebot X1 Omni, which is frequently on sale for less than $1,000 after a year on the market. But even on sale, we'd probably still advise opting for the $1,599.99 Roborock to avoid the IRL frustrations that come with the X1 Omni.

If you're set on a Roomba as your first robot vacuum, the 694 is a budget-friendly model to get your toes in the water. Despite being the cheapest Roomba in the current lineup, it's still armed with iRobot's tangle-free extractors (great for pet hair) and Roomba’s patented high-efficiency AeroForce filter.

The Roomba 694 relies on adaptive navigation to safely roam while unleashing a three-stage cleaning system to expertly loosen, lift, and sucks up dirt and debris. Advanced dirt detection sensors tell the Roomba to work harder on certain areas, like near the litter box or the designated belly rub spot on the carpet. After a software update through the iRobot app, the 694 offers personalized suggestions for recurring schedules.

3,000 Pa of suction is a bold claim that'd top Roomba's best — and at a price point that's almost always under $400 on sale, skepticism is valid. But the suction power on this budget vac is palpable — especially with the automatic carpet boost. Plus, mopping and automatic emptying makes it almost impossible to question whether this Yeedi could lighten your chore load.

The presence of room mapping is also impressive at such a practical price point, despite undercooked quirks like only having the capacity to hold a map of one story at a time. Shaky furniture avoidance isn't so annoying when you can still enjoy the convenience of virtual boundaries in the app.

Shark wasn't a competitive player in the hybrid game until a release in the winter of 2022. While the introduction of a mopping pad to Shark's smartest robot vacuum is huge in its own right, the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 also welcomes a new feature that's ideal for carpeted homes with pets.

The Matrix Clean system shines during both wet and dry cleaning. During regular vacuuming, it delivers 30% better carpet cleaning (compared to the older RV Shark models) by digging deeper into carpet and taking multiple passes in a crosshatch pattern to loosen and grab debris from multiple angles. "Matrix" also applies to the AI Ultra's mopping, which vibrates 100 times per minute to scrub stains.

Read our full review of the Neato D8.

D-shaped vacuums were Neato's thing far before Roomba caught word of that diligent edge cleaning. Amidst the seemingly-discontinued D7 and the D6 that doesn't offer zone cleaning (kind of a must for homes with pets), the Botvac D8 oozes with value. Compared to the similarly-shaped Roomba s9+, the slim build, its compact dock, and whisper-quiet suction make the D8 a solid budget-friendly choice for apartments.

For up to two hours at a time, the D8 uses laser navigation to (slowly but surely) to remember your home's layout. Though the mapping isn't immediately as accurate as more advanced vacs we've tested, the D8 learns rooms over time. Its ability to mediate those maps with virtual no-go zones is also a game changer. Additionally, the phone app can be used to start a cleaning even if you're not home.